MN 137 Buddha says upekkha is doing vipassana while in 3rd and 4th jhāna, and all 5 senses of body are active here

 

 MN ¹³⁷ – MN 137 Saḷ-āyatana-vibhaṅga: six sense fields analysis
    MN ^137.1 – (six sense fields + dependently arisen effects)
        MN ^137.1.1 – (6 internal bases)
        MN ^137.1.2 – (6 external bases)
        MN ^137.1.3 – (6 classes of consciousness)
        MN ^137.1.4 – (6 classes of contact)
    MN ^137.2 – (18 mental vicāra/explorations = 6 x [so-manassa + do-manassa + upekkha])
    MN ^137.3 – (36 positions of sentient beings = 18 x [householder + renunciate])
        MN ^137.3.1 – (6 kinds of householder mental-joy)
        MN ^137.3.2 – (6 kinds of renunciate mental-joy = pīti of 7sb and 4 jhānas)
        MN ^137.3.3 – (6 kinds of householder mental-distress: This is what 4th jhāna formula references)
        MN ^137.3.4 – (6 kinds of renunciate mental-distress)
        MN ^137.3.5 – (6 kinds of householder equanimous-observation)
        MN ^137.3.6 – (6 kinds of renunciate equanimous-observation: is what’s in 3rd and 4th jhāna, mind connected to 5 sense fields!)
    MN ^137.4 – (rely on something superior to give up something inferior)
        MN ^137.4.1 – (rely on renunciate mental-joy to give up householder mental-joy)
        MN ^137.4.2 – (rely on renunciate mental-distress to give up householder mental-distress)
        MN ^137.4.3 – (rely on renunciate equanimous-observation to give up householder equanimous-observation)
        MN ^137.4.4 – (rely on renunciate mental-joy to give up renunciate mental-distress: use first two jhānas to give up renunciate mental-distress)
        MN ^137.4.5 – (rely on renunciate equanimous-observation to give up renunciate mental-joy: use 4th and 3rd jhāna to give up 1st and 2nd jhāna)
    MN ^137.5 – (two kinds of upekkha equanimous-observation)
        MN ^137.5.1 - (upekkha based on diversity/nanatta are 3rd and 4th jhāna)
        MN ^137.5.2 - (upekkha based on unity/ekatta are 4 a-rūpa attainments)
        MN ^137.4.6 – (rely on upekkha of formless to give up upekkha of fourth jhāna)
        MN ^137.4.7 – (rely on non-identification to give up upekkha of formless)
    MN ^137.7 - (The teacher -buddha- uses 3 types of sati, to illustrate upekkha reaction)
        MN ^137.7.1 – (bad disciples)
        MN ^137.7.2 – (some good some bad disciples)
        MN ^137.7.3 – (all good disciples)
    MN ^137.8 - (8 vimokkha + simile of horse and ox trainer in 4 directions)
    MN ^137.10 - (conclusion)

But I thought Ajahn Brahm says in Jhāna the 5 senses of the body are shut off

Am I understanding Ajahn Brahm correctly?

Doesn't Vism. and Buddhaghosa also say the 5 senses of body are shut off?

Forum discussion

DiamondNgXZ• (Theravada Bhikkhu ordained 2021, Malaysia, Early Buddhism) wrote:

Most of the mappings is that you put into it to map to Jhānas, the sutta itself didn't say it's Jhāna. Although it is a nice match up to link to the formless attainments.



frankk responds with some other suttas that also refer to 4 jhānas without using explicit term 'jhāna'

https://www.reddit.com/r/Buddhism/comments/1ctah8q/comment/l4beobj/?context=3

also this response, which reddit wouldn't post because of server error:

Thanks for responding Venerable. You bring up some interesting (tangential) points that I may address another day in a new thread, but in the mean time I appreciate your honesty and willingness to engage in discussion, to address credible challenges to your view. 

I do suggest you choose new terms to label the different jhāna interpretations.

I usually refer to VRJ (Vism. redefinition of jhāna), and sutta jhāna or EBT jhāna.

The difference being, EBT jhāna uses a standard dictionary (both English and pāḷi) that is coherent, consistent in meaning with the core of early suttas.

The VRJ jhāna has an inconsistent, incoherent dictionary. Sometimes kāya means physical body, sometimes a breath body, sometimes a body of only mental factors. 

Vitakka in the EBT never means "initial application" or "placing the mind" (on a visual kasina). 

It always is a linguistic, verbal, mental words, in the form of a communicable language. It must be that way in an oral tradition. Vitakka means mental words in EBT, In Jain Sutras, in Brahmanical literature, and even in Vism., outside of first jhāna where it gets redefined as "initial application", everywhere else in Vism. AFAIK vitakka is mental words. For example, one even thinks (vitakka)  "earth kasina, earth kasina" as a way to start the process of doing formless attainments. 

Given your scientific background, logical thinking, I think you would agree since you already acknowledged that you haven't researched the suttas to validate which jhāna interpretation the sutta actually teaches, it's best to adopt terminology to refer to these systems in a non derogatory way. 

Jhāna lite is akin to mahayanists calling Theravada hinayanists.

Also, Thanissaro Bhikkhu often translates jhāna as "absorption", and he is firmly in the sutta jhāna camp. 

In Vimuttimagga (which uses an earlier abhidhamma, has 40 meditation subjects, and is what Vism. is based on), appana samādhi simply means one is absorbed in mental processing that is firmly entrenched in skillful dharmas, far from 5 hindrances. 

Vism. redefines appana samādhi to mean one enters a disembodied mental paralysis from which one has to emerge from before engaging in mental processing.

Vimt. upacara samādhi means samādhi is short of first jhāna, usually from thinking too intensely, but still only in skillful Dharmas, or in other words, just giving a label to that state in MN 19 where the Buddha says thinking too much tires the body and mind and blocks first jhāna.

Vism. redefines upacara samadhi to mean what the suttas and the Buddha simply calls "4 jhānas"

Earlier in our discussion on MN 137, you said the upekkha in there, which I claim is referring to 4th jhāna, does not explicitly state either 'jhāna', or 'samādhi', which is true.

I grant you that, in MN 137 it has to be inferred, deduced.

But I can point you to many suttas, besides the two I already did, where the suttas show 5 senses being active in the 4 jhānas. (explicitly stated as jhāna also)

I can point you to two other suttas (MN 43, AN 9.37) where the Buddha is asked what states of samādhi (with perception) there are where the 5 senses are divorced from the mind?

And the Buddha  only names some formless attainments, and conspicuously does not name the four jhānas.

I can also turn the tables on you, and ask, where are the suttas that show a type of redefinition of jhāna where the 5 senses are shut off, with an explicit reference stating 'jhāna'?

Answer? Those suttas don't exist. If they did, Vism. (and Ajahn Brahm's camp)  would be proudly blaring the horns announcing it for one thing. 

The only suttas showing samādhi where 5 senses are not active, those states are either called 'santa vihari' (peaceful dwellings as opposed to 'sukha vihari' of 4 jhānas), or 'anenja/imperturbable samādhi'. 

Elsewhere, santa vihari are defined as formless attainments, not four jhānas.

Imperturbable samadhi usually refer to formless attainments, but also to a supercharged version of 4th jhāna that can realize the 6 higher knowledges.

Obviously someone exercising supernormal powers, walking on water, flying, is not in a formless attainment, so that means the imperturbable samadhi where the 5 senses are shut off is not 4th jhana, only formless attainments.

Given that, it's safest never to use a derogatory term such as 'jhāna lite' to apply to thoroughly researched sutta based interpretations.