I am not sure what Thanissaro Bhikkhu is trying to say.
If he is referring to the mindset of a living Arahant it could be misleading in the following way:
– A living Arahant would not generate “stressful mental feelings”. These arise due to “samphassa-ja-vedana”. Since an Arahant does not generate “samphassa-ja-vedana” his mind would be devoid of “mental stresses”.
– But even an Arahant will still feel body aches and is still subject to injuries, sicknesses, etc. We know that even the Buddha had those and Ven. Moggalana died a horrible death (beaten to death).
After the death, an Arahant is not reborn. So, there would be no dukkha vedana or sukha vedana.
– That is the ultimate bliss, to be free of ANY suffering (any type of dukkha vedana).
– This is hard for many people to understand. They think “Nibbanic bliss” is a vedana. It is not. Nibbanic bliss is to be free of all suffering.
– Vedana, sanna, sankhara, vinnana, and rupa (all five aggregates) are not present in Nibbana (more correctly after the Parinibbana (death) of an Arahant).
On the other hand, Thanissaro Bhikkhu could be referring to the mindest of someone who got into a jhana. I have not watched the whole video.
– Of course, jhanic states are the best types of “sukha vedana” available in this world.
– Yet, those are temporary. As long as one is in this world, suffering CANNOT be avoided.
The bottom line is that any kind of “sukha vedana” one may experience via meditation SHOULD NOT be one’s goal. The goal is to stop ANY suffering, and that can be achieved only by stopping the rebirth process.
– Of course, those who attain jhanas on the way, do get such “jhanic pleasures” as a bonus.