[Jittananto]

 

Jhāna – There Is No Separate Category of “Ariya Jhāna”

“8. Anāgāmis who have “burned” kāma rāga saṁyojana and thus permanently severed their connection to kāma loka will be reborn in five realms RESERVED for them: Aviha, Atappa, Sudassa, Sudassi, and Akanittakha. These realms are called “Suddhāvāsa” or “pure abodes.” See a description in the “Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33)” starting with “Pañca suddhāvāsā—avihā, atappā, sudassā, sudassī, akaniṭṭhā.”

• So is it correct to say that an Anagami cannot be reborn in the arupa loka? I mean even if he has Arupa Ragā left.

[Jittananto]

Thank you for this information, Sir🙏🏿

[Jittananto]

• There is also another sutta that describes a situation where Venerable Sariputta helps a Brahmin to be reborn in a Brahma world on his deathbed. Lord Buddha told him that he should not have since this person could attain magga phala.
• If it had been a person like Venerable Maha Mogallana he would have known through his Iddhis that the person had the potential to attain magga phala. However, Venerable Sariputta gave the best possibility apart from magga phala. The only downside is that it stretches the samsaric journey. Likely, this Brahma will eventually attain Nibbāna at some point.

         Dhanañjānisutta

Then Sāriputta went to the Buddha, bowed, sat down to one side, and said,

Atha kho āyasmā sāriputto yena bhagavā tenupasaṅkami, upasaṅkamitvā bhagavantaṁ abhivādetvā ekamantaṁ nisīdi, ekamantaṁ nisinno kho āyasmā sāriputto bhagavantaṁ etadavoca:

“Sir, the brahmin Dhanañjāni is sick, suffering, gravely ill.

“dhanañjāni, bhante, brāhmaṇo ābādhiko dukkhito bāḷhagilāno,

He bows with his head to your feet.”

so bhagavato pāde sirasā vandatī”ti.

“But Sāriputta, after establishing Dhanañjāni in the inferior Brahmā realm, why did you get up from your seat and leave while there was still more left to do?”

“Kiṁ pana tvaṁ, sāriputta, dhanañjāniṁ brāhmaṇaṁ sati uttarikaraṇīye hīne brahmaloke patiṭṭhāpetvā uṭṭhāyāsanā pakkanto”ti?

• In this context, when Lord Buddha says, “There was still more left to do,” he refers to magga phala.

[Jittananto]

“Another sutta (I forget the name) describes how Ven. Sariputta was giving instructions to a bhikkhu, and the Buddha told Ven. Sarputta that the bhikkhu had attained Arahanthood.”

• It’s in this sutta, sir:Dutiyalakuṇḍakabhaddiyasutta

So I have heard.

Evaṁ me sutaṁ—

At one time the Buddha was staying near Sāvatthī in Jeta’s Grove, Anāthapiṇḍika’s monastery.

ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā sāvatthiyaṁ viharati jetavane anāthapiṇḍikassa ārāme.

Now at that time, Venerable Sāriputta was educating, encouraging, firing up, and inspiring Venerable Bhaddiya the Dwarf in even more ways with a Dhamma talk, thinking that he was still a trainee.

Tena kho pana samayena āyasmā sāriputto āyasmantaṁ lakuṇḍakabhaddiyaṁ sekhaṁ maññamāno bhiyyoso mattāya anekapariyāyena dhammiyā kathāya sandasseti samādapeti samuttejeti sampahaṁseti. 

The Buddha saw what was happening.

Addasā kho bhagavā āyasmantaṁ sāriputtaṁ āyasmantaṁ lakuṇḍakabhaddiyaṁ sekhaṁ maññamānaṁ bhiyyoso mattāya anekapariyāyena dhammiyā kathāya sandassentaṁ samādapentaṁ samuttejentaṁ sampahaṁsentaṁ.

Then, understanding this matter, on that occasion the Buddha expressed this heartfelt sentiment:

Atha kho bhagavā etamatthaṁ viditvā tāyaṁ velāyaṁ imaṁ udānaṁ udānesi:

“They’ve cut the cycle, gone to the wishless;

“Acchecchi vaṭṭaṁ byagā nirāsaṁ, 

the streams are dried, they flow no more.

Visukkhā saritā na sandati;

Cut, the cycle no longer turns.

Chinnaṁ vaṭṭaṁ na vattati,

Just this is the end of suffering.”

Esevanto dukkhassā”ti.

