Joy S is the second of the Forty Buddhist Meditations, corresponding to the Sephirah Chokmah on the Tree of Life. In Pali, the term is pīti; in Sanskrit, prīti. It denotes a meditative state of rapturous delight, distinct from ordinary happiness, arising from deep concentration and spiritual insight.

Position on the Tree of Life

Joy S is placed at step 2 (Chokmah), the Sephirah of Wisdom. This alignment reflects the explosive, illuminating quality of pīti—a sudden, intuitive joy that transcends intellectual understanding. Chokmah is the first outflow of pure energy from Kether, and Joy S mirrors this as a dynamic, energizing force in meditation.

Historical Context

In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, pīti is enumerated as one of the seven factors of enlightenment (bojjhaṅgā). It is described in the Visuddhimagga as a mental factor that suffuses the body with rapture, leading to tranquility and eventually to one-pointedness of mind. The Abhidhamma classifies pīti into five grades: minor, momentary, showering, uplifting, and all-pervading. The highest grade, all-pervading rapture, is said to fill the entire body like a full-blown bubble, a state that corresponds to the intensity of Chokmah's energy.

In the context of the Forty Meditations, Joy S is a foundational state for the development of the jhānas (absorptions). It is particularly associated with the first two jhānas, where it arises alongside applied thought, sustained thought, and happiness. The Mūlapariyāya Sutta warns that attachment to such joy can become a subtle fetter, a caution that aligns with the dual nature of Chokmah—pure wisdom that can also lead to pride if unbalanced.

In Liber 777

At step 2 (Chokmah), Joy S appears as the second of the Forty Buddhist Meditations, following the three zeros and preceding Compassion S at Binah. Its placement here emphasizes the active, creative aspect of meditative rapture, which serves as a direct gateway to the wisdom of the second Sephirah.