(Must read!) No lokuttara arūpa, Words' relation about lokiya&lokuttara jhāna

Therefore, lokuttara-appanā jhāna has not arūpa-state, lokuttara-nibbāna are over all aggregates, paṭicca-samuppāda cessation at all. That means there is no rūpa-object or arūpa-object for lokuttara-appanā consumer to think out of, no object for meditation, because the nibbāna-object, of lokuttara-appanā-jhāna, has already out of all aggregates.

The explanation of meditation's relative words:

Pāli words relation: The paṭipanno bhāvanā samādhi by doing jhāna of samatha-ārammṇa. The comparative of bhāvanā's paricita called (nānā ārammanāni) khaṇiko samādhi, the upacāra of samādhi to samāpatti the ekagga-bhāva, and the upacāra of samādhi to samāpatti the ekagga-bhāva. (I used all of pāli word as nāma-sadda to avoid vibhatti's variation, but ). Ekaggatā is eka-bhāva of citta that has eka-rāsi of cetasikasampayutta and eka-ārammaṇa.

The translation of above pāli words relation: The practitioner meditates concentration-meditation by watching samatha-object. The comparision of meditation's evolution called various-object-momentary concentration, almost-consummated-one-pointedness concentration, and already-consummated-one-pointedness concentration. The one-pointedness is the state of mind that has only one same set of mental factors and only one-object continuously arising.

Lokiya = Under Aggregates' Dependency, paṭiccasamuppāda.
Lokuttara = Over Aggregates' Dependency. Lokuttara-aggregates are over present&future taṇhā aggregates, and future resultants. Lokuttara-nibbāna are over all aggregates.

By Abhi. Vibhaṅgo, Samāpatti (consummation) means bhāvanā (meditation). By Mettānisaṅsasutta, it's atthakathā, and Visuddhimagga, bhāvanā (meditation) means the meditation minds continuously arise without the barrier, hindrances.

So, lokuttara-samāpatti means the consummation of lokuttara-citta meditation. And lokiya-samāpatti means the consummation of lokiya-citta meditation.

What is appanā of one-pointedness?

The practitioner meditates the meditation to be proficient (samāpatti). The professor (samāpanno) of the meditation can think of the meditation object without bhavaṅga, five hindrances, and the letting go object. This is why the one-pointedness can be the state of mind that has only one same set of mental factors and only one-object continuously arising.

What is the difference of Lokiya Appanā VS Lokuttara Appanā?

Note: this is just the comparison. But in the real situation, virtual mind&concentration mind&insight mind switch each others to arise depend on the environment of the meditation. The purified virtual and purified concentration (visuddhi) arise automatically in the proper situation because to support the Insight meditation. This is the reason why taṇhā-carita practitioner should meditate concentration meditation specially, his concentration must ready to arise automatically in the environment that five hindrances, pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa, can arise to hinder all meditation. The concentration mind must automatically arise before the hindrances arise to destroy the meditation.

Lokuttara Appanā
Practitioner is 4 Mahākusala/4 mahākiriyā mind with 33 mental factors.
Practitioner's object is Whole five aggregates in dependent origination cycle for the appearance of three normal characteristics.
The enemy is whole future 14 arise-able unwholesome (anusaya-kilesa) especially avijjā, lobha, dosa, sakkāya-diṭṭhi.
Enlightenment is 40 lokuttara appanā minds with 36 mental factors 40 which knowing only nibbāna.
Enlightenment's object is Nibbāna-object which is the opposite of whole five aggregates.

Lokiya Appanā
Practitioner is 4 Mahākusala/4 mahākiriyā mind with 35 mental factors.
Practitioner's object is the pair enemy-object of specific present unwholesome (pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa), such as asubha-meditation is the couple of subha-kāmarāga hindrance.
The enemy is the whole present 14 arise-able unwholesome (pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa) especially 5 hindrances.
Consummation is 27 lokiya appanā minds with 35 mental factors which knowing only that pair enemy-object of specific present unwholesome (pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa).
Consummation's object is the pair enemy-object of specific present unwholesome (pariyuṭṭhāna-kilesa). Some of them are the realities, some of them are paññatti:

