5abi, ariyo bhāvit'-indriyo, noble one's developed faculties, 5 masteries of perception, AN 5.144, MN 152

These are my ongoing notes, I have questions for the group in the next message, #2 in the thread.

Table of Contents

5abi: Noble-one's developed-faculties

abi = ariyo bhāvit'-indriyo

STED 5abi, for all monks to practice (AN 5.144)

♦ “sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṃ appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī VAR vihareyya.
“(1) Bhikkhus, it is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the repulsive in the unrepulsive.
sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṃ paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyya.
(2) It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in the repulsive.
sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṃ appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyya.
(3) It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the repulsive in both the unrepulsive and the repulsive.
sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṃ paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyya.
(4) It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell perceiving the unrepulsive in both the repulsive and the unrepulsive.
sādhu, bhikkhave, bhikkhu kālena kālaṃ paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyya sato sampajāno.
(5) It is good for a bhikkhu from time to time to dwell equanimous, mindful and clearly comprehending, having turned away from both the repulsive and the unrepulsive.

STED 5abi combined with 16 APS (using SN 54.8)

(five masteries of perception 1 of 5 )

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cepi ākaṅkheyya:
Therefore, monks, {if} a-monk **** should-wish:
‘ap-paṭikūle paṭikūla-saññī vihareyyan’ti,
'(in the) non-repulsive, repulsive-perceptions (I) should-dwell-in,
ayameva Ānā-pānas-sati-samādhi sādhukaṃ manasi kātabbo.
Then-this inhale-exhale-mindful-concentration, thoroughly (his) mind should-do.

(five masteries of perception 2 of 5 )

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cepi ākaṅkheyya:
Therefore, monks, {if} a-monk **** should-wish:
‘paṭikūle ap-paṭikūla-saññī vihareyyan’ti,
'(in the) repulsive, non-repulsive-perceptions (I) should-dwell-in,
ayameva Ānā-pānas-sati-samādhi sādhukaṃ manasi kātabbo.
Then-this inhale-exhale-mindful-concentration, thoroughly (his) mind should-do.

(five masteries of perception 3 of 5 )

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cepi ākaṅkheyya:
Therefore, monks, {if} a-monk **** should-wish:
‘paṭikūle ca ap-paṭikūle ca paṭikūla-saññī vihareyyan’ti,
'(in the) repulsive and non-repulsive **, repulsive-perceptions (I) should-dwell-in.'
ayameva Ānā-pānas-sati-samādhi sādhukaṃ manasi kātabbo.
Then-this inhale-exhale-mindful-concentration, thoroughly (his) mind should-do.

(five masteries of perception 4 of 5 )

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cepi ākaṅkheyya:
Therefore, monks, {if} a-monk **** should-wish:
‘paṭikūle ca ap-paṭikūle ca ap-paṭikūla-saññī vihareyyan’ti,
'(in the) repulsive and non-repulsive **, non-repulsive-perceptions (I) should-dwell-in.'
ayameva Ānā-pānas-sati-samādhi sādhukaṃ manasi kātabbo.
Then-this inhale-exhale-mindful-concentration, thoroughly (his) mind should-do.

(five masteries of perception 5 of 5 )

Tasmātiha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu cepi ākaṅkheyya:
Therefore, monks, {if} a-monk **** should-wish:
‘ap-paṭikūlañ-ca paṭikūlañca
(in the) non-repulsive-and repulsive,
ta-dubhayaṃ abhi-nivajjetvā
{both}-of-those, removed-by-transcending,
upekkhako vihareyyaṃ
equanimous (I) dwell,
sato sampajāno’ti,
mindful (and) alert,'
ayameva Ānā-pānas-sati-samādhi sādhukaṃ manasi kātabbo.
Then-this inhale-exhale-mindful-concentration, thoroughly (his) mind should-do.

SN 52.1 Anuruddha shows 5abi as part of 4sp

the 5 masteries of perceptions part of 4sp
SN 5, 8. anuruddhasaṃyuttaṃ, 1. rahogatavaggo, 1. paṭhamarahogatasuttaṃ (SN 52.1), para. 4 ⇒
“so sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

sutta references

.
.

AN 5.144 5abi instructions for all monks

AN 5.144 Tikaṇḍakī (name of forest) sutta
instructions in this discourse are for all monks, not just arahants or noble ones.

