KN Snp 5.14 famous verse on using four jhanas to realize nirvana

This sutta contains a famous verse on using four jhanas to realize nirvana.

But you wouldn't know that if you read most translations. For example, here is B. Bodhi's, followed by mine:

13 THE QUESTIONS OF UDAYA (UDAYAMĀṆAVAPUCCHĀ)

1105. “I have come in need with a question,”

(said the Venerable Udaya),

“to the seated meditator, dust-free,

who has completed the task, without influxes,

who has gone beyond all phenomena.

Speak of emancipation by final knowledge,

the breaking up of ignorance.” (1)

1106. “The abandoning of both,

(Udaya,” said the Blessed One),

“sensual desires and dejection;

the dispelling of mental dullness,

the warding off of regrets: (2)

1107. “purified by equanimity and mindfulness,

preceded by thought on the Dhamma —

I call this emancipation by final knowledge,

the breaking up of ignorance.” (3) [215]

1108. “By what is the world fettered?

What is its means of traveling about?

By the abandoning of what

is ‘nibbāna’ spoken of?” (4)

1109. “The world is fettered by delight;

thought is its means of traveling about.

It is by the abandoning of craving

that ‘nibbāna’ is spoken of.” (5)

1110. “How does one live mindfully

for consciousness to cease?

Having come to ask the Blessed One,

let us hear that word of yours.” (6)

1111. “For one not seeking delight in feeling

internally and externally,

for one living mindfully thus,

consciousness ceases.” (7)

KN Snp 5.14, SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍

♦ 13. udayamāṇavapucchā (KN 5.68) n	5:13  Udaya’s Questions
♦ 1111. (iccāyasmā udayo)
♦ “jhāyiṃ viraja-m-āsīnaṃ,	To the one sitting in jhāna— without dust,
kata-kiccaṃ an-āsavaṃ.	Done the task, [an arahant with] no more asinine-inclinations.
♦ pāraguṃ sabba-dhammānaṃ,	Gone beyond all dharmas—
atthi pañhena āgamaṃ.	I’ve come here with a question.
♦ aññā-vimokkhaṃ pa-brūhi,	Please speak about the emancipation of final knowledge,
avijjāya pa-bhedanaṃ”.	ignorance breaking up.
♦ 1112. (udayāti bhagavā)	The Buddha:
♦ “pahānaṃ kāma-c-chandānaṃ,	the abandoning of both sensual-desires
domanassāna cūbhayaṃ.	and distressed mental states,
♦ thinassa ca panūdanaṃ,	Dispelling of Sloth,
kukkuccānaṃ nivāraṇaṃ.	regrets being warded off. [These are referencing the five hindrances]
♦ 1113.
♦ “upekkhā-sati-saṃ-suddhaṃ,	[fourth jhāna is] equanimous observation & [Dharma] remembrance purified,
Dhamma-takka-purejavaṃ.	with ☸Dharma-thoughts [of first jhāna] preceding that.
♦ aññā-vimokkhaṃ pa-brūmi,	this is the final knowledge emancipation that I speak of,
avijjāya pa-bhedanaṃ”.	ignorance breaking-up..
♦ 1114.	Udaya:
♦ “kiṃsu saṃ-yojano loko,	what fetters the world?
kiṃsu tassa vicāraṇaṃ.	With what is it examined?
♦ kissassa vip-pahānena,	with what being abandoned
nibbānaṃ iti vuccati”.	is nirvana spoken of?
♦ 1115.	The Buddha:
♦ “nandi-saṃ-yojano loko,	delight fetters the world.
vitakkassa vicāraṇaṃ.	with [wrong] thoughts [delight] is explored, with directed-thought [of first jhāna, the nature of wrong thought] is examined.
♦ taṇhāya vip-pahānena,	Through craving’s abandoning
nibbānaṃ iti vuccati”.	nirvana is spoken of.
♦ 1116.	Udaya:
♦ “kathaṃ satassa carato,	how is [☸Dharma]-remembrance conducted,
viññāṇaṃ uparujjhati.	for consciousness to halt?
♦ bhagavantaṃ puṭṭhum-āgamma,	We’ve come to the Blessed One with a question.
taṃ suṇoma vaco tava”.	Let us hear your words.
♦ 1117.	The Buddha:
♦ “ajjhattañca bahiddhā ca,	internally [in this body and mind], and externally,
vedanaṃ n-ābhi-nandato.	not delighting in feelings [using jhāna through progressive cessation of feelings (see SN 36.11)]
♦ evaṃ satassa carato,	Conducting [Dharma]-remembrance in this way,
viññāṇaṃ uparujjhatī”ti.	consciousness is halted.
♦ udayamāṇavapucchā terasamā niṭṭhitā.	(end of sutta)

I'll write a commentary later to explain and justify my interpretation.

What is contained in [] square brackets above, is implied and not actually stated in the pali source.

Here is a link to another translation for those trying to memorize the pali, and also commentary from KN Nidd confirming that this sutta is definitely referring to fourth and first jhana:

KN Snp 5.14 Udaya­māṇava­pucchā
Buddha explains how to use fourth jhana and the thinking of first jhana to realize nirvana.
AN 3.33 contains a discussion of this verse.