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1. It is a waste of time to try to sort out these issues. Buddhaghosa was a Vedic Brahmin in yellow robes (just like many bhikkhus today; they teach wrong concepts quite possibly unknowingly). He may have had “good intentions”. But most of the problems we have today, especially regarding meditations, are due to his Visuddhimagga.
2. It is better to spend time learning SOME of those ñañas than learning how to categorize them.
– Some are only accessible to a Buddha. We cannot cultivate them.3. At some point, I may write a post on that categorization. But there are more urgent issues to address first. These include Paticca Samuppada, Tilakkhana, Anapanasati/Satipatthana, etc (that have become “distorted” due partly to Visuddhimagga.) Those are issues that I will be tackling in the new “Elephants in the Room” series.
– However, if someone knowledgeable can describe those nañas, that would be great.“Niramisa domanassa” arises in a person who is on the mundane or Noble Path and is not making progress fast enough for them.
– For example, a Sotapanna may be worried about not making enough progress toward the Anagami stage. It is not depression. Just being anxious to get there faster.P.S. I revised the post “Peace of Mind to Nibbāna – The Key Step” that Dipobhasaddhamma linked above. It is an old post I wrote in 2016.
– By the way, please copy the exact title of the post when you post a link.You are right. It is at the “tanha paccayā upādāna” step that we do the both of the following:
1. We accumulate more kamma (and add to existing kamma bija).
2. We also grasp a new bhava at the cuti-patisandhi moment by “attaching to an arammana” via “tanha paccayā upādāna” which lead to “upadana paccaya bhava”, i.e., to a new bhava. Here an existing “kamma bhava” becomes “uppatti bhava”.
See, “Difference Between Tanhā and Upādāna” and “Taṇhā Paccayā Upādāna – Critical Step in Paṭicca Samuppāda“
Paṭisambhidāmagga has a longer list that seems to include those 16:
1. Visuddhimagga and the Wikipedia article you cited, can lead to confusion.
– That is why I say that most of the English translations out there are very difficult to “sort out”.
– Visuddhiagga mixed up Buddha’s teachings with Vedic teachings. That is clearly evident in his adaptation of “breath meditation” as Anapanasati and the use of kasina objects.2. Patisambhidamagga is the only reliable source in that article. Both Vimuttimagga and Visuddhimagga include non-Buddhist teachings.
– Thus I would not trust that Wikipedia article. It takes too much effort even to try to sort things out.1. Dipo’s question: “Also, is there ever an event where a gandhabba is completely annihilated, such as in a parinibbana of a Buddha?”
– It depends on what you mean by “a gandhabba”.
– A specific gandhabba (say, corresponding to a human) dies at the end of that “human bhava”. If that lifestream grasps an “animal bhava” next, then an “animal gandhabba” will be born simultaneously with the dying of the “human gandhabba”.
– The possibility of arising of any gandhabba or “grasping of any type of bhava” stops for an Arahant.2. The “heater coil” analogy given by Lang applies ONLY in specific situations for a human gandhabba.
– A human gandhabba will have a relatively long lifetime (into thousands of years) compared to the lifetimes of “physical human bodies”. A “physical human body” will die anywhere from the baby stage to about 120 years. Thus that human gandhabba will be reborn with different “physical human bodies” MANY TIMES within the lifetime of that gandhabba.
– Exceptions to the above rule apply when a human does an “anantarika/anantariya kamma”. Those are strong kamma that will bring vipaka immediately. However, as long as a gandhabba is INSIDE a “physical human body” that anantariya kamma cannot bring that vipaka. But as soon as that human body dies and the gandhabba comes out of the dead body, that kamma vipaka will perish that gandhabba.
– Now, that can be good or bad depending on the type of the anantariya kamma.
– “Good” ananriya kamma are magga phala and jhana. For example, if that human became a Sakadagami, Anagami, or an Arahant, they cannot be reborn in the human realm. Thus that human gandhabba will perish and a Deva or a Suddhavasa Brahma will be born in the first two cases. In the case of an Arahant, there will be no new gandhabba, Deva, Brahma, or any birth. If that human had cultivated (anariya) jhana, they will be reborn a Brahma.
