KN Pe: Peṭakopadesa (pitaka disclosure)
everything interesting it says about jhāna & samādhi.
KN-Pe has the earliest detailed word commentary on the standard jhāna formula: Peṭakopadesa 7.72
“composed probably in India beore 100 BCE”.
+1 – (1st Jhāna)
+2 – STED 1st Jhāna
| vivicc’eva kāmehi | Quite-withdrawn (from) sensuality, | |
| vivicca a-kusalehi dhammehi | withdrawn (from) un-skillful Dhamma [teachings & qualities], | |
| sa-vitakkaṃ sa-vicāraṃ | With-directed-thought, with-evaluation, | |
| vivekajaṃ pīti-sukhaṃ | withdrawal-born rapture-&pleasure, | |
| paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. | first Jhāna (he) enters, dwells. |
+3 – (rich section on V&V, vitakka & vicara)
all
(first paragraph 72. talks about tīṇi akusala-mūlāni (3 unskillful roots) and 5niv (hindrances) removal.
| ♦ tattha a-lobhassa pāripūriyā nekkhamma-vitakkaṃ vitakketi. | 576. Here, for non-greed fulfillment, renunciation-thoughts (he) thinks. | |
| tattha a-dosassa pāripūriyā abyāpāda-vitakkaṃ vitakketi. | for non-hatred fulfillment, non-ill-will-thoughts (he) thinks. | |
| tattha a-mohassa pāripūriyā avihiṃsā-vitakkaṃ vitakketi. | for non-delusion fulfillment, non-harm-thoughts (he) thinks. | |
| tattha a-lobhassa pāripūriyā vivitto hoti kāmehi. | 577. “Here, for fulfilling non-passion he is secluded from sensual pleasures. | |
| tattha a-dosassa pāripūriyā | Here, for fulfilling non-aggression and | |
| a-mohassa pāripūriyā ca vivitto hoti pāpakehi akusalehi dhammehi, | fulfilling non-delusion he is secluded from unskillful phenomena. | |
| savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ | And so he enters and remains in the first jhāna, | |
| paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. | which includes directed thought and evaluation, as well as joy and pleasure born of seclusion. | |
| ♦ vitakkāti tayo vitakkā — | 578. Directed thought: There are three kinds of directed thought, namely | |
| nekkhammavitakko | the thought of renunciation, | |
| abyāpādavitakko | the thought of non-aversion, | |
| avihiṃsāvitakko. | and the thought of harmlessness. | |
| tattha paṭham-ābhinipāto vitakko, | 579. Here, directed thought is the first instance | |
| paṭiladdhassa vicaraṇaṃ vicāro. | while evaluation is the evaluation of what is thereby received. | |
+3.1 – V&V example: vitakka sees person, vicara scrutinizes their sila
all
| yathā puriso dūrato purisaṃ passati āgacchantaṃ, | 580. Just as when a man sees someone approaching in the distance | |
| na ca tāva jānāti eso itthīti vā purisoti vā | he does not yet know whether it is a woman or a man, | |
| yadā tu paṭilabhati itthīti vā purisoti vā | but when he has received [the apperception] that “it is a woman” or “it is a man” or | |
| evaṃ vaṇṇoti vā evaṃ saṇṭhānoti vā | that “it is of such color” or that “it is one of such shape,” | |
| ime vitakkayanto uttari upaparikkhanti | then when he has thought this he further scrutinizes, | |
| kiṃ nu kho ayaṃ sīlavā udāhu dussīlo | “How then, is he ethical or unethical, | |
| aḍḍho vā duggatoti vā. | rich or poor?” | |
| evaṃ vicāro | This is examination. |
+§1.1 – notice the meaning of appana: it’s not one pointed blanking out, it’s ‘fixing’ on a topic to explore
| vitakke appeti, | With directed thought he fixes. | |
| vicāro cariyati ca anuvattati ca. | With examination he moves about and turns over [what has been thought].” |
Notes of interest:
V&V “fixes” and “turning over” have been reinterpreted in the Vsm.
