The Brahmavihārās and Satipaṭṭhāna

After reading “A History of Mindfulness” by Sujato I agree that Satipaṭṭhāna is a samādhi exercise which aims at Jhāna and, as the suttas state, that Satipaṭṭhāna is a means to overcome the hindrances. However, the texts also link the Brahmavihārās with Jhāna. The difficulty for me is to see how the Brahmavihārās fit with Satipaṭṭhāna. For example, in Satipaṭṭhāna you take an aspect of the body as the starting point (body parts, elements, breath etc) but it’s hard to see how loving-kindness fits with the bodily aspect of Satipaṭṭhāna. Do these two schemes match at all, or are the Brahmavihārās an alternative way of developing Jhāna? Satipaṭṭhāna looks like an innovation of the Buddha (I’m not aware of anyplace where other ascetics are said to practice them). If so, what makes Satipaṭṭhāna different from the Brahmavihārās if both lead to a diminishing of the hindrances and entry into samādhi? Is it perhaps that Satipaṭṭhāna is combining samatha with insight? If so, it’s still hard to see how Satipaṭṭhāna can be done with the Brahmavihārās.

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Brahmaviharas and satipatthana both develop samadhi (unification of mind), through mindfulness. Satipatthana contains both samatha and vipassana. :pray:

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I’ve been thinking about this as well :slight_smile:

One link between the two might be with principles/dhamma-satipatthana; seeing the relationship e.g. between metta and the hindrances, particularly ill-will.

Another is the feeling of metta as a spiritual pleasant feeling, compared to other pleasant, neutral and painful feelings (vedana)?

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Can you cite the suttas linking brahmaviharas and samadhi please?

It seems pretty straightforward to me that eg metta bhavana can fulfill the satipatthana quite similar to how anapanasati does. By spreading the feelings of pīti and sukha that arise from the practice around the body, one fulfills the first two satipatthana. By contemplating how the practice changes the citta, eg by eliminating ill will, one fulfills the third satipatthana. Finally, one observes the impermanence of the factors already developed and develops nibbida towards them to fufilled the final satipatthana.

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There are a few suttas that link the 4 brahmavihārās with rebirth into the Brahma realm, meaning they lead to the 1st Jhāna. Other suttas connect each brahmavihārā with each Jhāna (AN 4.125), but that seems a bit forced to me. Here is a general one

“Monks, for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken, eleven benefits can be expected. Which eleven?

“One sleeps easily, wakes easily, dreams no evil dreams. One is dear to human beings, dear to non-human beings. The devas protect one. Neither fire, poison, nor weapons can touch one. One’s mind gains concentration quickly. One’s complexion is bright. One dies unconfused and—if penetrating no higher—is headed for the Brahma worlds.

“These are the eleven benefits that can be expected for one whose awareness-release through good will is cultivated, developed, pursued, handed the reins and taken as a basis, given a grounding, steadied, consolidated, and well-undertaken.” - AN 11.15

It seems pretty straightforward to me that eg metta bhavana can fulfill the satipatthana quite similar to how anapanasati does. By spreading the feelings of pīti and sukha that arise from the practice around the body, one fulfills the first two satipatthana. By contemplating how the practice changes the citta, eg by eliminating ill will, one fulfills the third satipatthana. Finally, one observes the impermanence of the factors already developed and develops nibbida towards them to fufilled the final satipatthana.

With Satipaṭṭhāna you always start by taking an aspect of the body as the basis for meditation, be that the elements or body parts etc. It’s hard to see how say loving-kindness is an aspect of the body.

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That is possibly how to understand it. Of course this means there are other ways to abandon the hindrances and enter into Jhāna that don’t rely upon Satipaṭṭhāna.

