Christian wrote:
“Three potential explanations:
- Frog attained jhana
- Frog attained samadhi (which is not regular state of mind that you can set yourself up thru emotions, but doubt as this takes one effort)
- Frog was at the end of bhava and things happen because of good kamma of the frog.”
None of those can or need to explain the observations.
- A being in an apaya (including animals) cannot cultivate jhana.
- A being in an apaya (including animals) cannot cultivate samadhi.
- The frog was in the kama bhava. In becoming a Deva, there was no “change of bhava.” Both the frog and the Deva are in the “kama bhava.” The frog only changed the realm from the animal realm to the Deva realm, and both are within the kama bhava.
That is what I explained in my comment (#46257) above. But since it is a bit deeper (and complex) situation, let me further clarify:
- Animals and humans have this unique situation where there is a “dense physical body” shielding the subtle “manomaya kaya” (gandhabba). Thus, normally a change in the gati of the gandhabba cannot lead to a change of the realm within the kama bhava. But in the case of the frog, for example, the gati changed from “frog gati” to a “Deva gati” due to the change of the mindset triggered by listening to the Buddha’s voice. If the frog had not died quickly enough BEFORE that “Deva gati” changed back to the “frog gati,” it would not become a Deva.
- The second point is that a frog becoming a Brahma is impossible since “Brahma gati” requires the cultivation of jhana, and a frog or any being in an apaya cannot cultivate jhanas or generate “jhanic cittas.“
- Any living being without a “dense physical body” shielding the “manomaya kaya” will be instantaneously changed, according to gati. For example, Devas do not have such a second “dense body” in addition to the fine Deva body they are born with. Thus, if a Deva generates hateful thoughts, that Deva can be instantly reborn in a lower realm since that is a significant change of gati.
Please feel free to ask questions if that is not clear.
