II. Features

2. The five senses

Various schools of Buddhist meditation assert that the five senses are totally absent as soon as one enters the first jhāna. As such, these meditation systems teach that impingement from the outside world can no longer disturb the meditator in jhāna.

It seems to us likely, or at least not far fetched, to assume that, if any meditative stage on the noble eightfold path led to, or had as a feature, the cessation of sense-experience, the Buddha would have made a point of highlighting it.

After all, embodied, self-centered, sensory experience is the central, most salient aspect of virtually any human being's life.

As it happens, we do find explicit mentions of such a cessation, but we do so not when the four jhānā are mentioned, but with respect to the formless dimensions (arūpāyatanā).

PS: The next chapter, Jhānā in every posture, indirectly bolsters our present thesis, and vice versa, as it would be difficult to walk, or stand, while being totally cut off from "regular" sensory experience.

a. The mind divorced from the senses

MN 43

Mahāvedallasutta (The Greater Set of Questions & Answers)

“Nissaṭṭhena hāvuso, pañcahi indriyehi parisuddhena manoviññāṇena kiṁ neyyan”ti?

“Friend, what can be known with the purified intellect-consciousness divorced from the five (sense) faculties?”

“Nissaṭṭhena, āvuso, pañcahi indriyehi parisuddhena manoviññāṇena ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ neyyaṁ, ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ neyyaṁ, ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ neyyan”ti.

“Friend, with the purified intellect-consciousness divorced from the five faculties, the dimension of the infinitude of space can be known (as) ‘infinite space,’ the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness can be known (as) ‘infinite consciousness,’ the dimension of nothingness can be known (as) ‘There is nothing.’

AN 9.37

Ānandasutta (With Ānanda)

Āyasmā ānando etadavoca: “Acchariyaṁ, āvuso, abbhutaṁ, āvuso. Yāvañcidaṁ tena bhagavatā jānatā passatā arahatā sammāsambuddhena sambādhe okāsādhigamo anubuddho sattānaṁ visuddhiyā sokaparidevānaṁ samatikkamāya dukkhadomanassānaṁ atthaṅgamāya ñāyassa adhigamāya nibbānassa sacchikiriyāya. Tadeva nāma cakkhuṁ bhavissati te rūpā tañcāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedissati. Tadeva nāma sotaṁ bhavissati te saddā tañcāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedissati. Tadeva nāma ghānaṁ bhavissati te gandhā tañcāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedissati. Sāva nāma jivhā bhavissati te rasā tañcāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedissati. Sova nāma kāyo bhavissati te phoṭṭhabbā tañcāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedissatī”ti.

Ven. Ānanda said, “It’s amazing, friends, it’s astounding, how the Blessed One who knows & sees, the worthy one, rightly self-awakened, has attained & awakened to an opening [in a confining place] for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of unbinding, where the eye will be, and those forms, and yet one will not be sensitive to that dimension; where the ear will be, and those sounds… where the nose will be, and those aromas… where the tongue will be, and those flavors… where the body will be, and those tactile sensations, and yet one will not be sensitive to that dimension.”

Evaṁ vutte, āyasmā udāyī āyasmantaṁ ānandaṁ etadavoca: “saññīmeva nu kho, āvuso ānanda, tadāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedeti udāhu asaññī”ti?

When this was said, Ven. Udāyin said to Ven. Ānanda, “Is one percipient when not sensitive to that dimension, my friend, or unpercipient?”

“Saññīmeva kho, āvuso, tadāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedeti, no asaññī”ti.

[Ven. Ānanda:] “One is percipient when not sensitive to that dimension, my friend, not unpercipient.”

“Kiṁsaññī panāvuso, tadāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedetī”ti?

[Ven. Udāyin:] “When not sensitive to that dimension, my friend, one is percipient of what?”

“Idhāvuso, bhikkhu, sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ‘ananto ākāso’ti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati.

[Ven. Ānanda:] “There is the case where, with the complete transcending of perceptions of (physical) form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not attending to perceptions of multiplicity, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite space,’ one enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. Percipient in this way, one is not sensitive to that dimension [i.e, the dimensions of the five physical senses].

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘anantaṁ viññāṇan’ti viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Evaṁsaññīpi kho, āvuso, tadāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedeti.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space, (perceiving,) ‘Infinite consciousness,’ one enters & remains in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. Percipient in this way, too, one is not sensitive to that dimension.

Puna caparaṁ, āvuso, bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma ‘natthi kiñcī’ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Evaṁsaññīpi kho, āvuso, tadāyatanaṁ no paṭisaṁvedetīti.

“And further, with the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, (perceiving,) ‘There is nothing,’ one enters & remains in the dimension of nothingness. Percipient in this way, too, one is not sensitive to that dimension.

In our view, and by any reasonable logical standard, these two suttas should be, in and of themselves, sufficient evidence to categorically state that the five senses continue to be experienced in the four jhānā.

Indeed, Ven. Sariputtā and Ven. Ānanda, when asked what can be experienced when the five sense faculties cease, do not include any of the four jhānā, and jump directly to the first three ārupāyatanā.