1. Because five strings (paṇcakāmaguṇa) are variant reality at five senses, the rūpa-jhāna practitioner must think of the unlimited enemy imagination (paññaiti-object) of five string realities to avoid the five-string-reality thought. But rūpa-jhāna concentration base on the matter, the jhāna's element-pausing effort is not the cause of getting arūpa-object. The rūpa-jhāna consumer can get arūpa-object after his jhāna-power is strong enough.
2. Because out of the paused jhāna-elements, the fifth rūpa-jhāna consumer's ability is ready to think without any matter, the fifth rūpa-jhāna consumer can meditate arūpa-jhāna from now on.
3. Because every paññatti-object of rūpa-jhāna base on the collection of five strings (seven gocara-rūpa), this jhāna consumer still be easy to return to attach five strings again. So, the fifth rūpa-jhāna consumer must try to think out of every five strings by thinking of arūpa-jhāna object. Letting matter go because nothing of arūpa-jhāna object relating with matter.

Therefore, lokuttara-appanā jhāna has not arūpa-state, lokuttara-nibbāna are over all aggregates, paṭicca-samuppāda cessation at all. That means there is no rūpa-object or arūpa-object for lokuttara-appanā consumer to think out of, no object for meditation, because the nibbāna-object, of lokuttara-appanā-jhāna, has already out of all aggregates.

See this article.

Buddhist Jhanas, how to describe them?

In addition to primary sources that discuss what this phenomena is, how would you describe what the Jhanas are to a person unfamiliar with any sort of meditation practice?

Jhanas are the practice to pause the present unwholesome mind. While jhāna mind are arising, there are no any wholesome mind can arise, whole hours or whole day. Jhāna is basis of insight meditation.

How do they differ across different sects/schools?

They are same in meditation. It just difference in a few detail.

How are they viewed sociologically or philosophically from OUTSIDE the lens of a practitioner or one who believes in the concept of enlightenment to begin with?

The jhāna practitioner looks very judicious, worshipful.

TL; DR seeking primary source information on Jhanas/Dhyanas. What is their history? How do they differ across schools/sects? How would an outsider or an academic understand them?

• Path of Purification https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf
• Path of Freedom
  http://urbandharma.org/pdf1/Path_of_Freedom_Vimuttimagga.pdf
• Pa-Auk tawya Monastery
  http://122.155.190.19/revata/index.php?option=com_sectionex&view=category&id=6&Itemid=108#catid8

Howto count down for enlightenment follow the end of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta

Is it exaggeration, translation problem or understanding problem or it's true?

The translation is fine, but the reader must know the environment and situation of that sutta, before read it. If the reader read it without the pre-required knowledge, it is the reader's fail.

The explanation

In atthakathā of MN 10 wrote:

Why Buddha taught mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta to Kuru-people? Because they had enough ability to study the advance teaching. It's told that Kuru-people, such as bhikkhu, bhikkhunī, lay men, and lay women, always had the potential body and the potential mind because Kuru-country had the richness of temperature, etc. Their potential body and potential mind supported their wisdom power, so they can studied the advance teaching.

So, most Kuru-people were diṭṭhi-cārita, who have little dust in their eyes, according to netti desanāhāravibhaṅga.

The diṭṭhi-cārita people can attain jhāna easily. So they don't have to meditate jhāna because of their pure mind. They can enlighten at the listening moment. That's why in the end of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta's atthakathā wrote:

30,000 people enlightened as arahanta at the end of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta was taught.

therefore, the end of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta wrote:

Let alone seven years, anyone who develops these four kinds of mindfulness meditation in this way for six years … five years … four years … three years … two years … one year … seven months … six months … five months … four months … three months … two months … one month … a fortnight … Let alone a fortnight, anyone who develops these four kinds of mindfulness meditation in this way for seven days can expect one of two results: enlightenment in the present life, or if there’s something left over, non-return.

But for taṇhā-carita people,who have much dust in their eyes, they have to meditate jhāna, first. After they attained jhāna, they can count down for enlightenment like what buddha taught in the end of mahāsatipaṭṭhānasutta. Because jhāna can pause their five hindrances, then their "dust in eyes" state will be same little dust as diṭṭhi-carita and they are able to count down for enlightenment.

Lord Buddha and Chakravartin

Cakkavatti is a perfect king. Everybody, included Buddha, have been Cakkavatti before uncountable times.

Buddha doesn't has next life anymore, but Cakkavatti still reborn.

Recite dhamma instead of song lyric

According to the ancient therevāda buddhist tradition, the buddhist people recite > memorize > comprehend buddha's teaching. It is ears/mouth/mind-redirection from the nonsense story to the advantage story.

