Then Four become Three

[Coëmgenu]

Likely "kiṃcana."

[atipattoh]

Likely "kiṃcana."

PTS Pali English Dictionary
Cana: as kiñcana anything

kiṃcana: something / all ?

From the sutta on the All, "all" looks promising.

恚品第二十一

平等解脫人終無恚怒，所有恚怒結使之垢永已除盡，是故說，等智定解脫，知已無有恚也。

From this sutra as well, "all" for 所有 is promising.

The word "kiṁ cana" appear in Udānavarga UV20. Krodhavarga

krodhena hy abhibhūtasya dvīpaṁ nāstīha kiṁ cana

Is it related to 所有 in 恚品第二十一 ?

[PeterC86]

How do you understand the sutta here? Why does 4 become 3 when discussing how they are the of the same meaning but simply worded differently?

I took a look at this sutta and also see that the release of the heart through emptiness does not return when explaining how these things are the same in meaning but different in phrasing. But in all 3 descriptions of how the things mean the same, I can read that they are empty of self, greed, and delusion. And in the description of the release of the heart through emptiness, it can be read that;

‘This is empty of a self or what belongs to a self.’ This is called the release of the heart through emptiness.

But I can draw no logical conclusion from this, as to what is stated in that sutta. Which made me curious what this emptiness might be, what is spoken of in the sutta. So I went to investigate, and I read the sutta on Access to Insight; https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html and there is a footnote in the part where the release of the heart through emptiness is described, linking to MN 106; https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html

And there it is stated that;

"Then, indeed, being sustained, he is sustained by the supreme sustenance."

"Being sustained, Ananda, he is sustained by the supreme sustenance; for this — the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception — is the supreme sustenance. There is [however] the case where a monk, having practiced in this way — 'It should not be, it should not occur to me; it will not be, it will not occur to me. What is, what has come to be, that I abandon' — obtains equanimity. He does not relish that equanimity, does not welcome it, does not remain fastened to it. As he does not relish that equanimity, does not welcome it, does not remain fastened to it, his consciousness is not dependent on it, is not sustained by it (does not cling to it). Without clinging/sustenance, Ananda, a monk is totally unbound."

"It's amazing, lord. It's astounding. For truly, the Blessed One has declared to us the way to cross over the flood by going from one support to the next. But what is the noble liberation?"

"There is the case, Ananda, where a disciple of the noble ones considers this: 'Sensuality here & now; sensuality in lives to come; sensual perceptions here & now; sensual perceptions in lives to come; forms here & now; forms in lives to come; form-perceptions here & now; form-perceptions in lives to come; perceptions of the imperturbable; perceptions of the dimension of nothingness; perceptions of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception: that is an identity, to the extent that there is an identity. This is deathless: the liberation of the mind through lack of clinging/sustenance.'

"Now, Ananda, I have taught the practice conducive to the imperturbable. I have taught the practice conducive to the dimension of nothingness. I have taught the practice conducive to the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. I have taught the way to cross over the flood by going from one support to the next, the noble liberation. Whatever a teacher should do — seeking the welfare of his disciples, out of sympathy for them — that have I done for you. Over there are the roots of trees; over there, empty dwellings. Practice jhana, Ananda. Don't be heedless. Don't later fall into regret. This is our message to you all."

So apparently here liberation to the unbound and deathless is achieved through 'neither perception nor non-perception. But if I go back to SN 41.7 on Access to Insight, there is a footnote with a link to MN 121, where the signless/themeless awareness/heart release is described. Now in MN 121 https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html it is stated;

(Neither Perception nor Non-Perception)

"Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness — attends to the singleness based on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.

"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness are not present. There is only this modicum of disturbance: the singleness based on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of nothingness. There is only this non-emptiness: the singleness based on the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure.

Theme-Less Concentration

"Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception — attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness.

"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of nothingness. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. There is only this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure.

Release

"Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception — attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness.

"He discerns that 'This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated & mentally fashioned.' And he discerns that 'Whatever is fabricated & mentally fashioned is inconstant & subject to cessation.' For him — thus knowing, thus seeing — the mind is released from the effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance. With release, there is the knowledge, 'Released.' He discerns that 'Birth is ended, the holy life fulfilled, the task done. There is nothing further for this world.'

"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the effluent of sensuality... the effluent of becoming... the effluent of ignorance, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the effluent of sensuality... becoming... ignorance. And there is just this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, pure — superior & unsurpassed.

As far as I can gather until now, is that by reaching the dimension of 'neither perception nor non-perception' the disturbance of the singleness has turned into an attention on the singleness of the theme-less concentration of awareness, which apparently is gained by not attending to the dimensions;

"Further, Ananda, the monk — not attending to the perception of the dimension of nothingness, not attending to the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception — attends to the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness. His mind takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness."

It then follows:

"He discerns that 'Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of nothingness are not present. Whatever disturbances that would exist based on the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, are not present. And there is only this modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' He discerns that 'This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of nothingness. This mode of perception is empty of the perception of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. There is only this non-emptiness: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition.' Thus he regards it as empty of whatever is not there. Whatever remains, he discerns as present: 'There is this.' And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, & pure."

So even though someone went through the dimensions, ending in neither perception nor non-perception, the modicum of disturbance: that connected with the six sensory spheres, dependent on this very body with life as its condition, still persists. And it is with the singleness based on the theme-less concentration of awareness, that the mind of this someone takes pleasure, finds satisfaction, settles, & indulges in its theme-less concentration of awareness. But this someone; "discerns that 'This theme-less concentration of awareness is fabricated & mentally fashioned" and therefore inconstant & subject to cessation. And because of this; "For him — thus knowing, thus seeing — the mind is released from the effluent of sensuality, the effluent of becoming, the effluent of ignorance." And so it is stated;

"And so this, his entry into emptiness, accords with actuality, is undistorted in meaning, pure — superior & unsurpassed."

"Ananda, whatever contemplatives and brahmans who in the past entered & remained in an emptiness that was pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all entered & remained in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives and brahmans who in the future will enter & remain in an emptiness that will be pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all will enter & remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed. Whatever contemplatives and brahmans who at present enter & remain in an emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed, they all enter & remain in this very same emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed."

So the emptiness that is pure, superior, & unsurpassed refers to Nibbana here, and is attained by realizing that even though there is the connection with the six sensory sphere, the effluent of sensuality... the effluent of becoming... the effluent of ignorance, are not present. That is clear to me, but this all makes SN 41.7 even more unclear to me, as in that sutta nothing is stated about release of the heart through neither perception nor non-perception, although limitless, nothingness, and signless are discussed. And neither is emptiness clearly described as an overarching thing, although if one interprets the words empty as refering to emptiness, as I explained in the beginning of this post, it can, but that is an interpretation, and I will not go there. So I conclude that I cannot help you with that sutta.