As far as I can tell, "ancient sangha" includes both the Theravada commentary you say is reliable, and Visuddhimagga commentary, which came a few hundred years later.
Those two ancient sanghas contradict each other on the definition of kāya in the jhānas. Which ancient sangha is correct?
Eko Care wrote: ↑Sun Apr 24, 2022 4:58 pmDictionary is better than deductions of many modern people.frank k wrote: What do you believe kāya means in the jhāna context? Do you side with the commentators, Abhidhamma, or Vism.?
In the case of all the critical words in the jhāna formula (samādhi, jhāna, ekaggata, vitakka, vicāra, etc.), I don't go by the dictionary. I looked at every single relevant sutta passage, and tried to deduce the meaning in context. Like a baby learning a new language by hearing doesn't know how to use a dictionary, they deduce meanings by critical thinking and checking for coherence.
Without learning the Abhidhamma and commentaries beforehand, you can't deduce many words in context.
It is like an attempt to learn surgery alone, independent of other aspects of medicine.