DN 28 5abi is “Ariyan” supernormal power

DN 3, 5. sampasādanīyasuttaṃ, iddhividhadesanā (DN 28.16), para. 2 ⇒
And what is the “Ariyan” supernormal power? Here a monk, if he wishes: “Let me abide with the disgusting891 "" not feeling disgust”, can so abide, and if he wishes: “Let me [113] abide with the non-disgusting feeling disgust”, he can so abide, also feeling either disgust or non-disgust in the presence of both ... or: “Ignoring both the disgusting and the non-disgusting may I abide in equanimity, mindful and clearly aware”, he can so abide. That is the ʺAriyanʺ supernormal power, that is free of the corruptions and not bound up with attachment. This is the unsurpassed teaching in regard to the supernormal powers. This the Blessed Lord fully comprehends, and beyond it lies nothing further to be comprehended; and in such understanding there is no other ascetic or Brahmin who is greater or more enlightened than the Blessed Lord, as regards the supernormal powers. “katamā pana, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā, ‘ariyā’ti vuccati? idha, bhante, bhikkhu sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno. ayaṃ, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā ‘ariyā’ti vuccati. etadānuttariyaṃ, bhante, iddhividhāsu . taṃ bhagavā asesamabhijānāti, taṃ bhagavato asesamabhijānato uttari abhiññeyyaṃ natthi, yadabhijānaṃ añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro assa yadidaṃ iddhividhāsu.

MN 152 5abi are applied to each of the 6aya (sense faculties)

1. supreme (anuttara), upekkha is established immediately;
2. trainee (sekha) guards sense doors with disgust, humiliation if evil thoughts arise through 6 sense doors;
3. noble ones (ariya) use any of the 5 methods in 5abi

SN 46.52 5abi combined with 7sb and 4bv

SN 5, 2. bojjhaṅgasaṃyuttaṃ, 6. sākacchavaggo, 4. mettāsahagatasuttaṃ (SN 46.54), para. 12 ⇒
“kathaṃ bhāvitā ca, bhikkhave, mettācetovimutti, kiṃgatikā hoti, kiṃparamā, kiṃphalā, kiṃpariyosānā? idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu mettāsahagataṃ satisambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti . pe . mettāsahagataṃ upekkhāsambojjhaṅgaṃ bhāveti vivekanissitaṃ virāganissitaṃ nirodhanissitaṃ vossaggapariṇāmiṃ. so sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako ca tattha viharati sato sampajāno, subhaṃ vā kho pana vimokkhaṃ upasampajja viharati. subhaparamāhaṃ, bhikkhave, mettācetovimuttiṃ vadāmi, idhapaññassa bhikkhuno uttarivimuttiṃ appaṭivijjhato.

SN 52.1 Anuruddha shows 5abi as part of 4sp

the 5 masteries of perceptions part of 4sp
SN 5, 8. anuruddhasaṃyuttaṃ, 1. rahogatavaggo, 1. paṭhamarahogatasuttaṃ (SN 52.1), para. 4 ⇒
“so sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati; sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūlañca paṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.

SN 54.8 5abi combined with 16 APS

5abi deployed by arahants and ariya

MN 152: 3rd type: noble one with developed faculties

Kathañcānanda, ariyo hoti bhāvitindriyo?
"And how is one a noble one with developed faculties?
Idhānanda, bhikkhuno cakkhunā rūpaṃ disvā uppajjati manāpaṃ, uppajjati amanāpaṃ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṃ.
There is the case where, when seeing a form with the eye, there arises in a monk what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable & disagreeable.
So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome & what is.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If he wants — in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not — cutting himself off from both, he remains equanimous, alert, & mindful.
Puna caparaṃ, ānanda, bhikkhuno sotena saddaṃ sutvā
"When hearing a sound with the ear...
… pe … ghānena gandhaṃ ghāyitvā
When smelling an aroma with the nose...
… jivhāya rasaṃ sāyitvā
When tasting a flavor with the tongue...
… kāyena phoṭṭhabbaṃ phusitvā
When touching a tactile sensation with the body...
… manasā dhammaṃ viññāya uppajjati manāpaṃ, uppajjati amanāpaṃ, uppajjati manāpāmanāpaṃ.
When cognizing an idea with the intellect, there arises in him what is agreeable, what is disagreeable, what is agreeable & disagreeable.
So sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of loathsomeness in the presence of what is not loathsome & what is.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘appaṭikūle ca paṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati.
If he wants, he remains percipient of unloathsomeness in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not.
Sace ākaṅkhati: ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayampi abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno.
If he wants — in the presence of what is loathsome & what is not — cutting himself off from both, he remains equanimous, alert, & mindful.
Evaṃ kho, ānanda, ariyo hoti bhāvitindriyo.
"This is how one is a noble one with developed faculties.

