“Could rupa raga also mean raga for niramisa sukha?”
- Yes. Those who cultivate rupavacara jhana have rupa raga (and experience niramisa sukha associated with such jhana).
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“It’s taught that Anagami still has rupa raga and arupa rage, if someone didn’t cultivate jhana’s and they attained the anagami stage. Besides raga for jhanic states, are there other ways of understanding what rupa raga is or for an anagami besides raga for jhanic states, are there other rupa raga an anagami might have?”
One can remove kama raga and get to the Anagami stage without cultivating jhana. P.S. “Rupa raga” includes jhanic sukha, but is not restricted to that; “attachment to Dhamma” is also included in rupa raga.Some in the days of the Buddha could not get to the Arahant stage, because of their “attachment to Dhamma.” That is why the Buddha said one must also give up Dhamma at the end (only when close to the Arahant stage.)
- Those in kama loka have kama raga; those in rupa loka (or have transcended kama loka, like an Anagami) would have rupa and arupa raga left. Of course, many rupavacara Brhamas have NOT REMOVED kama raga but have temporarily transcended the kama loka; they will be reborn in kama loka at the end of that Brahma lifetime.
- Rupa and arupa raga are PERMANENTLY removed only at the Arahant stage. This stage is “niramisatara sukha” which is not a vedana, but “Nibbanic bliss.” See “Nirāmisa Sutta (SN 36.31).”
