A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

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morning mist
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by morning mist »

legolas wrote: None of the above implies that within the first two instances, that one comes out of jhana to practice vipassana, merely that sooner or later the two have to go together.
The exact terms are PRECEDED BY , that means one in front of the other. It doesn't say one vipassana INSIDE samatha.

1.“Here, friends, a bhikkhu develops insight preceded by tranquillity (Samatha-pubbaṅgamaṃ vipassanam). As he develops insight preceded by tranquillity, the path arises in him. He now frequents that path, cultivates, and pursues it. While he is doing so his fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies destroyed.

2. "Then there is the case where a bhikkhu has developed tranquillity preceded by insight (Vipassanā-pubbaṅgamaṃ samatham). As he develops tranquillity preceded by insight, the path arises in him. He now frequents that path, cultivates, and pursues it. While he is doing so his fetters are abandoned and the underlying tendencies destroyed.

legolas wrote: The point made by Nana, about jhana being vast & expansive is well made. In the suttas there are only four "jhana's" - the immaterial states are never called jhana. So when jhana is described as being vast & expansive it can only apply in that context to the first four jhana. Later commentary starts talking about 8 jhana's, this is a case of later commentary blurring what is jhana and what is not.
I was using the term jhana to mean meditation in general the way Yuttadhama used it. But since you are using it as the text does ,now I will use it to refer to the four jhanas in Samma Samadhi. Noticed that the only the Four Jhanas are included in Samma Samadhi ( Right Concentration) but not the other states that are expansive. Concentration or Samadhi has to do with one-pointedness rather than expansive as the other states not included in Samma Samadhi.

Where in the ((( suttas))))) does it say cetavimutti is the jhanas or that they are the same thing.
Nanna wrote: What at that time is samatha? That which at that time is stability of mind, steadfastness of mind, thorough steadfastness of mind, unshakableness, non-distraction, imperturbability, calmness of mind, faculty of concentration, strength of concentration, right concentration. This at that time is samatha.
It doesn't say expansive here, but rather concentrated .
Nanna wrote: The suttas you're quoting don't support the premise you seem to be trying to establish.
The sutta below shows that a samadhi where thoughts about the dhamma is still present, has not achieved mental unification, has not attained to full tranquility. So when you are pondering or thinking about dhamma to arouse insight within meditation is not considered full samadhi.

" there still remain thoughts about the dhamma (dhamma vitakka). That samadhi is not yet peaceful and sublime; it has not attained to full tranquillity , nor has it achieved mental unification (ekodibhava) ; it is maintained by strenuous suppression of the defilements . –Pamsudhovaka Sutta



Metta,
with metta,
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cooran
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by cooran »

Morning Mist said: Where in the ((( suttas))))) does it say cetavimutti is the jhanas or that they are the same thing.
Maybe this will assist:
Ceto-vimutti
Ceto-vimutti: 'deliverance of mind'. In the highest sense it signifies the fruition of Arahatship see: ariya-puggala and in particular, the concentration associated with it. It is often linked with the 'deliverance through understanding' paññā-vimutti,, e.g. in the ten powers of a Perfect One see: dasa-bala See vimokkha I.

It is also called 'unshakable deliverance of mind' akuppa further 'Infinite of m'. appamāna d. of m. from the conditions of existence, or signless of m.' animittā d. of m. from the appendages' ākincañña c.since that state of mind is free from the 3 bonds, conditions and appendants, i.e. from greed, hatred and ignorance; and since it is void thereof, it is called the 'void deliverance of mind' suññatā-c.

