Thanks, I went through those posts and have a few comments / queries.
The sutta’s mention that one needs to abstain from akusala and kama to get to the first jhana (vivicca kamehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi). And as you mention, abstaining does not mean complete removal.
This corresponds with the Kama Sutta, where it is mentioned that kama is suppressed while in the first jhana upto nevasanna na sanna. In the same way it is mentioned that kama could be suppressed by using (bhaventopi) the buddhanussati and anapanasati etc. So we cannot come to the conclusion that this is referring to a anariya jhana.
In the Mahavedalla Sutta it is mentioned that the pancanivarana are removed. As I understand kamachanda and byapada are not the same as kama raga and patiga. So does this mean that even though pancanivarana is removed there can be the kama raga and patiga samyojana?
In the Jhana Sutta it is mentioned that if one does not complete the removal of āsava, while in the first jhana, he would remove the first five samyōjana because of the dhamma raga and dhamma nandiya and thus will be born opapatika (in brahma loka) and attain pariNibbāna there, and will not return to this world.
It is not mentioned that one needs to eliminate the first five samyojana to get into the first jhana but only needs to abstain from it. After he gets to the first jhana (by practicing it) he can eliminate the five samyojana and become an anāgāmi.