MN 45, MN 36 how gradual and accessible first jhāna is. ABRJ (ajahn brahm redefined jhana doesn't work here)

MN 45 is a good sutta to get a holistic sense of how ordinary, gradual, and easily accessible first jhana was designed to be. The contrast between wrong pleasure, the 5 strings of sensuality, and four jhanas, the right kind of pleasure, is what first jhana formula's 'vivicceva kamehi' is referencing. 

Especially pay attention to the 3rd case, of the monks who have 'painful practice in the present life.'  Their practice is painful because they constantly suffer from second guessing whether they're missing out on coarse sensual pleasures of life like food, women,  beer, etc.  It says nothing about the more subtle dukkha of rupa vs. arupa, which is what Ajahn Brahm wrongfully claims first jhana is the escape for. (see rūpa is not a-rūpa, 4 jhānas operate in rūpa)

Why is first jhana an uttari manussa dhamma (superhuman state)? Because it's difficult for people, to genuinely prefer the pleasure of quiet meditation over the coarse  sensual pleasures of food, sex, drugs, rock and roll.

A passage from MN 36 also corroborates case #2 of MN 45, that the pleasure of first jhana is contrasted against useless austerities with no spiritual benefit. The pleasure is simply that one need not fear a pleasure that arises from delighting in seclusion and skillful Dharmas. Nothing at all about transcending the physical sphere entirely, as Vism. and Ajahn Brahm wrongly interpret. If you example this passage carefully, you see MN 36 is very plain, straightforward and addressing the framework of MN 45.

MN 36 (recall first jhāna experience as boy)

Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	Then I thought:
‘ye kho keci atītamaddhānaṃ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayiṃsu, etāvaparamaṃ, nayito bhiyyo.	‘Whatever ascetics and brahmins have experienced painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings due to overexertion—whether in the past, future, or present—this is as far as it goes, no-one has done more than this.
Yepi hi keci anāgatamaddhānaṃ samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayissanti, etāvaparamaṃ, nayito bhiyyo.
Yepi hi keci etarahi samaṇā vā brāhmaṇā vā opakkamikā dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti, etāvaparamaṃ, nayito bhiyyo.
Na kho panāhaṃ imāya kaṭukāya dukkarakārikāya adhigacchāmi uttari manussadhammā alamariyañāṇadassanavisesaṃ.	But I have not achieved any superhuman distinction in knowledge and vision worthy of the noble ones by this severe, grueling work.
Siyā nu kho añño maggo bodhāyā’ti?	Could there be another path to awakening?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	Then it occurred to me:
‘abhijānāmi kho panāhaṃ pitu sakkassa kammante sītāya jambucchāyāya nisinno vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharitā.	‘I recall sitting in the cool shade of the rose-apple tree while my father the Sakyan was off working. Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, I entered and remained in the first jhāna, which has the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion, while directing-thought and evaluation.
Siyā nu kho eso maggo bodhāyā’ti?	Could that be the path to awakening?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, satānusāri viññāṇaṃ ahosi:	Stemming from that memory came the realization:
‘eseva maggo bodhāyā’ti.	‘That is the path to awakening!’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	Then it occurred to me:
‘kiṃ nu kho ahaṃ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṃ taṃ sukhaṃ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti?	‘Why am I afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities?’
Tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi:	Then I thought:
‘na kho ahaṃ tassa sukhassa bhāyāmi, yaṃ taṃ sukhaṃ aññatreva kāmehi aññatra akusalehi dhammehī’ti.	‘I’m not afraid of that pleasure, for it has nothing to do with sensual pleasures or unskillful qualities.’

MN 45 Cūḷa-dhamma-samādāna

(1. pleasure now (5 sensual pleasure strings), future pain (reborn in lower realm))

(sensual pleasure compared to creeper that kills tree)

(2. Painful now (useless austerities), future pain (reborn in lower realm))

(3. Painful now (resist urge of 5niv), future pleasure (reborn in deva realm))

(4. Pleasure now (4j jhanas), pleasure future (rebirth in deva realm))

Shorter Discourse on Taking Up Dharma-[Practices]

	(derived from B. Sujato 2018/12)
Cūḷadhammasamādānasutta	The Shorter Discourse on Taking Up Practices
Evaṃ me sutaṃ—	So I have heard.
ekaṃ samayaṃ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṃ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.	At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.
Tatra kho bhagavā bhikkhū āmantesi:	There the Buddha addressed the monks:
“bhikkhavo”ti.	“monks!”
“Bhadante”ti te bhikkhū bhagavato paccassosuṃ.	“Venerable sir,” they replied.
Bhagavā etadavoca:	The Buddha said this:
“cattārimāni, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānāni.	“monks, there are these four ways of taking up practices.
Katamāni cattāri?	What four?
Atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhaṃ āyatiṃ dukkhavipākaṃ;	There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.
atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṃ;	There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.
atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhaṃ āyatiṃ sukhavipākaṃ;	There is a way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.
atthi, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṃ.	There is a way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.

