Saññā has two components: one is recognizing “things in the world,” but the other is presenting a “made-up” sense of attractiveness or repulsiveness of things in the world. The second aspect of saññā leads to avijja, which in turn leads to acting with sakkāya diṭṭhi (the wrong view that worldly things can provide happiness), taṇhā (craving sensory pleasures), and māna (sense of a “me/mine.”) Those are removed in stages, and māna removed at the Arahant stage.
September 28, 2024
Three Types of Saññā
1. In the previous post, we discussed three categories of saññā: (i) an “innate sense” of recognition of the sensory input, (ii) an “innate sense” of finding one’s way in the world to optimize survival, and (iii) an “innate sense” of “distorted evaluation/description” of sensory experiences. You may want to review it; see “Two Aspects of Saññā – Beneficial and Dangerous.”
- The “innate sense” comes to mind automatically since it is “built-in” to our bodies via Paṭicca Samuppāda.
- The first two categories discussed there are beneficial and even necessary for survival. The first is to recognize a sensory input, whether a specific type of tree, music, food, or the identity as father/mother or a particular color, etc. The second category is mainly seen in the animal realm; it helps their survival by providing a “built-in” sense of navigation or instructions to construct shelters ranging from simple bird nests to sophisticated “megacities” built by ants.
- The third category we discussed is even more critical because it leads to suffering. It is a “false/distorted saññā” of the sensory experience.
- An overview of how the “false/distorted saññā” arises in the three “lokās” can provide helpful insights into Buddha’s teachings.
All Three Categories Are “Built-In”
2. All three types of saññā are “built-in” to each living being.
- Humans and animals are first born with a “mental body” created entirely by kammic energy. Since that kammic energy was created by the mind (mano), it is called a manomaya kāya (“mind-made body.”) It is also called “gandhabba” in the Tipiṭaka. See “Gandhabba State – Evidence from Tipiṭaka.” When that manomaya kāya is “pulled into a womb,” it will be born with a dense physical body (“sarira“; sometimes called “karaja kāya“). Since a human gandhabba can live for thousands of years, it could be born with a physical body (which has a lifetime of around a hundred years) many times. Further details are at “Mental Body – Gandhabba.”
- As we know, Devās in the six Deva realms and Brahmās in the 20 Brahma realms are born with only one “body” (kāya). They are opapātika (instantaneous) births. They live with that manomaya kāya throughout their lives.
- All three types of saññā are “built-in” to each “kāya” associated with a living being. All three types of saññā are “built into” the manomaya kāya (gandhabba) and the physical body of a human or an animal.
Reasons for Three Types of Saññā
3. A “lifestream” moves from realm to realm in the world automatically according to Nature’s laws (Paṭicca Samuppāda and laws of kamma).
- Even though we live “human lives” now, we had been born in most of the 31 realms (except those reserved for Anāgāmis) in our deep past.
- Thus, each of us had lived in most of the Brahma realms and the six Deva realms many times over, in addition to human births. We had many more births in the lowest four realms (apāyās) than in the human and higher realms combined.
- When our existence in the human realm ends, our lifestream will latch on to the strongest kamma bija available.
- For example, if one had cultivated a jhāna, rebirth in the corresponding Brahma realm would result; now, you are no longer a human but a Brahma. That Brahma would have no idea about his previous life as a human (in the same way we have no idea of our past existences). On the other hand, if one had killed a parent, for example, one would be born in one of the four lowest realms, probably the lowest, called a niraya. In those two examples, the outcomes are guaranteed because they are ānantariya kamma. In the absence of an ānantariya kamma, the strongest kamma bija available will determine the next existence.
“Distorted/False Saññā” Associated With the Three “Lokās“
4. A specific type of “distorted/false saññā“ is “built into” all the existences in this world. Existences in the world can be divided into three three “lokās“: Those with all six sensory faculties live in kāma loka (four apāyās, the human realm, and six Deva realms). Rupāvacara Brahmās (with three sensory faculties and subtle “bodies” at the level of suddhāṭṭhaka) live in 16 realms in the “rupa loka.” Arupāvacara Brahmās with only the mind live in four realms in the “arupa loka.” Also, see “How Character (Gati) Leads to Bhava and Jāti.”
- Living beings in “kāma loka” receive a false/distorted kāma saññā. Rupa loka Brahmās receive a false/distorted jhānic saññā and Arupa loka Brahmās receive a false/distorted arupa samāpatti saññā.
- “Distorted Saññā” is built into humans’ and animals’ physical and mental bodies (and the subtle bodies of the Brahmās), so it arises automatically. Even after attaining magga phala or even the Arahant stage, those built-in saññās remain. Thus, an Arahant would also taste honey as sweet.
- However, nothing in this world has an intrinsically beautiful/ugly or tasty/distasteful nature. Arahants fully understand that and that is why their minds do not attach to that “distorted/false saññā.“
Features of a Brahma in “Rupa Loka“
5. Let us consider a human who separates from the human realm and is born a Brahma in one of the 16 realms of the “rupa loka.”
- A Brahma has no physical body like ours. A Brahma has only a “mental body” (with only a trace of matter) that cannot be seen with our eyes. Of course, that is hard to imagine for us.
- The amount of “matter” in a Brahma‘s “body” is much smaller than that of a tiny ant or even a virus/bacteria.
