Thag 9  Bhūta

When, striking down

attachment,

the bringer of stress

& craving,

the bringer of stress bound up

with objectification,

he does jhāna, mindful,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, touching1 with discernment

the auspicious, two-times-four road,

the ultimate path,

cleansing away all defilement,

he does jhāna, mindful,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When he develops the peaceful state,

—sorrowless, stainless, unfabricated,

cleansing away all defilement,

cutting through fetters & bonds—

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, in the sky, the thundercloud roars,

with torrents of rain on all sides

of the path of the birds,

and the monk, having gone to a cave, does jhāna,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, seated on the bank of rivers

covered with flowers,

garlanded with various forest plants,

happy at heart, he does jhāna,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, at midnight in the secluded grove,

the devas drizzle, the fanged animals roar,

and the monk, having gone to a cave, does jhāna,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, having kept his own thoughts in check,

taking refuge in the mountains in a mountain fissure,

free from disturbance, free

from barrenness,

he does jhāna,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.

When, happy,

destroying stain, barrenness, grief,

free from door-bolts, free from underbrush, free

from arrows,

having put an end to all effluents,

he does jhāna,

there’s no greater enjoyment than that.