Yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa gocarapasutassa hatthīpi hatthiniyopi hatthikalabhāpi hatthicchāpāpi purato purato gantvā tiṇaggāni chindanti, tena, bhikkhave, āraññiko nāgo aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. Yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa gocarapasutassa hatthīpi hatthiniyopi hatthikalabhāpi hatthicchāpāpi obhaggobhaggaṃ sākhābhaṅgaṃ khādanti, tena, bhikkhave, āraññiko nāgo aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. Yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa ogāhaṃ otiṇṇassa hatthīpi hatthiniyopi hatthikalabhāpi hatthicchāpāpi purato purato gantvā soṇḍāya udakaṃ āloḷenti, tena, bhikkhave, āraññiko nāgo aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati. Yasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa ogāhā uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṃ upanighaṃsantiyo gacchanti, tena, bhikkhave, āraññiko nāgo aṭṭīyati harāyati jigucchati.

When elephants & cow-elephants & calf-elephants & baby elephants go ahead of a wilderness tusker foraging for food and break off the tips of the grasses, the wilderness tusker feels irritated, upset, & disgusted. When elephants & cow-elephants & calf-elephants & baby elephants devour the wilderness tusker's bunches of branches, he feels irritated, upset, & disgusted. When elephants & cow-elephants & calf-elephants & baby elephants go ahead of the wilderness tusker on his way down to his bath and stir up the mud in the water with their trunks, he feels irritated, upset, & disgusted. When cow-elephants go along as the wilderness tusker is bathing and bang up against his body, he feels irritated, upset, & disgusted.

Tasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa evaṃ hoti – ‘ahaṃ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi. Chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṃ khādanti, āvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṃ upanighaṃsantiyo gacchanti. Yaṃnūnāhaṃ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyya’nti.

Then the thought occurs to the wilderness tusker, 'I now live hemmed in by elephants & cow-elephants & calf-elephants & baby elephants. I feed off grass with broken-off tips. My bunches of branches are devoured. I drink muddied water. Even when I bathe, cow-elephants go along and bang up against my body. What if I were to live alone, apart from the crowd?'

So aparena samayena eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho viharati, acchinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādati, obhaggobhaggañcassa sākhābhaṅgaṃ na khādanti, anāvilāni ca pānīyāni pivati, ogāhā cassa uttiṇṇassa na hatthiniyo kāyaṃ upanighaṃsantiyo gacchanti. Tasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye āraññikassa nāgassa evaṃ hoti – ‘ahaṃ kho pubbe ākiṇṇo vihāsiṃ hatthīhi hatthinīhi hatthikalabhehi hatthicchāpehi, chinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādiṃ, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṃ khādiṃsu, āvilāni ca pānīyāni apāyiṃ, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa hatthiniyo kāyaṃ upanighaṃsantiyo agamaṃsu. Sohaṃ etarahi eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho viharāmi, acchinnaggāni ceva tiṇāni khādāmi, obhaggobhaggañca me sākhābhaṅgaṃ na khādanti, anāvilāni ca pānīyāni pivāmi, ogāhā ca me uttiṇṇassa na hatthiniyo kāyaṃ upanighaṃsantiyo gacchantī’ti. So soṇḍāya sākhābhaṅgaṃ bhañjitvā sākhābhaṅgena kāyaṃ parimajjitvā attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

So at a later time he lives alone, apart from the crowd. He feeds off grass with unbroken tips. His bunches of branches are undevoured. He drinks unmuddied water. When he bathes, cow-elephants don't go along and bang up against his body. The thought occurs to him, 'Before, I lived hemmed in by elephants & cow-elephants & calf-elephants & baby elephants. I fed off grass with broken-off tips. My bunches of branches were devoured. I drank muddied water. Even when I bathed, cow-elephants would go along and bang up against my body. But now I live alone, apart from the crowd. I feed off grass with unbroken tips. My bunches of branches are undevoured. I drink unmuddied water. When I bathe, cow-elephants don't go along and bang up against my body.' Breaking off a branch with his trunk and scratching his body with it, gratified, he allays his itch.

