"I remember that, being seated in the cool shade of a jambul tree, while my father the Sakyan was at work, I dwelled secluded from sensuality and secluded from unwholesome states, with application and sustaining, with joy and happiness born of seclusion, having attained the first absorption.
MN 36
I remember that, accompanying my father, the Śākyan Śuddhodana, at his work and while being seated in the shadow of a Jambul tree, I dwelled secluded from sensuality and secluded from bad and unwholesome states, with application and sustaining, with joy and happinessborn of seclusion, having attained the first absorption.
(Liu 2010, p. 222)
Furthermore, I remember that a long time ago I saw farmers resting in their fields. I approached the base of a Jambul tree and sat down cross-legged. Secluded from sensuality and secluded from bad and unwholesome states, with [directed] awareness and [sustained] contemplation, with joy and happiness born of seclusion, I attained and dwelled in the accomplishment of the first absorption.
(MĀ 117 this discourse is not a parallel to MN 36, but rather to AN 3.38, orAN 3.39 in the alternative count by Bodhi 2012).
It is noteworthy that in all versions the Buddha-to-be qualifies his experience as the “first” absorption, even though at that time he would hardly have known that this is the first in a series of four levels of absorption. As in the case of the passages on reaching Nirvana here and now, discussed above, it seems fair to assume that the standard description has been applied here in order to convey that the experience the Buddha had in his youth was of the same type as the first in the standard depiction of four levels of absorption regularly mentioned in the discourses.
In the case of those who proclaimed the first absorption to be equivalent to reaching Nirvana here and now, the very fact that they considered this experience to be the final goal implies that they were not aware of higher levels of absorption. Without such awareness, however, it hardly makes sense for them to qualify their experience as the “first” absorption. Hence, it can safely be assumed that the employment of these analytical descriptions reflects the understanding of the reciters when the discourse was delivered, rather than the understanding of those who had these experiences in the first place.
In the account of the future Buddha’s progress to awakening, this recollection forms a turning point. Recalling what he had experienced before he had gone forth and engaged in various practices, which had failed to lead him to awakening, helped him to change perspective. The resultant change of perspective is based on the realization that the wholesome type of happiness experienced during absorption need not be shunned, as it can support progress to awakening.”
Analayo
BriefHistoryBuddhistAbsorption.pdf (475.0 KB)
Thanks to @Khemarato.bhikkhu for the link. 