Interesting thanks!
By the way, Venerable Sunyo has said that he’s temporarily stopping replying to the topic as he’s currently in retirement (rainy season), but he’ll be back on the topic after retirement to see if there are any interesting replies, so maybe he’ll reply to you later.
Speaking of your topic, do you know if there’s an English translation of MA 72? It’s the parallel of MN 128. Reading a google translation of the Indonesian translation of the Chinese version, I get the impression that the text is interesting and longer than MN 128, with multiple references to the “internal eye” appearing and disappearing in connection with “forms” and “light”, and with references to jhanas which seem to be presented as a means of stabilizing the internal eye, forms and lights rather than the other way around, and this may give the impression that the Buddha first practised the divine eye without the jhanas, then understood afterwards that concentrating on the jhanas is useful for stabilizing the divine eye. Of course, a google translation of a translation of the Chinese version doesn’t allow me to conclude anything, but just to think that there might be something interesting to study with MA 72. And of course I don’t know anything about Agama, I’m just making unfounded speculations to give ideas.
Here are some extracts from MA 72 from google translation:
Venerable Anuruddha replied:
‘The Blessed One, in this way we are always together in harmony, in comfort and without conflict, in one mind, in one teacher, mixed like water and milk, we reach a state of humanity, a special state, a peaceful abode in tranquility Blessed One, I attained the internal light and then the vision of forms; but the vision of the forms and the internal light immediately disappeared again.’
The Blessed One said:
'Anuruddha, you have not penetrated that sign, that is, the mark of attaining the internal light and the seeing of forms. Then the vision of forms and internal light immediately ceases to exist.
'Earlier, Anuruddha, when I had not attained the realization of the incomparable perfect enlightenment, I also attained internal light and vision of forms; but that vision of forms and internal light soon vanishes again.
'Anuruddha, it occurred to me, “What is the defilement in my mind that has caused my concentration to fall and the internal eye to disappear? With the disappearance of the internal eye , the experience of the brilliant light and the vision of forms which I had previously attained, the vision of forms and the internal light immediately ceased to exist.”
'Anuruddha, by practicing diligently, without heedlessness, with a calm and peaceful body, with right mindfulness and right understanding, without confusion, I attained concentration and one-pointedness of mind.
'Anuruddha, it occurred to me, “By practicing diligently, without heedlessness, with a calm and peaceful body, with right mindfulness and right understanding, without confusion, I have attained concentration and one-pointedness of mind.”
’ I thought thus, “What is not in this world, can I see it and know it?” These doubts, these defilements, arise in my mind. Because of this defilement of doubt, my concentration falls and the internal eye disappears; with the disappearance of the internal eye , the experience of the brilliant light and the vision of forms that I had previously attained, the vision of forms and the internal light disappeared again.
'Anuruddha, right then and there I certainly thought thus, “In my mind the defilements of doubt should not arise!”
(…)
'Anuruddha, right then and there I certainly thought thus, "In my mind the corruptions of doubt should not arise, the corruptions of inattention should not arise, the corruptions of bodily inertia that affect perception should not arise, the corruptions of sloth and torpor should not arise, the corruptions of excessive enthusiasm should not arise, the defilement of lack of enthusiasm should not arise, the defilement of fear should not arise, the defilement of delight should not arise, the defilement of conceit should not arise, the defilement of diversity perception should not arise, and the defilement of not contemplating forms should not arise either!”
'Anuruddha, since I am determined not to give rise to these defilements, I go to live in a remote and secluded place and practice diligently with a mind free from indolence. By practicing diligently with a mind free from indolence while dwelling in a far and secluded place, I attained internal light and vision of forms.
'Anuruddha, if the defilement of doubt arises in my mind, then I purify my mind of it; if the defilements of inattention,…bodily inertia affecting perception,…slowness and torpor,…excessive zeal,…lack of zeal,…fear,…excitement,…conceit,…perception of diversity,…do not contemplate forms arise in my mind, then I purify my mind of it.
'Anuruddha, I further thought thus, “I will cultivate the three stages of concentration: I will cultivate concentration with directed awareness and continuous contemplation ; I will practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation ; I will practice concentration without directed awareness and continuous recollection ."
'Again, Anuruddha, I cultivate these three stages of concentration: I cultivate concentration with directed awareness and continuous contemplation ; I practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation ; and I practice concentration without directed awareness and continuous recollection .
'If I practice concentration with directed awareness and continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I practice concentration with directed awareness and continuous contemplation .
'Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness. If I practice concentration with directed awareness and continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I practice concentration with directed awareness and continuous contemplation . Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness.
'Anuruddha, if I practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration with directed awareness and continuous contemplation . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation . Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness.
'If I practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration without directed awareness and continuous recollection . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I practice concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation . Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness.
'If I practice concentration without directed awareness and continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration with directed awareness and continuous recollection . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I cultivate concentration without directed awareness and continuous contemplation . Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness.
'If I practice concentration without directed awareness and continuous recollection , then my mind inclines to concentration without directed awareness and only continuous contemplation . In this way I am sure not to lose that knowledge and vision.
(…)
'Anuruddha, sometimes I gain knowledge of the infinite internal light and the infinite vision of forms. Anuruddha, I thought thus, “For what reason, for what cause, have I acquired the infinite knowledge of internal light and the infinite vision of forms?”
'Anuruddha, I further thought thus, “If I enter into immeasurable concentration, then because of gaining immeasurable concentration the internal eye is endowed with immeasurable purity. Because the internal eye is imbued with immeasurable purity, I gain knowledge of immeasurable internal light and immeasurable vision of forms."
'In this way, Anuruddha, knowing it thus, throughout the day, throughout the night, throughout the day and night, I acquired the infinite knowledge of the internal light and the infinite vision of forms. Anuruddha, at that time I was doing the practice of remaining in this stillness.