Hi Tobi,
No need to apologize, I totally understand and I’m probably in the similar boat.
- “Since Mara is also something that tries to keep us in samsara, I made the connection to Kamaguna”.
I’m not sure if you had a chance to come across what I mentioned in the thread “Post on Kama guna – Origin of attachment (Tanha)” relating to a connection made between Kama guna and Mara.
“From Sakuṇagghisutta:
It teaches kāmaguṇa is the domain of Mara and cattāro satipaṭṭhānā is the domain of our fathers.”
What might be of interest to you is that besides the one connection that was made between kamaguna and Mara, in the last few days, I was able to make more connection between Kamaguna and Mara, I’ll definitely be sharing those connections at a later time. But currently, I’m working on writing out something that’s very important to me relating to kamaguna that I would like to present here for scrutiny and feedback to make sure what I have in mind is on the right track and is self consistent.
So far, I might have only mentioned about 50% what I have in mind about kamaguna. Investigating into the teachings of kamaguna, Kāma or kāmā, kāmehi from the last few weeks and contemplating the connection between them has been an eye opening experience for me and realized how far, deep and detailed the connections can get / go.
You mentioned:
- In my opinion, the first four Jhānas are capable of “Samphassa-jā-vēdanā” to delete/overwrite these storages
Currently I’m not agreeing or disagreeing with this since I have not or currently contemplate what you mentioned, but very recently I came across something that I feel might be of interest to you and relate to what you have in mind. Thought I would share.
“Ko ca, bhikkhave, vedanānaṁ assādo?
Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṁ savicāraṁ vivekajaṁ pītisukhaṁ paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati.”
“And what is the gratification of feelings?
It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, while placing the mind and keeping it connected.”
All the best Tobi and same to everyone here and all other living beings in all the different directions.
