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 believe that attaining jhāna is required to attain magga phala, especially those above the Sotapanna stage. 

  • 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.
Jhāna and Magga Phala – The Essentials

2. The following chart summarizes the main points I like to point out (USE UPDATED CHART).

 

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

  • Let us discuss the main points from the above chart.
Magga Phala Without Jhāna

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

  • A puthujjana can attain any or 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, the Arahant stage can be reached without going through any “rupa jhāna” and “arupa samāpatti.“
  • In the Abhidhamma citta analysis, there are only 81 types of mundane (lokiya) cittas possible to arise in the 31 realms. Since 8 cittas are involved in attaining Nibbana (without going through a jhana), the total number of cittas possible is 89. See “The 89 (121) Types of Citta.”
  • 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 middle portion of the chart summarizes how one can cultivate all of the “rupa jhāna/samāpatti” and “arupa samāpatti” without attaining any magga phala. 

  • Jhāna and samāpatti are types of samadhi (among uncountable types of samadhi). See “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi“
  • Those cultivating “rupa jhāna” (meaning they should be able to get into a samapatti corresponding that 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. See #6 of the post “31 Realms of Existence.”
  • There are four levels of “arupa samāpatti“: ākāsānañcāyatana, viññāṇañcāyatana,  ākiñcaññāyatana, and nevasaññānāsaññāyatana samāpatti. Those yogis are reborn in the four corresponding arupa Brahma realms. There are no jhānās correspond to them, i.e., arupavacara cittas flow continuously and do not fall back to kamavacara (or rupavacara cittas) ever.
  • 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 middle 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.
It Is Possible to Convert a Jhana to an “Ariya Jhana“

6. A puthujjana who has cultivated any of the four (five according to Abhidhamma analysis) jhānās can engage in insight (Vipassanā) meditation and attain a magga phala. Then that “mundane jhāna” becomes an “Ariya jhāna” as shown in the bottom part of the above chart.

  • To accomplish that, they need to comprehend the Four Noble Truths/Paṭicca Samuppāda/Tilakkhana and “see with wisdom” the anicca nature of that jhāna. See “Paṭicca Samuppāda, Tilakkhana, Four Noble Truths.”
  • That can lead to any or all of the magga phala from any of the five possible jhanic states. The bottom portion of the above chart illustrates that for attaining the Sotapanna stage from any of the five (Abhidhamma) jhanic states. It works the same way for the other three magga phala. For example, even the Arahant stage can be reached from the first jhāna (just like it is possible without any jhāna.)
  • A special category of Arahants (Ubhatovimutti Arahants) reach the Arahanthood by proceeding through all Ariya jhānās starting at the first jhanic state. Once getting to the fourth Ariya jhāna (fifth in the Abhidhamma method), they can attain Arahanthood there. That is why the fourth jhāna is equated to Samma Samadhi in the “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141).”
  • The progression toward Ubhatovimutti Arahanthood is stated in the “Anupubbavihāra Sutta (AN 9.32).”
Is It Necessity to Cultivate Jhāna?

7. The “Saccavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 141)” appears to suggest that jhānās are essential to attain magga phala.

  • 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 as “Sammā Samādhi.”
  • When one attains the Sotapanna stage, one has “Sammā Samādhi” corrsponding to the Sotapanna stage. 
  • The verses @31.2 through 31.5 state that “Sammā Samādhi” corresponding to the four possible Ariya jhanas. The misinterpretation here is to assign “Sammā Samādhi” only to the fourth jhana.

8. One gets to Sammā Samādhi for the first time when one becomes a Sotapanna. That Sammā Samādhi grows with subseuqent magga phala and is OPTIMIZED at the Arahant stage. 

  • But 

8. The misconception is whether the fourth Ariya jhāna is NECESSARY to attain any magga phala.

  • The 89-citta analysis in Abhidhamma clearly shows that attaining magga phala is possible without a single jhāna as pointed out in #3 above. In the following, we discuss further evidence.
  • We all know that Sammā Samādhi is the eighth step in the Noble Eightfold Path. Thus, Sammā Samādhi is essential to attaining magga phala.
  • Let us discuss the concept of Sammā Samādhi.
Sammā Samādhi – Does It Require Jhānās?

8. 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

9. 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.

