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I have found diseases that completely deprive a person of their senses. Reading about some people’s experiences, it is clear that attachment to Kama Sanna does not depend on the senses. It is Avijja and Kama Raga that are responsible for it. These people have never felt the experience of the sense that has been lost, but they are sad not to have it. This shows that as long as Kama Raga Anusaya has not been eliminated, one will become attached to Kama Loka even if one has no senses (That is why the puthujjanas brahmas rupa and arupa return to Kama Loka). An arahant or an anagami can lose their senses and they will not be affected by it at all. They do not desire to experience Kama Sanna because Kāma ragā has been completely eliminated. See the story of Venerable Cakkupala. He became blind at the same time as he reached the arahant stage!! Arahant Cakkupala: The Arahant who became blind
He told himself that it is better to cure the disease of mental defilements that cause suffering than the disease of the eyes and continued with deep meditation refusing to lie down as advised by the physician. The physician decided to stop treating Venerable Cakkupala’s eye disease as he was refusing to follow his advice. His eye disease gradually became worse. He ignored that and continued with his meditation and at midnight on a particular day, he eradicated all his mental defilements and attained enlightenment as an Arahant. During the same night, he also became totally blind.
“I am blind, My eyes are destroyed, I have stumbled, On a wilderness track, Even if I must crawl, I will go on, But not with an evil companion.”
- Arahants are sometimes referred to as brahmas, meaning they live purely and without attachment to sensual pleasures. We could even say that they resemble arupa brahmas because, even if they were to lose all five senses, they would not experience the slightest bit of aversion or attachment.
The illness that affects the senses
Achromatopsia (colour blindness)
Congenital Anosmia (Born without smell sense)
Congenital Ageusia (Born without taste sense)
The man who lost his sense of touch and Kim Stenger a woman born without the sense of touch.
Through these conditions, we can observe the law of cause and effect and how the process is triggered in our mind. If a cause is missing, the effect will not manifest.
“Hētum Paṭicca Sambhūtam Hētu Bhamgā Nirujjati”
Ceto vimutti and Paññā vimutti in Theravada Buddhism
Liberation (vimutti)
The ultimate aim of every practitioner in the Theravada tradition of Buddhism is to eventually attain liberation (vimutti) from suffering with no rebirth in the cycle of birth and death (samsāra). In common with many other words in the Pali language that appear in the Buddhist literature, the Pali term “vimutti” also has several English translations such as liberation, release, deliverance, emancipation and freedom. In the Buddhist literature, liberation or release generally refers to liberation from factors such as ignorance (avijjā), craving (tanhā) and other mental defilements, leading to enlightenment and the state of Nibbāna. However, among the discourses of the Buddha (sutta pitaka) in the Pali Canon (tipitaka), two types of liberation have been mentioned. For example, in the Vimutti sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s numerical discourses), the Buddha has stated that when craving is there, the mind is not liberated and that when ignorance is there, wisdom does not develop. Eradication of craving leads to awareness release and eradication of ignorance leads to wisdom release.
“Defiled by passion, the mind is not released. Defiled by ignorance, wisdom does not develop. Thus from the fading of passion there is awareness-release. From the fading of ignorance there is wisdom-release” (2)
So, when the mind is released from passion or craving through meditation, there is awareness release or liberation of the mind (ceto vimutti), while when the mind is completely released from ignorance, there is liberation through wisdom (paññā vimutti).
Liberation of the mind (ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind is the temporary and qualified liberation of the mind from suffering due to the temporary suppression of craving (tanhā) when one attains deep absorption states (jhana) through concentration meditation. In the Vijjā Bhāgiya sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya, the Buddha has stated that craving which defiles the mind can be removed through the practice of concentration meditation leading to the liberation of the mind.
