retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,
Another sutta worth considering in conjunction with MN 117, vis-a-vis the with/without asava distinction...
AN 2.67 - Bodhi translation wrote:"Bhikkhus, there are these two kinds of happiness. What two? The happiness with taints and the happiness without taints. These are the two kinds of happiness. Of these two kinds of happiness, the happiness without taints is foremost."
This distinction between pleasure that is anāsava versus pleasure that is sāsava seems to be implied in MN 44's treatment of the latent tendencies. Apparently, the latent tendency to lust does not underlie the pleasure of 1st Jhana. To the extent that the anusayā listing coincides a fair bit with the āsavā listing, perhaps jhanic pleasure is anāsava.
This much seems to be implied from MN 101, where after contrasting the pain of the Niganthas against the pleasures of the jhanas, the Buddha proclaims that the pleasures of the latter are anāsava -
I would just note that the Commentaries interpret that section in MN 44 somewhat differently, ascribing the abandonment of the rāgānusaya (latent tendency to lust) to the specific attainment of anāgāmimagga (Non-Returner's Path (citta)). That's the Abhidhammic lokuttara citta model governing the Comy, but the plain reading of the MN 117 conception of anāsava does not appear to lend itself to either being the source for the Abhidhammic model or being influenced by the Abhidhammic model....yaṃ etarahi evarūpā anāsavā sukhā vedanā vedeti
...since he now feels such taintless pleasant feelings
I believe it is possible, going by the discussion of Right View in MN 41 that I posted a little earlier. It appears that if one craves for good rebirth, one of the necessary conditions for the desire to materialise would have to include the 3 conducts in accordance with the Dhamma. One of such 3 conducts is the mental conduct of Right View, defined in MN 117's standard pericope of "There is what is given ... etc etc".If there can be "two kinds of happiness" where "the happiness without taints is foremost", why cannot it also be so for Right View?
The Right View here does not seem to be inherently an āsava. I think the "sa" in sāsava refers to āsava accompanying the Right View. The āsava in question seems to be the various forms of craving for rebirth in the respective spheres.