• This is the Venerable Arahant Lakuntaka Bhaddiya. Lord Buddha praised his qualities. People made fun of his short stature (he was a dwarf) yet he was an arahant with analytical knowledge and Iddhis. They did not know that he had become an arahant. Here is his story ARAHANT LAKUNTAKA BHADDIYA: FOREMOST MONK IN SWEET VOICE

[Jittananto]

• This is the sutta which describes the event where Venerable Maha Mogallana used Iddhi to see if the monks around had reached the arahant stage.
• Sir Lal has repeated this many times. Jhānas and Iddhis are worthless in themselves because they only stretch the samsaric journey. However, if we use this for the Dhamma they take on a value. They can become Iddhis ariyas like seeing the level of defilement in someone else. I say ariya because an Anariya yogi cannot know whether a person is free from the 10 samyojanas or not.

      Moggallānasutta

At one time the Buddha was staying on the slopes of Isigili at the Black Rock, together with a large Saṅgha of five hundred mendicants, all of whom were perfected ones.

Ekaṁ samayaṁ bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.

Thereupon, with his mind, Venerable Mahāmoggallāna checked to see whose mind was liberated and free of attachments.

Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.

 

Then Venerable Vaṅgīsa thought,

Atha kho āyasmato vaṅgīsassa etadahosi:

“The Buddha is staying on the slopes of Isigili … with five hundred perfected ones.

“ayaṁ kho bhagavā rājagahe viharati isigilipasse kāḷasilāyaṁ mahatā bhikkhusaṅghena saddhiṁ pañcamattehi bhikkhusatehi sabbeheva arahantehi.

Mahāmoggallāna is checking to see whose mind is liberated and free of attachments.

Tesaṁ sudaṁ āyasmā mahāmoggallāno cetasā cittaṁ samannesati vippamuttaṁ nirupadhiṁ.

[Jittananto]

There is a particularly interesting story. Many people argue that only a Lord Buddha can see someone’s spiritual progress. This statement is not entirely true. Yes, there are spiritual blockages that only a Lord Buddha could discover.

• However, sometimes ariyas who have developed Iddhis can see someone else’s progress. Venerable Maha Mogallana was an expert in this field. In the story below, there is an anagami woman who can see who is an ariya or not. The most surprising thing in all this was that she was a laywoman! She could also see the potential for achieving magga phala in others. All thanks to Iddhis and analytical knowledge. I think we can say that these are Ariya Iddhis. An anariya yogi cannot know whether a person is free from the 10 samyojanas or in the process of being free or not, since he is under their influence. This could be a good reason to develop Iddhis and Jhanas because they help others to liberate themselves. Thanks to this knowledge she made it possible in one way or another to encourage the bhikkhus to be arahants.
• This story illustrates that sometimes laypeople can attain greater purity than Bhikkhus, and they should not hesitate to cultivate realizations such as Iddhis and Jhanas, as long as it helps them attain magga phala. While it may be easier for Bhikkhus to achieve higher magga phalas (Anagami, Arahant), it is not impossible for a lay person.

Here is the story A TAMED MIND BRINGS HAPPINESS

Dhammapada Verse 35

Annatarabhikkhu Vatthu

“Dunniggahassa lahuno

yatthakamanipatino1

cittassa damatho sadhu

cittam dantam sukhavaham”

The mind is difficult to control; swiftly and lightly, it moves and lands wherever it pleases. It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness.

Mātikamātā also developed an interest in meditation and requested the monks to teach her how to meditate. The monks taught her to meditate on the thirty-two loathsome parts of the body, which can help one gain insight into the nature of decay and dissolution of the body. Mātikamātā began meditating diligently and was able to attain the first three paths and fruitions of the Buddhist spiritual path of liberation. The first three paths and fruitions are Stream Enterer (Sotāpañña), Once returner (Sakadāgāmi), and Non-Returner (Anāgāmi). She also developed Analytical Insight (patisambhidā) along with mundane supernormal powers even before the sixty monks did.

With her supernormal powers, Mātikamātā came to know that none of the sixty monks had attained any paths and fruitions of the spiritual path as yet. She also saw that all of the sixty monks had the potential to gain enlightenment as Arahants but that they needed proper food to be able to meditate properly. So she arranged to prepare good and choice food and offered it to the monks regularly. Having received proper and choice food and applying the right effort and diligence, the sixty monks were able to develop the right concentration of the mind, and eventually, all of them realized the Truth and gained enlightenment as Arahants.

[Jittananto]

Dānūpapattisutta

Mendicants, there are these eight rebirths by giving.

“Aṭṭhimā, bhikkhave, dānūpapattiyo.

What eight?

Katamā aṭṭha?