I can see how it would work for feelings, mind and dhammas but it’s hard to match with the bodily aspect of satipaṭṭhāna. If satipaṭṭhāna is the only way to abandon the hindrances and enter Jhāna then the 4 brahmavihārās have to match the 4 satipaṭṭhāna in some way. If however there are other ways of abandoning the hindrances and entering Jhāna then we have to ask, what is the point of Satipaṭṭhāna? I suspect it’s the combination of samatha and insight. You don’t just get into Jhāna, but rather also see how you actually got there (and so see its dependent nature). Perhaps another view is that whilst the brahmavihārās lead to Jhāna, they don’t fully overcome all the hindrances. In MN 127 Venerable Anuruddha discusses the brahmavihārās. It’s interesting to note that here people can obtain Jhāna with them, but can also still have some hindrances present.

“Well then, Reverend Kaccāna, I shall give you a simile. For by means of a simile some sensible people understand the meaning of what is said. Suppose an oil lamp was burning with impure oil and impure wick. Because of the impurity of the oil and the wick it burns dimly, as it were.

In the same way, take some mendicant who meditates determined on pervading ‘corrupted radiance’. Their physical discomfort is not completely settled, their dullness and drowsiness is not completely eradicated, and their restlessness and remorse is not completely eliminated. Because of this they practice absorption dimly, as it were. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of corrupted radiance.

Suppose an oil lamp was burning with pure oil and pure wick. Because of the purity of the oil and the wick it doesn’t burn dimly, as it were.

In the same way, take some mendicant who meditates determined on pervading ‘pure radiance’. Their physical discomfort is completely settled, their dullness and drowsiness is completely eradicated, and their restlessness and remorse is completely eliminated. Because of this they don’t practice absorption dimly, as it were. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of pure radiance.

It’s interesting because here it says that one can have Jhāna, yet still have sloth & torpor and restlessness & worry. Elsewhere we are told that ānāpānasati can be practiced to over come thoughts (vitakka) or distressing thoughts (vitakkāsayā vighātapakkhikā)

"But then, a mendicant grounded on these five things should develop four further things. They should develop the perception of ugliness to give up greed, love to give up hate, mindfulness of breathing to cut off thinking, and perception of impermanence to uproot the conceit ‘I am’. When you perceive impermanence, the perception of not-self becomes stabilized. Perceiving not-self, you uproot the conceit ‘I am’ and attain extinguishment in this very life.” - AN 9.3

“Mendicants, meditate observing the ugliness of the body. Let mindfulness of breathing be well-established internally in front of you Meditate observing the impermanence of all conditions. As you meditate observing the ugliness of the body, you will give up desire for the body. When mindfulness of breathing is well-established internally in front of you, there will be no distressing external thoughts or wishes. When you meditate observing the impermanence of all conditions, ignorance is given up and knowledge arises.”

The Buddha spoke this matter. On this it is said:

“Observing the ugliness of the body,mindful of the breath,one always keen seesthe stilling of all activities.

That mendicant sees rightly,and when freed in regards to that,that peaceful sage, with perfect insight,has truly escaped their bonds.” - Iti 85

So, it could be the case that by practicing ānāpānasati (which fulfils satipaṭṭhāna) you give up all hindrances, even subtle ones. For example the brahmavihārās require vitakka/ saṅkappa. When there is vitakka, then there is the potential for restlessness and mental suffering. As the brahmavihārās require vitakka/ saṅkappa, they can go no further than the 1st Jhāna. Based on this then satipaṭṭhāna, by way of ānāpānasati, is a means to abandon fine hindrances and to enter the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Jhānas thus going beyond what the brahmavihārās can obtain.

