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What is ubhato-bhāga-vimuttā: [an arahant] liberated both ways?

What is ubhato-bhāga-vimuttā: liberated both ways?

short answer: An arahant who has not only 4 jhānas, but also formless attainments.
An arahant who is only wisdom liberated (pañña vimutti) only has 4 jhānas.

comprehensive answer:
MN 64 categorically states arhantship or nonreturner not possible without 4 jhānas
MN 64.7 - (Seven paths for cutting 5 lower fetters are the 4 jhānas, and first 3 formless attainments)
MN 64.8 - (difference between ceto-vimutti and pañña vimutti)

all the suttas (10) that talk about 'liberated' both ways
ubhato-bhāga-vimuttā: liberated both ways (10 suttas)

AN 2.48 just talks about assemblies with true Dharma and spirituality and those without
AN 7.56 talks about how arahant after death can't be seen by humans or gods
AN 8.22 just list of 7, when gods tell Buddha about type of assembly
AN 9.47 need all 9 attainments to be freed both ways in "definitive sense"
The first 8 attainments only "qualified sense"
DN 15 liberated both ways must have all 8 vimokkha (which includes formless)
DN 28 just named as part of list of 7
DN 33 just named as part of list of 7 persons worthy of a religious donation
MN 65 doesn't shed any light
MN 70 explicit in saying they have to have formless attainments
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ubhatobhāgavimutto?
And what person is freed both ways?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā te kāyena phusitvā viharati paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.
It’s a person who has direct meditative experience of the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements have come to an end.
MN 70 peaceful liberations (santā vimokkhā, or vihāra) is a synonym for formless attainmnents, not 4 jhānas)
MN 70 pañña vimutti liberated by wisdom doesn't have formless attainment
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo paññāvimutto?
And what person is freed by wisdom?
Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā te na kāyena phusitvā viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.
It’s a person who does not have direct meditative experience of the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form. Nevertheless, having seen with wisdom, their defilements have come to an end.
From other suttas like MN 64, we know 4 jhānas are non negotiable requiremnets for arahantship

SN 8.7 of 500 arahants, 60 freed both ways
“There is nothing, Sāriputta, that these five hundred monks have done by way of body or speech that I would criticize.
Imesañhi, sāriputta, pañcannaṁ bhikkhusatānaṁ saṭṭhi bhikkhū tevijjā, saṭṭhi bhikkhū chaḷabhiññā, saṭṭhi bhikkhū ubhatobhāgavimuttā, atha itare paññāvimuttā”ti.
For of these five hundred monks,
sixty have the three knowledges,
sixty have the six direct knowledges,
sixty are freed both ways,
and the rest are freed by wisdom.”

10 suttas talk about this term

https://find.dhamma.gift/result/ubhato.vimutt_suttanta_pali_10-20.html


AN 2.48 doesn't shed any light

just talks about assemblies with true Dharma and spirituality and those without


AN 7.56 doesn't shed any light

https://find.dhamma.gift/sc/?s=ubhato.*vimutt&q=an7.56#7.1

talks about how arahant after death can't be seen by humans or gods


AN 8.22 just list of 7, when gods tell Buddha about type of assembly

Anacchariyaṁ kho pana, bhante, saṅghe nimantite devatā upasaṅkamitvā ārocenti: It’s not unusual for deities to come to me when the Saṅgha has been invited and announce:‘asuko, gahapati, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto asuko paññāvimutto asuko kāyasakkhī asuko diṭṭhippatto asuko saddhāvimutto asuko dhammānusārī asuko saddhānusārī asuko sīlavā kalyāṇadhammo asuko dussīlo pāpadhammo’ti. ‘Householder, that mendicant is freed both ways. That one is freed by wisdom. That one is a personal witness. That one is attained to view. That one is freed by faith. That one is a follower of teachings. That one is a follower by faith. That one is ethical, of good character. That one is unethical, of bad character.’

