MN 111 Anupada Sutta: One by One As They Occurred
Thus have i heard.
On one occasion the Blessed One was living at Savatthi in Jeta's Grove, Anathapindika's Park. There he addressed the bhikkhus thus: "Bhikkhus, Sariputta is wise; Sariputta has great wisdom; Sariputta has wide wisdom; Sariputta has joyous wisdom; Sariputta has quick wisdom; Sariputta has keen wisdom; Sariputta has penetrative wisdom. During half a month, bhikkhus, Sariputta had insight into states one by one as they occurred. Now Sariputta's insight into states one by one as they occurred was this: "Here, bhikkhus, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, Sariputta entered upon and abided in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion."
"And the states in the first jhana - the applied thought, the sustained thought, the rapture, the pleasure, and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus: 'So indeed, these states, not having been, come into being; having been, they vanish.' Regarding those states, he abided unattracted, unrepelled, independent, detached, dissociated, with a mind rid of barriers. He understood: 'There is an escape beyond,' and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, Sariputta entered and abided in the second jhana, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration.And the states in the second jhana - the self-confidence, the rapture, the pleasure, and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention - these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus..and with the cultivation of that [attainment], he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, with the fading away as well of rapture, Sariputta abided in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, he entered upon and abided in the third jhana, on account of which noble ones announce: 'He has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.' And the states in the third jhana - the equanimity, the pleasure, the mindfulness, the full awareness, and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus:...and with the cultivation of that [attainment], he confirmed that there is. "
"Again, bhikkhus, with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, Sariputta entered upon and abided in the fourth jhana, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. And the states in the fourth jhana - the equanimity, the neither-painful-nor-pleasant feeling, the mental unconcern due to tranquillity,1050 the purity of mindfulness, and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus...and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that 'space is infinite,' Sariputta entered upon and abided in the base of infinite space.And the states in the base of infinite space - the perception of the base of infinite space and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention - these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus...and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that 'consciousness is infinite,' Sariputta entered upon and abided in the base of infinite consciousness. And the states in the base of infinite consciousness - the perception of the base of infinite consciousness and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention - these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus.... .and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is. "
"Again, bhikkhus, by completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness, aware that 'there is nothing,' Sariputta entered upon and abided in the base of nothingness. And the states in the base of nothingness - the perception of the base of nothingness and the unification of mind; the contact, feeling, perception, volition, and mind; the zeal, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention - these states were defined by him one by one as they occurred; known to him those states arose, known they were present, known they disappeared. He understood thus.....and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, by completely surmounting the base of nothingness, Sariputta entered upon and abided in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. He emerged mindful from that attainment. Having done so, he contemplated the past states, which had ceased and changed, thus: 'So indeed, these states, not having been, come into being; having been, they vanish.'Regarding those states he abided unattracted, unrepelled, independent, detached, free, dissociated, with a mind rid of barriers. He understood: 'There is an escape beyond,' and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is."
"Again, bhikkhus, by completely surmounting the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, Sariputta entered upon and abided in the cessation of perception and feeling. And his taints were destroyed by his seeing with wisdom. He emerged mindful from that attainment. Having done so, he recalled the past states, which had ceased and changed, thus: 'So indeed, these states, not having been, come into being; having been, they vanish.' Regarding those states, he abided unattracted, unrepelled, independent, detached, free, dissociated, with a mind rid of barriers. He understood: 'There is no escape beyond,' and with the cultivation of that attainment, he confirmed that there is not." "Bhikkhus, rightly speaking, were it to be said of anyone: 'He has attained mastery and perfection in noble virtue, attained mastery and perfection in noble concentration, attained mastery and perfection in noble wisdom, attained mastery and perfection in noble deliverance,' it is of Sariputta indeed that rightly speaking this should be said. "
"Bhikkhus, rightly speaking, were it to be said of anyone: 'He is the son of the Blessed One, born of the Dhamma, created by the Dhamma, an heir in the Dhamma, not an heir in material things,' it is of Sariputta indeed that rightly speaking this should be said.
"Bhikkhus, the matchless Wheel of the Dhamma set rolling by the Tathagata is kept rolling rightly by Sariputta."
That is what the Blessed One said. The bhikkhus were satisfied and delighted in the Blessed One's words.
In summary, the Buddha describes in technical detail the process of insight of Venerable Sāriputta when he was training for the attainment of arahantship. Buddha described the four rupa jhana states and four arupa jhana states that are achieved by Venerable Sariputta and praised the latter for his achievements and attainments.
References: 1. www.accesstoinsight.org 2. https://suttacentral.net/ 3. The middle length discourses of the Buddha (Bhikkhu Bodhi)