(1. pleasure now (5 sensual pleasure strings), future pain (reborn in lower realm))

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhaṃ āyatiṃ dukkhavipākaṃ?	And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain?
Santi, bhikkhave, eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṃvādino evaṃdiṭṭhino:	There are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view:
‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.	‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures.’
Te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjanti.	They throw themselves into sensual pleasures,
Te kho moḷibaddhāhi paribbājikāhi paricārenti.	cavorting with female wanderers with fancy hair-dos.
Te evamāhaṃsu:	They say:
‘kiṃsu nāma te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā kāmānaṃ pahānamāhaṃsu, kāmānaṃ pariññaṃ paññapenti?	‘What future danger do those ascetics and brahmins see in sensual pleasures that they speak of giving up sensual pleasures, and advocate the complete understanding of sensual pleasures?
Sukho imissā paribbājikāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya bāhāya samphasso’ti te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjanti.	Pleasant is the touch of this female wanderer’s arm, tender, soft, and downy!’ And they throw themselves into sensual pleasures.
Te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjanti.	When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
Te tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti.	And there they feel painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.
Te evamāhaṃsu:	They say:
‘idaṃ kho te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā kāmānaṃ pahānamāhaṃsu, kāmānaṃ pariññaṃ paññapenti, ime hi mayaṃ kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmā’ti.	‘This is that future danger that those ascetics and brahmins saw. For it is because of sensual pleasures that I’m feeling painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.’

(sensual pleasure compared to creeper that kills tree)

Seyyathāpi, bhikkhave, gimhānaṃ pacchime māse māluvāsipāṭikā phaleyya.	Suppose that in the last month of summer a camel’s foot creeper pod were to burst open
Atha kho taṃ, bhikkhave, māluvābījaṃ aññatarasmiṃ sālamūle nipateyya.	and a seed were to fall at the root of a sal tree.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, yā tasmiṃ sāle adhivatthā devatā sā bhītā saṃviggā santāsaṃ āpajjeyya.	Then the deity haunting that sal tree would become apprehensive and nervous.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṃ samassāseyyuṃ:	But their friends and colleagues, relatives and kin—deities of the parks, forests, trees, and those who haunt the herbs, grass, and big trees—would come together to reassure them:
‘mā bhavaṃ bhāyi, mā bhavaṃ bhāyi;	‘Do not fear, sir, do not fear!
appeva nāmetaṃ māluvābījaṃ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṃ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṃ, abījaṃ vā panassā’ti.	Hopefully that seed will be swallowed by a peacock, or eaten by a deer, or burnt by a forest fire, or picked up by a lumberjack, or eaten by termites, or it may not even be fertile.’
Atha kho taṃ, bhikkhave, māluvābījaṃ neva moro gileyya, na mago khādeyya, na davaḍāho ḍaheyya, na vanakammikā uddhareyyuṃ, na upacikā uṭṭhaheyyuṃ, bījañca panassa taṃ pāvussakena meghena abhippavuṭṭhaṃ sammadeva viruheyya.	But none of these things happened. And the seed was fertile, so that when the clouds soaked it with rain, it sprouted.
Sāssa māluvālatā taruṇā mudukā lomasā vilambinī, sā taṃ sālaṃ upaniseveyya.	And the creeper wound its tender, soft, and downy tendrils around that sal tree.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya evamassa:	Then the deity thought:
‘kiṃsu nāma te bhonto mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā māluvābīje anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṃ samassāsesuṃ:	‘What future danger did my friends see when they said:
“mā bhavaṃ bhāyi mā bhavaṃ bhāyi,	‘Do not fear, sir, do not fear!
appeva nāmetaṃ māluvābījaṃ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṃ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṃ, abījaṃ vā panassā”ti;	Hopefully that seed will be swallowed by a peacock, or eaten by a deer, or burnt by a forest fire, or picked up by a lumberjack, or eaten by termites, or it may not even be fertile.’
sukho imissā māluvālatāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya vilambiniyā samphasso’ti.	Pleasant is the touch of this creeper’s tender, soft, and downy tendrils.’
Sā taṃ sālaṃ anuparihareyya.	Then the creeper enfolded the sal tree,
Sā taṃ sālaṃ anupariharitvā upari viṭabhiṃ kareyya.	made a canopy over it,
Upari viṭabhiṃ karitvā oghanaṃ janeyya.	draped a curtain around it,
Oghanaṃ janetvā ye tassa sālassa mahantā mahantā khandhā te padāleyya.	and split apart all the main branches.
Atha kho, bhikkhave, tasmiṃ sāle adhivatthāya devatāya evamassa:	Then the deity thought:
‘idaṃ kho te bhonto mittāmaccā ñātisālohitā ārāmadevatā vanadevatā rukkhadevatā osadhitiṇavanappatīsu adhivatthā devatā māluvābīje anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā saṅgamma samāgamma evaṃ samassāsesuṃ:	‘This is the future danger that my friends saw!
“mā bhavaṃ bhāyi mā bhavaṃ bhāyi, appeva nāmetaṃ māluvābījaṃ moro vā gileyya, mago vā khādeyya, davaḍāho vā ḍaheyya, vanakammikā vā uddhareyyuṃ, upacikā vā uṭṭhaheyyuṃ abījaṃ vā panassā”ti.
Yañcāhaṃ māluvābījahetu dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmī’ti.	It’s because of that camel’s foot creeper seed that I’m feeling painful, sharp, severe, acute feelings.’
Evameva kho, bhikkhave, santi eke samaṇabrāhmaṇā evaṃvādino evaṃdiṭṭhino ‘natthi kāmesu doso’ti.	In the same way, there are some ascetics and brahmins who have this doctrine and view: ‘There’s nothing wrong with sensual pleasures’ …
Te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjanti.
Te moḷibaddhāhi paribbājikāhi paricārenti.
Te evamāhaṃsu:
‘kiṃsu nāma te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā kāmānaṃ pahānamāhaṃsu, kāmānaṃ pariññaṃ paññapenti?
Sukho imissā paribbājikāya taruṇāya mudukāya lomasāya bāhāya samphasso’ti.
Te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjanti.
Te kāmesu pātabyataṃ āpajjitvā kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjanti.
Te tattha dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayanti.
Te evamāhaṃsu:
‘idaṃ kho te bhonto samaṇabrāhmaṇā kāmesu anāgatabhayaṃ sampassamānā kāmānaṃ pahānamāhaṃsu, kāmānaṃ pariññaṃ paññapenti.
Ime hi mayaṃ kāmahetu kāmanidānaṃ dukkhā tibbā kharā kaṭukā vedanā vedayāmā’ti.
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhaṃ āyatiṃ dukkhavipākaṃ.	This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now but results in future pain.

