The jhānas are states of absorption reached when the hindrances are suppressed. The first has applied and sustained thought, joy and happiness; in the higher ones these fall away until only equanimity and one-pointedness remain. The Buddha recalled entering the first jhāna as a child, and it pointed him toward the path.
Jhāna
Meditative absorption: one of four deepening states of calm, joy and unification in Buddhist meditation.
Also: Jhana, dhyana