Getting into an anariya jhana means transcending the kama loka temporarily.
- However, unless those jhana cittas run continuously, a mind can “fall back” to kama loka in between jhana cittas. If the mind continuously generates jhana cittas, one is in a jhana samapatti.
- As a mind keeps ascending to higher jhana samapatti, it starts separating from the kama loka. That means it start dropping “bodily functions” at higher jhana samapatti.
That should explain the following I wrote above:
1. “Rahogata Sutta (SN 36.11)” : When in the first jhana samapatti, speech stops; in the second jhana samapatti, vitakka vicāra (i.e., vaci sankhara) stop; in the third jhana samapatti, pīti stops; in the fourth jhana samapatti, assāsapassāsā stops.
- Thus, it makes sense to equate assāsapassāsā there with breathing. Breathing stops while in the fourth jhana samapatti and the physical body is now kept alive by kammic energy.
- P.S. This explains how a yogi can “come out of the physical body” with the manomaya kaya (or gandhabba) while in the fourth jhana samapatti. All functions of the physical body stop, and one is like a rupa loka Brahma!
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Now, to address Lang’s question: “Let’s say that a person is in an anariya jhana samapatti, which means that during that time he is in a temporary rupavacara bhava.
Is the upadana paccaya bhava step still operating in this case? And if so is jhana the object of upadana?”
Yes. An anariya yogi‘s mind latches onto the mindset of the first jhana as soon as it transcends kama loka.
- However, there is no need to “upadana” a specific arammana to get to the first jhana. One can focus on a neutral object (one must also suppress all immoral and sensual thoughts) to transcend the kama loka, and it automatically latches onto the mindset of the first jhana.
- With practice, one can stay in the first jhana without dropping back to kama loka, and then one is in the first jhana samapatti.
A Sotapanna can transcend the kama loka permanently by eliminating kama raga and attaining the Anagami stage of Nibbana. That happens via cultivating Satipatthana/Anapanasati. The mind of an Anagami may or may not automatically get into the first jhana, which corresponds to the mindset of a Brahma in the first realm in the rupa loka. If the Anagami does not get into a jhana, his mind will stay at the “kama dhatu” stage and NEVER get to the “kama bhava.”
- There could be “panna vimutta” Arahants who have not cultivated jhana. Their minds will also stay at the “kama dhatu” stage and NEVER get to the “kama bhava,” “rupa bhava,” or even “arupa bhava.”
- These are not necessary things to learn. But it is good to have an idea.