– “Bad” anantariya kamma includes the killing of a parent or an Arahant. In such a case, the “human gandhabba” will perish when it comes out of the dead physical body and rebirth will occur in an apaya.
– P.S. In the cases of anantariya kamma (good or bad), the coil has been “heated” with that anantariya kamma. But as long the coil (gandhabba) is inside the “body of water (immersed in water)” that body of water will also heat up and be able to keep the coil intact. But as soon as the coil comes out of the water, it cannot “bear” that heat and will burn. This is a CRITICAL point to understand. Please ask again if not clear.P.P.S. The following video shows such a heater coil. If that heated coil is taken out of the water bucket, it will burn and will no longer be useful.
Yes. As Lang explained, “vimutti” (release from the Samsaric suffering) is experienced at different levels.
– Of course, the “ultimate release” is at the Parinibbana of an Arahant.1. All translations at Sutta Central are “word-by-word” translations.
– In this particular sutta, one can probably get the ideas conveyed depending on the level of understanding.
– But I also did not get to explain the sutta in detail. Any sutta requires further details.
– If one cultivates anariya jhana (using anariya Samatha Bhavana techniques), then the order in the holds. But, of course, one cannot cultivate Ariya jhana until one cultivates Vipassana Bhavana and gets to at least (ii) and (iii). I briefly mentioned that in #7 in the post.2. “Sabbūpadhipaṭinissaggo” is “sabba” + “upadhi” + “paṭi” + “nissagga”.
– Those terms mean, “all” + “defilements” + “bonds (to the Samsaric process)” + “become free of ”
– Thus it means to attain the Arahanthood by becoming free of all defilements, and the ten types of samyojana (Samsaric bonds).Please note: Questions on all posts in the new “Elephants in the Room” section must be asked in the forum on “Posts on ‘Elephants in the Room'”.
– I have moved this topic to that forum.
– It is easy to figure out whether a given post is in the ‘Elephants in the Room” section. Just look at the web link. For example, for the post in question:
https://puredhamma.net/elephants-in-the-room/elephant-in-the-room-2-jhana-and-kasina/jhana-jhaya-and-jhayi-different-meanings/This is an excellent point to discuss.
You wrote that you have seen the dangers in remaining in the rebirth process, but “Yet, I DON’T SEE SYSTEMATIC WAY TO PROGRESS IN DHAMMA.”
1. When one gets to the realization that the rebirth process is “filled with suffering” and thus one must try to attain Nibbana” that is Samma Ditthi, the FIRST STEP on the EIGHTFOLD Noble Path.
2. Next, one must keep the thoughts of the unfruitfulness and dangers of the rebirth process in one’s mind/thoughts at all times. That is the SECOND STEP of Samma Sankappa. By the way, those thoughts are rooted in the contemplation of the “anicca, dukkha, anatta nature” of this world.
– Then one would speak accordingly. One would not engage in thoughts/speech that could lengthen the rebirth process. That is Samma Vaca, the THIRD STEP.
– Same with one’s actions, i.e., Samma Kammanta, the FOURTH STEP.3. When one is engaged in all three of those steps, one will be living not just a moral life but also a life that is dedicated to attaining Nibbana, to stop the rebirth process. That is Samma Ajiva, the FIFTH STEP.
4. When one can EXPERIENCE the fruits of such a life, one will make further effort to maintain and accelerate it. That is Samma Vayama, the SIXTH STEP.
5. With time one’s thoughts, speech, and actions will be increasingly based on the mindset of attaining Nibbana or the unfruitfulness/danger in the remaining in the rebirth process. That is Samma Sati, the SEVENTH STEP.
6. As one makes progress, Samma Samadhi will grow. That is the EIGHTH STEP.
– Samādhi (“sama”+”adhi” where “sama” means “equilibrium” and “adhi” means “dominance”) means keeping the mind keeping the mind focused on a single ārammaṇa or a nimitta.
– Thus, one’s mind will be increasingly moving away from this world to Nibbana.7. Those steps don’t take place one at a time. One would be cultivating all EIGHT steps. For example, the more one gets into Samma Samadhi, all other steps will be affected; if one makes more effort, all other steps will be affected, etc.