“When samatha (concentration meditation) is developed, what purpose does it serve? The mind is developed. And when the mind is developed, what purpose does it serve? Passion is abandoned. Defiled by passion, the mind is not released. Thus from the fading of passion there is awareness-release (ceto vimutti)”
The aim of concentration meditation is to cultivate a state of deep concentration or one-pointedness of mind by focusing one’s attention on a single meditation object. This state will be maintained as long as the attention of the meditator is completely absorbed into that particular object. There are forty objects or tools that have been described as suitable meditation objects for concentration meditation;
Ten kasina or devices
Ten types of foulness
Ten contemplations or recollections
Four divine abodes
Four immaterial spheres
Perception of the loathsomeness of food
Analysis of the four elements
During concentration meditation, as the concentration on a meditation object deepens from preliminary concentration through access concentration and fixed concentration, deep absorption states (jhana) arise in the mind during the periods of strong and deep concentration. In the Theravada teachings, there are four fine material states (rūpa jhana) and four immaterial or formless states (arūpa jhana) which can be attained through concentration meditation.
The four fine material states (rūpa jhana)
First Jhana
Second Jhana
Third Jhana
Fourth Jhana
The four immaterial or formless states (arūpa jhana)
The sphere of boundless space (ākāsanancāyatana)
The sphere of boundless consciousness (viññānancāyatana)
The sphere of nothingness (ākincannāyatana)
The sphere of neither perception nor non-perception (nevasannānāsannāyatana)
Ceto vimutti can be either mundane or supra-mundane.
When the mind is temporarily liberated from the mental defilements and suffering by the development of deep absorption states through the practice of concentration meditation it is mundane. The liberation of the mind through deep concentration and mental absorptions in the mind of the Arahant who has totally eradicated the mental defilements by wisdom gained through the practice of insight meditation is supra mundane. Mundane liberation of the mind is a temporary state which will exist as long as deep concentration and absorption states exist.
Me: (The great yogi Sunetta practiced this, but it was samayika ceto vimutti, and he ultimately fell back into Kāma loka. See the Sattasūriyasutta.)
Mundane liberation of the mind can become supra-mundane and permanent when it is associated with the liberation of the mind through wisdom in an enlightened person. In the Buddhist literature, the temporary liberation of the mind is referred to as “sāmāyika ceto vimutti” while the permanent and unshakable liberation of the mind free from any mental defilements found in an Arahant is referred to as “akuppā ceto vimutti”. Whenever liberation of the mind (ceto vimutti) is mentioned by itself it always indicates the temporary and mundane liberation of the mind of an un-enlightened person through concentration meditation and associated deep absorption states (jhana).
Great yogis like Alara Kalama and Uddaka Ramaputta practiced samayika ceto vimutti up to arupavacara samapattis. However, their case is described in the Āneñjasutta.
In the Mahā Vedalla sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya (collection of the Buddha’s middle length discourses), during a discussion in the form of questions and answers between Venerable Sāriputta and Venerable Mahā Kotthita, Venerable Sāriputta has described the following types of liberation of the mind.
Types of liberation of the mind (ceto vimutti)
Neutral liberation of the mind (adukkhaṁ-asukha ceto vimutti)
Immeasurable liberation of the mind (appamāna ceto vimutti)
Unshakable liberation of the mind (akuppā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through nothingness (ākincannā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through emptiness (sunnata ceto vimutti)
Sign-less liberation of the mind (animitta ceto vimutti)
Neutral liberation of the mind (adukkhaṁ-asukha ceto vimutti)
Neutral liberation of the mind is the state of the mind in someone who has attained the fourth fine material deep absorption (rūpa jhana) by the practice of concentration meditation. As the concentration deepens during concentration meditation, in addition to fixing the mind on the meditation object one-pointedly and suppression of the mental hindrances, five qualities or attributes called Jhanic factors develop and become strong. The five Jhanic factors are;
Initial application (vitakka)
Sustained application (vicāra)
Rapture or joy (pīti)
Mental bliss or happiness (sukha)
One-pointedness with equanimity (ekaggatā with upekhā)
When the meditator gradually attains the deep absorptions from the first to the fourth absorption, the rapture and the mental bliss experienced in the first three deep absorptions will be replaced by equanimity (upekha) in the fourth deep absorption. So, the mind of the meditator in the fourth deep absorption is in equanimity, free from any pleasure or pain.