Interesting to also note that in AN 8.63 the teaching is to develop the brahmavihārās with Jhāna, after which you practice Satipaṭṭhāna with Jhāna. The parallel however has it reversed. First you practice satipaṭṭhāna with Jhāna (or as a means to enter Jhāna) and then you practice the brahmavihārās. If I remember correctly Sujato has said previously that the Kasiṇas are the outcome of meditation. Indeed in the Sarvāstivādin literature they are said to be achieved only when someone has mastered the 4th Jhāna. Now the brahmavihārās are like the Kasiṇas in a way. You stick with an emotion and pervade it everywhere. Based on this understanding, the parallel to AN 8.63 would make more sense. It would then mean that the brahmavihārās, like the Kasiṇas or the Infinite Space etc, are something one can only truly enter into when the 4 Jhānas have been mastered. This then would place satipaṭṭhāna back at the heart of how to overcome the hindrances and obtain samādhi. However, MN 106 presents a problem in that it looks like the brahmavihārās, along with element meditation and the perception of impermanence, are a means to enter all 4 Jhānas themselves. This leads us back to the problem of how Jhāna can be achieved without any grounding in the satipaṭṭhāna, or how to match the brahmavihārās with satipaṭṭhāna. It seems odd though for MN 106 to equate the brahmavihārās with the 4th Jhāna since they only lead to Brahmā’s realm, and so the 1st Jhāna. Perhaps “āneñjaṁ” here though doesn’t refer to the brahmavihārās at all. If so, then I think my earlier point about vitakka and the limitation of the brahmavihārās to the 1st Jhāna is the better way to understand how all this fits together. I am though open to correction.

The name ‘Brahmavihārās’ itself indicates they are limited to the conditioned:

“But why, Sariputta — when there was still more to be done, having established Dhanañjanin the brahman in the inferior Brahma world — did you get up from your seat and leave?”

Majhima Nikaya 97
Also Samyutta Nikaya 46.54

Overcoming the hindrances requires both tranquillity and insight:

"When tranquillity is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Passion is abandoned.

"When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve? Discernment is developed. And when discernment is developed, what purpose does it serve? Ignorance is abandoned.

—Anguttara Nikaya 2.34

Correct, that’s what defines Buddhism from Hinduism.

Correct. A dual strategy is required because the hindrances of desire and anger are emotional, whereas ignorance is intellectual, requiring development of right view.

“I myself, before my Awakening, when I was still an unawakened bodhisatta, saw as it actually was with right discernment that sensuality is of much stress, much despair, & greater drawbacks (1), but as long as I had not attained a rapture & pleasure apart from sensuality, apart from unskillful mental qualities, or something more peaceful than that (2), I did not claim that I could not be tempted by sensuality.”

1= insight , 2= tranquillity

—Majhima Nikaya 14

Other ascetics also had samatha with insight too then?

“Ehipassiko”
Please, forgive me for being so blunt, but, if you can’t see it, it is perhaps because you haven’t practice it.
I have listened to Venerable Ones encouraging the practice of Metta Meditation in order to eradicate ill will and negative mental states (At least Temporarily), and by doing so, the mind gets peaceful. After a peaceful mind is established, the breath is the only factor remaining, and the discursive aspect of Metta Meditation is left behind. If the meditator continues to follow the breath, then one of the foundations of mindfulness is acquired (Body (the breath), feelings, the mind, and mental objects - Dhammas), whichever of these factors is fully present, it will bring “Unification of Mind”.
Metta, Anapanasati, Death Contemplation, or any other Kammatthana, will bring the mind to be peaceful, leaving the hindrances behind, only then, meditation can be practiced, before that, we just struggled by mental hindrances.
We must remember that there is no one within these aggregates who experience any of this, it is just delusion, peace or no peace, mindful or not, once we assume that I, he, they or them are a self that can be the subject experiencing something, we go wrong right there, so we should contemplate more deeply and restart our practice with right view.
Blessings,
AnattaNJ

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No. Samyutta Nikaya 46.53 explains how the tranquillity group is the passive component (water), and the investigation (insight, fire) group the active. It’s logical that like two fire sticks these work together. The Buddha says this dynamic is not known by any other sect.

This is an advanced teaching.

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Why do you think MN 127 is talking about jhanas? I don’t see the textual connection here. Also:

In the same way, take some mendicant who meditates determined on pervading ‘corrupted radiance’. Their physical discomfort is not completely settled, their dullness and drowsiness is not completely eradicated, and their restlessness and remorse is not completely eliminated. Because of this they practice absorption dimly, as it were. When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of the gods of corrupted radiance.

Doesn’t it make more sense to say that this cannot be jhana, because the first jhana is defined by seclusion from unwholesome states?

