The four meditative absorptions (jhanas)

Before reaching an enlightened state,  Gautama made progression through the four jhanas (meditative stages)

Each stage has a corresponding experience:

• 1st jhana:  unbroken attention to the object of meditation,  detached from the world and in a total state of calm
• 2nd jhana: thoughts are discarded as detachment becomes more profound and there is a sense of joy born of concentration
• 3rd jhana: a state of equanimity, totally composed and with absolute attentiveness, but still clearly conscious
• 4th jhana: a state beyond all differentiation, beyond pleasure and…