Why woman can't be the Buddha?

Actually, I don't want to answer like below because the feminists have resisted me before on my reply of some topic like this. I never want to attack anyone, buddha as well.
The contex of bahudhatukasutta is about the best no.1 winner (cakka-vatti/buddha/arahanta/etc.,) vs the ordinary (the follower). So, we have to look about the qualification of the best no.1 winner.
Remember: Buddhism never against female to be the best, if everything (everything is everything, everything is not something) of them can compare to the male. But by the science, history, environment, etc., it is quite harder than the male.

So, what is the qualification of the best no.1 winner?

1. The best physical body.
2. The best I.Q.
3. The best E.Q.
4. The best M.Q.
5. The best Teacher.
6. The best practice.
7. The best effort.
8. The best environment.
9. Etc.

Then answer me for these questions to get the answer of this topic:

Don't let me answer it by myself, because I can be killed by the feminists.

1. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best physical body compare to the other period of month?
2. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best I.Q. compare to the other period of month?
3. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best E.Q. compare to the other period of month?
4. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best M.Q. compare to the other period of month?
5. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best Teacher compare to the other period of month?
6. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best practice compare to the other period of month?
7. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best effort compare to the other period of month?
8. On menstrual period of every month, does a female has the best environment compare to the other period of month?
9. How many time of a life, that the male has bloody period?
10. How are the patients feeling when they lost their nutriment for bloody lesion? While this situation, how are their I.Q., E.Q., M.Q., effort, etc.?
11. How are the patients feeling when they stomachache by the bloody intestine? While this situation, how are their I.Q., E.Q., M.Q., effort, etc.?
12. How the doctors, psychiatrist, etc., answer my question?
13. Why Olympic separates the female competition from the male competition?
14. Etc.

Remember: Buddhism never against female to be the best, if everything (everything is everything, everything is not something) of them can compare to the male. But by the science, history, environment, etc., it is quite harder than the male.

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Actually, it is from tipitaka, Sutta. Ma. U. Bahudhātukasuttaṃ , not atthakatha:

It is impossible that a woman should be the Universal Monarch It is possible that a man should be the Universal Monarch.

It is from Mahidol University Application Budsir The Pali Tipitaka in Roman Character Volume 20 page 36-37.
http://www.84000.org/tipitaka/read/roman_read.php?B=20&A=738

Click here for these versions of this sutta: Siamrattha(THAI), Mahaculalonkorn University, Atthakatha Pali, and Thai translation of Atthakatha by Mahamakut University.

There is no changing in practice after the unfolding of sotāpanna

The practitioner no need changing the practice.
The practitioner has to comprehends 3 characteristics of 5 aggregates, which cycling as the dependent origination, from being ordinary until arahatta-magga. But the teaching literature may be difference. See the description after the below quote.
So, in Sutta. Saṃ. Kha. Sīlavantasutta taught the same meditation for all people, ordinary and all noble one:

On one occasion Ven. Sariputta & Ven. Maha Kotthita were staying near Varanasi in the Deer Park at Isipatana. Then Ven. Maha Kotthita, emerging from seclusion in the late afternoon, went to Ven. Sariputta and, on arrival, exchanged courteous greetings with him. After an exchange of friendly greetings & courtesies, he sat to one side. As he was sitting there, he said to Ven. Sariputta, "Sariputta my friend, which things should a virtuous monk attend to in an appropriate way?"
"A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Which five? Form as a clinging-aggregate, feeling... perception... fabrications... consciousness as a clinging-aggregate. A virtuous monk should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a virtuous monk, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant... not-self, would realize the fruit of stream-entry."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained stream-entry attend to in an appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained stream-entry should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained stream-entry, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant... not-self, would realize the fruit of once-returning."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained once-returning attend to in an appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained once-returning should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained once-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant... not-self, would realize the fruit of non-returning."
"Then which things should a monk who has attained non-returning attend to in an appropriate way?"
"A monk who has attained non-returning should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. For it is possible that a monk who has attained non-returning, attending in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant... not-self, would realize the fruit of arahantship."
"Then which things should an arahant attend to in an appropriate way?"
"An arahant should attend in an appropriate way to these five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self. Although, for an arahant, there is nothing further to do, and nothing to add to what has been done, still these things — when developed & pursued — lead both to a pleasant abiding in the here-&-now and to mindfulness & alertness."

