Jhāna And Magga Phala - Very Different

Jhāna and magga phala are different concepts. While jhāna could help, cultivating jhāna is not necessary to attain magga phala.

April 19, 2024

Introduction

1. Some (including a few disciples of Wahraka Thero who are likely to be Noble Persons) believe that attaining jhāna is required to attain magga phala, especially those above the Sotapanna stage. They frequently use the term “Ariya jhāna” to indicate a specific category of jhāna cultivated by Ariyas (Noble Persons.)

I thought about writing this series because some people are discouraged that their inability to cultivate jhāna means they are not able to get to magga phala. Cultivating jhāna is not easy for an “average householder” (however, it is easy for those who cultivated jhāna in recent past lives). The Buddha only encouraged bhikkhus to cultivate jhāna. If you look at suttās on jhāna, almost all were delivered to bhikkhus.
While attaining jhānās can be beneficial (it is a higher state of samādhi), they are not essential for attaining any magga phala. I have provided evidence in the two previous posts. Still, here I will discuss a few more relevant suttās (including the “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)” that appear to suggest that jhānās are essential to attain magga phala.
This is the final post in a series on jhāna and magga phala. The previous posts are “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi” and “Jhāna – There Is No Separate Category of “Ariya Jhāna”.

Jhāna and Magga Phala – The Essentials

2. The following chart summarizes the main points I like to point out.

Download/Print: “Jhana and magga phala – very different“

Let us discuss the main points from the above chart.

Magga Phala With or Without Jhāna

3. The upper portion of the chart summarizes various ways magga phala can be attained.

A puthujjana can attain all four magga phala while listening to a discourse. That happened many times while the Buddha was alive. Two famous examples are Bāhiya Dārucīriya and Minister Santati. Obviously, there was no time to cultivate jhāna.
There were also several reports in the Tipiṭaka of “householders” like Citta Gahapati attaining the Anāgāmi stage and King Suddhodana attaining the Arahant stage without cultivating jhāna. Of course, numerous examples of attaining the Sotapanna stage while listening to a single discourse exist.
As indicated in the chart, those who reach the Arahant stage without going through ALL “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti” are Paññāvimutti Arahants.
Some complete ALL “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti” while reaching the Arahant stage, thus attaining cetovimutti in addition to paññāvimutti. They are Ubhatovimutti Arahants who are “released both ways” (“ubhato” means “both”.)
For details, see #10 of “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi.”

Jhāna and/or Samāpatti Without Magga Phala

4. The lower portion of the chart summarizes how one can cultivate all of the “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti” without attaining any magga phala.

Those cultivating “rupa jhāna” at various levels are reborn in rupāvacara Brahma realms corresponding to the highest jhānic state attained. Those who cultivate only the first jhāna are reborn in the lower rupa loka Brahma realms, and those who cultivate the fourth jhāna are reborn in the higher rupa loka realms.
There are four levels of “arupa samāpatti“: ākāsānañcāyatana, viññāṇañcāyatana, ākiñcaññāyatana, and nevasaññānāsaññāyatana samāpatti. Those yogis are reborn in the four corresponding arupa Brahma realms.
They all “come back” to the kāma loka at the end of life in Brahma realms. See #4 and #5 of “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi” for details.

Rebirth Process Among Various Realms

5. The lower portion of the above chart also describes the rebirth process we have all been engaged in from a “timeless beginning.” Any living being has been born uncountable times in all possible realms (i.e., except for the suddhāvāsa realms reserved for the Anāgāmis.) Yet, most time is spent in the apāyās.

Cultivating “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti” is also an abhisaṅkhāra generation process. However, they belong to the categories of “good abhisaṅkhāra“: Cultivation of rupāvacara jhāna takes place via a particular type of puññābhisaṅkhāra. Cultivation of āneñjābhisaṅkhāra leads to arupāvacara samāpatti. See “Rebirths Take Place According to Abhisaṅkhāra”
The Buddha recommended cultivating “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti” mainly for bhikkhus. He encouraged “householders” to cultivate puññābhisaṅkhāra involving dana, sila, bhāvanā.
On the other hand, cultivating apuññābhisaṅkhāra must be avoided. They lead to rebirths in the apāyās.
See “Rebirths Take Place According to Abhisaṅkhāra” for details/insights.

