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MN 137: Why vicāra (evaluation) in first jhāna does not mean "keeping the mind still in frozen one pointedness"


Analysis of MN 137 from a friend:


http://buddhadust.net/backmatter/indexes/sutta/mn/idx_majjhima_nikaya_3.htm#p137

This shows the problem from another angle: mano'pavicārā mind-up-pass-v

Horner: Mental ranges
Bhk. Thanissaro: explorations for the intellect
Lord Chalmers: mental researches
Str. Upalavanna: ramblings of the mind (ramblings is close to one of my
trans: meandering thoughts)

Pali:
Aṭṭhārasa mano-pavīcārā veditabbā ti,||
iti kho pan'etaɱ vuttaɱ,||
kiñ c'etaɱ paṭicca vuttaɱ?|| ||

Cakkhunā rūpaɱ disvā||
somanassa-ṭ-ṭhāniyaɱ rūpaɱ upa-vicarati||
domanassa-ṭ-ṭhāniyaɱ rūpaɱ upa-vicarati||
upekkha-ṭ-ṭhāniyaɱ rūpaɱ upa-vicarati.|| ||

MO
It is said:
Eighteen mind-re-evaluations are to be experienced
And how does this saying come about?
Eye seeing form
1. super-re-evaluating form sets up ease
2. super-re-evaluating form sets up misery
3. super-re-evaluating form sets up detachment

Ear, nose, tongue, body, mind X3 = 18

'Eighteen manopavicārā are to be known,'
in reference to what is it said?

Horner:
Having seen a material shape with the eye
one ranges over the material shape
that gives rise to joy,
ranges over the material shape
that gives rise to sorrow,
ranges over the material shape
that gives rise to equanimity.

Bhk. Thanissaro:
Seeing a form via the eye, one explores a form that can act as the basis
for happiness, one explores a form that can act as the basis for
unhappiness, one explores a form that can act as the basis for equanimity.

Lord Chalmers:
Having seen with the eye a visible thing,
a man researches into the visible thing,
and this gives rise either
(a) to what is agreeable,
or (b) to what is disagreeable,
or (c) to what is neither agreeable nor disagreeable.

ranges over: upavicarati: to go or move about in (locative), to walk (a
road = accusative), to wander

The point? This term strongly implies movement where 'keeping it (the
mind) there' does not.

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