Early Monastic Buddhism v2.c34.s5.12

v2.c34.s5.12

The two statements of Vasumitra (i) “The path is realized by utterances” and (ii) “Even in the state of *samāhita* one can utter words” to which corresponds “*samāpannassa atthi vacībhedo ti*” of the *Kathāvatthu* are explained by Buddhaghosa thus: According to the Śaila schools an adept while in the first *jhāna* (meditation) and on the point of attainment of the Sotāpattimagga in some cases gives out an exclamation like “aho dukkhan ti.”¹ This, the adherents of the Śaila schools account for by saying that in the first jhāna, there is *vitakkavicāra*, and because of *vitakkavicāra* there is *vacīsaṃkhāra*² i.e., discursive and discriminating thoughts cause vocal activity, hence there is the possibility of a meditator in the first jhāna uttering the word ‘dukkha’. The Theravādins contend that as all physical activities of a meditator are set at complete rest, his giving out of an exclamation is an impossibility.³