Studies in the Origins of Buddhism c19.s1.36

c19.s1.36

Qn the other hand, Mrs. Rhys Davids has shown that Heiler's opinion is not true in an unqualified manner for a considerable part of the canon, (loc. cit.) esp. the third Piṭaka. What these references show as a matter of fact, is that Jhāna could be about 'worldly' as well as transmundane subjects (lokiya & lokuttara; thus "Tīsu bhūmisu kusalacittekaggatā lokiyo samādhi, ariyamaggasampayuttā ekaggatā lokuttaro samādhi"; Vm. p. 58. The latter is equivalent to the cultivation of Paññā: Paññāya hi bhāvitāya so bhāvito hoti—Ib. p. 60). The practice of Jhāna has in this respect a correspondence to the practice of "Samyama" in the Yoga system. Jhāna led to full deliverance only if undertaken with that purpose and acexperience to Nirodhasamāpatti¹⁴² for which Jhāna was at least necessary.¹⁴³ On the other hand, the description of “Nirodha-samāpatti” comes nearer that of catalepsy than of Sambodhi.¹⁴⁴