Greetings,
I will explain some controversies based on the pali sutta method as to present the theravadin orthodoxy, as i see it, and to the extent that i know it.
In particular i will tie together the texts as to present the expression of what is meant by a direct experience of cessation, as the removal of taints and the 3rd noble truth.
A lot of this has been drawn out in our discussions here earlier but not all of it.
Also i want to ask that we discuss the merit of arranging the texts in this way, whether there are canonical texts which suggest otherwise, rather than whether this contradicts other interpretations of many people.
As to the Removal of Taints
“Whatever exists therein of material form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as a calamity, as an affliction, as alien, as disintegrating, as void, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ If he is steady in that, he attains the destruction of the taints. But if he does not attain the destruction of the taints because of that desire for the Dhamma, that delight in the Dhamma, then with the destruction of the five lower fetters he becomes one due to reappear spontaneously in the Pure Abodes and there attain final Nibbāna without ever returning from that world. This is the path, the way to the abandoning of the five lower fetters. SuttaCentral
The controversy here is in what exactly this directing of mind to the deathless describes.
I will show what the texts say and summarize
“This, bhikkhu, is a designation for the element of Nibbāna: the removal of lust, the removal of hatred, the removal of delusion. The destruction of the taints is spoken of in that way.” SuttaCentral
This is the general designation of the term nibbana (lit. Extinguishment)
“Here, Ānanda, a bhikkhu is percipient thus: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the relinquishing of all acquisitions, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, nibbāna.’* It is in this way, Ānanda, that a bhikkhu could obtain such a state of concentration that he would not be percipient of earth in relation to earth; of water in relation to water; of fire in relation to fire; of air in relation to air; of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space; of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness; of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; of this world in relation to this world; of the other world in relation to the other world, but he would still be percipient.” SuttaCentral
Here it is described as a samadhi-perception not dependent on this world or another.
“On one occasion, friend Ānanda, I was dwelling right here in Sāvatthī in the Blind Men’s Grove. There I attained such a state of concentration that I was not percipient of earth in relation to earth; of water in relation to water; of fire in relation to fire; of air in relation to air; of the base of the infinity of space in relation to the base of the infinity of space; of the base of the infinity of consciousness in relation to the base of the infinity of consciousness; of the base of nothingness in relation to the base of nothingness; of the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception in relation to the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception; of this world in relation to this world; of the other world in relation to the other world, but I was still percipient.”
“But of what was the Venerable Sāriputta percipient on that occasion?”
“One perception arose and another perception ceased in me: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna.’ Just as, when a fire of twigs is burning, one flame arises and another flame ceases, so one perception arose and another perception ceased in me: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna.’ On that occasion, friend, I was percipient: ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna.’” SuttaCentral
Here it is also described as a samadhi-perception apprehended as ‘The cessation of existence is nibbāna; the cessation of existence is nibbāna
The question is then ‘by practicing what special samadhi are the taints removed?’
The sutta are explicit
these three unskilled states disappear utterly in him whose heart is well established in the four foundations of mindfulness, or who practices concentration on the signless Pi.n.dolya.m Sutta: Going Begging
The practice of satipatthana (four foundations of mindfulness) develops the path and the culmination of it’s development is associated with a direct experience of nirodha (lit. cessation) as the Third Noble Truth and a removal of taints (nibbana)
The Blessed One said this: "This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Nibbana — in other words, the four satipatthana.
Satipatthana Sutta: Frames of Reference
"Vision arose, insight arose, discernment arose, knowledge arose, illumination arose within me with regard to things never heard before: ‘This is the noble truth of the cessation of stress’… ‘This noble truth of the cessation of stress is to be directly experienced’… ‘This noble truth of the cessation of stress has been directly experienced.’
Dhammacakkappavattana Sutta: Setting the Wheel of Dhamma in Motion
Now what is signless samadhi? This has to be explained as sannavedaniyanirodha (cessation of perception & feeling)
“When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, three contacts make contact: contact with emptiness, contact with the signless, & contact with the undirected.”