First, someone gives to ascetics or brahmins such things as food, drink, clothing, vehicles; garlands, fragrance, and makeup; and bed, house, and lighting.

Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco dānaṁ deti samaṇassa vā brāhmaṇassa vā annaṁ pānaṁ vatthaṁ yānaṁ mālāgandhavilepanaṁ seyyāvasathapadīpeyyaṁ.

Whatever they give they expect back.

So yaṁ deti taṁ paccāsīsati. 

They see a well-to-do aristocrat or Brahmin or householder amusing themselves, supplied and provided with the five kinds of sensual stimulation.

So passati khattiyamahāsāle vā brāhmaṇamahāsāle vā gahapatimahāsāle vā pañcahi kāmaguṇehi samappite samaṅgībhūte paricārayamāne.

It occurs to them:

Tassa evaṁ hoti:

‘If only, when my body breaks up, after death, I would be reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats or brahmins or householders!’

‘aho vatāhaṁ kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ vā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ vā gahapatimahāsālānaṁ vā sahabyataṁ upapajjeyyan’ti.

They settle on that idea, concentrate on it, and develop it.

So taṁ cittaṁ dahati, taṁ cittaṁ adhiṭṭhāti, taṁ cittaṁ bhāveti.

As they’ve settled for less and not developed further, their idea leads to rebirth there.

Tassa taṁ cittaṁ hīne vimuttaṁ, uttari abhāvitaṁ, tatrūpapattiyā saṁvattati.

When their body breaks up, after death, they’re reborn in the company of well-to-do aristocrats brahmins, or householders.

Kāyassa bhedā paraṁ maraṇā khattiyamahāsālānaṁ vā brāhmaṇamahāsālānaṁ vā gahapatimahāsālānaṁ vā sahabyataṁ upapajjati.

But I say that this is only for those of ethical conduct, not for the unethical.

Tañca kho sīlavato vadāmi, no dussīlassa.

The heart’s wish of an ethical person succeeds because of their purity.

Ijjhati, bhikkhave, sīlavato cetopaṇidhi visuddhattā.

• Lord Buddha explains that with very good moral conduct and a generous mind, one can see his wish fulfilled. This is the case for layman Dhammika.

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Yash RS

[Jittananto]

I will post another Sutta where the Lord Buddha explains this.

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Yash RS

[Jittananto]

MERITORIOUS DEEDS BRING JOY IN THIS LIFE AND FUTURE LIVES

The background story of verse 16

At one time the Buddha was staying at the Jetavana monastery in Sāvatti which was donated to the Buddha by the chief benefactor Anāthapindika.

At that time a lay disciple named Dhammika was living in Sāvatti. He was a lay disciple of the Buddha who was a virtuous person by observing the precepts of morality. He was also a very charitable person and engaged in the meritorious activity of generously offering food and other requisites to the order of monks. He made these offerings regularly as well as on special occasions. He was the leader of five hundred virtuous lay disciples of the Buddha who were living in Sāvatti at that time. The lay disciple Dhammika had seven sons and seven daughters and like him, all his children were also virtuous and charitable.

Dhammika felt seriously ill and was on his deathbed when he requested to invite the monks to come to his house and recite the sacred scripts so that he could listen to them from his deathbed. The Monks duly arrived at the house and began chanting the Mahā Satipatthāna sutta by Dhammika’s bedside. It is said that while the monks were reciting, six decorated chariots from the six sensual heavens arrived to invite Dhammika to their respective sensual heavens.

[According to Buddhist cosmology, there are six planes of heavenly beings (deva loka), in which rebirth takes place due to highly meritorious, skillful, and wholesome volitional actions performed during one’s previous existence. They are:

1.Cātummahārājika heaven

2. Tāvatimsa heaven

3. Yāma heaven

4. Tusita heaven

5. Nimmānarati heaven

6. Paranimmita Vasavatti heaven]

Dhammika asked them to wait until the reciting was over as he did not want the reciting by the monk disrupted. However, the monks who were reciting mistook his signal to stop as a signal to them to stop reciting the scriptures. They stopped reciting and left Dhammika’s house.

After the monks had left, Dhammika told his children about the six decorated chariots from the six sensual heavens who were waiting for him. He decided to choose the chariot from the Tusita heaven and asked one of his children to throw a garland to that particular chariot. Having chosen the Tusita heaven, he passed away and was reborn as a deity in the Tusita heaven. Thus, the person who engages in meritorious deeds experiences joy both in this world and future worlds.  

Concerning the lay disciple Dhammika, the Buddha recited the following verse, which is recorded as the 16th verse of the Dhammapada.