(2. Painful now (useless austerities), future pain (reborn in lower realm))

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṃ?	And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco acelako hoti muttācāro hatthāpalekhano, naehibhaddantiko, natiṭṭhabhaddantiko, nābhihaṭaṃ, na uddissakataṃ, na nimantanaṃ sādiyati,	It’s when someone goes naked, ignoring conventions. They lick their hands, and don’t come or wait when asked. They don’t consent to food brought to them, or food prepared on purpose for them, or an invitation for a meal.
so na kumbhimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na kaḷopimukhā paṭiggaṇhāti, na eḷakamantaraṃ, na daṇḍamantaraṃ, na musalamantaraṃ, na dvinnaṃ bhuñjamānānaṃ, na gabbhiniyā, na pāyamānāya, na purisantaragatāya, na saṅkittīsu, na yattha sā upaṭṭhito hoti, na yattha makkhikā saṇḍasaṇḍacārinī, na macchaṃ, na maṃsaṃ, na suraṃ, na merayaṃ, na thusodakaṃ pivati.	They don’t receive anything from a pot or bowl; or from someone who keeps sheep, or who has a weapon or a shovel in their home; or where a couple is eating; or where there is a woman who is pregnant, breastfeeding, or who has a man in her home; or where there’s a dog waiting or flies buzzing. They accept no fish or meat or liquor or wine, and drink no beer.
So ekāgāriko vā hoti ekālopiko, dvāgāriko vā hoti dvālopiko … pe … sattāgāriko vā hoti sattālopiko.	They go to just one house for alms, taking just one mouthful, or two houses and two mouthfuls, up to seven houses and seven mouthfuls.
Ekissāpi dattiyā yāpeti, dvīhipi dattīhi yāpeti … sattahipi dattīhi yāpeti.	They feed on one saucer a day, two saucers a day, up to seven saucers a day.
Ekāhikampi āhāraṃ āhāreti, dvīhikampi āhāraṃ āhāreti … sattāhikampi āhāraṃ āhāreti. Iti evarūpaṃ addhamāsikampi pariyāyabhattabhojanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.	They eat once a day, once every second day, up to once a week, and so on, even up to once a fortnight. They live committed to the practice of eating food at set intervals.
So sākabhakkho vā hoti, sāmākabhakkho vā hoti, nīvārabhakkho vā hoti, daddulabhakkho vā hoti, haṭabhakkho vā hoti, kaṇabhakkho vā hoti, ācāmabhakkho vā hoti, piññākabhakkho vā hoti, tiṇabhakkho vā hoti, gomayabhakkho vā hoti, vanamūlaphalāhāro yāpeti pavattaphalabhojī.	They eat herbs, millet, wild rice, poor rice, water lettuce, rice bran, scum from boiling rice, sesame flour, grass, or cow dung. They survive on forest roots and fruits, or eating fallen fruit.
So sāṇānipi dhāreti, masāṇānipi dhāreti, chavadussānipi dhāreti, paṃsukūlānipi dhāreti, tirīṭānipi dhāreti, ajinampi dhāreti, ajinakkhipampi dhāreti, kusacīrampi dhāreti, vākacīrampi dhāreti, phalakacīrampi dhāreti, kesakambalampi dhāreti, vāḷakambalampi dhāreti, ulūkapakkhampi dhāreti,	They wear robes of sunn hemp, mixed hemp, corpse-wrapping cloth, rags, lodh tree bark, antelope hide (whole or in strips), kusa grass, bark, wood-chips, human hair, horse-tail hair, or owls’ wings.
kesamassulocakopi hoti, kesamassulocanānuyogamanuyutto,	They tear out their hair and beard, committed to this practice.
ubbhaṭṭhakopi hoti, āsanapaṭikkhitto,	They stand forever, refusing seats.
ukkuṭikopi hoti ukkuṭikappadhānamanuyutto,	They squat, committed to persisting in the squatting position.
kaṇṭakāpassayikopi hoti, kaṇṭakāpassaye seyyaṃ kappeti,	They lie on a mat of thorns, making a mat of thorns their bed.
sāyatatiyakampi udakorohanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.	They’re committed to the practice of immersion in water three times a day, including the evening.
