In book 2 vibhanga, each chapter topic they break up into 2 parts. First part they analalyze the topic “according to the sutta method”. The second part, they analyze according to Abhidhamma method.
I’ve posted an excerpt on my notes on the Jhana factors of sukha and kāya, and the passadhi awakening factor.
For passaddhi awakening factor, it looks like they’re being upfront and honest in disclosing that under “sutta method”, it follows the same definition as EBT. But under “abhidhamma method”, kaya passadhi gets written out of passadhi-sambojjhanga altogether.
However, for the jhana chapter, when they’re glossing the standard four jhana formulas, that is classified under “sutta method”. But here, they are clearly redefining sukha and kāya in a way that’s not according to the EBT. If you look at sukkha from the 4th jhana gloss, it follows standard EBT sukha vedana, meaning sukha is physical. Then when they gloss 3rd jhana sukha which is experienced with body, they take pains to say that kaya is not physical body but now a completely mental body, and sukha is not felt physically but is completely mental. sukha in first jhana is the same way.
So in the case of passadhi, they made an honest disclosure. Sutta method was one way, Abhidhamma was redefined. But under jhana, they redefined sukha and kaya within the “sutta method” section, and in a way that it’s incoherent within the 4 jhanas!
My question then, is, what does sutta method mean? Does it mean they’re just analyzing a standard formula from EBT but then they have the license to redefine what important terms mean? Or (2) they gloss a standard EBT formula, and also define it with standard EBT understandings of those key terms?
For passadhi sambojjhanga, it would fit case 2. For jhana, only case 1 would work.
THOX redefines kāya as body of mental aggregates
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♦ 587. “sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedetī”ti |
“Experiences pleasure by way of the body (of mental aggregates)” |
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tattha katamaṃ sukhaṃ? |
means: Therein what is pleasure? |
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yaṃ cetasikaṃ sātaṃ |
That which is mental ease, |
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cetasikaṃ sukhaṃ |
mental pleasure, |
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cetosamphassajaṃ sātaṃ sukhaṃ vedayitaṃ |
easeful pleasant experience born of mental contact, |
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cetosamphassajā sātā sukhā vedanā — |
easeful pleasant feeling born of mental contact. |
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idaṃ vuccati “sukhaṃ”. |
This is called pleasure. |
body gets redefined as “body of mental aggregates”
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♦ tattha katamo kāyo? |
Therein what is the body (of mental aggregates)? |
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saññākkhandho, |
The aggregate of perception, |
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saṅkhārakkhandho, |
aggregate of volitional activities, |
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viññāṇakkhandho — |
aggregate of consciousness. |
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ayaṃ vuccati “kāyo”. |
This is called the body (of mental aggregates). |
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idaṃ sukhaṃ iminā kāyena paṭisaṃvedeti. |
This pleasure he experiences by way of this body (of mental aggregates). |
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tena vuccati “sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedetī”ti. |
Therefore this is called “experiences pleasure by way of the body (of mental aggregates)”. |
THOX redefines kāya in tranquility awakening factor as body of mental aggregates
sutta method: tranquility has body and mind components
vibhaṅga pāḷi 10. bojjhaṅgavibhaṅgo 1. suttantabhājanīyaṃ
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♦ āraddha-vīriyassa |
For him of strenuous energy |
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uppajjati pīti nir-āmisā — |
there arises rapture that is not worldly. |
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ayaṃ vuccati “pīti-sambojjhaṅgo”. |
This is called rapture-awakening-factor. (4) |
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♦ pīti-manassa kāyopi passambhati, |
For him of raptureful mind the body becomes calm, |
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cittampi passambhati — |
also consciousness becomes calm. |
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ayaṃ vuccati “passaddhisambojjhaṅgo”. |
This is called calmness-awakening-factor. (5) |
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♦ passaddha-kāyassa sukhino |
For him of calm-body and pleasure, |
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cittaṃ samādhiyati — |
consciousness is in samādhi. |
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ayaṃ vuccati “samādhisambojjhaṅgo” . |
This is called samādhi-awakening-factor. (6) |
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♦ tattha katamo passaddhisambojjhaṅgo? |
Therein what is calmness-awakening-factor? |
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atthi kāya-passaddhi, |
There is calmness of the body; |
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atthi citta-passaddhi . |
there is calmness of consciousness. |
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yadapi kāya-passaddhi |
That which is calmness of body, |
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tadapi passaddhi-sambojjhaṅgo abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattati. |
that calmness-awakening-factor is for full knowledge, for awakening, for full emancipation also. |
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yadapi citta-passaddhi |
That which is calmness of consciousness; |
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tadapi passaddhi-sambojjhaṅgo abhiññāya sambodhāya nibbānāya saṃvattati. |
that calmness-awakening-factor is for full knowledge, for awakening, for full emancipation also. (5) |
10.2. Analysis According To Abhidhamma
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♦ tattha katamo passaddhisambojjhaṅgo? yā |
Therein what is calmness-awakening-factor? That which |
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vedanākkhandhassa |
of the aggregate of feeling, |
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saññākkhandhassa |
of the aggregate of perception, |
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saṅkhārakkhandhassa |
of the aggregate of volitional activities, |
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viññāṇakkhandhassa passaddhi |
of the aggregate of consciousness is calmness, |
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paṭippassaddhi passambhanā paṭippassambhanā |
serenity, being calm, being serene, |
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paṭippassambhitattaṃ passaddhisambojjhaṅgo — |
state of being serene, calmness-awakening-factor. |
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ayaṃ vuccati “passaddhisambojjhaṅgo”. |
This is called calmness-awakening-factor. (5) |