Venerable Sāriputta tells Ānanda that in private retreat he entered and remained in the fourth absorption, with pure equanimity and mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain, explaining how his faculties grew clear and his complexion bright through that meditation.

SN 28.4 Equanimity

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…

“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto. Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi. Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.

Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā. Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti: “‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.

Catutthaṁ.

Reference Translation by Bhikkhu Sujato (CC0).

Sāvatthinidānaṁ.

At Sāvatthī.

Addasā kho āyasmā ānando …pe…

Venerable Ānanda saw Venerable Sāriputta and said to him:

“vippasannāni kho te, āvuso sāriputta, indriyāni; parisuddho mukhavaṇṇo pariyodāto.

“Reverend Sāriputta, your faculties are so very clear, and your complexion is pure and bright.

Katamenāyasmā sāriputto ajja vihārena vihāsī”ti?

What meditation were you practicing today?”

“Idhāhaṁ, āvuso, sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṁ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharāmi.

“Reverend, with the giving up of pleasure and pain, and the ending of former happiness and sadness, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.

Tassa mayhaṁ, āvuso, na evaṁ hoti:

But it didn’t occur to me:

‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.

‘I am entering the fourth absorption’ or ‘I have entered the fourth absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the fourth absorption’.”

Tathā hi panāyasmato sāriputtassa dīgharattaṁ ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā susamūhatā.

“That must be because Venerable Sāriputta has long ago totally eradicated I-making, mine-making, and the underlying tendency to conceit.

Tasmā āyasmato sāriputtassa na evaṁ hoti:

That’s why it didn’t occur to you:

“‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpajjāmī’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthaṁ jhānaṁ samāpanno’ti ‘ahaṁ catutthā jhānā vuṭṭhito’ti vā”ti.

‘I am entering the fourth absorption’ or ‘I have entered the fourth absorption’ or ‘I am emerging from the fourth absorption’.”

Catutthaṁ.

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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Equanimity

Equanimity

A state of mental poise and balance, characterized by non-reactivity and composure in the face of agreeable or disagreeable experiences.

Also known as: mental poise, mental balance, equipose, non-reactivity, composure
Pāli: upekkha
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Giving

Giving

The act of generosity, sharing, or offering to others without expecting anything in return. Giving is considered a foundational virtue in Buddhist practice, fostering selflessness and compassion.

Also known as: generosity, charity, donation, almsgiving, donating, philanthropy, providing with, gift with
Pāli: dāna
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Giving up

Giving up

The mental quality of renunciation and release from attachment. It delights in simplicity and freedom rather than in sensual pleasure. Giving up is not loss but the joyful abandoning of burden, opening the way to peace and insight.

Also known as: renunciation, relinquishment, letting go, abandonment
Pāli: nekkhamma
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Jhana

Jhana

An abiding with a steady, collected awareness that is attained through seclusion from the five hindrances and unwholesome mental states. When supported by right view, a jhāna can be a basis for the wearing away of taints and directing the mind toward the vision of Nibbāna.

Also known as: meditation, undistracted awareness, absorption, mental absorption
Pāli: jhāna, samāhita, susamāhita, sammāsamādhi
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Suffering

Suffering

Unpleasantness, discontentment, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, i.e. mild or intense suffering that is inherent in conditioned existence.

Also known as: discomfort, unpleasantness, discontentedness, dissatisfaction, stress, pain, disease, distress, affliction
Pāli: dukkha
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Last updated on July 27, 2026