Jhāna According to the Pāḷi Nikāyas
Posted: Tue Sep 28, 2010 12:32 am
Hi all,
Here is some of the Jhāna According to the Pāḷi Nikāyas paper. The focus is on what the Pāḷi suttas have to tell us regarding the role of jhāna in the noble eightfold path. I also examine passages which define and detail the phenomena experienced in each of the four jhānas. Emphasis is placed on the investigation of the first jhāna, as well as the noble eightfold path resulting in liberation through discernment (paññāvimutti). Liberation through discernment is considered the complete liberation of an arahant, which doesn’t require the attainment of any other five higher gnoses (abhiññā), formless attainments, or the attainment of the cessation of apperception and feeling.
I’m well aware that this subject matter may not be of interest to some people. It’s posted here for those who are interested. For anyone who doesn’t find the contents of this thread informative or helpful, I respectfully and wholeheartedly agree that they would be better served to follow whatever interpretation of the dhammavinaya that they have faith in and find helpful. It runs counter to the intent of the dhamma for anyone who isn’t fully awakened to maintain definite conclusions that “Only this is true; anything else is worthless” (MN 95).
All the best,
Geoff
The Importance of Jhāna in the Development of the Noble Eightfold Path
According to the discourses the four jhānas play an essential role in the development of the noble eightfold path. All four main Nikāyas define right concentration (sammāsamādhi) as jhāna. The four jhānas are also given as the training of heightened mind (adhicittasikkhā), as well as the faculty of concentration (samādhindriya) and the strength of concentration (samādhibala) as practiced by a noble disciple (ariya sāvaka). According to the suttas and the earliest strata of canonical commentary and para-canonical commentary, all of these factors have to be engaged and developed for full awakening to occur.
This means that liberation through discernment (paññā-vimutti) cannot happen without mastery of at least the first jhāna. This integral relationship between jhāna and discernment (paññā) is explicit in the description of the noble eightfold path, where jhāna is given as the definition of right concentration, and is also explicitly stated in other discourses as well. An unequivocal example of this integral relationship is clearly expressed in Dhammapada 371-372:
Again, AN 9.36 states that the elimination of the mental outflows depends on attaining at least the first jhāna. If one can end the āsavas through the fourth jhāna as stated in DN 2, then there is no reason to maintain that one must emerge from the first jhāna to do the same.
This understanding of liberation through discernment requiring mastery of at least the first jhāna is also implied in discourses which state that one liberated through discernment doesn’t abide in any of the formless attainments (MN 70) or have any of the five mundane higher gnoses (SN 12.70). It is also implicit in the description of the “white lotus ascetic” (samaṇapuṇḍarīka) offered in AN 4.87 Samaṇamacala Putta Sutta, where it is said that this type of arahant doesn’t abide personally experiencing the eight deliverances (aṭṭha vimokkha), yet has both liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation through discernment. Liberation of mind requires mastery of at least the first jhāna.
Here is some of the Jhāna According to the Pāḷi Nikāyas paper. The focus is on what the Pāḷi suttas have to tell us regarding the role of jhāna in the noble eightfold path. I also examine passages which define and detail the phenomena experienced in each of the four jhānas. Emphasis is placed on the investigation of the first jhāna, as well as the noble eightfold path resulting in liberation through discernment (paññāvimutti). Liberation through discernment is considered the complete liberation of an arahant, which doesn’t require the attainment of any other five higher gnoses (abhiññā), formless attainments, or the attainment of the cessation of apperception and feeling.
I’m well aware that this subject matter may not be of interest to some people. It’s posted here for those who are interested. For anyone who doesn’t find the contents of this thread informative or helpful, I respectfully and wholeheartedly agree that they would be better served to follow whatever interpretation of the dhammavinaya that they have faith in and find helpful. It runs counter to the intent of the dhamma for anyone who isn’t fully awakened to maintain definite conclusions that “Only this is true; anything else is worthless” (MN 95).
All the best,
Geoff
The Importance of Jhāna in the Development of the Noble Eightfold Path
According to the discourses the four jhānas play an essential role in the development of the noble eightfold path. All four main Nikāyas define right concentration (sammāsamādhi) as jhāna. The four jhānas are also given as the training of heightened mind (adhicittasikkhā), as well as the faculty of concentration (samādhindriya) and the strength of concentration (samādhibala) as practiced by a noble disciple (ariya sāvaka). According to the suttas and the earliest strata of canonical commentary and para-canonical commentary, all of these factors have to be engaged and developed for full awakening to occur.
This means that liberation through discernment (paññā-vimutti) cannot happen without mastery of at least the first jhāna. This integral relationship between jhāna and discernment (paññā) is explicit in the description of the noble eightfold path, where jhāna is given as the definition of right concentration, and is also explicitly stated in other discourses as well. An unequivocal example of this integral relationship is clearly expressed in Dhammapada 371-372:
- Practice jhāna monk; do not be heedless.
Do not let your mind roam in strands of sensual pleasure.
Do not swallow a red-hot iron ball, heedless.
Do not burn and cry, “This is pain.”
There is no jhāna for one without discernment,
No discernment for one without jhāna.
But for one with both jhāna and discernment,
He is close to nibbāna.
- I say, monks, the elimination of the mental outflows depends on the first jhāna.
- With his mind thus concentrated, purified and cleansed, unblemished, free from impurities, pliant, malleable, steady, and attained to imperturbability, the monk directs and inclines it to the knowledge of the elimination of the mental outflows. He understands as it really is that, ‘This is unsatisfactoriness... This is the origination of unsatisfactoriness... This is the cessation of unsatisfactoriness... This is the way leading to the cessation of unsatisfactoriness....’
Thus knowing, thus seeing, his mind is liberated from the mental outflow of sensuality, the mental outflow of becoming, the mental outflow of ignorance. With liberation there is the gnosis, ‘liberated.’ He understands that, ‘Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, done is what had to be done, there is nothing further here.’
Again, AN 9.36 states that the elimination of the mental outflows depends on attaining at least the first jhāna. If one can end the āsavas through the fourth jhāna as stated in DN 2, then there is no reason to maintain that one must emerge from the first jhāna to do the same.
This understanding of liberation through discernment requiring mastery of at least the first jhāna is also implied in discourses which state that one liberated through discernment doesn’t abide in any of the formless attainments (MN 70) or have any of the five mundane higher gnoses (SN 12.70). It is also implicit in the description of the “white lotus ascetic” (samaṇapuṇḍarīka) offered in AN 4.87 Samaṇamacala Putta Sutta, where it is said that this type of arahant doesn’t abide personally experiencing the eight deliverances (aṭṭha vimokkha), yet has both liberation of mind (cetovimutti) and liberation through discernment. Liberation of mind requires mastery of at least the first jhāna.