Evamevaṃ kho, bhikkhave, yasmiṃ samaye bhikkhu ākiṇṇo viharati bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi, tasmiṃ, bhikkhave, samaye bhikkhussa evaṃ hoti – ‘ahaṃ kho etarahi ākiṇṇo viharāmi bhikkhūhi bhikkhunīhi upāsakehi upāsikāhi raññā rājamahāmattehi titthiyehi titthiyasāvakehi. Yaṃnūnāhaṃ eko gaṇasmā vūpakaṭṭho vihareyya’nti. So vivittaṃ senāsanaṃ bhajati araññaṃ rukkhamūlaṃ pabbataṃ kandaraṃ giriguhaṃ susānaṃ vanapatthaṃ abbhokāsaṃ palālapuñjaṃ. So araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā.

In the same way, when a monk lives hemmed in with monks, nuns, male & female lay followers, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, & their disciples, the thought occurs to him, 'I now live hemmed in by monks, nuns, male & female lay followers, kings, royal ministers, sectarians, & their disciples. What if I were to live alone, apart from the crowd?' So he seeks out a secluded dwelling: a wilderness, the shade of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a charnel ground, a forest grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After his meal, returning from his alms round, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and brings mindfulness to the fore.

So abhijjhaṃ loke pahāya vigatābhijjhena cetasā viharati, abhijjhāya cittaṃ parisodheti; byāpādapadosaṃ pahāya abyāpannacitto viharati sabbapāṇabhūtahitānukampī, byāpādapadosā cittaṃ parisodheti; thinamiddhaṃ pahāya vigatathinamiddho viharati ālokasaññī sato sampajāno, thinamiddhā cittaṃ parisodheti; uddhaccakukkuccaṃ pahāya anuddhato viharati ajjhattaṃ vūpasantacitto, uddhaccakukkuccā cittaṃ parisodheti; vicikicchaṃ pahāya tiṇṇavicikiccho viharati akathaṃkathī kusalesu dhammesu, vicikicchāya cittaṃ parisodheti.

Abandoning covetousness with regard to the world, he dwells with an awareness devoid of covetousness. He cleanses his mind of covetousness. Abandoning ill will and anger, he dwells with an awareness devoid of ill will, sympathetic with the welfare of all living beings. He cleanses his mind of ill will and anger. Abandoning sloth and drowsiness, he dwells with an awareness devoid of sloth and drowsiness, mindful, alert, percipient of light. He cleanses his mind of sloth and drowsiness. Abandoning restlessness and anxiety, he dwells undisturbed, his mind inwardly stilled. He cleanses his mind of restlessness and anxiety. Abandoning uncertainty, he dwells having crossed over uncertainty, with no perplexity with regard to skillful mental qualities. He cleanses his mind of uncertainty.

So ime pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya cetaso upakkilese paññāya dubbalīkaraṇe vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

Having abandoned these five hindrances — corruptions of awareness that weaken discernment — then quite withdrawn from sensual pleasures, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, he enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca viharati sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedeti yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti ‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassa- domanassānaṃ atthaṅgamā adukkham- asukhaṃ upekkhā-sati-pārisuddhiṃ catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṃ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṃ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṃ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the complete transcending of perceptions of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not heeding perceptions of diversity, [perceiving,] 'Infinite space,' he enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma 'anantaṃ viññāṇa' nti viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, [perceiving,] 'Infinite consciousness,' he enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṃ samatikkamma, 'natthi kiñcī' ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, [perceiving,] 'There is nothing,' he enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṃ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ upasampajja viharati. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharati.

With the complete transcending of the dimension of nothingness, he enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. Gratified, he allays his itch.

Sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṃ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṃ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. So attamano soṇḍaṃ saṃharatī ti.

With the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his mental fermentations are completely ended. Gratified, he allays his itch.