10. 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

11. 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.
Burning Sansāric Bonds Require Wisdom (Paññā)

4. Paṭicca Samuppāda maintains the rebirth process. Future rebirths arise via “bhava paccayā jāti.”

  • That process starts with an ārammaṇa (sensory input) coming to the mind. It brings in a “made-up” version of the external with “distorted saññā,” and a mind attaches to it and starts acting with avijjā. That is how a Paṭicca Samuppāda process starts with “avijjā paccayā saṅkhāra.” It is critically important to understand that, and we have discussed it in detail: “Purāna and Nava Kamma – Sequence of Kamma Generation,“ “Upaya and Upādāna – Two Stages of Attachment,“ and “Ārammaṇa (Sensory Input) Initiates Critical Processes.”
  • The point is that the above process runs INSIDE the mind. All the terms in Paṭicca Samuppāda are “mental entities.” Thus, the “burning” refers to the “burning of mental bonds (saṁyojana) with wisdom!
  • That process can be stopped at two places in the above sequence: (i) Attaching to an ārammaṇa with taṇhā and (ii) generating (abhi)saṅkhāra with avijjā.

5. However, neither can be done with sheer willpower. Paṭicca Samuppāda takes place automatically on a fast time scale. Events take place according to the “gati/anusaya/saṁyojana.” Instead of addressing a variety of entities like gati/anusaya/saṁyojana, we can focus on saṁyojana (sansāric bonds).

  • For example, the generation “apāyagāmi saṅkhāra/deeds” stop with the breaking/burning of three saṁyojana:  sakkāya diṭṭhi, vicikicchā, silabbata parāmāsa. This happens when a mind comprehends the “broader worldview of the Buddha,” i.e., the “wider worldview” showing how rebirths in various realms arise via Paṭicca Samuppāda (according to the saṅkhāra generated); see “Rebirths Take Place According to Abhisaṅkhāra.” 
  • The next step is to overcome attachments to “mind-made pleasures” brought in via “distorted saññā” and “burn the kāma rāga saṁyojana.” Simultaneously, “burning of the paṭigha saṁyojana” takes place, and one becomes an Anāgāmi.
  • The “burning of the five higher saṁyojana (rupa rāga, arupa rāga, māna, uddhacca, avijjā)” happens while an Anāgāmi is in the Arahant magga stage. As we can see, the first two involve removing cravings for “jhānic pleasures based on the distorted jhānic saññā” and “arupa samāpatti pleasures based on distorted arupa samāpatti saññā.”
  • Thus, all these “burnings (jhāyi) take place in our minds!
One Must be in Sammā Samādhi to “Burn Samsaric Bonds” or Saṁyojana

6. To start “burning the sansāric (saṁsāric) bonds or saṁyojana,” one needs to get into Sammā Samādhi. Sammā Samādhi is a unique Samādhi. One gets to it by understanding how to remove “sañ” (rāga, dosa, moha); here, “mā” means to avoid/remove, and “sañ” “mā” rhymes as “sammā.” See #7 of “Samādhi, Jhāna, and Sammā Samādhi.”

  • The first three saṁyojana are “burned” with the first step in the Noble Eightfold Path, Sammā Diṭṭhi. Thus, one enters the Noble Path by “burning of the first three saṁyojana.”
  • The next step is to comprehend the concept of “distorted saññā” that will enable to “burn the kāma rāga saṁyojana.” The steps involved are described in the two Satipaṭṭhāna suttās. 
  • The same procedures are used to overcome the “distorted jhānic saññā” and “distorted arupa samāpatti saññā” to “burn the rupa rāga and arupa rāga saṁyojana” and subsequently the final three saṁyojana.
  • Burning of all ten saṁyojana happens via wisdom or paññā! Experience of jhāna/samāpatti may or may not happen on the way. 
Once a Saṁyojana Is Burned, Associated Abhisaṅkhāra Stop Arising

7. The ten types of saṁyojana can be thought of as ten “mental bonds” that bind a mind to specific realms among the 31 realms.

  • The three saṁyojana associated with wrong views (sakkāya diṭṭhi, vicikicchā, silabbata parāmāsa) can lead to rebirths in the apāyās. Once those are “burned,” (they all burn at the moment of getting to the Sotapanna phala moment.) Once that happens, one does not need to consciously avoid doing “apāyagāmi kamma” via “apuñña abhisaṅkhāra.” Such “apuñña abhisaṅkhāra” will never again arise in that mind. As pointed out in many suttās in the Sotapanna Saṁyutta starting with the “Cakkavattirāja Sutta (SN 55.1)” a Sotapanna‘s fourth quality is “Ariyakantehi sīlehi samannāgato hoti.” A Sotapanna has “Ariyakānta sīla,” or “moral conduct of a Noble Person,” that can never again be broken. That means apāyagāmi “apuñña abhisaṅkhāra“ will never again arise in that mind.
  • The two saṁyojana of kāma rāga and paṭigha bind a mind to the higher realms of the kāma loka. Once those are “burned” at the Anāgāmi phala moment, kāma rāga will never again arise in that mind, and thus, an Anāgāmi is free of rebirths in kāma loka.
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.

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