Quick answerHow does the first jhāna differ from the second jhāna?
The first jhāna still has applied thought and sustained thought, meaning the mind still turns toward and holds on the object. The second jhāna drops applied thought and sustained thought, the mind becomes more inwardly still, and only rapture, pleasure and one-pointedness remain. This is the description given in the Southern tradition Pali Canon.
From the article “The Four Jhānas in the Pali Canon: How the First to Fourth Jhāna Are Described”
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