When explaining Right Concentration, the Buddha referred to the four stages of meditation. The commentaries explain that these four stages are not just mundane levels of concentration but also include supramundane jhānas. Therefore, Right Concentration does not only refer to mundane jhāna but also supramundane jhāna. In short, Right Concentration refers to the four stages of meditation. These stages are not merely mundane but also include supramundane jhāna.
To understand this, we need to first clarify what jhāna is. Jhāna refers to elevated states of mind, experienced by those who practice concentration meditation (samatha). Jhāna can be achieved through concentration meditation using various objects of focus. For example, a meditator might use a clay disk as the object of meditation, concentrating on its image and memorizing it in their mind. The meditator repeatedly focuses on the mental image until it becomes clear and stable, eventually leading to the attainment of jhāna. At the moment of jhāna, the clay disk remains as the continuous object in the meditator’s mind.

This clay disk is just one example—many objects can be used to cultivate jhāna, where the mind holds onto an internal image or sign (nimitta) as the object. During this time, defilements are suppressed, meaning that jhāna temporarily suppresses defilements but does not eliminate them entirely. Jhāna only holds defilements at bay for a period of time. This is the nature of concentration meditation: it suppresses defilements but does not eradicate them permanently.
While residing in jhāna or absorption, the meditator experiences peace and happiness. The bliss experienced during jhāna is more profound and refined than the pleasure derived from sensory indulgence. This is the nature of jhāna.
There are four mundane jhānas. The term “jhāna” refers to the combination of certain mental factors (cetasikas) or mental states. In the first jhāna, there are five factors: initial application (vitakka), sustained application (vicāra), rapture (pīti), happiness (sukha), and one-pointedness (ekaggatā). In the second jhāna, only three factors remain: rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness. In the third jhāna, happiness and one-pointedness remain. In the fourth jhāna, happiness is replaced by equanimity (upekkhā), so the factors present are one-pointedness and equanimity.
These five factors are known as the jhāna factors. Among these factors, two—initial application (vitakka) and concentration (samādhi)—are also factors of the Noble Eightfold Path. Initial application is related to Right Intention.
The Fourth Noble Truth, or the Truth of the Path, consists of eight factors, called the Noble Eightfold Path. However, these eight factors are only referred to as the Noble Path when they arise with the Path Mind at the moment of Enlightenment. When we practice these factors, they are referred to as the Noble Eightfold Path, but they become the Noble Path when Enlightenment is attained.
How Are Mundane Jhānas Related to the Supramundane Path Mind?
A key point to understand is how mundane jhānas can be associated with the supramundane Path Mind. If a jhāna is mundane, it is not part of the Path Mind, and if it is the Path Mind, it is not mundane jhāna. So why do we refer to mundane jhānas in the context of the supramundane?
The commentaries explain that we must understand the concept of Supramundane Jhāna. While we usually refer to jhāna as mundane, supramundane jhāna arises at the moment of Enlightenment, when the Path Mind manifests. When the Path Mind arises, it arises with thirty-six mental factors. Among these, we find the five jhāna factors: initial application, sustained application, rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness. Therefore, when the Path Mind arises, it includes these five jhāna factors. For this reason, the Path Mind is referred to as “First Path Jhāna.” In this sense, the Path Mind resembles the first mundane jhāna. It is important to note that, while jhāna and Path Mind are different, the Path Mind is labeled as “First Jhāna” because it shares similar characteristics with mundane jhāna.
If a person practices only vipassana (insight meditation) without engaging in concentration meditation, the Path Mind that arises at Enlightenment will still be accompanied by the five jhāna factors, and this Path Mind is called “First Path Jhāna” because it resembles the first mundane jhāna.
If a person practices concentration meditation and attains jhāna before practicing insight meditation, they can approach their meditation in one of two ways:
- They can practice pure insight meditation without combining it with concentration.
- They can combine concentration meditation with insight, entering mundane jhāna first and then exiting jhāna to practice insight meditation. When the Path Mind arises, it does so with the five jhāna factors (initial application, sustained application, rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness), and thus it is called “First Path Jhāna.” If the meditator has attained the second jhāna, their Path Mind will arise with only three jhāna factors (rapture, happiness, and one-pointedness), and it is called “Second Path Jhāna.”
This process is the same for the third and fourth jhānas, which are referred to as “Third Path Jhāna” and “Fourth Path Jhāna,” depending on the number of jhāna factors present.
When we speak of “First Path Jhāna,” we are referring to the Path Mind, not the meditative absorption itself, although it shares characteristics with jhāna. Because it resembles jhāna, it is called Supramundane Jhāna. Supramundane jhāna takes Nirvana as its object, unlike mundane jhānas, which take mental images or other objects of concentration as their focus.
