The Four Levels of Meditation

According to the Buddha

When the Buddha came to enlightenment meditating under the Bodhi tree, he took note of the sensations he experienced. Later, he taught others what he had seen: that there are four basic levels of meditation.

The Sanskrit word which the Buddha used to describe these states was dhyana, which basically translates to meditation. Achieving the deep absorptive states of mind of the dhyanas is what frees us from the pains of desire and unwholesome thoughts.

The First Dhyana

When you truly begin to meditate deeply, the first state you will enter is one where most desires melt away, and negative thoughts are silenced. The information from your physical senses begin to recede, and the resulting feeling is a wave of joy.

To enter the first Dhyana, one must of course desire to meditate. The silencing of negative thoughts is most easily achieved by substituting positive thoughts, like wishing well-being for everyone.

The first Dhyana is mainly that feeling of uninterrupted, heightened joy.

We can stay in this state as long as we choose, but the Buddha recommends going even deeper into the mind, beyond the layer that is attached to positive thoughts and feelings.

The Second Dhyana

In this stage, we let go of the positive thoughts we were sustaining that brought us into the first stage, and become entirely “one-pointed” in our consciousness. That is to say: our concentration becomes entirely focused on continuing and deepening our meditation.

All thoughts fade, and our feeling of heightened joy settles into subtle, peaceful tranquility.

The Third Dhyana

In the third stage of Buddhist meditation, the verbal mind continues to be silent, and even the feeling of joyful tranquility is let go. The feeling of the third Dhyana is only equanimity: balanced, clear, and stable mindful awareness.

One experiencing this stage of meditation experiences only the inner pleasure of breathing, the body existing peacefully, and the sense of conscious awareness. The external world has receded completely.