+3.2 – V&V winged bird simile
| yathā pakkhī | 581. and just as a winged bird | |
| pubbaṃ āyūhati | first accumulates [speed] | |
| pacchā nāyūhati | and afterwards no more accumulates [speed, when gliding], | |
| yathā āyūhanā evaṃ vitakko, | so too, thinking is like the accumulation [of speed], | |
| yathā pakkhānaṃ pasāraṇaṃ evaṃ vicāro anupālati vitakketi vicarati vicāreti. | and like the out-stretchedness of the [gliding bird's] wings is exploring, | |
| vitakkayati vitakketi, | [which] keeps preserving the thinkings | |
| anuvicarati vicāreti. | and keeps preserving the explorings. |
The meaning of the simile, when you read the entire V&V section,
the recurring pattern is to show that vicara is connected to vitakka,
and not some completely independent separate entity.
The bird taking off and gliding requires that dependent connection.
Vism.
Has a completely different interpretation of the simile,
they turn ‘vicara’ from its ‘exploring’ function into a ‘holding still’ in one pointed mind blanking out.
+3.3 – V&V relationship to right/wrong resolves
| kāma-saññāya paṭipakkho vitakko, | 582. sensual-desire-perceptions (is the) opposite (of) directed-thoughts, | |
| byāpāda-saññāya vihiṃsa-saññāya ca paṭipakkho vicāro. | ill-will-perceptions & cruelty-perceptions (is the) opposite of evaluation. | |
| vitakkānaṃ kammaṃ a-kusalassa a-manasikāro, | (such) thinking (is an) action (whereby the) un-skillful (gets) no-attention. | |
| vicārānaṃ kammaṃ jeṭṭhānaṃ saṃvāraṇā. | (such) evaluation (is an) action (whereby the) forerunners (gets) restrained. |
+3.4 – V&V example: oral tradition of reciting vocally first requires V&V to contain thinking and evaluation
| yathā paliko tuṇhiko sajjhāyaṃ karoti evaṃ vitakko, | 583. just-as (a) reciter silently recites, such (is) directed-thoughts, | |
| yathā taṃyeva anupassati evaṃ vicāro. | just-as that-recitation (he) contemplates, such (is) evaluation. |
Notice the connection and gradual transition from vocal recitation of Dhamma,
to thinking about Dhamma with V&V, and then V&V dropping out in second jhana,
V&V of first jhana is vocal silence, 2nd jhana is noble silence,
And of course V&V are vaci-sankhara, vocalization-co-doings,
since they are the main cause of coherent vaca/speech MN 44.
+3.5 – vicara needs to finish the job vitakka started
| yathā a-pariññā evaṃ vitakko. | just-like incomplete-understanding, such (is) directed-thoughts, | |
| yathā pariññā evaṃ vicāro. | just-like complete-understanding, such (is) evaluation. |
+3.6 – example: vitakka’s comprehension more superficial, vicara explores/dives deep into meaning
| nirutti-paṭisambhidāyañca paṭibhāna-paṭisambhidāyañca vitakko, | language-analysis & clarity-analysis (is) directed-thoughts, | |
| dhamma-paṭisambhidāyañca attha-paṭisambhidāyañca vicāro. | idea-analysis & meaning-analysis (is) evaluation. |
+3.7 – unclear meaning here
| kallitā kosallattaṃ cittassa vitakko, | good-health; skill (of the) mind (regarding that), is directed-thoughts. | |
| abhinīhāra-kosallaṃ cittassa vicāro. | Resolution-in-being-skillful; mind [in that mode], is evaluation. |
+3.8 – example (related to right effort), vitakka sets task, vicara finishes
| idaṃ kusalaṃ idaṃ akusalaṃ | this (is) skillful, this (is) unskillful, | |
| idaṃ bhāvetabbaṃ idaṃ pahātabbaṃ | this should-be-developed, this should-be-abandoned, | |
| idaṃ sacchikātabbanti | this (is) to-be-verified, | |
| vitakko, | [those are examples of] directed-thoughts, | |
| yathā pahānañca bhāvanā ca | these-are abandoned, are developed, | |
| sacchikiriyā ca | (these are) verified, | |
| evaṃ vicāro. | evaluation [finishes the task set out by vitakka] | |
You can see the importance of V&V working in concert with the right effort in first jhana,
and maintaining first jhana, and removing enough subtle obstructions to move into second jhana.
V&V and right effort is not only active prior to first jhana,
which is what Vism.
Apologists would have you believe.
