Friends:

 Gradually Deeper Degree of Ceasing:

In the 1st meditative jhāna absorption, all sense-desire ceases...
In the 2nd meditative jhāna absorption, conceptual thinking ceases.
In the 3rd meditative jhāna absorption, enraptured Joy ceases.
In the 4th meditative jhāna absorption, breathing in and out ceases.
In the sphere of infinite space, experience of form & sense reaction ceases.
In the sphere of infinite consciousness, experience of infinite space ceases.
In the sphere of nothingness, experience of infinite consciousness ceases.
In the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, nothingness ceases...
When attaining complete mental cessation, all perception and sensation ceases.
These 9 sublime states have been perfectly formulated by the blessed Buddha,
who knew and saw directly. Therefore we should recite them together for the
future advantage, welfare and happiness for both human beings and devas...

More on meditative (jhāna) absorption:
Details of the Jhana Absorptions, Requisites for Jhana Absorption
Jhana_Absorption, Joys_Beyond_This_World, Art_of_Absorption
What is Right Concentration?

Source: The Exhaustive Speeches by the Buddha. Digha Nikāya 33
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=25103
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/digha/index.html

For the complete details of the entrance to these exalted states:
see: The Path of Purification: Visuddhimagga. Chapter III-XI:
http://www.pariyatti.com/book.cgi?prod_id=771100

Sweet Ceasing...