Immeasurable liberation of the mind (appamana ceto vimutti)
The immeasurable liberation of the mind is attained by meditating on the four divine abodes (satara brahma vihara) also known as the four immeasurable or boundless states namely, loving kindness (metta), compassion (karuna), sympathetic joy (mudita) and equanimity (upekkhā). The four types of liberation of the mind attained through their practice are named as follows;
Liberation of the mind through loving kindness (mettā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through compassion (karunā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through sympathetic joy (muditā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through equanimity (upekkhā ceto vimutti)
See the Aṭṭhakanāgara sutta
See also the Dutiyamettā sutta
The Venerable Arahant Subhūti Thera attained Nibbāna with ariya metta. He is a metta ceto vimutti arahant.
Unshakable liberation of the mind (akuppā ceto vimutti)
Unshakable liberation of the mind has been described as that of an Arahant who has totally eradicated the mental defilements of greed (rāga), hatred (dosa) and delusion (moha) and has attained enlightenment and the state of Nibbāna with no rebirth in the cycle of birth and death. Towards the end of His very first sermon called Dhammacakkappavattana sutta to the five former ascetic companions, the Buddha stated that the liberation attained by the Buddha was the unshakable liberation of the mind.
“Akuppā me ceto vimutti, ayaṁ antimā jāti. Natthi dāni punabbhavo ti”
“Unshakeable is the liberation of my mind; this is my last birth: now there is no more renewed existence”
The four types of immeasurable liberation of the mind attained through the practice of concentration that were discussed above can be described as permanent and unshakable liberation of the mind when they are associated with liberation by noble wisdom through insight meditation in an enlightened person (Arahant).
Liberation of the mind through nothingness (ākincannā ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through nothingness is attained by concentrating on the sphere of nothingness (ākincannāyatana) which is the third formless deep absorption state (arūpa jhana). Having attained the sphere of boundless consciousness (viññānancāyatana), the meditator now focuses the attention on the absence of consciousness in the sphere of boundless space. As the concentration deepens it will eventually lead to the sphere of nothingness and the liberation of the mind through nothingness.
Liberation of the mind through emptiness (sunnata ceto vimutti)
Liberation of the mind through emptiness is attained by contemplating on the emptiness in one’s existence, that it is empty of control (Anatta).
Sign-less liberation of the mind (animitta ceto vimutti)
Sign-less liberation of the mind is attained by not paying any attention to all signs and by paying attention to the sign-less element. The signs are the sensory objects such as forms, sounds, smell, taste and touch that one receives through the sensory organs and the sign-less element is the Nibbāna.
Most Venerable Arahant Maha Mogallana is an example of animitta ceto-vimutti. He attained all the jhānas and arupavacara samapattis but, he ended up practicing Animittapañhā to become Arahant. See the Animittapañhāsutta.
Liberation through wisdom (paññā vimutti)
Liberation through wisdom can be described as the final liberation from suffering and the cycle of birth and death (samsāra) attained through the practice of insight meditation (vipassanā bhāvanā). In the Vijjā Bhāgiya sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya, the Buddha has described how the practice of insight meditation leads to eradication of ignorance, development of wisdom and liberation through wisdom.
The Great Venerable Arahant Sāriputta Thero is a example. See the Dīghanakhasutta.
Now at that time Venerable Sāriputta was standing behind the Buddha fanning him.
Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto bhagavato piṭṭhito ṭhito hoti bhagavantaṁ bījayamāno. Then he thought,Atha kho āyasmato sāriputtassa etadahosi:
“It seems the Buddha speaks of giving up and letting go all these things through direct knowledge.”
“tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no bhagavā dhammānaṁ abhiññā pahānamāha, tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no sugato dhammānaṁ abhiññā paṭinissaggamāhā”ti.
Reflecting like this, Venerable Sāriputta’s mind was freed from the defilements by not grasping. Iti hidaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa paṭisañcikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.
In the Vijjā Bhāgiya sutta of the Anguttara Nikāya, the Buddha has described how the practice of insight meditation leads to eradication of ignorance, development of wisdom and liberation through wisdom.
“When insight is developed, what purpose does it serve?
wisdom is developed.
And when wisdom is developed, what purpose does it serve?
ignorance is abandoned.
Defiled by ignorance, wisdom does not develop,
from the fading of ignorance, there is liberation through wisdom.”
When the Buddhist path of liberation from suffering which is the Noble Eight-fold Path is cultivated as described by the Buddha with diligence, one will sooner or later attain full enlightenment or Nibbāna passing through four supra mundane stages of spiritual development.
1. Stream Enterer (Sotāpanna)
Me: A disciple of Venerable Arahant Maha Kassapa became a sotāpanna after practicing the four jhānas. Initially, he was a monk who disrobed due to his attachment to a woman and subsequently turned to a life of theft. However, he later regained mastery of the four jhānas and attained the sotāpanna stage after listening to a discourse by the Lord Buddha. See his story in the Dhammapada Verse 344.
2. Once Returner (Sakadāgāmi)
3. Non-Returner (Anāgāmi)
4. Arahant (arhat)
An Arahant who is liberated through wisdom has realised the four Noble Truths of universal suffering, origin of suffering, cessation of suffering and the path leading to the cessation of suffering through the practice of insight meditation and has totally eradicated all the mental defilements. However, in terms of concentration meditation, they would only develop one or more of the four fine material deep absorption states (rūpa jhana) and will not go on to develop any of the four formless deep absorptions (arūpa jhana). Based on the calm and tranquil state of the fine material absorption states, they will continue to practise insight meditation to gain an understanding into the reality of all phenomena such as the inability to maintain causes and effects to our liking (anicca), suffering/false sense of existence (dukkha) and non-control (anatta).
When describing an Arahant who is liberated through wisdom, they will sometimes be described as “ceto vimutti, paññā vimutti” or as “paññā vimutti, ceto vimutti”. It simply means that the Arahant has attained liberation through wisdom (paññā vimutti) accompanied by unshakable liberation of the mind (akuppā ceto vimutti) attained through any of the liberations of mind described above, but has not developed four formless deep absorptions.
Liberation by both ways (ubhato-bhāga vimutti)
In the Buddhist scriptures, another type of Arahant is described known as one liberated by both ways. For example, in Kītagiri sutta of the Majjhima Nikāya, the Buddha has described two types of Arahants in a classification of seven Noble persons among the practitioners of the Buddhist path of liberation: Liberated by both ways (ubhato-bhāga vimutti) and liberated through wisdom (paññā vimutti). (6) One liberated both ways (ubhato-bhāga vimutti) is an Arahant who has attained formless deep absorptions (arūpa jhana) and has completely eradicated mental defilements through wisdom, while one liberated through wisdom (paññā vimutti) is an Arahant who has attained enlightenment through wisdom with no associated formless absorptions. So, an Arahant liberated by both ways has attained liberation by wisdom through the practice of insight meditation to realise the four Noble Truths and to eradicate mental defilements, and has also developed the formless deep absorptions through concentration meditation. The only difference between one who is liberated through wisdom and one who is liberated both ways is the fact that the former has attained only one of many fine material deep absorptions while the latter has also attained formless absorptions and Nirodha samapatti.
The Venerable Arahant Santati and the Venerable Arahant Culapanthaka are examples.
