The Venerable Sāriputta describes his experience of the first jhāna.
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya. Andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.
At one time, the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, early in the morning, having dressed and taken his alms bowl and outer robe, he entered Sāvatthi for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthi and after the meal, having returned from his alms gathering, he approached the Dark Forest for the day’s abiding. Having entered the Dark Forest, he sat down at the foot of a certain tree for the day’s abiding.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
Then, in the late afternoon, having emerged from seclusion, he approached Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. The venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta coming from afar. Seeing him, venerable Ānanda said:
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Your faculties are clear, friend Sāriputta; your facial complexion is pure and bright. In what dwelling have you dwelled today, Venerable Sāriputta?”
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“Here, friend, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental states, I entered and dwelled in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born of seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and imbued with |uplifting joy and pleasure::delight and ease; sometimes experienced as ecstasy, intense exhilaration or rapture [pītisukha]|. For me, friend, the experience was not characterized by thoughts such as ‘I am entering the first jhāna,’ ‘I have entered the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the first jhāna.’”
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
“Indeed, Venerable Sāriputta has long ago eradicated the underlying tendencies towards I-making, mine-making, and conceit. Therefore, for him, there is no such thought process as ‘I am entering the first jhāna,’ ‘I have entered the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the first jhāna.’”
At one time, the Venerable Sāriputta was dwelling at Sāvatthi, in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. Then, early in the morning, having dressed and taken his alms bowl and outer robe, he entered Sāvatthi for alms. Having wandered for alms in Sāvatthi and after the meal, having returned from his alms gathering, he approached the Dark Forest for the day’s abiding. Having entered the Dark Forest, he sat down at the foot of a certain tree for the day’s abiding.
Then, in the late afternoon, having emerged from seclusion, he approached Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s Park. The venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta coming from afar. Seeing him, venerable Ānanda said:
“Your faculties are clear, friend Sāriputta; your facial complexion is pure and bright. In what dwelling have you dwelled today, Venerable Sāriputta?”
“Here, friend, secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from |unwholesome::unhealthy, unskillful, unbeneficial, or karmically unprofitable [akusala]| mental states, I entered and dwelled in the first jhāna, which is |accompanied by reflection::with thinking [savitakka]| and |examination::with investigation, evaluation [savicāra]|, |born of seclusion::secluded from the defilements [vivekaja]|, and imbued with |uplifting joy and pleasure::delight and ease; sometimes experienced as ecstasy, intense exhilaration or rapture [pītisukha]|. For me, friend, the experience was not characterized by thoughts such as ‘I am entering the first jhāna,’ ‘I have entered the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the first jhāna.’”
“Indeed, Venerable Sāriputta has long ago eradicated the underlying tendencies towards I-making, mine-making, and conceit. Therefore, for him, there is no such thought process as ‘I am entering the first jhāna,’ ‘I have entered the first jhāna,’ or ‘I have emerged from the first jhāna.’”
Ekaṁ samayaṁ āyasmā sāriputto sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme. Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto pubbaṇhasamayaṁ nivāsetvā pattacīvaramādāya sāvatthiṁ piṇḍāya pāvisi. Sāvatthiyaṁ piṇḍāya caritvā pacchābhattaṁ piṇḍapātapaṭikkanto yena andhavanaṁ tenupasaṅkami divāvihārāya. Andhavanaṁ ajjhogāhetvā aññatarasmiṁ rukkhamūle divāvihāraṁ nisīdi.
Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto sāyanhasamayaṁ paṭisallānā vuṭṭhito yena jetavanaṁ anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāmo tenupasaṅkami. Addasā kho āyasmā ānando āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ dūratova āgacchantaṁ. Disvāna āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ etadavoca:
“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?
“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.
Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti vā ‘ahaṁ paṭhamā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.