[Tobias G]

In the Abhidhamma Vibhanga Vb 4: Analysis of Truth / 4.1.4. The Truth Of The Path, Samma Samadhi is stated as:

“… Therein what is right samādhi? Herein a monk, aloof from sense pleasures, aloof from unskilful dhammas, attains and dwells in the first jhāna accompanied by initial application, accompanied by sustained application, with rapture and pleasure born of detachment; inhibiting initial application and sustained application he attains and dwells in the second jhāna with internal refinement, exalted development of mind, without initial application, without sustained application, with rapture and pleasure born of samādhi; he, desireless of rapture, dwells equable, mindful, aware, and he experiences pleasure by way of the body (of mental aggregates); this the Noble Ones declare, “The equable, mindful dweller in pleasure”; he attains and dwells in the third jhāna; by the abandoning of pleasure and by the abandoning of pain, then first terminating mental pleasure and mental pain he attains and dwells in the fourth jhāna (which is) neither pain nor pleasure (but is) purity of mindfulness caused by equanimity. This is called right concentation.
This Is Called The Noble Truth Of The Way Leading To The Cessation Of Suffering”

The same in Vb 11: Analysis of the path Constituents
“Therein what is the Eightfold Path? Herein at the time when a monk develops supramundane jhana tending to release, dispersive of continuing rebirth and death; he, for the abandoning of wrong view, for the entering of the first stage, aloof from sense pleasures, See section 205. attains and dwells in the first jhana that is hard practice and knowledge slowly acquired; at that time there is the Eightfold Path (viz.) right view, Intermediate path constituents. Right samadhi.”

Here it looks like Jhanas are needed to attain Nibbana. Why is that?

[Lal]

There are two two aspects to this issue:

1. I have seen Samma Samadhi described this way in a few other suttas too.
2. On the other hand, there are many accounts in the Tipitaka where people attained various stages of magga phala just by listening to a single desana by the Buddha.

So, here is my explanation.

After “completing” Samma Samadhi, one goes through two more stages to attain the Arahanthood: Samma Nana and Samma Vimutti.

It is said that “atthangehi samannagato Sekha, dasa angehi samannagato Arahant” or “one completing the eightfold Path is a Trainee (Sekha), one who has completed the 10 steps is an Arahant“.

The description in terms of jhanas holds when Samma Samadhi is “complete” or almost complete and when one has attained the fourth Ariya jhana. As discussed in the subsection referenced below, one is at least an Anagami when attaining the fourth Ariya jhana.

There are two ways one can become an Arahant: Pannavimutta or cetovimutta.
– A pannavimutta Arahant may attain the Arahanthood without going through jhana (like those who attained Arahant phala while listening to their very first desana). However, once the Arahantohood is attained, all four rupavacara jhana are automatically attained. In some cases (like minister Santati and Culapanthaka Thero), even iddhi (supernormal) powers are attained with the Arahanthood. In the case of Santati (who was wearing royal robes and was riding an elephant), he attained Arahanthood just listening to a single verse by the Buddha. He was about to die and the Buddha asked him to show evidence to others that he had attained Arahanthood. Santati obliged by leaping up and burning himself with tejo kasina at the moment of death.
– A cetovimutti Arahant goes through the jhanic states and attains Arahanthood after completing both rupavacara and arupavacara jhana.

Therefore, either way, one completes Samma Samadhi (attaining the four rupavacara jhanas), before attaining the Arahanthood.

These are discussed in the section: “Samādhi, Jhāna (Dhyāna), Magga Phala“.

[Johnny_Lim]

Lal mentioned: “After “completing” Samma Samadhi, one goes through two more stages to attain the Arahanthood: Samma Nana and Samma Vimutti.”

This is mentioned in The Great Forty discourse in MN 117.

“Therein, bhikkhus, right view comes first. And how does right view come first? In one of right view, right intention comes into being; in one of right intention, right speech comes into being; in one of right speech, right action comes into being; in one of right action, right livelihood comes into being; in one of right livelihood, right effort comes into being; in one of right effort, right mindfulness comes into being; in one of right mindfulness, right concentration comes into being; in one of right concentration, right knowledge comes into being; in one of right knowledge, right deliverance comes into being. Thus, bhikkhus, the path of the disciple in higher training possesses eight factors, the arahant possesses ten factors.

[Lal]

Thanks for providing the sutta reference, Johnny!

[Akvan]

Thanks Johnny,

The Arya Samma Smadhi is also explained in the third section of the Sutta (https://suttacentral.net/mn117/en/bodhi) as;

A mind that is focused and surrounded by the other seven arya factors (samma ditti through to samma sathi) is called arya samma Samadhi.

[Author]

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