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MN 102 supports (AVS) Aviparitaka Sutra over SN 48.40


(this article is part of a series: SN 48.40 🔗de-corrupting and reconstructing ) 


I highlight in yellow the parts that contradict a straightforward interpretation based on EBT standard jhana formula, 7sb awakening factor formula (piti is somanassa, sukha is bodily sukha indriya following passadhi). 

And then I compare with an excerpt from MN 102



MN 102 supports (AVS) Aviparitaka Sutra over Theravada  SN 48.40

(pavivekaṃ pītiṃ / seclusion rapture → a code phrase for 1st and 2nd jhana)
(nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ / spiritual pleasure → a code phrase for 3rd jhana)
(a-dukkham-a-sukham vedana → a code phrase for 4th jhana)

First, note that the Te commentary agrees these code phrases are referring to specific jhanas:

pavivekaṃ pītinti sa-p-pītika-j-jhāna-dvaya-pītiṃ.
There's a direct connection, piti involves 1st and 2nd jhana:
nirāmisaṃ sukhanti tatiya-j-jhāna-sukhaṃ.
As for sukha, it is not of the flesh in the third jhana:



Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā pubbantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, aparantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, sabbaso kāmasaṃyojanānaṃ anadhiṭṭhānā, pavivekaṃ pītiṃ upasampajja viharati:
Now, some ascetics and brahmins, letting go of theories about the past and the future, shedding the fetters of sensuality, enter and remain in the rapture of seclusion:
‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ pavivekaṃ pītiṃ upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, entering and remaining in the rapture of seclusion.’
Tassa sā pavivekā pīti nirujjhati.
But that rapture of seclusion of theirs ceases.
Pavivekāya pītiyā nirodhā uppajjati domanassaṃ, domanassassa nirodhā uppajjati pavivekā pīti.
When the rapture of seclusion ceases, sadness arises; and when sadness ceases, the rapture of seclusion arises.
Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, yaṃ chāyā jahati taṃ ātapo pharati, yaṃ ātapo jahati taṃ chāyā pharati;
It’s like how the sunlight fills the space when the shadow leaves, or the shadow fills the space when the sunshine leaves.
evameva kho, bhikkhave, pavivekāya pītiyā nirodhā uppajjati domanassaṃ, domanassassa nirodhā uppajjati pavivekā pīti.
In the same way, when the rapture of seclusion ceases, sadness arises; and when sadness ceases, the rapture of seclusion arises.

The highlighted part is showing meditator bouncing between being knocked out of first and second jhana, and getting back in those first two jhanas. Similarly, for 3rd and 4th jhana:

Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā pubbantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, aparantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, sabbaso kāmasaṃyojanānaṃ anadhiṭṭhānā, pavivekāya pītiyā samatikkamā nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ upasampajja viharati:
Now, some ascetics and brahmins, letting go of theories about the past and the future, shedding the fetters of sensuality, going beyond the rapture of seclusion, enter and remain in spiritual pleasure.
‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, entering and remaining in spiritual pleasure.’
Tassa taṃ nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ nirujjhati.
But that spiritual pleasure of theirs ceases.
Nirāmisassa sukhassa nirodhā uppajjati pavivekā pīti, pavivekāya pītiyā nirodhā uppajjati nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ.
When spiritual pleasure ceases, the rapture of seclusion arises; and when the rapture of seclusion ceases, spiritual pleasure arises.

(bouncing between 3rd jhana, and the first two jhanas)


Idha pana, bhikkhave, ekacco samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā pubbantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, aparantānudiṭṭhīnañca paṭinissaggā, sabbaso kāmasaṃyojanānaṃ anadhiṭṭhānā, pavivekāya pītiyā samatikkamā, nirāmisassa sukhassa samatikkamā, adukkhamasukhaṃ vedanaṃ upasampajja viharati:
Now, some ascetics and brahmins, letting go of theories about the past and the future, shedding the fetters of sensuality, going beyond the rapture of seclusion and spiritual pleasure, enter and remain in neutral feeling.
‘etaṃ santaṃ etaṃ paṇītaṃ yadidaṃ adukkhamasukhaṃ vedanaṃ upasampajja viharāmī’ti.
‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, entering and remaining in neutral feeling.’
Tassa sā adukkhamasukhā vedanā nirujjhati.
Then that neutral feeling ceases.
Adukkhamasukhāya vedanāya nirodhā uppajjati nirāmisaṃ sukhaṃ, nirāmisassa sukhassa nirodhā uppajjati adukkhamasukhā vedanā.
When neutral feeling ceases, spiritual pleasure arises; and when spiritual pleasure ceases, neutral feelings arises.

(bouncing between 4th and 3rd jhana)


Does nira-misa sukha of 3rd jhana tell us about which indriya ceases in 4th jhana?

Not explicitly, not enough information within MN 102 to determine for sure.
nira misa sukha is a sukha vedana, and we know from SN 48.37 that sukha vedana contains both sukha-indriya (physical) and somanassa-indriya (mental). 

If you make the assumption, which many people do, that the Buddha in the 4th jhana is dealing a deck with 5 cards only, then the viveka-piti would have to be somanassa-indriya, and that means the nira misa sukha of 3rd jhana must be the sukha-indriya.

There are those who believe there's are a few extra surprise guest cards that get pulled into the Buddha's jhana deck, with a new somanassa appearing out of nowhere (based on KN Pe 7.72) and, rather than being the Piti-somanassa, it's a sukha-somanassa.  


Conclusion


1. It's clear that domanassa in MN 102 cannot be part of the first two jhanas, so the AVS aviparitaka sutra is consistent with this, and SN 48.40 is not (since it has domanassa indriya dropping out in 2nd jhana). 

2. If you make the assumption the Buddha has revealed his full deck of 5 indriya cards in 4th jhana, then we can deduce that piti must be somanassa, sukha must be sukha-indriya (physical), and upekkha-indriya is both mental and physical referring to fourth jhana. 

In this case, AVS is a perfect match again, sukha-indriya dropping out in 4th jhana, somanassa-indriya dropping out in 3rd jhana  (as the piti that gets viraga'd).

3. If you believe the Buddha is slipping in some extra cards into the original deck of 5, then MN 102 does not provide enough information to deduce which is sukha-indriya.


Comments

  1. Ng Xin ZhaoMay 22, 2024 at 7:14 AM

    you make the assumption, which many people do, that the Buddha in the 4th jhana is dealing a deck with 5 cards only, then the viveka-piti would have to be somanassa-indriya, and that means the nira misa sukha of 3rd jhana must be the sukha-indriya

    I don't follow the logic here. Some steps maybe missing. Why viveka piti is somanassa?

    ReplyDelete

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