We expect that the Buddha, in the discourse below, would have given the same answer, except that Ven. Ananda specifically excludes the formless, and non-perceptual attainments. So the Buddha is "obliged" to answer exclusively by nibbana

Let's carry on with our dhammavicaya, and explore other contexts where the thesis that the five senses are experienced in the four jhana, is the most sensible explanation. This way, we will make our case as unassailable as possible.

https://dhamma.gift/read/?s=\br%C5%ABpa%E1%B9%81&q=an11.8#2.1

b. Formless dimensions

Standard Definition

Dimension of infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ)

sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati

[W]ith the complete surmounting of perceptions of forms, with the passing away of perceptions of sensory impingement, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, [perceiving] “space is infinite,” a bhikkhu enters and dwells in the base of the infinity of space

To attain the first formless dimension then, the three qualities that must be overcome, cease, or unattended to, are: rūpasaññā, paṭighasañña and nānattasaññā.

rūpasaññā

[rūpa + saññā]

fem.: recognition of form; perception of matter; concept of materiality; (comm) existence in the realm of form

paṭighasaññā

[paṭigha + saññā]

1. fem.: recognition of sense impression; perception of sense impact

2. fem.: aversion; dislike; ill-will

lit: striking against perception

nānattasaññā

[nānatta + saññā]

fem.: recognition of diversity; perception of multiplicity; concept of variety

Let us now take a short detour to find other parts of the Canon where these terms are defined, and how they relate to sense-experience.

• rūpasaññā: to be surmounted

rūpasaññā

[rūpa + saññā]

fem.: recognition of form; perception of matter; concept of materiality; (comm) existence in the realm of form

samatikkamā

[saṃ + ati + √kam + a]

masc. (+gen): surpassing; overcoming (of); going beyond; transcendence

Although most readers would already be familiar with the term rūpa, it does no harm to follow our usual methodology, and to ferret out how such root terms are defined in the Canon exclusively (vs. taking for granted later explanations, or commentaries, of the said terms).

SN 22.57

Sattaṭṭhānasutta (Seven bases)

Katamañca, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ?

And what is form?

Cattāro ca mahābhūtā, catunnañca mahābhūtānaṁ upādāya rūpaṁ. Idaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, rūpaṁ.

The four great existents and the form derived from them: this is called form.

mahābhūtā

[mahā + bhūta]

nt.: four great elements

lit: great become

DN 11

Kevaṭṭasutta (To Kevaṭṭa)

‘kattha nu kho ime cattāro mahābhūtā aparisesā nirujjhanti, seyyathidaṁ—pathavīdhātu āpodhātu tejodhātu vāyodhātū’ti?

Where do these four great elements—the earth property, the liquid property, the fire property, and the wind property—cease without trace?

The action associated with perceptions of form, rūpasaññā, with respect to the first ārupa-attainment, is to overcome them.

The meditator would already have given up sensual desires for forms, as kāmacchandaṁ would otherwise be an obstruction to enter and dwell in the first jhāna. In some sense then, they would have already overcome rupasanna, in the sense that such perceptions would not take over their mind with craving.

We reckon, therefore, that the reason why these perceptions are still mentioned as to be overcome, is to highlight the fact such perceptions fully cease, and what is meant is not overcoming, or transcendence, through equanimity or detachment. In other words, forms fully disappear from one's conscious experience.

The logical, obvious corollary, is that such perceptions of forms are indeed still present in the four jhāna, which is why these states can be cultivated in all postures, with one's eyes open.

Of course, the commentarial tradition generally explains rupa, in the context of jhana, as referring to "subtle forms", such as mind-made images (circle of lights, etc.).

However, we have purposefully pulled the definition of rūpaṁ from the Canon - as being the four great elements - making it crystal clear that, from the Canon's perspective, this term refers to the material aspect of "the world" (i.e. the six sense fields).

paṭighasaññā: passes away

c. Other evidence

AN 5.113

Sammāsamādhisutta ([Right] Concentration)

“Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo sammāsamādhiṃ upasampajja viharituṃ. Katamehi pañcahi?

Bhikkhus, possessing five qualities, a bhikkhu is incapable of entering and dwelling in right concentration. What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu akkhamo hoti rūpānaṃ, akkhamo saddānaṃ, akkhamo gandhānaṃ, akkhamo rasānaṃ, akkhamo phoṭṭhabbānaṃ. Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu abhabbo sammāsamādhiṃ upasampajja viharituṃ.

Here, a bhikkhu cannot patiently endure forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tactile objects. Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is incapable of entering and dwelling in right concentration.

Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo sammāsamādhiṃ upasampajja viharituṃ. Katamehi pañcahi?

“Bhikkhus, possessing five [other] qualities, a bhikkhu is capable of entering and dwelling in right concentration. What five?

Idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu khamo hoti rūpānaṃ, khamo saddānaṃ, khamo gandhānaṃ, khamo rasānaṃ, khamo phoṭṭhabbānaṃ.

Here, a bhikkhu can patiently endure forms, sounds, odors, tastes, and tactile objects.

Imehi kho, bhikkhave, pañcahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu bhabbo sammāsamādhiṃ upasampajja viharitun”ti.

Possessing these five qualities, a bhikkhu is capable of entering and dwelling in right concentration.

The sutta above - the only one called "Right Concentration" (samma samādhi) in the entire Pali Canon - might have challenged our thesis, if it had only mentioned that patient endurance of the five sense objects is required to enter (upasampajja) samādhi.

upasampajja

[upa + saṃ + √pad + ya]

ger. (+acc): reaching; attaining; arriving at

lit: going near together

viharituṃ

[vi + √har + ituṃ]

inf: to live; to stay; to remain

However, because it is clearly stated that one must also patiently endure the five kinds of sense objects to dwell or abide (viharitun) in samma samādhi (i.e. the four jhānā), it stands to reason that the five senses must be experienced, as there would otherwise be nothing to endure.