4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

SA 484

brahma and jhana

	(derived from google translate)
如是我聞：	If I smell:
一時，佛住舍衛國祇樹給 孤獨園。	At one time, the Buddha lived in She Wei Kingdom and gave a tree to the solitary garden.
爾時，尊者跋陀羅比丘及尊者阿 難俱住祇樹給孤獨園。	In the meantime, His Holiness Vadoro Picchu and His Holiness Ananda lived in a tree for the Lonely Garden.
爾時，尊者阿難往 詣尊者跋陀羅所，共相問訊慰勞已，於一面 住。	During the same time, His Holiness Ananda went to His Holiness the Bhadra, where they asked for relief and lived together.
時，尊者阿難問尊者跋陀羅比丘言：「	At that time, His Holiness Ananda asked His Holiness Posthara Robichiu: "
云何 名為見第一？	What is called the "foremost in what can seen?"
云何聞第一？	what is called "The foremost in what can be heard?"
云何樂第一？	what is called "The foremost in the experience of pleasure?"
云何 想第一？	Why does Yun want to be number one?
云何有第一？」	Why is cloud first? "

(1. What is foremost in what can be seen)

尊者跋陀羅語尊者 阿難言：「	His Holiness the Bhadra, His Holiness Ananda: "
有梵天自在造作、化如意，為世之 父，若見彼梵天者，名曰見第一。	Brahma created and transformed Ruyi freely and became the father of the world. If he sees another Brahma, his name is called first.

(2. What is foremost in what can be heard)

「阿難！	"Ananda!
有眾生離生喜樂，	A sentient being who, [by virtue of] seclusion, gives rise to happiness and pleasure.
處處潤澤，	Such [happiness and pleasure] nourish and pervade everywhere.
處處敷悅，	[they are felt as] soothing and pleasing in every part,
舉 身充滿，	saturating the whole body.
無不滿處。	There is no part [in the body] that is not saturated/filled.
所謂離生喜樂，	This is called "happiness and pleasure born of seclusion."
彼從 三昧起，	He (that sentient being) comes out/rises/emerges from the samādhi.
舉聲唱說，	He raises his voice to proclaim,
遍告大眾：『	so to inform people in his assembly : "
極寂靜者，	As for that (zhe is a nominalizer) which is utterly peaceful,
離生喜樂，	it is "the happiness and pleasure born of seclusion."
極樂者，離生喜樂。』	As for that which is utterly pleasurable, it is "the happiness and pleasure born of seclusion."
諸有聞彼聲 者，是名聞第一。	Those who have heard such a proclamation are called "those who have experienced the foremost of what can be heard."

(3. What is foremost in experience of pleasure)

「復次，阿難！	"Furthermore, Ananda:
有眾生於 此身離喜之樂潤澤，	A sentient being [may] have his body nourished by the pleasure [that comes from] seclusion from happiness
處處潤澤，	[Such pleasure] nourishes every part [of his body],
敷悅充滿，	Soothing and pleasing, filling to the brim.
舉身充滿，	Pervading and filling the entire body,
無不滿處，	There is no part [of the body] that is not pervaded and filled to the brim [with that pleasure].
所謂離喜之樂，	This is known as 'the pleasure [that comes from] seclusion from happiness.'
是 名樂第一。	This is called 'the foremost pleasure.'"

(4. ?)

「云何想第一？	"Why does Yun think first?
阿難！	Ananda!
有眾生度一 切識入處無所有，無所有入處具足住，若起 彼想者，是名想第一。	There are sentient beings who know that there is nothing in the entrance, and that there is nothing in the entrance. If you think of it, you are the first to think.
「云何有第一？	"Why is Yun No. 1?
復次，阿 難！	Multiple times, Ananda!
有眾生度一切無所有入處，非想非非 想入處具足住，若起彼有者，是名有第一。」	There are sentient beings, everything has no place to enter, no matter what you want, if you want to have a place to live, if you have others, you have the first name. "
尊者阿難語尊者跋陀羅比丘言：「	His Holiness Ananda Language
多有人 作如是見、如是說，汝亦同彼，有何差別？	Many people see and say so, what is the difference between you and him?
我作方便問汝，汝當諦聽，當為汝說。	I ask you for your convenience. You should listen to me, and speak for you.
如 其所觀，次第盡諸漏，是為見第一。	As it sees it, the second place is exhausted in order to see the first place.
如其 所 聞 ，次第盡諸漏，是名聞第一。	As it has heard, the second place is the first place.
如所生 樂，次第盡諸漏者，是名樂第一。	As the music is born, the second best is the first.
如其所想， 次第盡諸漏者，是名想第一。	As it thinks, the one who misses the second time is the first.
如實觀察， 次第盡諸漏，是名有第一。」	Observing truthfully, making all the omissions is the first. "
時，二正士共論說 已，從座起去。	At that time, the two scholars talked together and went from the seat.

W. Chu commentary

SA 484 body means corporeal body; jhāna involves whole-body awareness (SA 484 is from Sarvastivada EBT school. Comments and english translation of key chinese phrases are from Dr. William Chu) •SA 484: Ananda: “What constitutes a superior pleasure?” …“Ananda, from seclusion, some beings give rise to happiness and pleasure. Such [happiness and pleasure] pervade everywhere, nourish everywhere, and envelop and delight everywhere—the whole body is filled to the brim with them; the body is replete with them everywhere.” •阿難尊者問:「什麼是極樂？」尊者跋陀羅回答說：「……阿難！有眾生離欲而產生喜樂，處處潤澤，處處敷悅，舉身充滿，無不滿處」 123b28 離生喜樂 happiness and pleasure born of seclusion

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that phrase is the standard EBT first jhāna formula

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The expression "lisheng xile" (happiness and pleasure born of seclusion) is an exclusive reference to the first jhana {corresponding to Pīti sukha, seclusion -> viveka}. This passage is indubitably about jhanas, and indubitably about whole body being pervaded by piti-suka. Moreover, the expression "jushen" (whole body) makes it expressly about the corporeal body, rather than any metaphorical body/entity. Charles is misreading the passages. The Agama passage and the Commentary's passage are not "nearly identical." The latter is indeed about the Brahma realm. The former goes something like this: What is called the "foremost in what can seen?" "The foremost in what can be heard?" "The foremost in the experience of pleasure?" Answer: Being able to see Brahma the supreme overlord of the world is called "foremost in what can seen." Being able to hear someone who marvels at the pleasure of jhana is the "foremost in what can be heard." Experiencing jhana is the "foremost in the experience of pleasure." In the commentary, all "three pleasures" referred to successive levels of the Brahma realm. Whereas in the agama in question, only the first one is about the Brahma, and the rest are about jhanic experience specifically. The agama sutta in question contains these numerical lists that serve catechistic purposes rather than is specifically about the Brahma realm. 云何名為見第一？云何聞第一？云何樂第一？云何想第一？云何有第一？」

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