12 ayatanas, immaterial states, and jhanas

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Alex123
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Joined: Wed Mar 10, 2010 11:32 pm

12 ayatanas, immaterial states, and jhanas

Post by Alex123 »

Hello all,

The Buddha talked about that there are only 12 āyatana and no more.

The 4 arūpa states (base of infinite space, consciousness, nothingness,neither perception nor non perception) are āyatanas:
  • ākāsānañcāyatana
    viññāṇañcāyatana
    ākiñcaññāyatana
    nevasaññānāsaññāyatana
1) Where do these āyatana belong? To mental object base (dhammāyatana)?

2) Why aren't 4 jhāna considered to be āyatana? What is the significance of that? It seems like there is some form of qualitative or fundamental difference between them.


Thanks
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