upekkha100: I fixed your link.
Here is a step-by-step way to add a link (this is also in the General Information and Updates, where I provide links to new posts):
- Open the web page on a new browser window. Copy the title of the post and paste it in the posting where you want to put the link.
Now go back and copy the URL of the web page. -
Come back to the posting, highlight the title and click the “link” button on the format panel.
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A new window will open up and paste that copied link to the “URL” slot. Also, select “Open link in a new tab”, and click “Add Link” button at the bottom.
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This way, one reading the post will be able to open the post in question in a new window, so that he/she can go back and forth between the post and the web page in question.
Hopefully, that should work. Please let me know if does not.
Regarding the questions:
“1) Is this initial uncontaminated vedana the amisa upekkha vedana?”
No. No one basically “experiences” the first “citta” stage in the “citta, mano, manasan…” steps. As I said in another reply, these descriptions are from Abhidhamma, where the Buddha provided detailed explanations. That is actually what happens, but anyone other than Buddha cannot actually see these steps. The mind goes through this contamination process within a billionth of a second.
“2) Niramisa upekkha vedana is supposed to be the vedana experienced by Ariyas. Other than the anariya/Ariya aspect, what is the difference between amisa upekkha vedana and niramisa upekkha vedana?”
Amisa upakkha vedana is the “neutral feeling” felt by a normal human. It can be, and it is at most times, contaminated with avijja. One just does not know the “reality of that particular situation”.
“3) What would the initial uncontaminated vedana that arises in a Sotapanna, Sakadagami, Anagami be called? Would it be amisa upekkha or niramisa upekkha or something else?”
That is a very hard to question to answer. All we can say is that the mental state would be more and more purified as one gets to higher magga phala.
– An Arahant would be the closest to the “manasan” state, where one just recognizes who it is or what it is, but does not have ANY attachments.
“4) Am I wrong to think that out of those 9 vedana, Arahants would have only 5 out of 9 of those vedana: sukha, dukha, upekkha, niramisa sukha, and niramisa upekkha vedana? I’d think they would have even eliminated the niramisa dukha vedana?”
An Arahant would have the sukha, dukha, upekkha that arise from kamma vipaka. – An Arahant can experience the jhanic experiences.
– Ohter than that, it is niramisa upekkha vedana, a neutral mindset.