“Idha modati pecca modati,

  katapuñño ubhayattha modati,

  so modati so pamodati,

  disvā kamma visuddhimattano.”

 

“Here he rejoices, hereafter he rejoices,

  the meritorious one rejoices in both places,

  he rejoices, and he greatly rejoices,

  seeing the purity of his deeds.”

 

[Jittananto]

• A pannavimutti arahant can cultivate all Jhanās and arupavacara samapatti if they choose to, and then attain Nirodha Samapatti. Venerable Sariputta is a great example of this. He became an arahant after listening to a single discourse of Lord Buddha. At one point, he wanted to cultivate Jhanas and Iddhis. He developed them rapidly and analyzed each one as he progressed. Eventually, he reached Nirodha Samapatti. It is in the Anupada Sutta.

And he emerged from that attainment with mindfulness.

So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahati.

Then he contemplated the phenomena in that attainment that had passed, ceased, and perished:

So tāya samāpattiyā sato vuṭṭhahitvā ye dhammā atītā niruddhā vipariṇatā te dhamme samanupassati: 

‘So it seems that these phenomena, not having been, come to be; and having come to be, they flit away.’

‘evaṁ kirame dhammā ahutvā sambhonti, hutvā paṭiventī’ti.

And he meditated without attraction or repulsion for those phenomena; independent, untied, liberated, detached, his mind free of limits.

So tesu dhammesu anupāyo anapāyo anissito appaṭibaddho vippamutto visaṁyutto vimariyādīkatena cetasā viharati.

He understood: ‘There is an escape beyond.’

So ‘atthi uttari nissaraṇan’ti pajānāti.

And by repeated practice, he knew for sure that there was.

Tabbahulīkārā atthitvevassa hoti.

Furthermore, going totally beyond the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, he entered and remained in the cessation of perception and feeling. And, having seen with wisdom, his defilements came to an end.

Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, sāriputto sabbaso nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma saññāvedayitanirodhaṁ upasampajja viharati. Paññāya cassa disvā āsavā parikkhīṇā honti.

• The English translation is incorrect. It says, “his defilements have ended.” Venerable Sariputta became an arahant long before he developed Nirodha Samapatti. He attained arahantship by listening to a discourse of Lord Buddha. He is a pannavimutti arahant. 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 of all these things through direct knowledge.”

“tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no bhagavā dhammānaṁ abhiññā pahānamāha, tesaṁ tesaṁ kira no sugato dhammānaṁ abhiññā paṭinissaggamāhā”ti.

Reflecting on this, Venerable Sāriputta’s mind was freed from the defilements by not grasping. 

Iti hidaṁ āyasmato sāriputtassa paṭisañcikkhato anupādāya āsavehi cittaṁ vimucci.

[Jittananto]

I have been thinking about Jhānas.

• The motivation that drives many Buddhists to practice the 4 Jhānas and the 4 arupavacara samapatti is the attainment of Nirodha Samapatti.
• Jhānas are not ends in themselves. They are essential tools to attain Nirodha Samapatti, which is the Supreme Samapatti.
• Achieving Nirodha is impossible without developing the highest arupavacara Samapatti. To attain these arupavacara samapatti, one must have perfected the 4 or 5 Jhānas. However, it is necessary to be an arahant to achieve this. It seems that people aim to develop Jhānas first and then become arahant. Technically, an arahant no longer has much reason to stay in this world. If they choose to stay, it is for the benefit of an immeasurable number of sentient beings. Arahants, Paccekabuddhas, and Lord Buddhas can enter Nirodha Samapatti to provide opportunities for others to develop Kusalas. By protecting them a person accumulates an immeasurable amount of merits. Remember the serpent king (Naga) who protected Lord Gautama during his awakening. Lord Buddha was in Nirodha Samapatti and the snake king gained a lot of Kusulas. However, the Ariyas in Nirodha Samapatti are naturally protected from any danger during their absorption. Nothing can harm them during these times. Nirodha Samapatti is the ornament of holy life. Sometimes, when they are mentally tired of consciousness, they enter into Nirodha Samapatti. In Nirodha Samapatti, the 5 aggregates cease completely. This state lasts a maximum of 7 days, and it can be likened to a temporary experience of parinibbãna. Parinibbãna is the eternal version of Nirodha Samapatti.

