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SN 36.31 three kinds of liberations (vimokkha), unclear in all existing translations

Most of this sutta is straightforward and clear in meaning, 

fitting cleanly into the matrix.

but the last part on vimokkha breaks the pattern of having 3 types corresponding exactly to:

1) carnal (sa-misa) = ignorant worldling indulges in 5 cords of sensual pleasure

2) non-carnal (nira-misa) = a disciple of Buddha  practicing one of the 4 jhānas

3) even better than non-carnal = an arahant reviewing their mind free of defilements.


I post the translations of Thanissaro, Bodhi, and Sujato here for reference, as I set to make a translation of SN 36.31 that's completely clear and explicit in meaning.

None of these existing translations make sense to me, aside from the 3rd category of an arahant.

The first two types don't follow the matrix from the rest of the sutta, and Tv commentary adds nothing of note to help make sense of it.


B. Thanissaro has

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/SN/SN36_31.html

“And what is liberation of the flesh? Liberation associated with form is of the flesh. What is liberation not of the flesh? Liberation associated with the formless is not of the flesh.

“And what is the liberation more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh? Whatever liberation arises in an effluent-ended monk as he is reflecting on his mind released from passion, reflecting on his mind released from aversion, reflecting on his mind released from delusion, that is called liberation more not-of-the-flesh than that not of the flesh.”



B. Bodhi has


“And what, bhikkhus, is carnal deliverance?
Deliverance connected with the form sphere is carnal deliverance.

“And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual deliverance?
Deliverance connected with the formless sphere is spiritual deliverance.
261 “And what, bhikkhus, is deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual?
When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises deliverance.
This is called deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual.”


footnote 261:

261 Having called the rapture, etc.
, of the jhānas spiritual (lit.
“noncarnal”) rapture, etc.
, it seems contradictory for the text to say that the form-sphere deliverance is carnal.
Spk explains that form-sphere deliverance is called carnal because its object is a carnal form (rūpāmisavasen’eva sāmiso nāma).


SN 36.31: Nirāmisasutta—Bhikkhu Sujato (suttacentral.net)


And what is liberation of the flesh?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, sāmiso vimokkho?Liberation connected with form is liberation of the flesh.Rūpappaṭisaṁyutto vimokkho sāmiso vimokkho.

And what is liberation not of the flesh?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, nirāmiso vimokkho?Liberation connected with the formless is liberation not of the flesh.Arūpappaṭisaṁyutto vimokkho nirāmiso vimokkho.

And what is liberation even more spiritual than that not of the flesh?Katamo ca, bhikkhave, nirāmisā nirāmisataro vimokkho?When a mendicant who has ended the defilements reviews their mind free from greed, hate, and delusion, liberation arises. This is called liberation even more spiritual than that not of the flesh.”Yo kho, bhikkhave, khīṇāsavassa bhikkhuno rāgā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato, dosā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato, mohā cittaṁ vimuttaṁ paccavekkhato uppajjati vimokkho, ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, nirāmisā nirāmisataro vimokkho”ti.




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