8 abhi-bh-āyatana : 8 ways of using the luminosity of a purified imperturbable version of fourth jhāna to transcend the 6 sense bases.

4👑☸ → STED → 8 abhi-bh-āyatana

8 abhi-bh-āyatanāni

For the longest time, I had no idea what to make of AN 8.65, the sutta that deals with the topic of 8 bases of mastery. Because it's so terse, and the terms, such as rupa, are so ambiguous. At least it's super ambiguous if you believe Vism. and early Theravada commentary. And even if you don't believe their interpretation, it throws enough doubt into your own interpretations your head just starts swimming in confusion when you read through this sutta.

But recently, in an effort to read through all the important suttas that explain what rupa and arupa are exactly, in the four jhanas and formless attainments (some of that research link-here), I finally got a firm conclusion on rupa and arupa from an EBT sutta perspective.

And now with a few other suttas to triangulate with, I'm happy to share a new translation of AN 8.65 that explains in plain English what the meditations they're talking about are and how they work.

The full research article can be found on any of the table of contents links immediately following. I've highlighted the link which shows the exact suttas I used to determine my translation and interpretation of this one, and you can compare my translation to Thanissaro's, B. Bodhi's, and the Theravada commentary.

AN 8.65 SP-FLUENT translation by frankk‍

Monks, there are 8 ways of using the luminosity of a purified imperturbable version of fourth jhāna to transcend the 6 sense bases.

What are the 8 ways?

(1. Perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa limited)

1. With the mind sense base still connected to the other 5 sense bases, he sees external forms that are limited, beautiful, or ugly.

[he sees things such as realms of heaven and hell, and the denizens of those realms, or he sees accurate visions of his 31 body parts, or the body parts of other living beings.]

This is the first base of mastery where he knows and sees.

(2. Perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa measureless)

2. With the mind sense base still connected to the other 5 sense bases, he sees external forms that are measureless, beautiful, or ugly.

[he sees things such as realms of heaven and hell, and the denizens of those realms, or he sees accurate visions of his 31 body parts, or the body parts of other living beings.]

This is the second base of mastery where he knows and sees. The difference between the second and first, is that the term ‘measureless’ covers much greater range and power than the term ‘limited’.

(3. Does not perceive internal rupa, sees external rupa limited)

3. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, usually done from sitting meditation with eyes closed, he sees external forms that are limited, beautiful, or ugly.

[he sees things such as realms of heaven and hell, and the denizens of those realms, or he sees accurate visions of his 31 body parts, or the body parts of other living beings.]

This is the third base of mastery where he knows and sees.

(4. Does not perceive internal rupa, sees external rupa measureless)

4. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, usually done from sitting meditation with eyes closed, he sees external forms that are measureless, beautiful, or ugly.

[he sees things such as realms of heaven and hell, and the denizens of those realms, or he sees accurate visions of his 31 body parts, or the body parts of other living beings.]

This is the fourth base of mastery where he knows and sees. The difference between the fourth and third, is that the term ‘measureless’ covers much greater range and power than the term ‘limited’.

(5. Does not perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa blue color)

5. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, he sees external forms that are blue, blue in their color, blue in their features, blue in their glow.

This is the fifth base of mastery where he knows and sees.

(6. Does not perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa yellow color)

6. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, he sees forms externally as yellow, yellow in their color, yellow in their features, yellow in their glow.

This is the sixth base of mastery where he knows and sees.

(7. Does not perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa red color)

7. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, sees forms externally as red, red in their color, red in their features, red in their glow.

This is the seventh base of mastery where he knows and sees.

(8. Does not perceives internal rupa, sees external rupa white color)

8. With the mind sense base divorced from the other 5 sense bases, sees forms externally as white, white in their color, white in their features, white in their glow.

This is the eighth base of mastery where he knows and sees.

Monks, these are the 8 ways of using the luminosity of a purified imperturbable version of fourth jhāna to transcend the 6 sense bases.

notes on the Dhamma

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