The Buddha describes the four types of meditators based on their skill in collectedness and in the support for collectedness.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
At Sāvatthi.
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, jhāyī. Katame cattāro?
“Bhikkhus, there are these four types of meditators. What are the four?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo.
Here, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in collectedness but not skilled in the support for collectedness.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo hoti, na samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in the support for collectedness but not skilled in collectedness.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī neva samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na ca samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is neither skilled in collectedness nor skilled in the support for collectedness.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti, samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo ca.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in both collectedness and the support for collectedness.
Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.
Among these, bhikkhus, the meditator who is skilled in both collectedness and the support for collectedness is considered the foremost, the best, the highest, and the most excellent of these four meditators.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo tatra aggamakkhāyati;
Just as, bhikkhus, from milk comes curd, from curd comes butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes the cream of ghee, which is regarded as the best;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti samādhismiṁ ṭhitikusalo ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā”ti.
So too, bhikkhus, the meditator who is skilled in both collectedness and the object of collectedness is the foremost, the best, the highest, and the most excellent of these four meditators.
At Sāvatthi.
“Bhikkhus, there are these four types of meditators. What are the four?
Here, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in collectedness but not skilled in the support for collectedness.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in the support for collectedness but not skilled in collectedness.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is neither skilled in collectedness nor skilled in the support for collectedness.
Here, however, bhikkhus, a certain meditator is skilled in both collectedness and the support for collectedness.
Among these, bhikkhus, the meditator who is skilled in both collectedness and the support for collectedness is considered the foremost, the best, the highest, and the most excellent of these four meditators.
Just as, bhikkhus, from milk comes curd, from curd comes butter, from butter comes ghee, and from ghee comes the cream of ghee, which is regarded as the best;
So too, bhikkhus, the meditator who is skilled in both collectedness and the object of collectedness is the foremost, the best, the highest, and the most excellent of these four meditators.
Sāvatthinidānaṁ.
“Cattārome, bhikkhave, jhāyī. Katame cattāro?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo hoti, na samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī neva samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo hoti, na ca samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo.
Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti, samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo ca.
Tatra, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti samādhismiṁ ārammaṇakusalo ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro ca.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gavā khīraṁ, khīramhā dadhi, dadhimhā navanītaṁ, navanītamhā sappi, sappimhā sappimaṇḍo tatra aggamakkhāyati;
evameva kho, bhikkhave, yvāyaṁ jhāyī samādhismiṁ samādhikusalo ca hoti samādhismiṁ ṭhitikusalo ca ayaṁ imesaṁ catunnaṁ jhāyīnaṁ aggo ca seṭṭho ca mokkho ca uttamo ca pavaro cā”ti.