CONTEMPLATING NOTHINGNESS (“AYIN”)

Edward Conze, Buddhist Meditation (1956) 1

The first stage:

Detached from sense-desires, detached (also from the other four) unwholesome states, he dwells in the
attainment of the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and discursive thinking, born of
detachment, rapturous and joyful. 2

The second stage:

From the appeasing of applied and discursive thinking, he dwells in the attainment of the second jhana,
where the inward heart is serene and uniquely exalted, and which is devoid of applied and discursive
thinking, born of concentration, rapturous and joyful. 3

The third stage:

Through distaste for rapture, he dwells evenmindedly, mindful and clearly conscious; he experiences with
this body that joy of which the Ariyans declare, “joyful lives he who is evenminded and mindful.” It is
thus that he dwells in the attainment of the third jhana.

The fourth stage:

From the forsaking of joy, from the forsaking of pain, from the going to rest of his former gladness and
sadness, he dwells in the attainment of the fourth jhana, which is neither painful nor pleasurable, in utter
purity of evenmindedness and mindfulness.

The fifth stage:

By passing quite beyond all perceptions of form, by the going to rest of the perceptions of impact, by not
attending to the perception of manifoldness, on thinking “Endless Space,” he dwells in the attainment of
the station of endless space.

The sixth stage:

By passing quite beyond the station of endless space, on thinking “endless consciousness,” he dwells in
the attainment of the station of unlimited consciousness.

The seventh stage:

By passing quite beyond the station of unlimited consciousness, on thinking “There is not anything,” he
dwells in the attainment of the station of nothing whatever.

The eighth stage:

By passing quite beyond the field of nothing whatever, he dwells in the attainment of the station of
neither perception nor non-perception.

1
Pages 113-118.
2
See book for explanation of this stage; pg 113-116.
3
See book for explanation of this stage; pg 116-117.