In a more restricted sense, 'Infinite deliverance of mind' is a name for the 4 Infinite states, i.e. loving-kindness, Pity, altruistic joy and equanimity see: brahma-vihāra; d. of m. from the appendages stands for the sphere of nothingness ākiñcaññāyatana see: jhāna 7; 'd. of mind from the conditions of existence', for of mind due to non-attention to all conditions of existence; 'void of m' for of m. due to contemplating voidness of self. For further details, see: M. 43.
http://what-buddha-said.net/library/Bud ... to-vimutti" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Maybe read MN 43 Mahavedalla Sutta: The Greater Set of Questions-and-Answers by Thanissaro Bhikkhu:
……….. Awareness-release
"Friend, how many conditions are there for the attainment of the neither-pleasant-nor-painful awareness-release?"
"Friend, there are four conditions for the attainment of the neither-pleasant-nor-painful awareness-release. There is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. These are the four conditions for the attainment of the neither-pleasant-nor-painful awareness-release.
And more …………….
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

with metta
Chris
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Sylvester
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Sylvester »

With respect to Ven Yuttadhammo, I wonder if the good venerable might have made a category mistake here -
The reason I didn’t expect to find much I could relate to going into the small booklet is because I don’t agree with this notion that the word “jhāna” implies some special, exclusive entity. To me, it clearly means, simply, “meditation”. The Mahāsaccaka Sutta, the very sutta Brahmavamso cites as proof that “the only time in his life that [the Buddha] had experienced any Jhāna was as a young boy,” (pg. 6) actually describes even some of the Bodhisatta’s tortuous austerities as jhāna:
“tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, etadahosi — ‘yaṃnūnāhaṃ appāṇakaṃyeva jhānaṃ jhāyeyya’nti. so kho ahaṃ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca assāsapassāse uparundhiṃ. tassa mayhaṃ, aggivessana, mukhato ca nāsato ca assāsapassāsesu uparuddhesu kaṇṇasotehi vātānaṃ nikkhamantānaṃ adhimatto saddo hoti.”
“Then, Aggivessana, I had this thought — ‘what if I were to meditate (jhāyeyya) on the non-breathing meditation (jhānaṃ)?’ At that, Aggivessana, I held back the in-and-out breathing of the mouth and nose. Then, Aggivessana, holding back the in-and-out breathing of the mouth and nose, there was a great amount of noise of pressure going out from my ears.”
I would agree that the "non-breathing jhana" is certainly an example of a type of meditation/jhana.

But when the rest of the Canon refers to Sammasamadhi, it specifically refers to First Jhana, Second Jhana, Third Jhana and Fourth Jhana. As I understand it, these terms were no longer mere words denoting simply a noun, but were understood to be proper nouns in themselves. In other words, they are names describing "special exclusive entities" respectively.
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Sylvester »

pegembara wrote:http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

"Is passion-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all pleasant feeling? Is resistance-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all painful feeling? Is ignorance-obsession to be abandoned with regard to all neither-pleasant-nor-painful feeling?"

"No... There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With that he abandons passion. No passion-obsession gets obsessed there.[4] There is the case where a monk considers, 'O when will I enter & remain in the dimension that those who are noble now enter & remain in?' And as he thus nurses this yearning for the unexcelled liberations, there arises within him sorrow based on that yearning. With that he abandons resistance. No resistance-obsession gets obsessed there.[5] There is the case where a monk, with the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. With that he abandons ignorance. No ignorance-obsession gets obsessed there."[6]

Thank you, Traveller, for MN 44. I see there is someone besides myself who is prepared to give this sutta its plain reading, unburdened by the Commentarial qualifications.

It should be noted, however, that another sutta might suggest at least one other locus (besides 1st Jhana) where raganusaya does not anuseti a pleasant feeling. This is in MN 152, where an instructed putthujana reflects on the conditioned nature of vedana and as a result of that, equanimity is established in him. It is only a "possible" reading, since that sutta does not explicity state that the attendant cetasika vedana does not follow the pleasant feeling. It spoke only of the cessation of the pleasant feeling and equanimity replacing it.
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Sylvester »

Ñāṇa wrote:
morning mist wrote:There are varying degrees of singleness of mind or mental unification. In the context of jhana, the mental unification required is to a higher degree.
The suttas you're quoting don't support the premise you seem to be trying to establish.
morning mist wrote:Also according to the Yuganaddha Sutta ( AN 4.170) Four Ways to Arahantship
I'll stick with the canonical Dhammasaṅgaṇī and Paṭisambhidāmagga in order to further clarify this sutta. The Dhammasaṅgaṇī Cittuppādakaṇḍa Rūpāvacarakusala Catukkanaya lists the mental factors engaged in an optimally skillful rūpāvacarajjhānacitta on a specific occasion, specifically, at that time. This list includes sammādiṭṭhi, sammāsati, sampajañña, samatha, and vipassanā:
  • What at that time is samatha? That which at that time is stability of mind, steadfastness of mind, thorough steadfastness of mind, unshakableness, non-distraction, imperturbability, calmness of mind, faculty of concentration, strength of concentration, right concentration. This at that time is samatha.

