Vinaya Vb Parajika 1: B. Brahmali mistranslation and misinterpretation of 4 jhanas

Vinaya Vb Parajika 1: B. Brahmali mistranslation and misinterpretation

(of standard four jhana formula)

I was firmly energetic and had clarity of mindfulness; my body was tranquil and my mind unified. Fully secluded from the five senses, secluded from unwholesome mental qualities, I entered and remained in the first absorption, which consists of joy and bliss born of seclusion and is accompanied by movement of the mind. Through the stilling of the movement of the mind, I entered and remained in the second absorption, which has internal confidence and unification of mind and consists of joy and bliss born of stillness. Through the fading away of joy, I remained even-minded, mindful, and clearly aware, experiencing bliss directly, and I entered and remained in the third absorption of which the noble ones declare: ‘One is even-minded, mindful, and abides in bliss.’ Through the abandoning of bliss and suffering and the earlier ending of joy and aversion, I entered and remained in the fourth absorption, which has neither suffering nor happiness and consists of purity of mindfulness and even-mindedness.

Āraddhaṃ kho pana me, brāhmaṇa, vīriyaṃ ahosi asallīnaṃ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṃ cittaṃ ekaggaṃ. So kho ahaṃ, brāhmaṇa, vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. Vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. Pītiyā ca virāgā upekkhako ca vihāsiṃ sato ca sampajāno, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedesiṃ, yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti—‘upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī’ti tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ. Sukhassa ca pahānā dukkhassa ca pahānā pubbeva somanassadomanassānaṃ atthaṅgamā adukkhamasukhaṃ upekkhāsatipārisuddhiṃ catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja vihāsiṃ.

Two crimes committed here.

1. Vitakka and vicara of first jhana never means "movement of mind" in the EBT suttas.
Detailed explanation here:

V&V💭: vitakka & vicāra

Vitakka 💭 = directed thought.
Vicāra 🕵️ = the evaluation of that very same directed thought, not a separate train of thought (SN 46.3).
Vicāra explores, inspects, discriminates, evaluates, ponders, scrutinizes, discerns, considers the very same thought initially fixed upon by vitakka.
Vitakka decides on a topic, then gives it to vicara to analyze it further, KN Pe 7.72.
V&V are speech vocalization co-doings, MN 44. You need to think and evaluate with V&V before coherent speech can be vocalized.
First jhāna j1🌘 is vocal silence, SN 36.11, where speech ceases, but thoughts connected to Dhamma continue (MN 19, MN 78, MN 125, AN 8.30).
Second jhāna j2🌗 is noble silence, 👑😶, where V&V ceases, S&S🐘💭 takes over.
In third jhāna j3🌖, S&S🐘💭 does vipassana (AN 4.41, AN 9.36, MN 111), a deeper version of first jhāna doing vipassana using V&V.
S&S and V&V correspond to sati and Dharma-vicaya of 7sb☀️, SN 46.3.
Sammā-saṅkappo 2💭 (right-resolve) is not exactly the same as vitakka/thought/thinking. But in most contexts you can treat them as equivalent (MN 117, MN 78).

---

• explicit: every. single. reference. to vitakka in the suttas 🔗bl

The second crime, in 3rd jhana

2. The first degree murder of kāya in third jhana , B. Brahmali has

• experiencing bliss directly, and I entered and remained in the third absorption
• where the pali says, sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedesiṃ, 

That is premeditated, unlawful, willful killing of the physical body in third jhana. 

lucid24.org, now hosting some corrected vinaya translations.

Pi Tv Bu Vb Pj 1 Methuna-dhamma

• Paṭhama-pārājika-sikkhāpada
  • 1. The first training rule
  • The chapter on Verañjā
    • The origin of the monastic law
    • (7sb and 4 jhanas)