The Nine Successive Cessations In buddhist Meditations

The Nine successive cessations (anupubba-nirodha) as mentioned in the Anguttara Nikaya are the progressive ‘levels’ in meditation that include the 4 form jhanas, the 4 formless jhanas, and finally the state of cessation of perception and feeling.

These are also called the nine progressive cessations, and referred to as the nine progressive dwellings, where it is clear that ‘dwelling’ truly means a ‘state of mind’ and not a physical location or preferred dwelling like a quiet place or cave. (AN IV.410)

The goal of these meditations is the destruction of the taints. The destruction of the taints occur in dependence of the nine successive cessations:

“Monks, I say that the destruction of the taints occurs in dependence on the first jhana . . . etc.. all the way up to the 9th jhana . . . I say that the destruction of the taints also occurs in dependence on the cessation of perception and feeling.” — AN IV.422

Furthermore, the destruction of the taints is due to directing one’s mind to the deathless element, which can be considered the ‘aim’:

“When it was said: ‘Monks, I say that the destruction of the taints occurs in dependence on the first jhana,’ for what reason was this said?

Here, secluded from sensual pleasures . . . a monk enters and dwells in the first jhana. . . .

He considers whatever phenomena exist there pertaining to form, feeling, perception, volitional activities, and consciousness as:

impermanent, suffering, an illness, a boil, a dart, misery, affliction, alien, disintegrating, empty, and not-self.

He turns his mind away from those phenomena and directs it to the deathless element thus:

"This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, nibbana.” — AN IV.422

Before getting into the nine successive cessations, I’d like to highlight the things that prohibit a meditator from entering and dwelling in the first jhana, and subsequently progressing further. There are three different ‘lists’ that are given as prohibitions:

“Monks, without having abandoned these five things one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana. What five?

Without having abandoned these five things, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana.” — AN III.272

Out of these five, the stinginess with regard to the Dhamma is considered the gravest of prohibitions.

“Monks, without having abandoned six things, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana. What six?

Without having abandoned these six things, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana.” — AN III.428

These can be considered the 5 hindrances. The third list relates to the previous list, where thought and perception are highlighted together with Sensuality and Ill Will in the previous list:

“Monks, without having abandoned six things, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana. What six?

Without having abandoned these six things, one is incapable of entering and dwelling in the first jhana.” — AN III.428

In the next part 2, we’ll be discussing the first 4 stages of the 9 successive cessations in Buddhist meditation.

‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishment of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, cessation, nibbana.’” — AN V.111

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