Edit: The parallel MA 79 (accessible here) has ‘some renunciant or brahmin’ rather than ‘some mendicant’. My impression is that these meditation states are talked about in general, by Buddhists as well as non-Buddhists, at the time of the discourse.

The overall point of MA 79 seems to be how the degree of development and refinement of meditation as a human corresponds to degrees of refinement in the corresponding heavenly rebirth.

It’s not clear to me how or if this connects to the jhanas though.

Edit2: Excerpt from MA 79:

Venerable Kaccāna, suppose that a renunciant or brahmin, staying in a
forest area, goes to the base of a tree in an empty quiet place. Dwelling
in reliance on this one tree, he achieves perception [of the area beneath
the tree] with light produced through mental resolve. His perception with
mentally produced light is extremely abundant. [Yet] his liberation of the
mind has this limit and does not go beyond it

This seems like a non/pre-jhanic state?

Sila/samadhi/panna:

"The three divisions of the Noble Eightfold Path provide the check against this threefold layering of the defilements. The first, the training in moral discipline, restrains unwholesome bodily and verbal activity and thus prevents defilements from reaching the stage of transgression. The training in concentration provides the safeguard against the stage of manifestation. It removes already manifest defilements and protects the mind from their continued influx. But even though concentration may be pursued to the depths of full absorption, it cannot touch the basic source of affliction — the latent tendencies lying dormant in the mental continuum. Against these concentration is powerless, since to root them out calls for more than mental calm. What it calls for, beyond the composure and serenity of the unified mind, is wisdom (pañña), a penetrating vision of phenomena in their fundamental mode of being.

Wisdom alone can cut off the latent tendencies at their root because the most fundamental member of the set, the one which nurtures the others and holds them in place, is ignorance (avijja), and wisdom is the remedy for ignorance."

Bikkhu Bodhi

couple of points:

  1. mindfulness of loving kindness is part of the third satipatthana, mindfulness of mind - we’re developing awareness of a mind state and holding the mind there.

  2. in my observation, practicing loving kindness mindfulness towards oneself makes one more aware of aversive mind states. loving kindness is aimed at the overcoming of aversion - this is consistent with satipatthana overcoming the hindrances.

  3. jhana is more than just the 4 form jhanas and the 4 formless jhanas. the buddha uses the term jhana to refer to absorption held even for the briefest periods of time:

  1. loving kindness and the other brahmaviharas can be used to develop the formless jhanas:
  1. loving kindness and the other brahmaviharas can be used to develop the form jhanas

best wishes.

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In general, sati is required for metta:

Having folded my legs crosswise and straightened my body, I establish mindfulness in front of me. Then I dwell pervading one quarter with a mind imbued with loving-kindness… - AN 3.63

Though I’m not sure if you want to see something explicit in regard to satipaṭṭhāna.

What seems to unite these different developments is that all are vihāra to be developed and cultivated, which is to say they are a position of mind, a dwelling, and a wholesome one at that. With sati, that dwelling is within the remembrance of some aspect or theme of the experience, and with the four brahmavihārā, it is that same principle of remembrance in regard to an even more specific attitude, for a more specific purpose (the goal of metta, as far as I understand it, is to overcome lust/greed through the establishing a mind of non-ill will towards whatever is experienced (AN 9.1), and first and foremost this requires memory.)

As far as a potential relationship is concerned, an understanding of what the body is composed of, and the knowledge that it will perish, would serve to support that attitude. Not to the extent of the perception of ugly/unattractive, but enough so that there isn’t that inherent contentment with the body, feeding that general notion of Self and conceit. In short, it is easier to regard and accept anything with that friendliness/non-ill will when there is disenchantment with one’s own body.

There is no doubt that Sati is required, but the major requirement is the Right View, as stated in that sutta.

In order for these practices to be practiced correctly, they must be established in their prerequisites.

Also in An8.63, it says again:
“When your mind is steady and well settled internally, and bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen don’t occupy your mind, then you should train like this:…brahmaviharas+jhana and/or satipatthana/+jhana”

So once you can do jhana, you can then do it with brahmavihara and satipatthana.

One needs to have a pretty great samadhi already (jhana), purified virtue and view (straight, right), just to start “both” those further trainings.