Kamabhu Sutta: With Kamabhu (2)
Ven. Thanissaro’s notes
Emptiness, the signless, & the undirected are names for a state of concentration that lies on the threshold of Nibbana. They differ only in how they are approached. According to the commentary, they color one’s first apprehension of Nibbana: a meditator who has been focusing on the theme of inconstancy will first apprehend Nibbana as signless; one who has been focusing on the theme of stress will first apprehend it as undirected; one who has been focusing on the theme of not-self will first apprehend it as emptiness.4.
According to the commentary, “seclusion” here stands for Nibbana. On emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, and having had contact with emptiness/the signless/the undirected, the mind inclines naturally to a direct experience of Nibbana.
I won’t comment on the commentary.
It’s attainment is explained here
[1] [The Ven. Moggallaana has described how, with the aid of the Buddha, he has passed through all the jhaanas[2] right up to the “sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception**.”]
"Then, friends, I thought: ‘The signless concentration of the heart, the signless concentration of the heart, they say — now what is that?’
"Then I thought: ‘In this a monk, paying no attention to any distinguishing signs,[3] enters on and dwells in that concentration of the heart which is without signs. This is called “The signless concentration of heart.”’
"Then, friends, paying no attention to any distinguishing signs, I entered on and dwelt in that concentration of the heart which is without signs. But as I dwelt thus,[4] the consciousness-conforming-to-signs arose.[5]
"And then, friends, the Blessed One came to me by his powers[6] and said: ‘Moggallaana, Moggallaana, Brahman,[7] do not slacken off in the signless concentration, make your mind steady, make the mind one-pointed, concentrate your mind in the signless concentration!’
"And after that, friends, paying no attention to any distinguishing signs, I entered on and dwelt in the signless concentration of the heart.
“Now, friends, if anyone were to truly declare: ‘Through the Teacher’s compassion the disciple gained great super-knowledge,’[8] he could rightly declare this of me.”
Animitto Sutta: The Signless
Note that that there are only 9 principial meditative attainment classifications in the suttas
The four classes of rupa (lit. form) jhana
The four classes of formless percipience
Cessation of perception & feeling as the 9th.
At last the proposition that cessation of perception and feeling removes defilement is tied to this common phrase
Furthermore, take a mendicant who, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters and remains in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end. To this extent the Buddha said that extinguishment is apparent in the present life in a definitive sense.”
SuttaCentral
One should draw out here that removal of taints occurs for one who transcends the feeling states in attaining cessation of perception & feeling. But it can not be drawn out that attaining formless percipience is necessary to attain sannavedaniyanirodha because the pannavimutti (released by wisdom) arahants don’t have the formless attainments but have nevertheless removed the taints.
It follows that the pannavimutti arahants, also, go totally beyond all feeling states, including the unattained dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, they enter and remain in the cessation of perception & feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, their defilements come to an end.
And so the direct experience of cessation of the aggregates, which is the 3rd noble truth & a removal of taints, is thus tied to sannavedaniyanirodha as signless samadhi.
Now the question is then
In dependence on what is he in such samadhi? As is pondered here
When this was said, Ven. Sandha said to the Blessed One, "But in what way, lord, is the excellent thoroughbred of a man absorbed when he is absorbed dependent neither on earth, liquid, heat, wind, the sphere of the infinitude of space, the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, this world, the next world, nor on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect — and yet he is absorbed, so that to this excellent thoroughbred of a man, absorbed in this way, the gods, together with Indra, the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar:
‘Homage to you, O thoroughbred man. Homage to you, O superlative man — you of whom we don’t know even what it is dependent on which you’re absorbed.’"