DN 28 the 5abi are called ariya supernormal power

DN 3, 5. sampasādanīyasuttaṃ, iddhividhadesanā (DN 28.16), para. 2 ⇒
(walshe trans.)
18.‘Also unsurpassed is the Blessed Lord’s way of teaching Dhamma in regard to the supernormal powers. These are of two kinds. There is the kind that is bound up with the corruptions and with attachment,890 "" which is called “un-Ariyan”, and there is the kind that is free of the corruptions and not bound up with attachment, which is called “Ariyan”. What is the “un-Ariyan” supernormal power? Here some ascetic or Brahmin enjoys various supernormal powers: being one, he becomes many — being many, he becomes one; (... STED 6 ahiñña #1 ...) and he travels in the body as far as the Brahma world. That is the ʺun-Ariyariʺsupernormal power.
“katamā pana, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā, ‘ariyā’ti vuccati? idha, bhante, bhikkhu sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘appaṭikūle paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca appaṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, appaṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūle ca appaṭikūle ca paṭikūlasaññī vihareyyan’ti, paṭikūlasaññī tattha viharati. sace ākaṅkhati — ‘paṭikūlañca appaṭikūlañca tadubhayaṃ abhinivajjetvā upekkhako vihareyyaṃ sato sampajāno’ti, upekkhako tattha viharati sato sampajāno. ayaṃ, bhante, iddhi anāsavā anupadhikā ‘ariyā’ti vuccati. etadānuttariyaṃ, bhante, iddhividhāsu . taṃ bhagavā asesamabhijānāti, taṃ bhagavato asesamabhijānato uttari abhiññeyyaṃ natthi, yadabhijānaṃ añño samaṇo vā brāhmaṇo vā bhagavatā bhiyyobhiññataro assa yadidaṃ iddhividhāsu.
And what is the “Ariyan” supernormal power? Here a monk, if he wishes: “Let me abide with the disgusting891 "" not feeling disgust”, can so abide, and if he wishes: “Let me [113] abide with the non-disgusting feeling disgust”, he can so abide, also feeling either disgust or non-disgust in the presence of both ... or: “Ignoring both the disgusting and the non-disgusting may I abide in equanimity, mindful and clearly aware”, he can so abide. That is the ʺAriyanʺ supernormal power, that is free of the corruptions and not bound up with attachment. This is the unsurpassed teaching in regard to the supernormal powers. This the Blessed Lord fully comprehends, and beyond it lies nothing further to be comprehended; and in such understanding there is no other ascetic or Brahmin who is greater or more enlightened than the Blessed Lord, as regards the supernormal powers.

questions:

  1. AN 5.144 seems to be the most basic, I’m guessing earliest, most general purpose and applicable to all disciples. But the practice as a group of 5 methods has no name in AN 5.144

  2. I think B.bodhi calls this “5 masteries of perception”, but doing a DPR search for “appatikulan”, (the fifth item), hoping it will return all references to the 5abi practice in the suttas, I don’t know where b.bodhi got that name from. Is that his own coined phrase, or is it from commentaries?

  3. did I get all the sutta references in my search? Are there any others people are aware of?

  4. this practice seems to be talked about very little in buddhist circles. why? 5abi are awesome. Is it in the earliest strata of EBT? how does it fit in? AN 5.144 seems to be targeted to all disciples, whereas in MN 152, it seems to be shifting to more of an ariya practice, and DN 28 gives the impression 5abi is not just for ariya, but the domain of arahants.

  5. while AN 5.144 gives some specific practices for each of the 5, I have a broader interpretation of the practice. I believe what it’s saying is that we can make lemonade out of anything. That is, while practicing 4sp, 7sb, 16 APS, we can tune in to any, ANY, perception that will have the profitable result of decreasing/killing defilements. That is, it’s not just limited to metta or asubha, it can be any perception we come up with. Do I have justifiable basis for this, or is the commentary correct in pigeonholing the antidotes to only metta, asubha?