Christian wrote: “There are plenty of suttas that say you can attain Nibbana, through jhanas, I would say the majority.”
1. Please provide the names of the suttas that say jhanas are REQUIRED to attain the Sotapanna stage.
– As one attains higher magga phala, jhanas come naturally to some people.
– By the Arahant stage, most may have attained all Ariya jhanas. That is especially the case for Cetovimutta Arahants.
2. Also, anariya jhanas are very common. But just having jhanas DOES NOT NECESSARILY mean one is even at the Sotapanna Anugami stage.
– But, of course, it is a good thing to attain even anariya jhanas.
– Also, some at the Sotapanna stage may have anariya jhanas too.
– So, there are many possibilities/combinations.
3. Jhanic states correspond to the “consciousness” of Brahmas in the Brahmas realms.
– Most of them don’t have magga phala and are “not released” from future births in the apayas.