Hi Dmytro and Nana,
Ñāṇa wrote: And such indulgence can certainly be addictive. It can impede development whereby one gets stuck in a habitual pattern of "blissing-out……
The pītisukha of jhāna can definitely become an object of deep attachment. Especially for anyone who has a predisposition for addiction. It's far better than any drug. And if one knows how to induce it, it's free.
About engaging in the pleasantness of jhana, the Latukikopama Sutta- MN 66 states:
"And, Udayin, there are these five strings of sensuality ( kama-guna) . Which five? Forms cognizable by the eye that are agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, provocative of desire, enticing. Sounds cognizable by the ear... Aromas cognizable by the nose... Flavors cognizable by the tongue... Tactile sensations cognizable by the body that are agreeable, pleasing, charming, endearing, provocative of desire, enticing. These are the five strings of sensuality ( kama-guna).
Now, any pleasure & happiness that arises dependent on these five strings of sensuality is called sensual pleasure ( kama-sukha), a filthy pleasure, a coarse pleasure, an ignoble pleasure. And of this pleasure I say that it is not to be cultivated, not to be developed, not to be pursued, that it is to be feared.
“Here, Udayin, quite withdrawn from sensuality ( kamehi) , withdrawn from ( vivicca) unwholesome mental states ….. he enters and abides in the first jhana. With the subsiding (vupasama) of vitakkavicaranam … he enters and abides in the Second jhana. With the fading away of rapture (piti) as well…he enters and abides in the Third jhana. …And with mindfulness fully purified by equanimity, he enters and abides in the fourth jhana.
“This is called the bliss of leading a holy life ( nekkhamma-sukham, bliss of renunciation) , bliss of seclusion ( paviveka-sukham ) , calm-pleasure ( upasama-sukham ), bliss of awakening ( sambodha-sukham ). And of this kind of pleasure , I say that it should be cultivated ( asevitabham, asevita: associated, practiced, frequented) , should be developed ( bhavetabha: should be cultivated) , should be pursued ( bahuli-katabbam, bahuli: to make much of , katabbam: what ought to be done, can or must be done ) , that it should not be feared ( na bhayitabbam) . "- Latukikopama Sutta
For those into Commentaries, "MA explains the jhanas as -
1. the bliss of leading a holy life ( nekkhamma-sukham, bliss of renunciation) -because they yield the bliss of renouncing sensual pleasures
2. bliss of seclusion ( paviveka-sukham ) - because they yield the bliss of being secluded from the crowd and from defilements
3. calm-pleasure ( upasama-sukham ) - because their bliss if for the purpose of quieting down the defilements
4. bliss of awakening ( sambodha-sukham )- because their bliss is for the purpose of attaining enlightenment.
The jhanas themselves , of course, are not states of enlightenment."
We see the Aranavibhanga Sutta MN 139 suggests the pleasantness of jhana should be pursued, while in MN 138 it states that the pleasantness found in each states of jhana should be abandoned. How to make sense of this. The Buddha mentioned both aspects of developing and abandoning the pleasantness of jhana in MN 66.
As you can see above that the Buddha started out asserting that the pleasantness of jhana should be cultivated , developed ,pursued , and that it should not be feared . Later on he taught them to let go of the pleasantness found in each jhana to move from one jhana to the next, or to lead them beyond "Neither Perception- nor Non- Perception" and abides in the "Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings" .
“Here, Udayin, quite withdrawn from sensuality ( kamehi) , withdrawn from ( vivicca) unwholesome mental states — And with vitakka and vicara , rapture ( piti) , and happiness ( sukkha) born of solitude he enters and abides in the first jhana. That, I tell you, comes under vacilliation ( injitasmim, injita: shaken, moved, movement, vacillation, perturbable) . And what comes under vacillation there? The vitakka and vicara that haven't ceased there: that's what comes under vacillation . Here, Udayin, with the subsiding of vitakkavicaranam , the mind is inwardly assured and brought to a single point . Free from vitakka and vicara , with rapture ( piti) and happiness ( sukkha) born from concentration ( samadhija) , he enters and abides in the Second jhana. That, I tell you, comes under vacilliation ( injitasmim, injita: shaken, moved, movement, vacillation, perturbable) . And what comes under vacillation there? The rapture and pleasure ( pitisukham) that haven't ceased there: that's what comes under vacillation . With the fading away of rapture (piti) as well, he abides equanimous, mindful and fully aware. Experiencing happiness with the body, he enters and abides in the Third jhana. About which the noble ones declare: ‘Abiding in sukha ( sukhavihari’ti) , mindful , equanimous . ‘ That, I tell you, comes under vacilliation ( injitasmim, injita: shaken, moved, movement, vacillation, perturbable) . And what comes under vacillation there? The equanimity-pleasure ( upekkhasukham) that haven't ceased there: that's what comes under vacillation . He abandons pleasure and pain, 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. Now this, I say, does not vacillate ( comes under the imperturbable) .
“Here, Udayin, quite withdrawn from sensuality ( kamehi) , withdrawn from ( vivicca) unwholesome mental states — And with vitakka and vicara , rapture ( piti) , and happiness ( sukkha) born of solitude he enters and abides in the first jhana. That, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here, Udayin, with the subsiding of vitakkavicaranam , the mind is inwardly assured and brought to a single point . Free from vitakka and vicara , with rapture ( piti) and happiness ( sukkha) born from concentration ( samadhija) , he enters and abides in the Second jhana. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? With the fading away of rapture (piti) as well… he enters and abides in the Third jhana. … That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? He abandons pleasure and pain… enters and abides in the fourth jhana. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the perception of form ( rupa sannanam, rupa: form, material composition, Sannanam: perception). With the setting down of all sense of resistence ( patigha-sannanam ) , not attending to the perception of diversity ( nanatta sannanam amanasikara) , aware that :’ space is infinite,' he enters and abide in the Sphere of Infinity of Space. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Infinity of Space and with the awareness that 'Consciousness is Infinite', he enters and abides in the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness and aware that there is ’ nothing', he abides in the Sphere of Nothingness. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Nothingness and abides in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say. And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception and abides in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings. That is passing beyond it. Thus I speak of even the abandoning of the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. Do you see any fetter, large or small, of whose abandoning I don't speak?"
"No, lord."
- MN 66 :Latukikopama Sutta
Someone read this statement and came to the conclusion that we should not practice jhana at all or engage in the pleasantness of jhana: "Thus I speak of even the abandoning of the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. Do you see any fetter, large or small, of whose abandoning I don't speak?"
But here it only means that someone in the state of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception should go beyond it to the " Cessation of Perception and Feelings :
"Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Nothingness and abides in the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception. That is passing beyond it. But that too, I say, is insufficient ( anala: not enough, not sufficient) . Abandon it, I say. Passing beyond it ( samatikkamatha) , I say.
And what is passing beyond it? Here Udayin, a bhikkhu completely passes beyond the Sphere of Neither -Perception- nor Non- Perception and abides in the Cessation of Perceptions and Feelings. That is passing beyond it. "
Dmytro wrote: I hope that this "Early Buddhism" thing will evolve to accurate and non-biased definition of terms, directly based on the most reliable texts possible, and this will help to make the meditative practice truly enlightening.
It's great having the opportunity to discuss dhamma . Hopefully things can become more clear in the process. After all we are on the same path, perhaps with different interpretation. But we shouldn't let that come between us. Discussion can be helpful sometimes (But that is not to say that it can replace practice) . Best wishes on your path.
With Metta,