Exploring Liberation in Early Buddhism: Vimutti and Vimokkha Concepts
This research delves into the concept of liberation (vimuttivimokkha) in early Buddhism through examining key sources such as Nikayas and descriptions of arahants. It discusses the significance of liberation as a final goal, different stages of liberation, defilements, noble fruits, and the various cases of liberation, including Nibbana. The study also explores the distinctions among carnal deliverance, spiritual deliverance, and the highest form of deliverance in the context of liberation.
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Liberation or rather Liberations Examining the concept of liberation vimutti\vimokkha ) in the early Buddhism ? ( Aviran Ben David
Liberation as a final goal in the Nikyas Release From Sa s ra, Ending Rebirth: Source 1: When he knows and sees thus, his mind is liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it is liberated there comes the knowledge: It is liberated. He understands: Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being. (MN 51/ MN i 349 - Kandaraka sutta). Source 2: "The knowledge and vision arose in me: Unshakable is my liberation of mind, this is my last birth; now there is no more renewed existence." (SN 14:31/ SN ii 171 -Pubbesambodha sutta)
Discription of an arahant in the nikayas Source 3: arahant, one whose taints are destroyed, who has lived the holy life, done what had to be done, laid down the burden, reached his own goal, utterly destroyed the fetters of existence, one completely liberated through final knowledge. (SN 22:110/SN iii 161- Arahanta sutta).
Defilements Taints Noble fruits (Kilesa/Akusala mula) ( sava) Rebirth/s Fetters (samyojana) (Ariyaphala) up to seven rebirths in human or heavenly realms Stream-enterer 1. personality belief (Sakk ya- di hi ) 2. doubt (Vicikicch ) 3. clinging to mere rules and ritual (S labbata-par m sa) (Sot panna) Once-returner once more as a human lower fetter (Sakad g min ) Non-Returner once more in a heavenly realm (Pure Abodes) 4. Sensual desire (K ma-r ga) 5. ill will (Vy p da) (An g min) 1)greed/desire(lobha/ r ga) 2) hatred (dosa) 1)Sensual lust (k m sava) 6. craving for fine-material existence (R pa-r ga) 7. craving for immaterial existence (Ar pa-r ga) 8. conceit (M na) 9. restlessness (Uddhacca) 2) lust of life (bhav sava) higher fetters 3)delusion (moha) no rebirth Arahant 3) ignorance (avijj sava) *speculative view 10. ignorance (Avijj ) (di h sava)
THE DIFFERENT CASES OF LIBERATION(vimutti( Liberation as Nibb na Sourc 4 What is the counterpart of Liberation? Nibbana, friend, is the counterpart of Liberation. (MN 44 / MN i 304 - C avedalla sutta).
Three kinds of liberation/ Deliverance (Vimokkha) Source 5 "And what, bhikkhus, is carnal deliverance? Deliverance connected with the form sphere is carnal deliverance . "And what, bhikkhus, is spiritual deliverance ? deliverance connected with the formless sphere is spiritual deliverance . "And what, bhikkhus, is deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual? When a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed reviews his mind liberated from lust, liberated from hatred, liberated from delusion, there arises deliverance . This is called deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual." (SN 36.31/ SN iv 23 - Nir misa sutta)
THE DIFFERENT KINDS OF LIBERATION (vimokkha/Vimutti) Three deliverances: 1)Carnal deliverance (S misa vimokkha) -Jh na 2)Spiritual deliverance (Nir misa vimokkha)-Ar ppa Sam patti 3) Deliverance more spiritual than the spiritual (Nir mis nir misatara vimokkha)- Liberation from the taints and defilements
Source 6: (Mah su ata Sutta MN 122) 1)Deliverance of mind that is temporary or pleasant (s m yika v kanta cetovimutti).- meditative attainments 2)Deliverance of mind that is perpetual or unshakeable- Nibbana/ Becoming an Arahant. (as m yika v akuppa cetovimutti). Source 7: (Godhika sutta, SN 4:23/ SN I 121) Then, while the Venerable Godhika was dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, he reached temporary liberation of mind, but he fell away from that temporary liberation of mind. A second time, while the Venerable Godhika was dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, he reached temporary liberation of mind, but he fell away from that temporary liberation of mind. A third time ... A fourth time ... A fifth time ... A sixth seventh time, while the Venerable Godhika was dwelling diligent, ardent, and resolute, he reached temporary liberation of mind. Then it occurred to the Venerable Godhika: "Six times already I have fallen away from temporary liberation of mind. Let me use the knife,