❧
+4 – first jhana: what parts mental, physical
| imesu vitakka-vicāresu ṭhitassa | 584. these directed-thoughts-&-evaluations (being) steady, | |
| duvidhaṃ dukkhaṃ na uppajjati kāyikañca cetasikañca; | two-fold suffering doesn't arise; bodily & mental; | |
| duvidhaṃ sukhaṃ uppajjati kāyikañca cetasikañca. | two-fold pleasure arises; bodily & mental. | |
| iti vitakka-janitaṃ | thus directed-thoughts-generates | |
| cetasikaṃ sukhaṃ | mental pleasure, | |
| pīti kāyikaṃ | rapture (in the) body, | |
| sukhaṃ kāyikoyeva. | pleasure (in the) body. | |
| yā tattha cittassa ekaggatā, | this here (is) mind's unification, | |
| ayaṃ samādhi. | this is undistractable-lucidity. | |
| iti paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ | Such is first jhāna, | |
| pañc-aṅga-vippahīnaṃ | five-factors-abandoned, | |
| pañc-aṅga-samannāgataṃ. | five-factors-possessed. | |
5 – (2nd Jhāna)
+6 – STED 2nd Jhāna
| Vitakka-vicārānaṃ vūpasamā | (with) directed-thoughts-(and)-evaluation subsiding, | |
| ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ | internal assurance, | |
| cetaso ekodi-bhāvaṃ | mind has-become-singular, | |
| a-vitakkaṃ a-vicāraṃ | No-directed-Thought, no-evaluation, | |
| samādhi-jaṃ pīti-sukhaṃ | undistractable-lucidity—born rapture-&pleasure, | |
| dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. | second Jhāna (he) enters, dwells. |
(Pe commentary)
| ♦ tesaṃyeva vitakka-vicārānaṃ | 585. those directed-thoughts-&evaluation, | |
| abhikkhaṇaṃ āsevanāya | (the) constant practice (of that), | |
| tassa tappoṇa-mānasaṃ hoti. | (is what the) mind slopes toward. | |
| tassa vitakka-vicārā | those directed-thoughts-&evaluation, | |
| oḷārikā khāyanti. | coarse (is how they) appear (to him). | |
| yañca pīti-sukhañca nekkhammañca | and-the rapture-&pleasure (born from) renunciation, [piti-sukha from first jhana] | |
| oḷārikaṃ bhavati. | coarse (it) becomes (to him). | |
| api ca samādhi-jā pīti rati ca jāyati. | and then undistractable-lucidity-induced rapture & relish is born. | |
| tassa vicār-ārammaṇaṃ. | 586. the evaluation-of-thought-objects [from first jhana V&V], | |
| tesaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ ceto sampasīdati. | their calming [leads to] internal mental confidence. | |
| ye vitakka-vicārā | those directed-thoughts-&evaluation | |
| dve dhamm-{an?-}ānus-saritabbā. | [are] two dhammas (which) need {not?} be-recollected. | |
| pacc-uppannā daraṇitabbaṃ. | presently-arisen {thinking & evaluation?} should-be-feared. | |
| tesaṃ vūpasamā | with the calming [of directed-thoughts-&evaluation] | |
| Ekodi-bhāvaṃ citt-ekaggataṃ hoti. | {there} becomes-singularity & mental-unification. | |
| tassa ekodi-bhāvena pīti pāripūriṃ gacchati. | (with it) becoming-singular, rapture fulfillment happens. | |
| yā pīti, taṃ so-manass-indriyaṃ, | whatever rapture, that (is) good-[happy]-mental-state-faculty. | |
| yaṃ sukhaṃ, taṃ sukh-indriyaṃ. | whatever pleasure, that (is) [bodily] pleasure-faculty. | |
| yā citt-ekaggatā, ayaṃ samādhi. | whatever mind-unification, that (is) undistractable-lucidity. | |
| taṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ | this second jhana, | |
| catur-aṅga-samannāgataṃ. | four-factors-(it)-possesses. | |
❧
7 – (4th Jhāna)
+8 – (STED 4th Jhāna)
| sukhassa ca pahānā | Pleasure's ** abandoning, | |
| dukkhassa ca pahānā | pain's ** abandoning, | |
| pubbeva so-manassa-do-manassānaṃ atthaṅgamā | (with) previous elated-mental-state-(and)-distressed-mental-states’ disappearance, | |