In summary, when the jhāna factors arise with the Path Mind, they take Nirvana as their object. However, when they arise with mundane jhāna, they focus on mental images or other objects of concentration. The key difference lies in the object: mundane jhāna takes worldly objects, while supramundane jhāna takes Nirvana as its object.
The Path Mind has the ability to completely eliminate defilements from the mind. It does not merely suppress defilements temporarily; it eradicates them completely, ensuring that they never arise again in the future. When a meditator attains the Path Mind and then the Fruit Mind, they experience profound peace and happiness. This peace and happiness surpasses the joy of mundane jhānas, not to mention the fleeting pleasures of sensory indulgence. This is the supreme peace and happiness of Enlightenment.
Thus, mundane jhānas and supramundane jhānas differ in that mundane jhānas focus on mental images and temporarily suppress defilements, while supramundane jhānas focus on Nirvana and permanently eliminate defilements. The happiness and peace experienced at the moment of attaining the Path and its Fruit are the highest forms of peace and happiness.
Therefore, when we say Right Concentration refers to the four jhānas, we must understand that this includes both mundane and supramundane jhānas. The four mundane jhānas are preparatory stages, while the four supramundane jhānas represent the stages of the Path Mind at Enlightenment. Because there are four jhānas in both the preparatory and supramundane stages, the commentaries state that there are many jhānas in both levels.
To clarify this, let’s consider Right Effort. You may remember that there are four types of effort: eliminating unwholesome states that have arisen, preventing unwholesome states from arising, maintaining wholesome states that have arisen, and cultivating wholesome states that have not yet arisen. These four types of effort arise both at the preparatory stage and at the moment of Enlightenment. However, at the moment of Enlightenment, only one comprehensive effort arises. We cannot say that one type of effort arises with the Path Mind and another type with the Path Mind. Instead, we simply say that effort arises with the Path Mind.
This is not the case with Right Concentration. There are many types of jhāna in both the preparatory and supramundane stages.
Important Questions
- Does jhāna completely eliminate defilements?
No. Jhāna only suppresses defilements temporarily. It does not completely eradicate defilements. - Is it necessary to attain jhāna before practicing insight meditation?
No. A meditator may or may not attain jhāna before practicing insight meditation.
These are two key points to remember:
- Jhāna does not permanently eliminate defilements—it only temporarily suppresses them.
- It is not necessary to attain jhāna before practicing insight meditation.
Jhāna can suppress defilements for a significant period. How long? A few hours, days, weeks, or months? In some cases, jhāna can suppress defilements for as long as sixty years.
For instance, there was a famous teacher in ancient Sri Lanka who had attained all the jhānas and had psychic powers. He believed that he was an Arahant (fully enlightened being). This teacher had many students, and several of them became Arahants. However, the teacher himself was still an ordinary person (puthujjana).
One of his young disciples, who had attained Arahantship, read the teacher’s mind and realized that he had not yet reached Arahantship. The young disciple, out of compassion, approached his teacher. When asked why he had come, the young disciple replied, “I have a question to ask you.” The teacher answered the questions promptly, without hesitation. The disciple praised the teacher, noting his exceptional skill in answering without a moment’s pause, and asked, “How long have you had this ability?”
The teacher replied, “About sixty years.” During those sixty years, the teacher had not experienced defilements arising in his mind, which led him to mistakenly believe that he had attained Arahantship. In reality, he had merely suppressed his defilements through jhāna, but they had not been eradicated.
The young disciple then asked the teacher to demonstrate his psychic powers by creating the image of an elephant. The teacher obliged, creating a large, trumpeting elephant. As the elephant approached him, however, the teacher felt fear and jumped from his seat. The young disciple grabbed his robe and said, “Can an Arahant feel fear?”
It was only then that the teacher realized he had not yet attained Arahantship. He requested guidance from his disciple, who then instructed him in vipassana meditation, leading the teacher to attain the Path and its Fruit, becoming a true Arahant.
In this case, jhāna had suppressed the teacher’s defilements for sixty years, but they still had the potential to arise under certain conditions. Only the supramundane Path Mind can permanently eradicate defilements. Mundane jhāna can suppress defilements temporarily, but supramundane jhāna, with Nirvana as its object, eradicates defilements completely.
I believe I have provided a thorough explanation of Right Concentration. This explanation should also help you better understand the Four Noble Truths and the Noble Eightfold Path. However, this is just a small glimpse of the vast teachings on the Four Noble Truths and the Eightfold Path—there is still much more to explore and understand.