– When one completes Samma Samadhi at the Arahant stage, all other steps would have been fulfilled too.8. By the way, what I discussed above is the cultivation of the correct Anapanasati/Satipatthana.
9. Furthermore, a preliminary version of it can be followed even before becoming a Sotapanna Anugami.
– That is the mundane eightfold path. That will make one able to get to mundane samma samadhi and be able to comprehend Tilakkhana and Paticca Samuppada.
– As we have discussed before, there is mundane sammā samādhi that is reached by getting rid of the 10 types of micchā diṭṭhi. Then there is lokōttara Sammā Samādhi that is reached by comprehending Tilakkhana to some extent; see, “Buddha Dhamma – In a Chart“.Those are good questions. But it is time to look at those issues from a different point of view.
1. The difficulty in understanding the gandhabba concept lies with the mindset (mostly in the Western world) that is anchored on materialism. Starting with ancient Greeks, it was assumed that everything in this world can be explained with matter (objects that have weight and take up space).
2. However, within the past 100 years or so, after the scientists started probing the matter in detail, they have got into the “quantum regime” where the boundary between matter and energy disappeared. Now we know that matter can be converted to energy (atomic bomb) and that “invisible energy” can move matter. An example of the latter is the ability of scientists to drive robotic vehicles on the Moon from a laboratory on Earth.
3. So, why is it difficult to conceive that the gandhabba can move the physical body? If scientists can move a vehicle on the Moon from here (using pure energy as the intermediary), why can’t the gandhabba (which is essentially an “energy body” with very little matter) move the physical body from within the physical body?
4. The other question about the “instantaneous” movement of a gandhabba to a womb or the birth of a Deva in a Deva realm to take place instantaneously with the dying of a human on the Earth.
– There is a verified phenomenon of “quantum entanglement” in physics. In 1997 Nicholas Gisin did the first experiment with entangled photons, in which they were sent seven miles apart via optical fibers. If one of those photons was forced to change its spin (an intrinsic property) that INSTANEOUSLY changed the spin of the other photon. See, “Quantum Entanglement – We Are All Connected”5. The rebirth process works in a similar same way. But the explanation is a bit deeper because it takes place in the vinnana dhatu.
– When the gandhabba of a human dies (at the end of human bhava) a Deva in a Deva realm is born instantaneously. Those are just two events on the same “lifestream”. The potential to cause a Deva life in that Deva realm may have been there for a long time (as that human did moral deeds and built up enough kammic energy in the vinnana dhatu). That is also the “kamma bhava” which turned to “uppatti bhava” at the moment of death of that human.
– For further details on vinnana dhatu, see, “Search Results for: vinnana dhatu nama loka”It requires time and effort to understand these deep concepts. But it is fully worth the effort.
Yes. Well stated, Tobias!
– Another point is the following. Even though the goal is future happiness, most people are tempted to engage in immoral deeds seeking such goals. The results are NOT according to one’s WISHES but according to the types of kammic energies created by the mind.
– Mind is the most powerful entity in this world: “Manōpubbangamā Dhammā..”It should become clear when you see that iccha and anicca are related.
Anshu64 wrote: “I have one more concern that Abhidhamma explains how the mind turns into the matter and matter turns into mind..”
That is explained in Paticca Samuppada (PS). We can see that as follows.
1. PS cycles start with “avijja pacccaya sankhara” and end up with “bhava paccaya jati” leading to suffering.
– So, the “seeds” for that jati (birth) were sowed in the mind, with “avijja pacccaya sankhara”.2. In the step of “bhava paccaya jati” it is the manomaya kaya (gandhabba in the case of a human or an animal) that is first born.
– That manomaya kaya has a suddhatthaka-size hadaya vatthu. Our thoughts arise in that hadaya vatthu.
– So, that is where “matter turns into mind.”3. Thus, it is a cyclic process. As long as the “avijja paccaya (abhi)sankhara” step is there, the PS cycle will continue.
– The solution is to comprehend the Four Noble Truths/ Tilakkhana by understanding the PS process that leads to rebirth (Akusala-mula PS) AND then to follow the Noble Eightfold Path.
– Then one will be on the reverse PS (Kusala-mula PS) that starts with “avijja nirodha sankhara nirodha” ending with “bhava nirodha jati nirodha”. That is the end of suffering.
