The stopping of all thought and the dying away of the formations-of-Speech (Vaci-Sankhara) are the identifying marks of the second Jhana. The remaining Jhana Factors are then:1) pleasure of body and heart 2) happiness of body and heart and, 3) unification of the Citta.

When the Citta abandons Reflective-Thought, (Vitakka), it is like the working elephant which can be released from the tether because it is content to remain where it is.

When one abandons “Pleasure of Body and Heart”, and there remains only “Happiness of Body avid Heart” and “Unification of the Citta”, one has then attained the third Jhana.

When one abandons “Happiness of Body and Heart” and there remains only “Equanimity” and “Unification of the Citta”, one has then attained the fourth Jhana.

The Identifying Mark of the Fourth Jhana
Each of these four Jhanas has an object which is progressively more devious than the preceding one. When one gets to the fourth Jhana, breathing ceases, or becomes so fine that it cannot be detected. When breathing ceases, the formations-of-Body (Kaya-Sankhara) are then subdued. This is the identifying of the fourth Jhana.

When one can get to the fourth Jhana, one will attain understanding(Vijja) in many ways. These will include such things as the “Three-Understandings” (Tevijja),1 the six privileged powers, (Abhinna),2 and Transcendental-Understanding (Lokuttara-Vijja), all of which can arise without difficulty. But the Transcendental Disorder (Lokuttara-Bhumi) is not dealt with here.

Symbol (Nimitta) which arises in Samadhi
We will now consider the Symbol which arises just before attaining Jhana. This symbol may arise and be seen in the Mind-Door due to the Citta diminishing towards the Passive Disorder (Bhavanga). In other words, when one is practising for Samadhi and allows Mindfulness to slip, then the Citta becomes drowsy, the sense-doors stop to receive objects, and the disorder Free of Doors arises, in which one sees various images.

One who habitually sees, hears or knows certain objects of perception, is likely to find that they arise as the symbol. For example, one who works in a field or an orchard is likely to see a field or an orchard, and a man who sells things is likely to see the things which he sells. Those who habitually do excellent or evil deeds will doubtless see things which are excellent or evil accordingly. For example, one whose livelihood involves the constant trapping of fish, killing of duck or fowl, pigs or cattle for sale as food, will see that which he is accustomed to doing, when he practises for Samadhi. If he sees a crab, fish, duck, etc., this is the “Represen-tation-Symbol” (Gati-Nimitta), and it is of an evil scenery. If he dies at this second he is sure to go towards an unfortunate disorder. On the other hand, one who habitually does excellent deeds may see a Buddhist Monk, the Teaching Hall of a Buddhist Monastery (Uposatha Hall), or Palaces of Silver or Gold. If he were to die at that second, he would be sure to go towards a more fortunate disorder. When one approaches death, the circumstances is just like this.

One’s sense-doors and States Free of Sense Doors are linked together, so that when one’s sense doors receive something, then one’s States Free of Sense Doors receives, the same thing. This is like Angulimala, the brigand, who used to slaughter public, until he had killed nine-hundred and ninety-nine. Then he was ordained as a Bhikkhu, he practised Samadhi, and saw only public whom he had killed, car-rying weapons and coming to harm him. Whenever he closed his eyes, he would see visions of these public. The Buddha, knowing this, taught him not to reckon of the past, to avoid dwelling on objects of the past and to make his Citta One-Pointed, like a hunter who, when he shoots an arrow, closes one eye in order to aim. When Ven. Angulimala made his Citta steadfast in the Noble-Path (Ariya-Magga), he did not reckon of the past, his Citta became free and he attained the Fruition of the Path (Magga-Phala… i.e. Enlightenment ).

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