Jhana and Lokuttara-jjhana
Buddhist Studies Review May 1, 2007 DOI: 10.1558/bsrv.v24i1.75 (opens in new tab)
Study at a glance
AI-extracted from the abstract| Characteristics | Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed |
|---|---|
| Citations | 4 |
| Key points | Argues that the Abhidhamma's lokuttara-jjhana concept is imposed on the Suttas, contradicting their original usage and making jhana dispensable as a path factor to Awakening. This exemplifies the distortion arising when commentaries use later concepts to interpret the earliest Nikaya teachings. |
Abstract
The Abhidhamma uses the concept of lokuttara-jjhana to refer to the moment one attains any of the four stages of Awakening. In contrast, the Suttas use the terms jhana and samadhi to refer to aspects of the path leading to the stages of Awakening. Therefore, when the commentaries interpret jhana and samadhi in Sutta usage as lokuttara-jjhana, they are imposing an interpretation on the Suttas that is foreign to them. Directly contradicting the Suttas, this reinterpretation makes jhana dispensable as a path factor leading to Awakening. More generally, this particular problem highlights the inherent danger of distortion when the commentaries use later concepts to explain the earliest teachings of the Nikayas.