[oetb]

Hi,
In Prerequisites for the Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvanā is explained the “deep” meaning of: “Idha, bhikkhavē, bhikkhu aranna gatō vā rukkhamūla gatō vā sunnāgāra gatō vā nisidati pallankaṃ ābhujitvā, ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya, parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā”.

There are exposed the conventional and the deep meanings of some words/phrases:
arañña gato
Conventional: “has gone to the wilderness”
Deep: “get into a calm mindset leaving behind the everyday battles”
rana = “battle” => aranna = “staying away from battles”

Looking in a pāḷi dictionary, I found that it makes distinction between arañña (“forest”) and araṇa (“peaceful; passionless”), the last one the negation of raṇa (“war; battle; sin; fault”).
Why you use the meaning of araṇa for interpreting arañña?

rukkhamūla gato
Conventional: “has gone to the root of a tree”
Deep: “getting to a stable mindset”

suññāgāra gato
Conventional: “has gone to an empty place”
Deep: “empty of greed, hate, and ignorance”

nisīdati pallaṅkaṃ ābhujitvā
Conventional: “sits down cross-legged”
Deep: “being modest”
aṅka = “number” => pallaṅka = “reduce number” => “not giving importance”

ujuṃ kāyaṃ paṇidhāya
Conventional: “setting his body straight”
Deep: “being ‘straightforward’ or forthright and honest”

parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā
Conventional: “fixes his awareness in the area around the mouth”
Deep: “to keep the mind on the main object”

Since to get to the deep meanings some words interpretations had being pushed to the limit, I think a lot of people would be incredulous about those deep meanings. I also don’t know what to think about those. While IMO, the ‘functional’ interpretations (getting into a calm mindset, getting to a stable mindset, empty of greed, hate and ignorance [and empty of mundane businesses, keeping a simple life], being modest, being forthright and honest, and keeping the mind on the main object) makes a lot of sense to me, the ‘linguistic’ interpretations are hard to hold.

There are other Suttas, or commentaries (Patisambhidamagga, Petakopadesa, or Nettippakarana) supporting those deep meanings?

[Lal]

Yes. The deeper meanings are not apparent until one is well on the way on the Path.
– In fact, the Buddha recommended the Satipatthana bhavana to those have comprehended Tilakkhana.
– Once one gets to Ariya Samma Ditthi by comprehending Tilakkhana, that is when Satipatthana bhavana becomes really effective to get to the higher stages of magga phala.

I need to add a post on that to the series of posts on Satipatthana.

In any case, you are correct that the deeper meanings are in the Ānāpānassatikathā in the paṭisambhidāmagga commentary.

In the 1.3.5. Satokāriñāṇaniddesa section of the above link, The following explanation is given for Araññanti: “Araññanti nikkhamitvā bahi indakhīlā sabbametaṃ araññaṃ.”

Now, this is still a brief explanation. The word indakhīlā means to “get into an unmovable state of mind.”
– That is explained in the Indakhīla sutta (SN 56. 39).
– One’s mind becomes unperturble like an “indakhīla” when one is staying away from the “battles” and ‘struggles” in the mundane life.
– Indakhīla is a post that is deeply embedded in the ground. It cannot be moved even by a strong hurricane.

The other terms are also discussed in that first link above.

P.S. By the way, rukkhamūla gatova means the same as “arañña gatova“.
– A rukkhamūla (base of a tree) is like an immovable post or indakhīla.

[oetb]

Thanks Lal.
About the Indakhīla sutta, is the english translation a good one?

[Lal]

Yes. I think one can get a good idea about this point of having a “stable mind” (like a post embedded firmly in the ground) after realizing the true meaning of the First Noble Truth on suffering or Dukkha Sacca.
– That understanding comes with the comprehension of Tilakkhana: anicca, dukkha, anatta.

I just posted the following document in another thread at the forum. You may want to read that too:
The Way to Nibbāna

[oetb]

Thanks for the document! I’m reading it ASAP.

[Author]

Posts