alaber
August 29, 2017, 6:46am
1
When it comes to the four jhanas there are many suttas that describe them in details; their parameters, the similes, how to practice them (e.g. removal of the hindrances, etc), what they are good for, etc. (see for example AN 5.28).
Are there suttas that present the four attainments (later on called arupa jhanas) in a similar fashion?
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alaber
August 30, 2017, 10:40am
2
Just found a one year old post that answers my question. There are reference to MN 121 and MN 106.
My understanding is that Buddha learned Arupavacara Jhana from his teachers and
Buddha discovered Rupavacar Jhana.
I also understand that Arupavacara Jhana is a projection from fourth Jhana.
Am I correct?
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Matt
August 30, 2017, 4:20pm
3
4 brahmavihāras leading to 4 āyatanas:
SN46.54
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alaber
August 30, 2017, 11:33pm
4
Matt:
āyatanas
Thanks Matt. What’s āyatanas ?
What the pali word for the four attainments ?
The way I understand Ayatana is a place where you can have a re-birth.
The attainment is a mind created state.
I may be wrong.
Matt
August 31, 2017, 1:28am
6
You’re welcome. Āyatana is usually translated as sphere or base, @Gabriel has made a few threads that may be relevant:
Is there a clear sutta-based difference between āyatana and indriya?
Both don’t really mean sense-organs but are broader in scope
āyatana
has very vague translations - base, stretch, sphere. It appears in the dependent origination, but also in the arupas, e.g. ‘base of nothingness’
indriya
translated as ‘faculty’ is equally vague. We have it in ‘sense restraint’, but also the ‘spiritual faculties’ (i.e. faith, energy, sati, samadhi, pañña)
If they are synonyms, could we say ‘ayatana-restra…
Like some other terms essential for the understanding of the EBT āyatana has not received its due attention, often translated as the inaccessible ‘base’ I would like to highlight in which conceptual contexts it appears.
āyatana in Vedic/Sanskrit sources
Monier-Williams translates āyatana as a
resting-place, support, seat, place, home, house, abode, a sanctuary, a barn
Jan Gonda provides an exhaustive source collection of āyatana in Indian sources (Gonda (1975): Selected Studies, Volume II…
On the other hand, what is usually translated as ‘attainment’ is the Pāḷi word, samāpatti.
That’s about as far as I can go, you’d have to ask someone more knowledgeable what the differences are.
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