But the teaching literature may be difference. Each enlightenment depend on each personal understanding-ability because each person has difference own understandable dhamma, i.e. Pañcavaggī were professional of aggregates before he meet buddha, but Dīghanakha were professional of six sense fields before he meet buddha, etc.

• Dīghanakha enlightened nibbāna as sotāpanna by comprehending 3 characteristics of the dependent origination (nāma-rūpa) in Sutta. Ma. Ma. Dīghanakhasutta.
• A thousand jaṭila enlightened nibbāna as arahanta by comprehending 3 characteristics of the dependent origination (six sense fields, six contacts, six feeling) in Sutta. Saṃ. Saḷa. Ādittapariyāyasutta.
• Koñḍañña-pañcavaggī enlightened nibbāna as sotāpanna by comprehending 3 characteristics of the fourth noble truth in Sutta. Saṃ. Ma. Dhammacakkappavattanasutta.
  • All pañcavaggī enlightened nibbāna as arahanta by comprehending 3 characteristics of five aggregates, which is continuous from the five clinging-aggregates suffering noble truth of Dhammacakkappavattanasutta above, in Sutta. Saṃ. Kha. Anattalakkhaṇasutta.

Aggregates is changeable because of dependent origination, so nibbāna is unchangeable

1. All conditioner have 3 sub-characteristics (upāda[jāti], ṭhiti[jarā], and bhaṅga[maraṇa]) according to the description of 5 aggregates and 12 dependent originations.
2. Saṅkhāra means cause of effects. This is conditioner aggregate of dependent origination.
   Saṅkhata means effect of causes. This is conditioned aggregate of dependent origination.
   Because saṅkhāra of saṅkhata, have to be saṅkhata of the other saṅkhāra.

So, nothing is no condition, except nibbāna. And that everything, except nibbāna, must be changed (jāti, jarā, and maraṇa) by it's multi-conditioners.

The references of the four stages of enlightenment in the four major Nikayas

It appears in many sutta of many nikāya.

The Example

Sutta Pitaka Vol 1 : Sutta. Tī. Sī Mahālisuttaṃ:

‘And what, Sir, may those other things be?’
‘In the first place, Mahāli, a brother by the complete destruction of the Three Bonds (the Delusions of self, Doubt, and Trust in the efficacy of good works and ceremonies) becomes a converted man, one who cannot be reborn in any state of woe, and is assured of attaining to the Insight (of the stages higher still). That, Mahāli, is a condition, higher and sweeter, for the sake of which the brethren lead the religious life under me.
‘And then further, Mahāli, a brother by the complete destruction of those Three Bonds, and by reducing to a minimum lust, ill-will, and dullness, becomes a Once-returner, one who on his first return to this world shall make an end of pain. That, Mahāli, is a condition higher still and sweeter, for the sake of which the brethren lead the religious life under me.
‘And then further, Mahāli, a brother by the complete destruction of the Five Bonds that bind people to this world becomes an inheritor of the highest heavens, there to pass away, thence never to return. That, Mahāli, is a condition higher still and sweeter, for the sake of which the brethren lead the religious life under me.
‘And then further. Mahāli, when a brother by the destruction of the Deadly Floods (or Intoxications—Lusts, Becomings, Delusion, and Ignorance) has, by himself, known and realised and continues to abide here, in this visible world, in that emancipation of mind, that emancipation of heart, which is Arahatship—that, Mahāli, is a condition higher still and sweeter still, for the sake of which the brethren lead the religious life under me.

Another, in Sutta Pitaka Vol 2 : Sutta. Tī. Ma. Mahāparinibbānasuttaṃ:

“Ānanda, the monk Sāḷha, with the ending of effluents, dwelt in the effluent-free awareness-release and discernment-release, having directly known and realized them for himself right in the here-and-now. The nun Nandā, with the ending of the five lower fetters,16 has spontaneously arisen (in the Pure Abodes,) there to be totally unbound, destined never again to return from that world. Sudatta the male lay-follower, with the ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, is a once-returner, who—on returning only once more to this world—will put an end to stress. Sujātā the female lay-follower, with the ending of [the first] three fetters, is a stream-winner, never again destined for states of destitution, certain, headed for self-awakening. Kakudha the male lay-follower… Kāraḷimbha… Nikaṭa… Kaṭissaha… Tuṭṭha… Santuṭṭha… Bhaṭa… Subhaṭa the male lay-follower, with the ending of the five lower fetters, have spontaneously arisen (in the Pure Abodes,) there to be totally unbound, destined never again to return from that world.
“Ānanda, more than 50 lay-followers who have died in Nādikā, with the ending of the five lower fetters, have spontaneously arisen (in the Pure Abodes,) there to be totally unbound, destined never again to return from that world. 96 lay-followers who have died in Nādikā, with the ending of [the first] three fetters, and with the attenuation of passion, aversion, & delusion, are once-returners, who—on returning only once more to this world—will put an end to stress. 510 lay-followers who have died in Nādikā, with the ending of [the first] three fetters, are stream-winners, never again destined for states of destitution, certain, headed for self-awakening.