Confusion About “Ariya jhāna”

6. The current confusion about having a separate “Ariya jhāna” category could be due to the following.

Although Ariyās and anariyās reach the same jhāna, they do so in very different ways. Anariya yogis focus on a “lokiya/mundane meditation object” (like breath or a kasina object), while Ariyās focus the mind on Nibbāna. Specifically, one should contemplate the drawbacks of “kāma assāda” or “sensual pleasures.” Our immoral actions (that can lead to rebirths in the apāyās) are based on our attempts to enjoy “sensual pleasures.”
However, regardless of how they are attained, jhānās (or arupāvacara samāpattis) are the same. They correspond to the mental states of Brahmās.
Thus, while the specific way of getting to a jhāna/samāpatti could be called an “Ariya method,” there is no separate category of “Ariya jhāna.“

7. Attaining a jhāna means the mind has temporarily transcended the kāma loka and has entered the rupa loka.

Therefore, those yogis have not removed/burned the kāma rāga saṁyojana (unless they are Anāgāmis). The “jhānic experience” goes away after disengaging from the jhāna. Furthermore, if one engages in highly immoral activities, the ability to enter a jhāna can stop. That is what happened to Devadatta after he injured the Buddha.
By “Ariya jhāna,” does one mean the removal/burning of the kāma rāga saṁyojana? If that happens, one would be an Anāgāmi (with or without jhāna.)
As far as I know, most people who have discussed their jhānic experiences have not declared themselves to be Anāgāmis devoid of kāma rāga. Thus, I don’t think that is what they mean by “Ariya jhāna.“

Therefore, I cannot see how a specific category of “Ariya jhāna” can be talked about. If someone can provide a definition/description of what they mean by an “Ariya jhāna,” that would be helpful (if it differs from what I discussed in #6 and #7).

Is It Necessity to Cultivate Jhāna?

8. The second misconception is whether jhānās are NECESSARY to attain any magga phala.

I have provided evidence to the contrary in the previous two posts: “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi” and “Jhāna – There Is No Separate Category of ‘Ariya Jhāna’.”
However, there is one issue that I did not discuss in those two posts. The “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)” appears to suggest that jhānās are essential to get to Sammā Samādhi.
Let us discuss the concept of Sammā Samādhi. We all know that Sammā Samādhi is the eighth step in the Noble Eightfold Path. Thus, Sammā Samādhi is essential to attaining magga phala.

Sammā Samādhi – Does It Require Jhānās?

9. The Noble Eightfold Path begins with Sammā Diṭṭhi. It is about comprehending the “worldview according to the Buddha.” That worldview says the following: (i) This world comprises 31 realms, (ii) Births among those realms are according to the types of abhisaṅkhāra cultivated, (iii) Most suffering results while in the apāyās and rebirths in the apāyās are due to apuññābhisaṅkhāra as mentioned above in #5, (iv) Cultivation of apāyagāmi apuññābhisaṅkhāra stops automatically with the grasping of Buddha’s worldview (Sammā Diṭṭhi) at the Sotapanna stage with the removal/burning of the three “diṭṭhi saṁyojana.” (v) Rebirths in kāma loka stops with the removal/burning of the “kāma rāga and paṭigha saṁyojana” at the Anāgāmi stage. (vi) Rebirths in rupa and arupa lokās stop with the removal/burning of the “rupa rāga and arupa rāga saṁyojana” at the Arahant stage.

The saṁyojanās (mental bonds to the rebirth process) break off at various stages of magga phala with increasing wisdom (paññā). Here, the paññā grows as Sammā Samādhi grows based on the other seven path factors (Sammā Diṭṭhi through Sammā Sati).
While the “higher mental states of rupāvacara Brahmās” (or jhānās) can help cultivate Sammā Samādhi, that is NOT a requirement to get to Sammā Samādhi and burn (jhāyi) sansāric bonds or saṁyojana. See “Jhāna, Jhāya, and Jhāyi – Different Meanings.”
At the fundamental level, our minds are machines that respond to external stimuli automatically. We have control over our actions and speech because the brain’s processing of external stimuli slows down the mind. Once certain saṁyojanās (mental bonds to the rebirth process) break off, related processes do not get an opportunity to arise or “to proceed.” That happens at a “sub-conscious level” in the “purāna kamma stage.” (see “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation.”) That is why a Sotapanna is incapable of doing “apāyagāmi deeds” due to the absence of the three diṭṭhi saṁyojanās. I will discuss this critical point in detail in the future.

Many ways to Express Sammā Samādhi

10. I have linked to the specific verse in the “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)” @marker 31.1: “Katamo cāvuso, sammā samādhi?” The subsequent verses there refer to the four jhānās and refer at the end to the fourth jhāna as “Sammā Samādhi.”

There is no question that one can get to “Sammā Samādhi” by cultivating the fourth jhāna. But the question is: “Is that the ONLY WAY to get to Sammā Samādhi?

11. Sammā Samādhi is described in various ways in different suttās.

The main description of Sammā Samādhi, which appears in several suttās, is that cultivation of the first seven path factors leads to “Sammā Samādhi.”
For example, see “Mahāsaḷāyatanika Sutta (MN 149)” and “Janavasabha Sutta (DN 18).”
I have linked the above links to the statement on Sammā Samādhi.