- Even though a “Brahma body” has very little “matter,” its “subtle body” could spread over a sizeable spatial dimension. Therefore, each Brahma would have “identifiable features,” just like we can see the difference between any two people.
- For example, when the Buddha visited Baka Brahma, he went there not in his “human body” but only in his “mental body,” which is as subtle/fine as a “Brahma body.” See “Brahmanimantanika Sutta (MN 49).” Still, the Baka Brahma recognized the Buddha, and vice versa.
6. A rupa loka Brahma does not need to breathe since he has no physical body. Brahma realms are assumed to be located well above Earth, where an atmosphere is absent.
- A Brahma has no sex organs and thus has no concept of sex. He does not need to eat and has no sense of smell. He can only see, hear, and think.
- Therefore, it would be impossible for “kāma saññā” to arise in a Brahma. Instead, Brahma‘s mind is primarily in a jhānic state; instead, he would have “jhāna saññā.“
- Furthermore, Brahma perceives that “jhāna saññā” as pleasurable. That is the “distorted/false saññā” associated with the rupa loka Brahmās.
- Unlike the human realms, there are no worries about earning a living to eat and buy clothes, houses, or cars. There is no need to steal, lie, or hurt anyone. A Brahma is “self-sufficient” for the duration of that existence.
- Therefore, kāma rāga and paṭigha would not be manifested for the whole duration of Brahma‘s existence. However, kāma rāga and paṭigha samyojana will still be associated with the Brahma. It is just that they cannot be triggered during that existence, because they don’t have any idea of what taste, smell, or touch (including sex) is. Once reborn in kāma loka, kāma rāga can be triggered again.
Why Do Brahmās Not Have “Kama Saññā“?
7. To be born a rupa loka Brahma, humans must cultivate a jhāna. Those with lower jhānās are born in the lower Brahma realms, etc. By the way, those are “anariya jhāna” cultivated using breath or kasina meditations to calm the mind; of course, they must generally stay away from immoral deeds and sexual and other sensual activities.
- Cultivation of even an anariya jhāna is not easy (unless one had cultivated jhāna in their recent previous lives).
- Anyone who has cultivated a jhāna would prefer “jhānic pleasure” over “sensual (kāma) pleasures.” Thus, even a puthujjana with an anariya jhāna would have subsided kāma rāga. In other words, they have overcome the “kāma saññā” temporarily. That means even though they still feel the deliciousness of an expensive meal, they would not attach to it, seeking more of it. That is because they have experienced something better in a jhāna.
“Saññā Nirodha” = Nibbāna
8. If that person proceeds to higher jhānās and cultivates an arupa samāpatti, he will realize the inferiority of “jhānic pleasure” too. Thus, he would be able to overcome the “jhānic pleasure” that comes from “jhāna saññā” and embrace the “arupa samāpatti saññā.”
- It is not easy for us to imagine, but overcoming even the “arupa samāpatti saññā” is the best; that is called “nirodha samāpatti,” where any type of saññā is absent. This is equivalent to the state of any Arahant after the death of the physical body. Only an ubhatobāgha Arahant (who has gone through all the jhānās and arupa samāpattis) can experience “nirodha samāpatti.“
- In the “Nibbedhika Sutta (AN 6.63),” the Buddha declares, “The noble eightfold path leads to the cessation of saññā” or Nibbāna. As stated there, that happens with the cessation of “phassa,” which refers to the cessation of “samphassa” or “contact with defilements of rāga, dosa, moha.”
- Furthermore, the cessation of “saññā” here refers only to overcoming attachment to the “distorted/false saññā“ and not losing saññā while living. Thus, a living Buddha or an Arahant would still have all three types of saññā, but their minds will not attach to any of them.
9. What is the reason for a “distorted/false/misleading saññā” to arise?
- The answer is: “Ignorance of the existence of “distorted/false/misleading saññā.”
- Until a Buddha is born in the world, no one would have the slightest idea of a “distorted/false/misleading saññā.” They wholeheartedly believe sensual pleasures, jhānic pleasures, and samāpatti pleasures are real!
- Thus, a living being will automatically attach to the innate or “built-in distorted/false/misleading saññā” associated with its realm. That perpetuates the rebirth process, and one will never be able to stop it until this fact about the nature of the world is understood.
- It is the ignorance about the existence of “distorted/false/misleading saññā” that leads to wrong views (in particular sakkāya diṭṭhi), craving pleasures in the world (taṇhā), and the sense of “me/mine” (māna.)
Root Cause of Wrong Views Is (Distorted) Saññā
10. One time, the wanderer Vacchagotta asked the Buddha, “What is the cause for various wrong views (diṭṭhi) to arise?”
- The Buddha replied, “Saññāya kho, vaccha, aññāṇā, saññāsamudaye aññāṇā, saññānirodhe aññāṇā, saññānirodhagāminiyā paṭipadāya aññāṇā.” Here, “aññāṇa” means “ignorance” or “not being aware of.”
- Thus, the Buddha explains that one would have various types of wrong views (diṭṭhi) arise because of incomprehension of the true nature of saññā, the origin of saññā, and the way to get rid of that (distorted) saññā.” Therefore, this is one way to attain the Sotapanna stage.
- See, “Saññāaññāṇa Sutta (SN 33.3).”
