With Kṅmabhū (On the Cessation of Perception & Feeling) Kṅmabhū Sutta (SN 41:6)
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('â', I am about to attain the cessation of perception & feelingâ or that ),
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('â', I am attaining the cessation of perception & feelingâ or that ),
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('â', I have attained the cessation of perception & feeling.â Instead, the way his mind has previously been developed leads him to that state." "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "When a monk is attaining the cessation of perception & feeling, which things cease first: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, or mental fabrications?" "When a monk is attaining the cessation of perception & feeling, verbal fabrications cease first, then bodily fabrications, then mental fabrications."1 "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "What is the difference between a monk who has died & passed away and a monk who has attained the cessation of perception & feeling?" "In the case of a monk who has died & passed away, his bodily fabrication has ceased & subsided, verbal fabrication has ceased & subsided, mental fabrication has ceased & subsided, his life force is totally ended, his heat is dissipated, and his faculties are shut down. But in the case of a monk who has attained the cessation of perception & feeling, his bodily fabrication has ceased & subsided, verbal fabrication has ceased & subsided, mental fabrication has ceased & subsided, his life force is not ended, his heat is not dissipated, and his faculties are bright & clear. This is the difference between a monk who has died & passed away and a monk who has attained the cessation of perception & feeling."2 "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "Now, how does emergence from the cessation of perception & feeling come about?" "The thought does not occur to a monk as he is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling that ),
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('â', I am about to emerge from the cessation of perception & feelingâ or that ),
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('â', I am emerging from the cessation of perception & feelingâ or that ),
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('â', I have emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling.â Instead, the way his mind has previously been developed leads him to that state." "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "When a monk is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, which things arise first: bodily fabrications, verbal fabrications, or mental fabrications?" "When a monk is emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, mental fabrications arise first, then bodily fabrications, then verbal fabrications." "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, how many contacts make contact?" "When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, three contacts make contact: contact with emptiness, contact with the themeless, & contact with the undirected."3 "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, to what does his mind lean, to what does it tend, to what does it incline?" "When a monk has emerged from the cessation of perception & feeling, his mind leans to seclusion, tends to seclusion, inclines to seclusion."4 "Very good, venerable sir." And, delighting in and approving of Ven. Kṅmabhūâs answer, Citta asked him a further question: "How many mental qualities are of great help in the attainment of the cessation of perception & feeling?" "Actually, householder, you have asked last what should have been asked first. Nevertheless, I will answer you. Two qualities are of great help in the attainment of the cessation of perception & feeling: tranquility & insight."5 Notes 1. According to SNÂ 36:11, verbal fabrication grows still on attaining the second jhṅna; bodily fabrication grows still on attaining the fourth jhṅna; mental fabrication grows still on attaining the cessation of perception & feeling. 2. This question and answer are not included in MNÂ 44. 3. Emptiness, the themeless, & the undirected are names for a state of concentration that lies on the threshold of unbinding. They differ only in how they are approached. According to the commentary, they color oneâs first apprehension of unbinding: a meditator who has been focusing on the theme of inconstancy will first apprehend unbinding as themeless; one who has been focusing on the theme of stress will first apprehend it as undirected; one who has been focusing on the theme of not-self will first apprehend it as emptiness. 4. According to the commentary, "seclusion" here stands for unbinding. On emerging from the cessation of perception & feeling, and having had contact with emptiness/the themeless/the undirected, the mind inclines naturally to a direct experience of unbinding. 5. This question and answer are also not included in MNÂ 44. - --> - - - -