The wearing away of the taints is dependent on the jhanas and formless bases. A meditator enters these states, perceives all present phenomena as impermanent and not-self, and directs the mind toward the deathless element.

AN 9.36  Jhāna sutta - Jhāna

“Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; nevasaññānāsaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi; saññāvedayitanirodhampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmi.

“I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the |wearing away of the taints::gradual exhaustion and elimination of the mental defilements or deep-seated afflictions such as sensual desire, craving for existence, views, and ignorance [āsava + khaya]| dependent on the first jhana; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the second jhana; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the third jhana; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the fourth jhana; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]|; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]|; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct “something” to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]|; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |base of neither perception nor non-perception::field of awareness of subtle mental activity that do not arise to the level of forming a perception [nevasaññānāsaññāyatana]|; I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |cessation of perception and what is felt::ending of recognition and felt experience, cessation of conception and what is felt [saññāvedayitanirodha]|.

‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

When this was said: ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the first jhana,’ with reference to what was this said? Here|, bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures ... [and so on] ... enters and dwells in the first jhana. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether |form::materiality, material existence, experience of the material world, i.e. encompassing both one’s body and external objects, whether near or far, gross or subtle, deficient or refined; first of the five aggregates [rūpa]|, |feeling::pleasant, neutral, or painful sensation, experience felt on contact through eye, ear, nose, tongue, body, mind; second of the five aggregates [vedanā]|, |perception::The mental process of recognizing and giving meaning to experience. It marks sensory information by signs, labels, or associations drawn from memory and the field of contact. Perception shapes how one experiences the world; third of the five aggregates [sañña]|, |intentional constructs::the constructive activity that shapes each moment of experience, expressed as bodily, verbal, and mental formations; the accumulated conditioning—patterns, tendencies, and habits—produced by prior action [saṅkhārā]|, or |consciousness::quality of awareness—distinctive knowing that arises in dependence on the meeting of eye and form, ear and sound, nose and odor, tongue and taste, body and tangible object, mind and mind object; fifth of the five aggregates [viññāṇa]|—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely |the stilling of all intentional constructs::calming of all intentions, volitions, mental activities. This is sometimes rendered as stilling of all formations [sabbasaṅkhārasamatha]|, the |relinquishing of all acquisitions::letting go of all attachments, releasing of all ‘I’, ‘me’, ‘mine’ making [sabbūpadhipaṭinissagga]|, the |wearing away of craving::depletion of craving, wanting, yearning, passion [taṇhākkhaya]|, dispassion, cessation, |Nibbāna::complete cooling, letting go of everything, deathless, freedom from calamity, the non-disintegrating; lit. blowing away [nibbāna]|.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [either in the Brahma world or in the Pure Abodes], and there he will attain |final Nibbāna::complete cooling, full quenching, total emancipation, dying one’s final death [parinibbāyi]| without ever returning from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso issāsantevāsī tiṇapurisarūpake mattikāpuñje yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi …pe… paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. ‘Paṭhamampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Just as|, bhikkhus,::::| an archer or an archer’s apprentice might practice on a straw man or a mound of clay, and then over time becomes one who shoots far, shoots accurately, and shatters massive objects; in the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, secluded from sensual pleasures ... [and so on] ... enters and dwells in the first jhana. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether form, feeling, perception, intentional constructs, or consciousness—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [either in the Brahma world or in the Pure Abodes], and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the first jhana’—it was in reference to this that it was said.

Dutiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the second jhana ... [and so on] ...

tatiyampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya …pe…

I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the third jhana ... [and so on] ...

‘catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

When this was said: ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the fourth jhana,’ with reference to what was this said? Here|, bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous passing away of joy and displeasure, enters and dwells in the fourth jhana, which is neither painful nor pleasant and has purification of mindfulness by equanimity. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether form, feeling, perception, intentional constructs, or consciousness—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously [either in the Brahma world or in the Pure Abodes], and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso issāsantevāsī tiṇapurisarūpake mattikāpuñje yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sukhassa ca pahānā …pe… catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti rūpagataṁ vedanāgataṁ …pe… anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. ‘Catutthampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Just as|, bhikkhus,::::| an archer or an archer’s apprentice might practice on a straw man or a mound of clay, and then over time becomes one who shoots far, shoots accurately, and shatters massive objects; in the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain ... [and so on] ... enters and dwells in the fourth jhana. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether form, feeling ... [and so on] ... without ever returning from that world. ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the fourth jhana’—it was in reference to this that it was said.

‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, jhānaṁ nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

When this was said: ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the base of boundless space,’ with reference to what was this said? Here|, bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, completely transcending perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is boundless,’ enters and dwells in the base of boundless space. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether feeling, perception, intentional constructs, or consciousness—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso issāsantevāsī tiṇapurisarūpake mattikāpuñje yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ …pe… anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. ‘Ākāsānañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Just as|, bhikkhus,::::| an archer or an archer’s apprentice might practice on a straw man or a mound of clay, and then over time becomes one who shoots far, shoots accurately, and shatters massive objects; in the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, completely transcending perceptions of form, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is boundless,’ enters and dwells in the |base of boundless space::field of boundless expanse, dimension of infinite space [ākāsānañcāyatana]|. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether feeling, perception ... [and so on] ... without ever returning from that world. ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the base of boundless space’—it was in reference to this that it was said.

‘Viññāṇañcāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya …pe…

I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the |base of boundless consciousness::field of limitless awareness [viññāṇañcāyatana]| ... [and so on] ...

ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, bhikkhave, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti kho panetaṁ vuttaṁ. Kiñcetaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā.