Not that you are saying differently. I just find it interesting that those further trainings are not what get you to right view or jhana but only what one of right view, purified virtue and well settled mind can do.

They are a balancing meditation opposing insight knowledge. It’s clear from the conclusion of the Satipatthana sutta that it results in unbinding, so is ultimately an insight vehicle. It and the Brahmaviharas are therefore opposite elements, as described in Samyutta Nikaya 46.53.

I believe this verse is referring to a level of meditative absorption, not to Jhana, but possibly to Upacara Samadhi. This is the pre-state to Appana Samadhi where the Jhannas States are experienced.

A meditator goes through a series of mental absorptions before getting into Jhana, because the causes and conditions are not present yet to experience it. To have a consistent mental absorption to the level of Jhanas, one’s Sila Practice must be also consistent and pure in intention.

Venerable Ajahn Chah used to refer to these mental absorptions (Jhanas) as Appana Samadhi because it can become a distraction for the Dhamma Practitioner and Jhanas are not absolutely necessary for Liberation, the eradication of tains and Kilesas.

But to keep the focus on your analysis, a meditation practitioner may experience First Jhana briefly due to a brief and strong momentary concentration (Uppacara Samadhi), but because his/her mindfulness isn’t still very strong, it will withdraw from Appana Samadhi in a matter of moments and will go back to experience hindrances, because it will drop to the level of Khanika Samadhi.

Samadhi is the result of maintaining strong and continuous mindfulness, starting with the practitioner focusing on the object of meditation and getting absorbed into it for a prolonged period, this absorption should be sustained, maintained, and developed because thoughts and sense impeachments never stop, they arise and cease according to nature, the nature of the mind.

If the practitioner is getting absorbed into the meditation object and from time to time follows any of these thoughts or external sense impeachments, it will drop the absorption of the meditation object, and the mind becomes defiled, it becomes conditioned; conditioned to what? To the arising of conditioned phenomena, believing I am these thoughts or memories, I am these feelings.

No single individual following this discussion will be able to comprehend the matter until this is experienced by one’s self. But, we are fortunate to live in this era where these topics can be discussed, and a good-hearted person with honest intentions may want to sincerely progress on his practice, may read it, and get some understanding to put it into practice. We should meditate, and meditate consistently, one or two hours per day should be ideal, and don’t give up. Keeping Sila and practicing generosity to build good merits; these are the causes and conditions that will help us to reach Samadhi, otherwise, it will become very difficult.

Blessings,

Anattanj,

I think it’s true that there is not so much as Indriyasamvara let alone mastery of Jhana without Sati.

But when Sati is emphasized like this;

Ekāyano ayaṁ bhikkhave maggo sattānaṁ visuddhiyā

For me, what is expressed through the mouth of Sati is the Patipadā leading all the way to perfection. For those who can understand the path this way.

Thus it is said;

Tamahaṁ anekapariyāyena ācikkhāmi desemi paññāpemi paṭṭhapemi vivarāmi vibhajāmi uttānīkaromi.

In many ways I explain, teach, assert, establish, clarify, analyze, and reveal it.

What is divided in to four is the province of Ñāna. Thus includes Jhana, thus Brahmavihara. Certainly just Vedana, that is to say Sukha Vedana and Adukkhamasukha Vedana encompasses all the Jhanas. So also Citta and Dhamma.

When I hear ‘Sati’ in this context, the impression I get is of a profound ceto-vasībhāva. And ‘Anupassana’ a profound activity of Ñāna.

How to say this in more of a puggala-vasena common mode of speech; those who are self-possessed, self-controlled in their right mind with their wits about them, tread this straight way to detachment, complete letting go, abandoning and not picking up again.

Even to an outsider that has experienced Jhana, should be said; Sadhu! Sadhu! but in this Sāsana you are not in your right mind your wits are scattered. No! that was not oneness with Brahman, being possessed by shiva, true knowledge of the oneness of nature etc etc.

PS: Above is personal opinion, still I would caution,

Mind where we take the axe, to which tree.