Iti evarūpaṃ anekavihitaṃ kāyassa ātāpanaparitāpanānuyogamanuyutto viharati.	And so they live committed to practicing these various ways of mortifying and tormenting the body.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā apāyaṃ duggatiṃ vinipātaṃ nirayaṃ upapajjati.	When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a place of loss, a bad place, the underworld, hell.
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhañceva āyatiñca dukkhavipākaṃ.	This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now and results in future pain.

(3. Painful now (resist urge of 5niv), future pleasure (reborn in deva realm))

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhaṃ āyatiṃ sukhavipākaṃ?	And what is the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyā tibbarāgajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṃ rāgajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti;	It’s when someone is ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They often feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring.
pakatiyā tibbadosajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṃ dosajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti;
pakatiyā tibbamohajātiko hoti, so abhikkhaṇaṃ mohajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti.
So sahāpi dukkhena, sahāpi domanassena, assumukhopi rudamāno paripuṇṇaṃ parisuddhaṃ brahmacariyaṃ carati.	They lead the full and pure spiritual life in pain and sadness, weeping, with tearful faces.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapajjati.	When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannadukkhaṃ āyatiṃ sukhavipākaṃ.	This is called the way of taking up practices that is painful now but results in future pleasure.

(4. Pleasure now (4j jhanas), pleasure future (rebirth in deva realm))

Katamañca, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṃ?	And what is the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco pakatiyā na tibbarāgajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṃ rāgajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti;	It’s when someone is not ordinarily full of acute greed, hate, and delusion. They rarely feel the pain and sadness that greed, hate, and delusion bring.
pakatiyā na tibbadosajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṃ dosajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti;
pakatiyā na tibbamohajātiko hoti, so na abhikkhaṇaṃ mohajaṃ dukkhaṃ domanassaṃ paṭisaṃvedeti.
So vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first jhāna …
Vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ … pe …	second jhāna …
tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ …	third jhāna …
catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	fourth jhāna.
So kāyassa bhedā paraṃ maraṇā sugatiṃ saggaṃ lokaṃ upapajjati.	When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in a good place, a heavenly realm.
Idaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, dhammasamādānaṃ paccuppannasukhañceva āyatiñca sukhavipākaṃ.	This is called the way of taking up practices that is pleasant now and results in future pleasure.
Imāni kho, bhikkhave, cattāri dhammasamādānānī”ti.	These are the four ways of taking up practices.”
Idamavoca bhagavā.	That is what the Buddha said.
Attamanā te bhikkhū bhagavato bhāsitaṃ abhinandunti.	Satisfied, the monks were happy with what the Buddha said.



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