    What at that time is vipassanā? That which at that time is discernment (paññā), thorough understanding, investigation, comprehensive investigation, investigation of phenomena, consideration, discrimination, direct discrimination, erudite intelligence, proficiency, refined intelligence, discriminative examination.... This at that time is vipassanā.
The same is said regarding supramundane jhāna in the Lokuttarakusala Suddhikapaṭipadā section, with the appropriate additions. Also, the Paṭisambhidāmagga Yuganaddhakathā is the canonical commentary on this sutta, where the coupling of samatha and vipassanā are again said to occur together upon attainment of the noble path. This is the same as what is presented in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī Cittuppādakaṇḍa Lokuttarakusala Suddhikapaṭipadā.
morning mist wrote:Although they are related but not the same thing.
They are the same thing.

All the best,

Geoff
Hi Geoff

Your reading of the Dhammasangani still treats it as furnishing a laundary list of dhammas within each of the avacaras' cittas. As I pointed out in the Bhante G thread, I follow the Dhammasangani's textual presentation of the dhammas as clusters. The Dhammasangani does not, as far as I can see, say -

"Samatha exists in rupavacara kusala citta.

Vipassana exists in rupavacara kusala citta".

The text is quite clear when it states "Samatho hoti, vipassanā hoti," as a cluster. It is nothing more than a iddapaccayata formulation in the locative absolute. What "is" on that occassion (tasmiṃ samaye), IMHO, is not the existence/presence of a dhamma, but the assertion of the various iddapaccayata relations spelt out in the listing.

The locative absolute does not necessarily entail contemporaneity of the 2, and allows vipassana to succeed samatha by any length of time.

This reading of the Dhammasangani list of iddapaccayata relations is perfectly in line with the sutta AN 3.100 that morning mist cited. This reading avoids the obvious difficulty of how dhamma-vicaya can proceed in the 2nd Jhana upwards, without vitakka-vicara.

So, even for those who resort to the later strata of material, it does not seem as if the Abhidhammic material are amenable to one interpretation only, are they?
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Nyana »

Sylvester wrote:The Dhammasangani does not, as far as I can see, say -

"Samatha exists in rupavacara kusala citta.
Are you suggesting that rūpāvacarajjhāna occurs without samatha? That would be quite impossible.
Sylvester wrote:The locative absolute does not necessarily entail contemporaneity of the 2, and allows vipassana to succeed samatha by any length of time.
Nonsense. Your "interpretation" completely fails to account for the fact that this is section is describing a citta which has concomitant gnosis. The enumeration of phenomena are those which occur concomitant with that specific citta at that specific time. It would be better to not attempt to mangle the Tipiṭaka with nonsensical interpretations.
Sylvester wrote:This reading avoids the obvious difficulty of how dhamma-vicaya can proceed in the 2nd Jhana upwards, without vitakka-vicara.
Are you now suggesting that supramundane jhāna occurs without dhammavicaya? That too, would be quite impossible. The presence of dhammavicaya, just like the presence of sammādiṭṭhi, etc., does not require vitakka or vicāra.

All the best,

Geoff
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Nyana »

morning mist wrote:The exact terms are PRECEDED BY , that means one in front of the other. It doesn't say one vipassana INSIDE samatha.
The Paṭisambhidāmagga Yuganaddhakathā is the canonical commentary on this sutta, where the coupling of samatha and vipassanā are said to occur together upon attainment of the noble path. This is the same as what is presented in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī Cittuppādakaṇḍa Lokuttarakusala Suddhikapaṭipadā.
morning mist wrote:
Nanna wrote: What at that time is samatha? That which at that time is stability of mind, steadfastness of mind, thorough steadfastness of mind, unshakableness, non-distraction, imperturbability, calmness of mind, faculty of concentration, strength of concentration, right concentration. This at that time is samatha.
It doesn't say expansive here, but rather concentrated.
Dhammasaṅgaṇī 1027:
  • What phenomena are expansive (mahaggatā)?