[Jittananto]

OK, sir. It will take me some time to assimilate this, thanks for the explanation.🙏🏿

[Jittananto]

•  What I mean, sir is that some arahants brutally entered parinibbāna. A prime example is Venerable Arahant Bahiya. He was looking for robes for his ordination and did not intend to reach parinibbāna right away. He died after being gored by a Yakkini who possessed a cow. He had just reached the arahant stage before he died! This is why I say some died brutally. Others reach parinibbāna after a very long life, like Venerable Bakula (at 160 years) and Ananda (at 120 years). However, yes, nibbāna is complete from the moment they become arahants.

 

Arahant Bahiya

Even as he listened, Bāhiya became an arahant and the Buddha left him. Shortly after, Bāhiya was gored to death by a cow with a calf (cp. the story of Pukkusāti). The Buddha, seeing his body lying on the dung heap, asked the monks to remove it and to have it burnt, erecting a thūpa over the remains.

Although Bāhiya had kept the precepts in previous births, he had never given a bowl or a robe to a monk. For this reason, the Buddha did not, at the end of his sermon, ordain him by the “ehi bhikkhu pabbajā.” The Buddha knew that Bāhiya did not have sufficient merit to obtain divine robes. Some say that he was once a brigand and had shot a Pacceka Buddha with an arrow and had taken possession of the Pacceka Buddha’s begging bowl and robe.

• Bāhiya met his death while searching for a robe in which to be ordained (UdA.77ff.; AA.i.156ff.; DhA.ii.209ff.; Ap.ii.475ff)
• For those who don’t know.  A Lord Buddha only ordains those who have offered robes and necessities to bhikkhus in their past lives. Those who receive ordination from Lord Buddha are those who have supported the Sangha in previous lives or have taken care of a Paccekabuddha. This is one of the reasons for offering robes and necessities to bhikkhus.
• The more virtuous the Bhikkhus is, the more powerful the Kusulas will be. This is why those who offer robes to Lord Buddha or Paccekabuddha accumulate immeasurable Kusulas. Offering robes to a Bhikkhu who has reached any stage of magga phala gives a lot of Kusulas. Nowadays there is no Lord Buddha or Paccekabuddha in the world. However, there is the Kathina ceremony which takes place at the end of Vassa (rainy season). The lay people offer a robe to the Sangha. The sangha will offer it to the Bhikkhu who made the most effort during the retreat to reach a stage of magga phala. The Bhikkhus are not allowed to travel during this period. They must stay in the same monastery and make the effort to get closer to the arahant stage if this has not already been done. This monk could have reached a stage of magga phala. I highly recommend participating in this ceremony in some way. It often happens around October-November. You will accumulate an incredible amount of Kusalas as it preserves the Sasana and pays homage to the Ariyas. The path to Nibbāna will be made easier if you also have a good understanding of Tilakkhana.

[Jittananto]

Thank you very much for this comment, my friend. You have exactly said the essential aspect of the practice of Jhānas. The ariyas that develop them want to live well here and now. Iddhis serve to generate faith in certain people.

[Jittananto]

Sadhu Sadhu Sadhu 🙏🏿🙏🏿🙏🏿

Thank you for your comment, my friend.

• There are particular Kusulas that lead to this kind of results. These are not low-intensity Kusulas actions. Come to think of it, everyone who has achieved magga phala has developed Kusulas at different levels. High-intensity Kusulas like offering Kathina or normal robes to the Maha Sangha, teaching the Dhamma during past sasanas, and making offerings to an Arahant, Paccekabouddha, and Sammasambouddha are extremely powerful acts. It gives extraordinary results like those of Venerable Kondanna. Venerable Arahant Bakula is another example. He heard Lord Buddha preach for the first time when he was 80 years old. Eight days later he became an Arahant. He reached parinibbãna at 160 years old!! He, therefore spent 80 years as an arahant and teacher. Lord Buddha declared him as the longest-lived among his disciples. He never got sick and I believe in one verse he says he never took medicine in his life. He is one of the 4 disciples with the most powerful abhinna powers (mahābhiññappattā). All this happened because he offered medicine to Lord Buddha Anomadassi, thousands of Maha Kappa ago.
• Some people reach Nibbāna in suffering or shortly before death. Some arahants have attained parinibbãna violently. Others attain Nibbāna in bliss, live a very long time as an arahant, and attain parinibbãna peacefully. In both cases they developed Kusulas to achieve Nibbāna however one has a higher intensity. This is why despite our time devoted to the Dhamma, we must not forget to take care of the Bhikkhus, participate in the monastery ceremonies, and help the poor and people in need. Some people have a good understanding of the Dhamma but they neglect these aspects. The result will be that they will attain Nibbāna but it will be difficult and painful.

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Sammasambodhi Gami

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