AN 9.47 need all 9 attainments to be freed both ways in "definitive sense"

The first 8 attainments only "qualified sense"
Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end.
Yathā yathā ca tadāyatanaṁ tathā tathā naṁ kāyena phusitvā viharati, paññāya ca naṁ pajānāti. They meditate directly experiencing that dimension in every way. And they understand that with wisdom.Ettāvatāpi kho, āvuso, ubhatobhāgavimutto vutto bhagavatā nippariyāyenā”ti. To this extent the Buddha spoke of the one freed both ways in a definitive sense.”


DN 15 liberated both ways must have all 8 vimokkha (which includes formless)

Yato kho, ānanda, bhikkhu ime aṭṭha vimokkhe anulomampi samāpajjati, paṭilomampi samāpajjati, anulomapaṭilomampi samāpajjati, yatthicchakaṁ yadicchakaṁ yāvaticchakaṁ samāpajjatipi vuṭṭhātipi. When a mendicant enters into and withdraws from these eight liberations—in forward order, in reverse order, and in forward and reverse order—wherever they wish, whenever they wish, and for as long as they wish;Āsavānañca khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati, ayaṁ vuccatānanda, bhikkhu ubhatobhāgavimutto. and when they realize the undefiled freedom of heart and freedom by wisdom in this very life, and live having realized it with their own insight due to the ending of defilements, they’re called a mendicant who is freed both ways.Imāya ca, ānanda, ubhatobhāgavimuttiyā aññā ubhatobhāgavimutti uttaritarā vā paṇītatarā vā natthī”ti. And, Ānanda, there is no other freedom both ways that is better or finer than this.”

DN 28 just named as part of list of 7

And moreover, sir, how the Buddha teaches the description of individuals is unsurpassable.Sattime, bhante, puggalā. There are these seven individuals.Ubhatobhāgavimutto paññāvimutto kāyasakkhi diṭṭhippatto saddhāvimutto dhammānusārī saddhānusārī. One freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a personal witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower of teachings, a follower by faith.

DN 33 doesn't shed any light

Satta puggalā dakkhiṇeyyā—Seven persons worthy of a religious donation:ubhatobhāgavimutto, paññāvimutto, kāyasakkhi, diṭṭhippatto, saddhāvimutto, dhammānusārī, saddhānusārī. one freed both ways, one freed by wisdom, a personal witness, one attained to view, one freed by faith, a follower of teachings, and a follower by faith.

MN 65 doesn't shed any light


https://find.dhamma.gift/sc/?s=ubhato.*vimutt&q=mn65#11.2



MN 70 explicit in saying they have to have formless attainments

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo ubhatobhāgavimutto? And what person is freed both ways?Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā te kāyena phusitvā viharati paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. It’s a person who has direct meditative experience of the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements have come to an end.


MN 70 pañña vimutti liberated by wisdom doesn't have formless attainment

Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo paññāvimutto? And what person is freed by wisdom?Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo ye te santā vimokkhā atikkamma rūpe āruppā te na kāyena phusitvā viharati, paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti. It’s a person who does not have direct meditative experience of the peaceful liberations that are formless, transcending form. Nevertheless, having seen with wisdom, their defilements have come to an end.

From other suttas, we know 4 jhānas are non negotiable requiremnets for arahantship


SN 8.7 of 500 arahants, 60 freed both ways

https://find.dhamma.gift/sc/?s=ubhatobh%C4%81gavimutt%C4%81&q=sn8.7#4.4

“There is nothing, Sāriputta, that these five hundred monks have done by way of body or speech that I would criticize. 

Imesañhi, sāriputta, pañcannaṁ bhikkhusatānaṁ saṭṭhi bhikkhū tevijjā, saṭṭhi bhikkhū chaḷabhiññā, saṭṭhi bhikkhū ubhatobhāgavimuttā, atha itare paññāvimuttā”ti.

For of these five hundred monks, sixty have the three knowledges, sixty have the six direct knowledges, sixty are freed both ways, and the rest are freed by wisdom.” 



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