    There are skillful and neither-skillful-nor-unskillful phenomena of the form sphere (rūpāvacarā) and the formless sphere (arūpāvacarā), the feeling aggregate, recognition aggregate, fabrications aggregate, and consciousness aggregate; these phenomena are expansive.
All the best,

Geoff
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Sylvester »

Hi Geoff
Are you suggesting that rūpāvacarajjhāna occurs without samatha? That would be quite impossible.
Careful, careful with your reductio ad absurdum. The iddapaccayata cluster, according to the Dhammasangani, that is "Samatho hoti, vipassanā hoti" necessitates samatha. When this cluster "is", the paccaya/condition (in this case samatha) has to be present.
Nonsense. Your "interpretation" completely fails to account for the fact that this is section is describing a citta which has concomitant gnosis. The enumeration of phenomena are those which occur concomitant with that specific citta at that specific time. It would be better to not attempt to mangle the Tipiṭaka with nonsensical interpretations.
You may find it nonsensical, but you've not answered the objection how there can be dhamma-vicaya without vitakka-vicara. I'm not sure how you read the preface as being description of the citta as having a "concomitant gnosis". Surely not "ñāṇasampayuttaṃ"? That simply means "associated with knowledge". The Abhidhammikas had a special technical term to indicate concomitance, ie sahagata, and this technical term is in fact used to describe another state in the preface. I don't think the Abhidhammikas would have used "sahagata" with one state, while using "sampayutta" in another, if they were synonymous. Sampayutta is not a temporal indicator, but a causal indicator.
Are you now suggesting that supramundane jhāna occurs without dhammavicaya? That too, would be quite impossible. The presence of dhammavicaya, just like the presence of sammādiṭṭhi, etc., does not require vitakka or vicāra.
I've indicated my rejection of the Abhidhammic lokiya-lokuttara bifurcation, when I commented on MN 117 and elsewhere. I'm much happier sticking to the suttas, without this strata of doctrine which only complicates the simplicity of the suttas. I trust you see why I place so little soteriological value with the Abhidhamma.
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Nyana »

Sylvester wrote:I trust you see why I place so little soteriological value with the Abhidhamma.
All of your nonsensical qualms have been addressed in detail previously. Certainly, ignoring the Tipiṭaka is your choice. Good luck with that "jhāna" devoid of comprehension. I trust that such a "jhāna" will result in a long rest in a non-perceptive realm as an asaññasatta.



All the best,

Geoff
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Sylvester »

Ahh, yes. Stick & stones. The clarion call of those befuddled and unable to respond. Most satisfying.

Brandishing the "Tipitaka" does not help your cause, not when the term "Tipitaka" itself does not appear in the Canon.

As for associating "my" jhanas with the asañña, that's the same old tired strawman of misrepresenting Ajahn Brahm's description of the jhanas, eg 1st Jhana -
Even though there is no comprehension within any jhana, one is certainly not in a trance. One's mindfulness is greatly increased to a level of sharpness that is truly incredible. One is immensely aware. ...
You do make me laugh, Geoff.
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Assaji
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Assaji »

Speaking of Patisambhidamagga - here's how "ekaggatta"is explained in Patisambhidamagga-Atthakattha:

"Tattha cittassa ekaggatāti nānārammaṇavikkhepābhāvato ekaṃ ārammaṇaṃ aggaṃ uttamaṃ assāti ekaggo, ekaggassa bhāvo ekaggatā."

Patisambhidamagga-Atthakatha 1.230

"Here the 'ekaggatā' of the mind is the state (bhāvo) when one thing is predominant (ekaggo). One thing is predominant when there's no perplexity (vikkhepa) on multiple bases and one basis (ārammaṇa) is predominant (agga) and preeminent (uttama)."