Arahant Santati : After the recitation of this stanza by the Buddha the minister Santati became an arahant, together with the psychic powers. Thereupon he surveyed his own previous lives and perceiving that he had but a little while to live, said to the Teacher, “Reverend Sir, permit me to pass into Nibbāna.”
Arahant Culapanthaka : At the end of the utterance of the verses Culapanthaka attained arahatship together with analytical knowledge and simultaneously with this mastery of analytical knowledge he came to understand the implication of the three Vedas (pubbenivāsānussati ñāṇa, sattānaṁ cutūpapāte ñāṇa, āsavānaṁ khayeñāṇa). See the Tevijjasutta for more explanations.
Hello Taryal ! Thank you 🙏🏿
Are you aware of any medications that could be useful?
I think jhānas can be useful but I never achieve one.
Hi Taryal, it’s been a while! I’m in the same age group as you so my opinion will be different from a more experienced person. I advise you to see a therapist for this kind of problem. It can bring relief (at least temporarily) and bring to light our own traumas. We have accumulated traumas since our early childhood that remain and leave traces. The therapist will be able to bring them to light and will propose solutions that can alleviate them. Personally, I will soon make an appointment to diagnose certain toxic aspects of my mind. I have certain behaviours that can be toxic for those around me. This kind of behaviour comes from the environment where I grew up. The good thing is that at least we realize our problems early. It is better to be aware of this than at 60 for example. The older we get, the worse our mental health will get. However, therapy will never be able to get to the root of the problem which is Avijjā, Tanha and Patigha. Bhantes aren’t always qualified to help us with our current mental health. They can only give us the ultimate solution. Therapy fails to see past lives traumas and the toxicity of the rebirth process. It is the Pure Dhamma of Lord Buddha or his noble disciples that will cure us forever of all mental suffering. You and I are very fortunate since we have the true Dhamma thanks to people like Sir Lal and the monks of Waharaka and Jethavanarama Monasteries.
As the Most Venerable Waharaka Thero said, on our path to Nibbana, we must not ignore the supporting conditions. Supporting conditions are actions that help us on the path, but they should not be put above everything else. I believe that seeing a therapist is a supportive condition. May you attain the Supreme Bliss of Nibbāna and the end of all mental suffering. 🙏🏿🪷🌸
Sir Lal : He must have fulfilled most of his pāramitā (meaning “setting up the necessary background”) in previous lives.
- In the Jayaddisa Jātaka, Venerable Arahant Angulimala was a cannibal who became a yogi. He changed thanks to the Bodhisatta and decided to renounce the world and became a yogi under the guidance of another great yogi, who was the Venerable Arahant Sāriputta in a past life. He probably developed all jhanas and that’s maybe why it was easy for him to accept the path under the Lord Buddha.
Sir Seng Kiat : This the reason why most people (puthujjana) will take sappurisa as “true person” and assume any “moral person” with the traits or quality of the above “Sappurisa in Various Suttas – Traits & Moral vs Noble Emphasis” chart and will lead one to stages of Enlightenment without the need for the “moral person” to be a “Noble Person.”
- Yes, this is why it is important to clarify this concept. Because many people will think that any highly moral person can enlighten us. This view aligns with “all religions that teach the same, and we need to be a good person”. Of course, morality is good, but the goal is to be free of this Samsāra, not to be a good person. Be good will automatically happens when one progresses in the path of Nibbāna. Sunetta was a highly moral yogi who possessed the jhānas. He led many people in the sugati world with his teachings. However, he was not free from suffering and even fell from the Brahma worlds in the devas world and in the human world. That means noble view needs to come from an Ariya.
His story is told in the Sunetta Sutta and in the Sattasūriyasutta
The Sattasūriyasutta is also linked to this article Buddhism and Evolution – Aggañña Sutta (DN 27). The Aggañña Sutta explains how the world is formed, but the Sattasūriyasutta explains how the worlds are destroyed.