When this was said: ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the base of nothingness,’ with reference to what was this said? Here|, bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, completely transcending the base of boundless consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ enters and dwells in the |base of nothingness::field of awareness centered on the absence of any distinct “something” to grasp or hold onto [ākiñcaññāyatana]|. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether feeling, perception, intentional constructs, or consciousness—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world.

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, issāso issāsantevāsī tiṇapurisarūpake mattikāpuñje yoggaṁ karitvā, so aparena samayena dūrepātī ca hoti akkhaṇavedhī ca mahato ca kāyassa padāletā; evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. So yadeva tattha hoti vedanāgataṁ saññāgataṁ saṅkhāragataṁ viññāṇagataṁ, te dhamme aniccato dukkhato rogato gaṇḍato sallato aghato ābādhato parato palokato suññato anattato samanupassati. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpeti. So tehi dhammehi cittaṁ paṭivāpetvā amatāya dhātuyā cittaṁ upasaṁharati: ‘etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ yadidaṁ sabbasaṅkhārasamatho sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo taṇhākkhayo virāgo nirodho nibbānan’ti. So tattha ṭhito āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti. No ce āsavānaṁ khayaṁ pāpuṇāti, teneva dhammarāgena tāya dhammanandiyā pañcannaṁ orambhāgiyānaṁ saṁyojanānaṁ parikkhayā opapātiko hoti tattha parinibbāyī anāvattidhammo tasmā lokā. ‘Ākiñcaññāyatanampāhaṁ, nissāya āsavānaṁ khayaṁ vadāmī’ti, iti yaṁ taṁ vuttaṁ, idametaṁ paṭicca vuttaṁ.

Just as|, bhikkhus,::::| an archer or an archer’s apprentice might practice on a straw man or a mound of clay, and then over time becomes one who shoots far, shoots accurately, and shatters massive objects; in the same way, |bhikkhus,::::| a bhikkhu, completely transcending the base of boundless consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ enters and dwells in the base of nothingness. In this state, he perceives whatever phenomena are present—whether feeling, perception, intentional constructs, or consciousness—as impermanent, unsatisfactory, a disease, a boil, a dart, misery, an affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self. He turns his mind away from these phenomena. Having turned his mind away, he directs it towards the deathless element, reflecting: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, namely the stilling of all intentional constructs, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the wearing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that state, he attains the complete wearing away of the taints. But if he does not attain the complete wearing away of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then, with the wearing away of the five lower fetters, he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously, and there he will attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. ‘I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| the wearing away of the taints dependent on the base of nothingness’—it was in reference to this that it was said.

Iti kho, bhikkhave, yāvatā saññāsamāpatti tāvatā aññāpaṭivedho. Yāni ca kho imāni, bhikkhave, nissāya dve āyatanāni nevasaññānāsaññāyatanasamāpatti ca saññāvedayitanirodho ca, jhāyīhete, bhikkhave, samāpattikusalehi samāpattivuṭṭhānakusalehi samāpajjitvā vuṭṭhahitvā sammā akkhātabbānīti vadāmī”ti.

Thus, |bhikkhus,::::| as far as there are attainments with perception, just that far is there the penetration of final knowledge. But as for these two bases—the attainment of the |base of neither perception nor non-perception::field of awareness of subtle mental activity that do not arise to the level of forming a perception [nevasaññānāsaññāyatana]|, and the |cessation of perception and what is felt::ending of recognition and felt experience, cessation of conception and what is felt [saññāvedayitanirodha]|—I declare|, bhikkhus,::::| that they are to be rightly explained by meditators who are skilled in attainment and skilled in emerging from attainment, after they have attained and emerged from them.

Topics & Qualities:

Ending

Ending

The complete exhaustion and ending of craving, aversion, and delusion—the three roots of suffering. It refers to both the gradual wearing away of defilements through practice and the final cessation that constitutes Nibbāna.

Also known as: cessation, exhaustion, gradual ending, wearing away
Pāli: khaya, khīṇa, nirodha
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Formless

Formless

A meditative domain that transcends all perception of material form, progressing through the bases of infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither-perception-nor-non-perception. These states represent refined levels of collectedness beyond attachment to physical phenomena.

Also known as: immaterial, surpassing forms
Pāli: arūpa
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Jhana

Jhana

A mental quality of composure where awareness is gathered, steady, rather than scattered or tense. In such collectedness, supported by mindfulness and right view, experience is clearly known and can be wisely contemplated.

Also known as: absorption, concentration, collectedness, mental composure, stability of mind, undistracted awareness
Pāli: jhāna, samādhi, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Recognition of impermanence

Recognition of impermanence

Perceiving all conditioned things as unstable and transient. This recognition weakens attachment by revealing the continual arising and ceasing of phenomena, turning the mind toward wisdom and release.

Also known as: perception of impermanence, perception of instability, realization of transience
Pāli: aniccasaññā
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Recognition of not-self

Recognition of not-self

Seeing that no phenomenon can rightly be taken as “I” or “mine.” It reveals the impersonal, dependently arisen nature of all experience, undermining conceit and attachment to identity.

Also known as: perception of not being suitable to identify with, realization of being subject to change, recognition of alteration and changing nature
Pāli: anattasaññā
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Recognition of unsatisfactoriness

Recognition of unsatisfactoriness

Perceiving the inherent inadequacy and unreliability of conditioned existence. This recognition loosens craving and the pursuit of lasting satisfaction in what cannot endure.

Also known as: perception of unsatisfactoriness, recognition of discontentment
Pāli: dukkhasaññā
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Last updated on May 17, 2026