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.php?f=23&t=5550" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
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Alexei
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Alexei »

Sylvester wrote:
Even though there is no comprehension within any jhana, one is certainly not in a trance. One's mindfulness is greatly increased to a level of sharpness that is truly incredible. One is immensely aware. ...
His teacher Ajahn Chah said:
  • With right samādhi, no matter what level of calm is reached, there is awareness. There is full mindfulness and clear comprehension. This is the samādhi which can give rise to wisdom, one cannot get lost in it. Practisers should understand this well. You can't do without this awareness, it must be present from beginning to end. This kind of samādhi has no danger.
And also:
  • Sampajañña is the awareness that "now I am doing such and such." We observe the in and out breathing with sati and sampajañña.
    ... and then there is sampajañña, the awareness that "now I am walking," "I am lying down," "I am experiencing such and such a mood." With these two things, sati and sampajañña, we can know our minds in the present moment.
If we understand sampajañña in this way than there isn't sampajañña in Ajahn Brahm's jhana:
  • Thus in Jhana, not only is there no sense of time, but also there is no comprehension of what is going on! At the time, one will not even know what Jhana one is in.
But according to suttas sampajañña is necessary for jhana:
  • And furthermore, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert (sampajañña), and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is nothing of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture.
Last edited by Alexei on Sat Mar 05, 2011 6:19 pm, edited 2 times in total.
Nyana
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Nyana »

Sylvester wrote:befuddled and unable to respond.
It's quite simply a case of keeping in mind that there is no point in discussing Theravāda dhamma with people who have no interest in Theravāda dhamma other than to try to disparage and attempt to misrepresent the teachings found in the Tipiṭaka. I don't consider what Ven. Brahmavamso and Ven. Sujato are teaching to be Theravāda in any sense, and Ven. Brahmavamso's "jhāna" isn't even Buddhadhamma. Dmytro has already accurately characterized this:
Dmytro wrote:The reason I put this to your attention is that I meet with Brahmavamso's Russian followers with such deluded notions.
The practice is masked under the seemingly authoritative terms like "letting go" and "nirodha-samapatti", but actually leads to a meditative blackout, with no development of wisdom (panna).

The "letting go" Brahmavamso talks about is slipping without any resistance into the passion for "beautiful representation" (subha-nimitta).
All the best,

Geoff
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by Alexei »

I find some Ajahn Brahm's teachings helpful and esteem his life experience in general, but I can't understand why Ajahn Brahm calls himself student of Ajahn Chah since their approaches to meditation are quite different. For instance, Ajahn Chah didn't say that nimitta is required. Also Ajahn Chah's description of 5 senses activity in jhana is precisely conform to "sutta style jhanas":
  • When the mind enters absorption it calms down and is stilled to a level where it is at its most subtle and skilful. Even if you experience sense impingement from the outside, such as sounds and physical sensations, it remains external and is unable to disturb the mind. You might hear a sound, but it won’t disturb your concentration. There is the hearing of the sound, but the experience is as if you don’t hear anything. There is awareness of the impingement but it’s as if you are not aware. This is because you let go. The mind lets go automatically. Concentration is so deep and firm that you let go of attachment to sense impingement quite naturally.
Ajahn Brahm:
  • Another strange quality that distinguishes Jhana from all other experiences is that within Jhana all the five senses are totally shut down. One cannot see, one cannot hear, one cannot smell, taste nor feel touch.
Indeed strange.
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Re: A Critique of Brahmavamso’s “The Jhanas”

Post by morning mist »

Hi all travelers on the path,
Nanna wrote: "MN 127 describes the expansive liberation of mind (mahaggatā cetovimutti), which is a synonym for the mastery of jhāna"
The sutta itself did not say that mahaggata cetovimutti is a synonym for the mastery of jhana.

