Even lay people should try to attain Jhana.
Pītisutta
Atha kho anāthapiṇḍiko gahapati pañcamattehi upāsakasatehi parivuto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami;
Then the householder Anāthapiṇḍika, surrounded by about five hundred lay followers, approached the Blessed One;upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi.
having approached, he paid homage to the Blessed One and sat down to one side.
Ekamantaṁ nisinnaṁ kho anāthapiṇḍikaṁ gahapatiṁ bhagavā etadavoca:
While he was seated to one side, the Blessed One said this to Anāthapiṇḍika the householder:
“Tumhe kho, gahapati, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhitā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena.
“You, householder, support the Saṅgha of monks with robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines for the sick.Na kho, gahapati, tāvatakeneva tuṭṭhi karaṇīyā:
But, householder, you should not be satisfied merely with that much:‘mayaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhitā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārenā’ti.
‘We support the Saṅgha with robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines.’
Tasmātiha, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ:
Therefore, householder, you should train like this:‘kinti mayaṁ kālena kālaṁ pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja vihareyyāmā’ti.
‘How can we, from time to time, enter and dwell in the rapture of seclusion?’Evañhi vo, gahapati, sikkhitabban”ti.
Thus, householder, you should train.”
Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:
When this was said, the Venerable Sāriputta said to the Blessed One:
“Acchariyaṁ, bhante, abbhutaṁ, bhante.
“Wonderful, Bhante! Amazing, Bhante!Yāva subhāsitañcidaṁ, bhante, bhagavatā:
How well this has been spoken by the Blessed One:
‘Tumhe kho, gahapati, bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhitā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārena.
‘You, householder, support the Saṅgha of monks with robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines for the sick.Na kho, gahapati, tāvatakeneva tuṭṭhi karaṇīyā—
But, householder, you should not be satisfied merely with that much—mayaṁ bhikkhusaṅghaṁ paccupaṭṭhitā cīvarapiṇḍapātasenāsanagilānappaccayabhesajjaparikkhārenāti.
“We support the Saṅgha with robes, almsfood, lodging, and medicines.”
Tasmātiha, gahapati, evaṁ sikkhitabbaṁ—
Therefore, householder, you should train like this—kinti mayaṁ kālena kālaṁ pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja vihareyyāmāti.
“How can we, from time to time, enter and dwell in the rapture of seclusion?”Evañhi vo, gahapati, sikkhitabban’ti.
Thus, householder, you should train.’
Sāriputta’s Analysis
Yasmiṁ, bhante, samaye ariyasāvako pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja viharati,
“At the time, Bhante, when a noble disciple dwells having entered the rapture of seclusion,pañcassa ṭhānāni tasmiṁ samaye na honti.
five things are not present at that time.
Yampissa kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected with sensual pleasures—this is not present then.Yampissa kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever pleasure and happiness connected with sensual pleasures—this is not present then.
Yampissa akusalūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected with unwholesome states—this is not present then.Yampissa akusalūpasaṁhitaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever pleasure and happiness connected with unwholesome states—this is not present then.
Yampissa kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected even with wholesome states—this too is not present then.
Yasmiṁ, bhante, samaye ariyasāvako pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja viharati, imānissa pañca ṭhānāni tasmiṁ samaye na hontī”ti.
Thus, Bhante, when a noble disciple dwells in the rapture of seclusion, these five things are absent at that time.”“Sādhu sādhu, sāriputta.
“Good, good, Sāriputta.Yasmiṁ, sāriputta, samaye ariyasāvako pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja viharati,
At the time, Sāriputta, when a noble disciple dwells having entered the rapture of seclusion,pañcassa ṭhānāni tasmiṁ samaye na honti.
five things are not present at that time.
Yampissa kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected with sensual pleasures—this is not present then.Yampissa kāmūpasaṁhitaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever pleasure and happiness connected with sensual pleasures—this is not present then.
Yampissa akusalūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected with unwholesome states—this is not present then.Yampissa akusalūpasaṁhitaṁ sukhaṁ somanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever pleasure and happiness connected with unwholesome states—this is not present then.
Yampissa kusalūpasaṁhitaṁ dukkhaṁ domanassaṁ, tampissa tasmiṁ samaye na hoti.
Whatever suffering and displeasure connected even with wholesome states—this is not present then.
Yasmiṁ, sāriputta, samaye ariyasāvako pavivekaṁ pītiṁ upasampajja viharati, imānissa pañca ṭhānāni tasmiṁ samaye na hontī”ti.
Thus, Sāriputta, when a noble disciple dwells in the rapture of seclusion, these five things are absent at that time.”
Chaṭṭhaṁ.
Sixth (discourse).