Pathways
to Liberation
This
is a brief summary on the pathway to liberation of all bonds.
Mind
you English is deficient in vocabulary and Pali terminology is
highlighted, here.
One
need to try the four abodes as a preparation.
1.
Metta (Compassion)
2.
Karuna (Loving Kindness)
3.
Mudhitha (Sympathetic Joy)
4.
Upekkha (Equanimity)
The
oppostes are
1.
Loba (Greed)
2.
Dosha (Hate)
3.
Moha (Delusion)
4.
Raga (Bondage)
One
can approach this with five levels of transcendence.
1.
Saddha or Faith
This
the entry point and the faith in Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha and High
Moral Conduct (Sila) are essential for stream entry to the path of
liberation.
2.
Viriya or Energy
Abandoning
of unwholesome deeds (both born and unborn) and acquiring wholesome
(both born and unborn)
3.
Sati or the Mindfullness
This
is actually the Satara Satipattana Meditation.
Kayanupassana
(Body)
Vedananupassana(Feeling)
Cittanupassana(Mind)
Dhammanupassana
(Dhamma)
4.
Samadhi or the Concentration
In
other words the attainment of four Jhana absorptions.
In Jhana Absorptions, there is complete but temporary detachment from all five sensual spheres and of five hindrances or the Nivarana.
They
are
1.
Kamacchanda (Loba)
2.
Vyapada(Dosa)
3.
Tina Middha (sloth and torpor)
4.
Uddhakka-kukkussa(restlessness)
5.
Vicikiccha (doubt)
In
first Jhana State
one attains
1.
Vittakka (thought conception and attention)
2.
Vichara (inner speech or discursive thinking)
3.
Piti (rapture)
4.
Sukha (joy)
5.
Ekaggata (one pointedness)
2nd
Jhana State
1.Vittaka,
Vichara are absent.
2.
Piti
3.
Sukha
4.
Samadhi are
accompaniments.
3nd
Jhana State
1.
Sukha
2.
Samadhi
4th
Jhana State
1.
Equanimity
2.
Samadhi
5.
Pangna or Wisdom
This
is the understanding of the Four Noble Truths, the suffering, the
origin of suffering, the path for cessation (Nirodaya) of suffering
and the cessation of suffering. This is the more difficult and the
intellectual pursuit of Vipassana
Meditation.
The
Samatha
Meditation
is the more practical and easy way of meditation. There are about 40
objects for Samatha Bhavana (Vissudhi Magga has over 1000 objects)
and one should select one which suits the personalty.
This
is where a Master who is adept at Meditation could be helpful.
In
Samatha Meditation one may dwell in Jhana absorptive states with
morbid attachment to them due to their pleasing and pleasant nature.
It
could be a hindrance to the upward progress.
These
states should be considered as accompaniment of meditative mental
states and one should brush aside the morbid attachment.
There
are no Jhana states for the Vipassana Meditation but one who
progresses through Samatha Meditation could gain the Vipassana goals
as a byproduct in later stages.
These
Jhana absorptions are five in number that can be attained in
meditative states.
The
Jhanas of 1st
to 4th
states are born in Rupavacara lokas (worlds) when they leave this
world after death.
In
that sense, Jhana States are meritorious but they can be consumed in
toto and the subjects be born again in lower states.
Only
after one attains the Nibbana that one is not born in either
Rupavacara or Arupavacara worlds.
All
the states are temporary, impermanent and subject to change depending
on the extent of the bearers Kamma Stream.
The
Jhanas from 5th
to 8th
are states experienced by celestial beings in the Arupavacara states.
Jhana
States and the Types Celestial Beings
Beings of Rupavacara or Material Spheres are
1.
Jhana of 1st
absorption
Brahma-kayika
deva including Mahabrama
2.Jhana
of 2nd
absorption
Paritabha,
Appamanabha, Abhassara devas
3.
Jhana of 3rd
absorption
Pariita
subha, Appamana subha, Subha kippa devas
4.Jhana
of 4th
absorption
Vehaphala,
Asanna satta, Sudhavasa (anagamis) devas
Beings
of Arupavacara or Immaterial Spheres are
5.
Born with 5th
Jhana State
Devas
of Akasanancayatanupaga
(of
Infinity of Space)
6.
Born with 6th
Jhana State
Devas
of Vinnapancayatanupaga
(of
infinity of Consciousness)
7.
7th
Jhana
State
Akincannayatanupaga
(of
Nothingness)
8.
8th
Jhana State
Devas
of Nevasanna-nasansnnayatanupaga
(Neither
perception nor non-perception)