"There is the case, Sandha, where for an excellent thoroughbred of a man the perception[2] of earth with regard to earth has ceased to exist; the perception of liquid with regard to liquid… the perception of fire with regard to fire… the perception of wind with regard to wind… the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of space with regard to the sphere of the infinitude of space… the perception of the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness with regard to the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness… the perception of the sphere of nothingness with regard to the sphere of nothingness… the perception of the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception with regard to the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception… the perception of this world with regard to this world… the next world with regard to the next world… and whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect: the perception of that has ceased to exist.
"Absorbed in this way, the excellent thoroughbred of a man is absorbed dependent neither on earth, liquid, fire, wind, the sphere of the infinitude of space, the sphere of the infinitude of consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception, this world, the next world, nor on whatever is seen, heard, sensed, cognized, attained, sought after, or pondered by the intellect — and yet he is absorbed. And to this excellent thoroughbred of a man, absorbed in this way, the gods, together with Indra, the Brahmas, & Pajapati, pay homage even from afar:
‘Homage to you, O thoroughbred man. Homage to you, O superlative man — you of whom we don’t know even what it is dependent on which you’re absorbed.’" Sandha Sutta: To Sandha
In summary he is absorbed in dependence on the principial cessation of all that other stuff.
This ties to
There is that ayatana, monks, where there is neither earth, nor water, nor fire, nor wind; neither dimension of the infinitude of space, nor dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, nor dimension of nothingness, nor dimension of neither perception nor non-perception; neither this world, nor the next world, nor sun, nor moon. And there, I say, there is neither coming, nor going, nor staying; neither passing away nor arising: unestablished,[1] unevolving, without support [mental object].[2] This, just this, is the end of dukkha. Nibbāna Sutta: Unbinding (1)
This ayatana is the end of dukkha (lit. suffering).
Ayatana can translate as ‘base’, ‘opportunity’, ‘reality’, ‘dimension’, or ‘possibility’, etc
One should ask what does the term asankhata (lit: unmade or unfabricated) have to do with any of this?
The term asankhata is used to literally answer what makes the escape from dukkha possible
There is, monks, an unborn[1] — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that escape from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, escape from the born — become — made — fabricated is discerned.[2] Nibbāna Sutta: Unbinding (3)
Monks, these three are fabricated characteristics of what is fabricated. Which three? Arising is discernible, passing away is discernible, alteration (literally, other-ness) while staying is discernible.
"These are three fabricated characteristics of what is fabricated.
"Now these three are unfabricated characteristics of what is unfabricated. Which three? No arising is discernible, no passing away is discernible, no alteration while staying is discernible.
“These are three unfabricated characteristics of what is unfabricated.” Sankhata Sutta: Fabricated
There is a theravadin commentary to the Udana texts, by Dhammapala, called Udanatthakatha
… at the same point therein also the absence of this world and the next world, he therefore says “Neither this world nor the next world”.
This is it’s meaning:
Thererein there is neither of the two, viz. That world of the khandas that has acquired the designation “This world belonging to those seen conditions, this state of affairs” and that world of the khandas that has acquired the designation “The future state, that which is other than, subsequent to, that”.
Nor both sun and moon means that since it is possible to speak of the gloom and of a need for that gloom’s scattering to be maintained by sun and moon (only) when there be something that has taken form - so whence the gloom, or a sun & moon scattering that gloom, wherein simply nothing at all has taken form - therefore there is therein, in that nibbana, neither viz. sun and moon; in this way he indicates the fact of nibbana having it’s own nature solely that of light.
And as the Dhamma-king was explaining to those lacking complete penetration, the ultra-profound, extremely hard to see, abstruse and subtle, Deathless nibbana, that is beyond the sphere of logic, perpetually calm, capable of being experienced only by the wise, extremely choice (yet) not formerly experienced (by them), even in a dream, within this samsara that is without beginning, he, having, thus far, first of all dispelled their lack of knowledge and so on to it’s existence, saying “There is, monks, that base”, then explains that (same nibbana) via elimination of things that are other than that saying “Wherein there is neither earth… nor both sun and moon”, whereby there is elucidated the fact that that which is the unconditioned element, which has as it’s own nature that which is the antithesis of all conditioned things, such as earth and so forth, is nibbana, for which (same) reason he (next) says “There, too, monks, I do not speak neither of coming (and so forth)”.