According to MN 43 and MN 127, there are various types of of Cetovimutti. The characteristics of various types are not all the same.
There are :

1. Neither-Pleasant-nor-Unpleasant cetovimutti( adukkhamasukhaya cetovimuttiya)
2. Exalted Cetovimutti (Mahaggatam Cetovimutti , mahaggatam: lofty, become great)

3. Boundless cetovimutti (appamana cetovimutti),
4. Nothingness cetovimutti ( akincanna cetovimutti)
5. Signless cetovimutti (animittaya cetovimuttiya)
6. Voidness cetovimutti ( sunnata cetovimutti)


While the the Adukkhamasukhaya cetovimutti (1) refers to the four Jhanas found in Samma Samadhi, the other ones do not, including the Mahaggatam Cetovimutti. "And what is the way of explanation by which these states are different in meaning & different in name? "

1.Adukkhamasukhaya cetovimutti :

"Friend, how many conditions are there for the attainment of the Neither-Pleasant-nor-Unpleasant cetovimutti ( adukkhamasukhaya cetovimuttiya) ?”
"Friend, there are four conditions for the attainment of the neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant cetovimutti. Here, a bhikkhu abandons pleasantness and unpleasantness, and with the setting down of previous joy and displeasure there is neither pain nor pleasure. And with mindfulness fully purified by equanimity, he enters and abides in the fourth jhana. These are the four conditions for the attainment of the neither-pleasant-nor-unpleasant cetovimutti ( adukkhamasukhaya cetovimuttiya). -MN 43


2. Exalted Cetovimutti (Mahaggatam Cetovimutti , mahaggatam: lofty, become great)

“And what, householder, is the exalted cetovimutti (mahaggata cetovimutti) ? Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of the root of one tree, pervading it as exalted: this is called the exalted cetovimutti (mahaggata cetovimutti). Here a bhikkhu abides resolved upon an area the size of one village, pervading it as exalted…an area the size of two or three villages…an area the size of one major kingdom…an area the size of two or three major kingdoms…an area the size of the earth bounded by the ocean, pervading it as exalted: this too is called the exalted cetovimutti (mahaggata cetovimutti). It is in this way, householder, that it can be understood how these states are different in meaning and different in name."- MN 127


3.Boundless cetovimutti - This refers to the Four Brahmaviharas

“Here a bhikkhu abides with a mind imbued with loving kindness ( metta) pervading one direction, likewise the second, likewise the third, and likewise the fourth direction, above, below , around, and everywhere, to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with loving-kindness, abundant, expansive, boundless, without hostility and without ill will.
“ He abides with a mind imbued with compassion ( karuna)…..”
“ He abides with a mind imbued with altruistic joy ( karuna, sympathy in other’s welfare)…..”
“ He abides with a mind imbued with equanimity ( upekkha)pervading one direction, likewise the second, likewise the third, and likewise the fourth direction, above, below , around, and everywhere, to all as to himself, he abides pervading the all-encompassing world with a mind imbued with equanimity, abundant, expansive, boundless, without hostility and without ill will. This is called the limitless awareness-release.”

4. Nothingness cetovimutti
"And what is the Nothingness cetovimutti ? Here a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness , and aware that there is ’ nothing', he abides in the Sphere of Nothingness. This is called the Nothingness cetovimutti.

5. Signless cetovimutti
"And what is the Signless cetovimutti ? Here a bhikkhu not attending to all signs, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the signless concentration of mind.This is called the Signless cetovimutti .

6. Voidness cetovimutti
"And what is the Voidness cetovimutti ? Here the bhikkhu gone to the forest, to the root of a tree or to an empty house reflects: ‘ This is empty of a self or of anything belonging to a self. This is called the Voidness cetovimutti.

The Similarities Between Various types of Cetovimutti ?


“Here, friend, passion (raga) is a limiting factor (pamanakarano) , aversion ( dosa) is a limiting factor, delusion ( moha) is a limiting factor.
“In a bhikkhu whose mind is free from intoxication/ the taints ( khinasavassa) , these have been abandoned, pulled out with the roots, made like a palm stump, deprived of the conditions to arise again.



Nanna wrote: Paṭisambhidāmagga Yuganaddhakathā is the canonical commentary on this sutta, where the coupling of samatha and vipassanā are said to occur together upon attainment of the noble path. This is the same as what is presented in the Dhammasaṅgaṇī Cittuppādakaṇḍa Lokuttarakusala Suddhikapaṭipadā.
But that is the commentary, also when the commentary says together it means accompanying each other, not insight Within serenity.

By the way, let us focus on the suttas it self and not the commentaries or subcommentaries.

Metta,
with metta,
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