The link, that I gave you, are included pāli version. You can take the keywords from that pāli to search more information.

Pubba-cetanā = Deliberation

Pubba-cetanā = Deliberation

Mind doesn't arise depend on only object

In abihdhamma (chapter 1-5 for mind&mind factor, chapter 6 for matter&nibbāna, chapter 8 for paṭiccasamuppāda&paññatti):
1 moment can separate to 3 sub-moments: arising, standing, and vanishing (upāda, ṭhiti, bhaṅgha).
1 matter moment = 17 mind/mind factor moments.
Paṭiccasamuppāda = cycle system of matter, mind, and mind factor.
Nibbāna = the opposite side of paṭiccasamuppāda.
Paññatti = imagination of mind&mind factors about paṭiccasamuppāda or nibbāna (everything).

• So, paññatti has no 3 sub-moments, we can't count it's moment.
• I.E. you can imagine "I get wings to fly", but it doesn't mean you really get wings. If the wings never get 3 sub-moments, arising/standing/vanishing, it is just imagination, not truth. However, something is imagination bases on truth, such as bird's wings. Because wings are imagination as well, but they base on the matter, which can get 3 sub-moments. So, bird can fly.

The explanation

1. Most of jhāna object is paññatti. No one can count paññatti-object's moment, because it never arise/standing/vanish.
2. Another, some jhāna has mind or perception as object. But that object is the past, which already vanished. Mind can know the present object as the present while it is taking a present moment (still in arising, standing, or vanishing state). but for the past or future object, mind can know it as it is unlimited. Similitude as we can see the present passing through car just the moment it is in our vision. But we can think of that passed/coming car, which being out of vision, unlimited.

By both case above, although the object is not present, the mind still can know it.
If mind have to arise depend on only object, we must know everything even when we are sleeping.

We can't see nibbāna, because of diṭṭhi-clinging. Nibbāna is the opposite of the dependent origination.

The dependent origination are the cycle of happening/cessation conditions.

What is the dependent origination?

It is every true things, except nibbāna.

What is nibbāna?

It is the truth which is the opposite side of the dependent origination, the opposite side of the cycle of happening/cessation conditions. Nibbāna never has happening/cessation conditions. The conditions can know nibbāna, but they can't let nibbāna arise or vanish.

Why we can't see nibbāna by thinking like the noble ones can do?

Because we still having the wrong understood about the dependent origination, diṭṭhi-clinging, so we can't daily understand&discover&make cessation of the truth's root conditions, avijjā&taṇhā&all-unwholesome. Therefore we can't see nibbāna like the noble ones can do.

How to see nibbāna? 

Observe sīla, meditate samādhi and vipassanā until enlightened.

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The popular question about nibbāna already answered in Ekādasamo paricchedo Nibbānaniddeso of abhidhammāvatāra.

There also are many aspects of nibbāna in Abhi. Kathāvatthu as well.

Difference between desire (chanda) and craving (tanha)?

Chanda is acceptation to do something to an object. However, it is not decision (adhimokkha), or attachment (taṇhā). In vinaya pitaka, it often use as "agreement" (i.e.).

There are:

1. Unwholesome chanda
   1. Unwholesome chanda without tanṇhā
   2. Unwholesome chanda with sensual tanṇhā
   3. Unwholesome chanda with becoming tanṇhā
   4. Unwholesome chanda with unbecoming tanṇhā
2. Resultant chanda
   1. Lokiya resultant chanda
   2. Lokutara resultant chanda
3. Ineffective action chanda
   1. Ineffective action chanda of sekkha (puthujana and 3 noble one)
   2. Ineffective action chanda of asekkha (arahanta)
4. Wholesome chanda
   1. Lokiya wholesome chanda
   2. Lokutara wholesome chanda

See Conation in Sangaha chapter 2.