The commentator makes a reference to
Where water, earth, fire, & wind have no footing: There the stars don’t shine, the sun isn’t visible. There the moon doesn’t appear. There darkness is not found. And when a sage, a brahman through sagacity, has realized [this] for himself, then from form & formless, from bliss & pain, he is freed. Bāhiya Sutta: Bāhiya
Consciousness anidassana [not apparent as the opposite of demonstrable], infinite, luminous all-round—that is what does not fall within the scope of experience characterized by earth, water, fire, air, creatures, gods, the Progenitor, Brahmā, the gods of streaming radiance, the gods replete with glory, the gods of abundant fruit, the Vanquisher, and the all
SuttaCentral
“But when one doesn’t intend, arrange, or obsess [about anything], there is no support for the stationing of consciousness. There being no support, there is no landing of consciousness. When that consciousness doesn’t land & grow, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. When there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging & death, sorrow, lamentation, pain, distress, or despair. Such is the cessation of this entire mass of suffering & stress.”
Cetana Sutta: Intention
Just as if there were a roofed house or a roofed hall having windows on the north, the south, or the east. When the sun rises, and a ray has entered by way of the window, where does it land?"
“On the western wall, lord.”
“And if there is no western wall, where does it land?”
“On the ground, lord.”
“And if there is no ground, where does it land?”
“On the water, lord.”
“And if there is no water, where does it land?”
“It does not land, lord.”
“In the same way, where there is no passion for the nutriment of physical food… contact… intellectual intention… consciousness, where there is no delight, no craving, then consciousness does not land there or increase. Where consciousness does not land or increase, there is no alighting of name-&-form. Where there is no alighting of name-&-form, there is no growth of fabrications. Where there is no growth of fabrications, there is no production of renewed becoming in the future. Where there is no production of renewed becoming in the future, there is no future birth, aging, & death. That, I tell you, has no sorrow, affliction, or despair.”
Atthi Raga Sutta: Where There is Passion
In summary, the pali texts, in using the designation ‘signless element’ refer to what is otherwise explained as the unmade or deathless element. And there is a samadhi, made possible by this element, and for one who attains it - mental formations have ceased and it is therefore apprehened as cessation of perception & feeling.
One attains this by eventually coming to understand & regard the khandas as dukkha and they turn their minds towards the deathless element.
Another way of explaining this, in that, whatever one gives frequent attention becomes the inclination of the mind, dhammas come into play through attention.
The sign of first jhana, comes into play when one has contemplated the drawbacks of sensuality and the benefits of renunciation much, the mind having been made decided & eager to pursue renunciation, will leap at the opportunity when there is an opening.
When one is in such samadhi, there are signs of form, signs of pleasure & equanimity, there is no sign of sensuality for this samadhi is attained in dependence on the cessation of the sign of unwholesome states. This would be expained as an extinguishment in a qualified sense.
This is the sutta method, the words nirodha and nibbana are used like this.
Now Buddha explains that a person can attain samadhi which is entirely signless, but otherwise luminous & extremely pleasant, and that all defilement would be removed (designation of extinguishment in a definitive sense) by practicing such samadhi.
Because one who is in such a samadhi has the perception ‘cessation of existence is extinguishment’, he thus abides in dependence on the principial extinguishment of all that, as an escape from the constructed feeling states, made possible because there is an unconstructed.
As i understand it, one can be in signless samadhi just for a fraction of a second, or otherwise for up to seven days, and one would not be able to perceive or feel any difference because there is no sign by which one would deliniate any difference, change, or duration, for the unconstructed is an unevolving emptiness which is real in it’s own rite.