One Who Inclines Towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment)

Monks, just as the river Ganges slants, slopes, and inclines towards the east, so too a Monk who develops and cultivates the four Jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

And how, Monks, does a Monk who develops and cultivates the four Jhānas slant, slope, and incline towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment)?

Here, a Monk, distant from sense-desires, distant from unwholesome mental states, enters and resides in the first Jhāna, which is with thinking and pondering, based in seclusion, filled with excitement and joy. And with the subsiding of thinking and pondering, by gaining inner tranquility and oneness of mind, he enters and resides in the second Jhāna, which is without thinking and pondering, based in concentration, filled with excitement and joy. And with the fading away of excitement, remaining imperturbable (unable to be upset or excited; calm; serene), mindful and clearly aware, he experiences in himself the joy of which the Noble Ones say:

‘Peaceful is he who resides with equanimity and mindfulness’, he enters the third Jhāna. And, having given up pleasure and pain, and with the fading away of former gladness and sadness, he enters and resides in the fourth Jhāna, which is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness.

It is in this way, Monks, that a Monk who develops and cultivates the four Jhānas slants, slopes, and inclines towards Nibbāna (Enlightenment).

(Reference: SN 53.1)

In this Teaching from Gotama Buddha, he shares how developing the mind to attain the Jhānas moves a Practitioner’s mind towards Enlightenment. Through training the mind to attain the Jhānas, a Practitioner is likely to continue their progress towards the attainment of Enlightenment.

The way a Practitioner attains the Jhānas is to stay focused on learning, reflecting, and practicing the core and central Teachings that comprise the main aspects of The Path to Enlightenment.

The core and central Teachings a Practitioner should focus on developing in their life practice are:

A.) The Three Universal Truths

B.) The Four Noble Truths

C.) The Eight Fold Path

D.) The Five Precepts

E.) The Brahma-viharas

F.) The Ten Fetters

G.) The Seven Factors of Enlightenment

H.) Extensive Meditation Training

Through learning and practicing these Teachings, a Practitioner could be predicted to progress towards the attainment of the Jhānas. Once the mind is experiencing the Jhānas, this is an indication that one’s life practice is becoming well developed and they should then start to focus on the elimination of The Ten Fetters.

Through the elimination of The Ten Fetters, the mind will experience Enlightenment.