Pali Term: Arūpasaññī

[Assaji]

Hello Pali friends,

The question here is how to interpret this compound - as a-saññī or a-rūpa?

Thanissaro Bhikkhu relates this term to formless (aruupa) perception:

(iii) "One percipient of the formless internally sees forms externally as limited, beautiful & ugly. Mastering them, he is percipient of 'I know; I see.' This is the third dimension of [mental] mastery.

(iv) "One percipient of the formless internally sees forms externally as immeasurable, beautiful & ugly. Mastering them, he is percipient of 'I know; I see.' This is the fourth dimension of [mental] mastery.

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/su ... 0-029.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

However this translation seems to be unsubstantiated.
Reliable source, Patisambhidamagga 2.38, explains:

212. Katha.m ruupii ruupaani passatiiti– vimokkho? Idhekacco ajjhatta.m paccatta.m niilanimitta.m manasikaroti, niilasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa suupadhaarita.m upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa bahiddhaa niilanimitte citta.m upasa.mharati, niilasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa aasevati bhaaveti bahuliikaroti.
Tassa eva.m hoti– “ajjhatta~nca bahiddhaa ca ubhayamida.m ruupan”ti, ruupasa~n~nii hoti. Idhekacco ajjhatta.m paccatta.m piitanimitta.m …pe… lohitanimitta.m …pe… odaatanimitta.m manasikaroti, odaatasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa suupadhaarita.m upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa bahiddhaa odaatanimitte citta.m upasa.mharati, odaatasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa suupadhaarita.m upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa aasevati bhaaveti bahuliikaroti. Tassa eva.m hoti– “ajjhatta~nca bahiddhaa ca ubhayamida.m ruupan”ti, ruupasa~n~nii hoti. Eva.m ruupii ruupaani passatiiti– vimokkho.

Katha.m ajjhatta.m aruupasa~n~nii bahiddhaa ruupaani passatiiti– vimokkho? Idhekacco ajjhatta.m paccatta.m niilanimitta.m na manasikaroti, niilasa~n~na.m na pa.tilabhati; bahiddhaa niilanimitte citta.m upasa.mharati, niilasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa suupadhaarita.m upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa aasevati bhaaveti bahuliikaroti.
Tassa eva.m hoti– “ajjhatta.m aruupa.m, bahiddhaa ruupamidan”ti, ruupasa~n~nii hoti. Idhekacco ajjhatta.m paccatta.m piitanimitta.m …pe… lohitanimitta.m …pe… odaatanimitta.m na manasikaroti, odaatasa~n~na.m na pa.tilabhati; bahiddhaa odaatanimitte citta.m upasa.mharati, odaatasa~n~na.m pa.tilabhati. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m karoti, suupadhaarita.m upadhaareti, svaavatthita.m avatthaapeti. So ta.m nimitta.m suggahita.m katvaa suupadhaarita.m upadhaaretvaa svaavatthita.m avatthaapetvaa aasevati bhaaveti bahuliikaroti. Tassa eva.m hoti– “ajjhatta.m aruupa.m bahiddhaa ruupamidan”ti, ruupasa~n~nii hoti. Eva.m ajjhatta.m aruupasa~n~nii bahiddhaa ruupaani passatiiti– vimokkho.


As I understand, the difference between following two 'releases' (vimokkha) is that in the first case one gets appropriate recognition (sa~n~naa) through paying attention to the corresponding perceptual image (nimitta) whis arises from perception of something internal (i.e. hair, bones, blood, etc.), and in the second case through perception of something external.

The place of these vimokkhas in the overall sequence, long before aruupa jhanas, also confirms this.

See http://www.palikanon.com/english/wtb/u_v/vimokkha.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta, Dmytro