| A-dukkham-a-sukhaṃ | Neither-pain nor-pleasure | |
| Upekkhā-sati-pārisuddhiṃ | equanimous-observation-(and)-remembrance-purified, | |
| catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati | fourth Jhāna (he) enters, dwells. |
(Pe commentary)
| ♦ tathā kāyikassa sukhassa pahānāya | thus (with) body's pleasure abandoned, [from 3rd jhana] | |
| paṭhame jhāne so-{do-?}manass-indriyaṃ nirujjhati. | (and) first jhana's distressed-mental-state-faculty ceased, | |
| dutiye jhāne dukkh-indriyaṃ nirujjhati. | (and) second jhana's pain-faculty ceased. | |
| tattha catūhi indriyehi upekkhā pasādā{ap-pasanna?} hoti, | Here, four faculties make equanimous-observation un-clarified: | |
| dukkh-indriyena do-manass-indriyena | pain-faculty, distressed-mental-state-faculty, | |
| sukh-indriyena so-manass-indriyena ca. | pleasure-faculty, elated-mental-state-faculty. | |
| tesaṃ nirodhā upekkhā-sampajaññaṃ hoti, | With-their cessation {there is} equanimous-observation-&-clear-discerning. | |
| tattha sukh-indriyena so-manass-indriyena | There [in previous jhanas], pleasure-faculty and elated-mental-state-faculty | |
| ca a-sati hoti, | [caused] non-remembrance. | |
| tesaṃ nirodhā satimā hoti, | With-their cessation {there is} remembrance. | |
| dukkh-indriyena do-manass-indriyena | [Because of] pain-faculty and distressed-mental-state-faculty, | |
| ca a-sam-pajaññaṃ, | [that caused] un-clear-discerning. | |
| tesaṃ nirodhā sam-pajaññaṃ hoti, | With-their cessation, {there is} clear-discerning. | |
| iti upekkhāya ca saññā{pasann-attā?}, | [Because of] equanimous-observation's clarification, | |
| sato sampajāno citt-ekaggatā ca | Remembrance, clear-discerning, and mind-unification happen. | |
| idaṃ vuccate ca catutthaṃ jhānaṃ. | This is called ** fourth jhāna. | |
9 – (3rd Jhāna)
+10 – STED 3rd Jhāna
| pītiyā ca virāgā | (with) Rapture ** fading, | |
| upekkhako ca viharati | Equanimously-observing ** (he) dwells, | |
| sato ca sam-pajāno, | (he is a) Rememberer, a clear-discerner, | |
| sukhañca kāyena paṭisaṃvedeti, | pleasure with-the-body (he) experiences, | |
| yaṃ taṃ ariyā ācikkhanti — | that those Noble-Ones declare - | |
| ‘upekkhako satimā sukha-vihārī’ti | “(He is an) equanimous-observer (and a) Rememberer, (he has) pleasurable-abiding.” | |
| tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati. | third Jhāna (he) enters, dwells. |
(Pe commentary)
| so pītiyā virāgā | 587. he, (with) rapture's fading-away, | |
| yāti ojahi jalla-sahagataṃ. | drives nutritive-essence wetness-,connected-with-that. | |
| ♦ 73. tattha so-manassa-cittam-upādānanti{uppādayati} ca | 587. there happy-mental-state-(of)-mind-arises, [pīti leftover from 2nd jhana] | |
| so taṃ vicinanto upekkhameva manasi-karoti. | he then investigates (that with) equanimous-obervation attention. | |
| so pītiyā virāgā | he, (with) rapture's fading, | |
| upekkhako viharati. | equanimously-observing (he) dwells. | |
| yathā ca pītiyā sukha-mānitaṃ, | as-to the rapture induced-pleasure, | |
| taṃ kāyena paṭisaṃvedeti | that, (with the) body (he) experiences, | |
| sam-pajāno viharati. | (with) clear-discerning (of that he) dwells. | |
| yena sati-sampajaññena | because-of remembrance-&clear-discerning, | |
| upekkhā-pāripūriṃ gacchati. | equanimous-observation-fulfillment happens. | |
| idaṃ tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ | this third jhana, | |
| catur-aṅga-samannāgataṃ. | four-factors-(it)-possesses. | |