12. In the “Nimitta Sutta (AN 3.102),” it is stated that one can get to Sammā Samādhi and attain Nibbāna by focusing on certain nimitta (i.e., insight meditation or Vipassanā.)

The “Upakkilesa Sutta (AN 5.23)” defines Sammā Samādhi as the absence of the pañca upakkilesa or pañca nivarana.
Another way to express Sammā Samādhi is in the “Sammāsamādhi Sutta (AN 5.113).”
While in Sammā Samādhi attained in any of the above ways, jhāna cittās likely flow intermittently even without one realizing it. To experience the “jhānic sukha,” one must CULTIVATE the jhāna to have jhāna cittās flowing continuously.
Therefore, there are many ways to define or get to Sammā Samādhi.

Cultivation of Ubhatovimutta Arahanthood Requires Jhāna

13. Of course, the only way to attain ubhatovimutta Arahanthood is via cultivated jhāna. That is clear in the chart at the top of the post.

Attaining ubhatovimutta Arahanthood (i.e., attaining both cetovimutti and paññāvimutti) is described in the “Pañcaṅgika Sutta (AN 5.28).” Those Arahants are the only ones who can get into “nirodha samāpatti.”
Thus, the definition of Sammā Samādhi in the “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)” MUST hold for someone to become an ubhatovimutta Arahant.
Any cultivated jhāna provides a “better platform/mindset” for cultivating Vipassanā to cultivate any magga phala. See “Jhāna Sutta (AN 9.36).” That is how 81 possible cittās expand to 121 in the Abhidhamma analysis; see # 10 of “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi” and “The 89 (121) Types of Citta.”
However, cultivating jhāna is NOT a requirement to attain any magga phala. The only exception is ubhatovimutta Arahanthood, as explained above.

Wahraka Thero‘s Desanā on the Subject

14. The following is a desanā by Waharaka Thero, where he discusses that jhānās are unnecessary to attain magga phala. (it is in the Sinhala language):

ධ්‍යාන සහ සමාධි (ක්ෂණික, අර්පණා, උපචාර)

However, cultivating jhāna is an excellent way to progress on the Path, especially after getting to the Sotapanna stage. Still, one must be careful not to “get stuck” in the “jhānic pleasures.” From what I hear about jhānic experiences, many people incorrectly equate “jhānic pleasures” to “Nibbānic sukha” (which is NOT a vedanā). As Wharaka Thero points out in the above desanā, Devadatta cultivated not only jhāna but also supernormal power (iddhi.) Yet, he was not even a Sotapanna and was reborn in an apāya.
Waharaka Thero also points out that some jāti Sōtapannas are reborn in the human realm. But if a jhāna were REQUIRED to attain the Sōtapanna stage, then that person WOULD NOT be reborn in the human realm, but in a Brahma realm corresponding to that jhāna.

15. Furthermore, just reading/listening (jānato) to the correct Buddha Dhamma or attaining jhāna does not make one a Sōtapanna. Devadatta listened to many discourses from the Buddha but could not attain the Sōtapanna stage of Nibbāna. One must “see with wisdom” (passato) what one learned. That is possible with or without jhāna.

The critical point is that without comprehending the Four Noble Truths, just getting to jhāna is useless. But one can use jhāna effectively to comprehend the Four Noble Truths. See “Paṭicca Samuppāda, Tilakkhana, Four Noble Truths.”
Does the term “Ariya jhāna” refer to transcending kāma loka by permanently removing kāma rāga? If that is the definition, one with “Ariya jhāna” would be an Anāgāmi. I explained this aspect in an old post: “Power of the Human Mind – Ariya Jhānā.”
The best way to verify that one has overcome kāma rāga (i.e., whether kāma rāga saṁyojana/anusaya has been removed) is to check whether one has lost any desire for all sensory pleasures (including sex.) As explained above, only an Anāgāmi or an Arahant has accomplished that.

Final Thoughts

16. My goal is to have correct information on this website consistent with the Tipiṭaka. I believe that is everyone’s goal, so we should try to help each other by engaging in open discussion. The discussion forum is open to anyone to discuss any post on this website.

As I mentioned in #1, the term “Ariya jhāna” is used by several Dhamma teachers I respect. I apologize if I did not fully understand what they meant by the term. I hope they can clarify the term if it differs from what I discussed above. Also, I could be wrong on any of the points discussed and would be grateful if anyone could point out why they are wrong with evidence from the Tipiṭaka.
Please ask questions or point out any contradictions at the forum (“Discussion on ‘Cultivating Jhāna and Magga Phala – What Is the Difference?’”) or email me at [email protected].