Liberation of mind- fading away of lust (Rga) Liberation By Wisdom-fading away of ignorance (avijj ( Source 8: Bhikkhus, these two things pertain to true knowledge. What two? Serenity and insight. When serenity is developed, what benefit does one experience? The mind is developed. When the mind is developed, what benefit does one experience? Lust is abandoned. When insight is developed, what benefit does one experience? Wisdom is developed. When wisdom is developed, what benefit does one experience? Ignorance is abandoned. A mind defiled by lust is not liberated, and wisdom defiled by ignorance is not developed. Thus, bhikkhus, through the fading away of lust there is liberation of mind, and through the fading away of ignorance there is liberation by wisdom. ( AN 2.31/ AN i 161)
The various liberations of mind MN 43/ MN i 292 (Mah vedalla sutta) 1)Neither painful nor pleasant liberation of mind (adukkhamasukh cetovimutti)-The four jh nas 2)Immeasurable liberation of mind (appam n cetovimutti) -The four brahma abodes (Brahmavih ra) 3( Liberation of mind through nothingness ( ki ca cetovimutti)-The third immaterial attainment ( ki ca yatana) 4) Liberation of mind through emptiness (Su at cetovimutti)-not connected to particular meditative state 5) Sign-less liberation of mind (animitt cetovimutti)- equivalent to sign-less mind concentation (animitto cetosam dhi) 6) Unshakable liberation of mind (Akupp cetovimutti)- nibb na
Source 9: (MN 43/ MN i 292, Mah vedalla sutta) Friend, the immeasurable deliverance of mind, the deliverance of mind through nothingness, the deliverance of mind through voidness, and the signless deliverance of mind: are these states different in meaning and different in name, or are they one in meaning and different only in name?... there is a way in which these states are different in meaning and different in name, and there is a way in which they are one in meaning and different only in name . Lust is a maker of measurement, hate is a maker of measurement, delusion is a maker of measurement. In a bhikkhu whose taints are destroyed, these are abandoned, cut off at the root, made like a palm stump, done away with, so that they are no longer subject to future arising. Of all the kinds of immeasurable deliverance of mind, the unshakeable deliverance of mind is pronounced the best.
Liberations of mind Unshakable liberation of mind Sign-less liberation of mind Liberation of mind through nothingness Immeasurable liberation of mind
Two Types Of Arahant Source 10: (K giri sutta) MN 70 / MN i 477-478) Iiberated in both ways(ubhatobh gavimutta) What kind of person is one liberated-in-both-ways? Here some person contacts with the body and abides in those liberations that are peaceful and immaterial, transcending forms, and his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom. This kind of person is called one liberated-in-both-ways. liberated-by-wisdom(pa vimutta) . What kind of person is one liberated-by-wisdom? Here some person does not contact with the body and abide in those liberations that are peaceful and immaterial, transcending forms, but his taints are destroyed by his seeing with wisdom. This kind of person is called one liberated-by-wisdom.
four kinds of Arahants Source 11: Pav ra sutta (SN 8:7 / SN i 191) " of these five hundred bhikkhus, Sariputta, sixty bhikkhus are triple-knowledge bearers, sixty bhikkhus are bearers of the six direct knowledges, sixty bhikkhus are liberated in both ways, while the rest are liberated by wisdom."
Knowledges and Powers super Meditative attainments Type of Arahant - 0-4 jh nas??? - One of the mind liberations??? 1) Seeing the four noble truths. Knowing the eradication of the taints ( savakkhaya a) Liberated by wisdom (pa vimutta) 2) Recollecting one's previous births. 3) knowing other people's rebirths. - 4-8 jh nas ??? Possessing three knowledges (Tevijj ) 1-3 above ? - All meditative attainments end with the cessation of perception and feelings (Sa vedayitanirodha) - 4-8 jh na - The cessation of perception and feelings??? Liberated in both ways (Ubhatobh gavimutta) 4) super powers (iddhi): power to project mind made images of oneself; to become invisible; to pass through solid things, such as a wall; to penetrate solid ground as if it were water; to walk on water; to fly through the air; to touch sun and moon; to ascend into the highest heavens. 5) the Heavenly Ear-clairaudience (dibbasota). 6) knowledge encompassing heart or mind. Ability to read other s mind. Possessing Six super powers (cha abhi )
Many liberations = Many ways to practice???
