Synopsis

AN 8.66 vimokkha

vimokkha-suttaṃ n (AN 8.66)	A 8.66 Emancipations

♦ 66. “aṭṭh'-ime, bhikkhave, vimokkhā.	“(there are) eight-(of)-these, *********, emancipations. -1776-
katame aṭṭha?	Which eight?

1. Internal form, see external


1. rūpī rūpāni passati.	1. (for one possessing) form, forms (he) sees.
ayaṃ paṭhamo vimokkho.	this (is the) first liberation. -1777-

2. No internal form, sees external


2. ♦ “ajjhattaṃ a-rūpa-saññī,	2. "internally not-forms-percipient,
bahiddhā rūpāni passati.	externally forms (he) sees."
ayaṃ dutiyo vimokkho.	this (is the) second liberation. -1778-

3. Subha (beautiful) vimokkha


3. ♦ “subha-nteva adhimutto hoti.	3. "'beautiful' {one is} focused (on).
ayaṃ tatiyo vimokkho.	this (is the) third liberation." -1779-

4. STED (smd 5) ākāsā-nañcā-(a)yatanaṃ

STED (smd 5) Space-infinitude-dimension


sabbaso rūpa-saññānaṃ samatikkamā	(with) complete [physical] form-perceptions transcending,
Paṭigha-saññānaṃ atthaṅgamā	(with) resistance-perceptions disappearance,
nānatta-saññānaṃ a-manasikārā	(and) diversity-perceptions; non-attention (to them),
‘an-anto ākāso’ti	[perceiving,] 'In-finite space,'
ākāsānañcā-(a)yatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Space-infinitude-dimension, (he) enters, dwells.
ayaṃ catuttho vimokkho.	this (is the) fourth liberation.

5. STED (smd 6) viññāṇañcā-(a)yatanaṃ

STED (smd 6) Consciousness-infinitude-dimension


sabbaso ākāsānañcā-(a)yatanaṃ samatikkamma	(with) complete Space-infinitude-dimension's transcending,
An-antaṃ viññāṇanti	(perceiving,) 'In-finite consciousness,'
viññāṇañcā-(a)yatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Consciousness-infinitude-dimension, (he) enters, dwells.
ayaṃ pañcamo vimokkho.	this (is the) fifth liberation.

6. STED (smd 7) ākiñcaññā-(a)yatanaṃ

STED (smd 7) Nothingness-dimension


sabbaso viññāṇañcā-(a)yatanaṃ samatikkamma	(with) complete consciousness-infinitude-dimension's transcending
N-atthi kiñcīti	(perceiving,) 'There-is nothing,'
ākiñcaññā-(a)yatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Nothingness-dimension, (he) enters, dwells.
ayaṃ chaṭṭho vimokkho.	this (is the) sixth liberation.

7. STED Neva-saññā-nāsaññā-(a)yatanaṃ

STED (smd 8) Neither-perception-nor-non-perception-dimension


sabbaso ākiñcaññā-(a)yatanaṃ samatikkamma	(with) complete nothingness-dimension's transcending,
Neva-saññā-nāsaññā-(a)yatanaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Neither-perception-nor-non-perception-dimension, (he) enters, dwells
ayaṃ sattamo vimokkho.	this (is the) seventh liberation.

8. STED Saññā-vedayita-nirodhaṃ

STED (smd 9) Perception-feeling-cessation


sabbaso neva-saññā-nāsaññā-(a)yatanaṃ samatikkamma	(with) complete Neither-perception-nor-non-perception-dimension's transcending,
Saññā-vedayita-nirodhaṃ upasampajja viharati	Perception-feeling-cessation, (he) enters, dwells
ayaṃ aṭṭhamo vimokkho.	this (is the) eighth liberation.

ime kho, bhikkhave, aṭṭha vimokkhā”ti.	“These indeed, monks, (are teh) eight liberations.”
chaṭṭhaṃ.	(end of sutta)

1776 vimokkha footnote from bodhi

The word vimokkha is used here in a specific and limited sense and does not imply irreversible liberation of the mind from all defilements; this latter is usually indicated by akuppā cetovimutti or cetovimutti paññāvimutti.

Mp: “In what sense are they emancipations?

In the sense of releasing (adhimuccanaṭṭhena). In what sense releasing? In the sense of thoroughly freeing from adverse qualities, and in the sense of thoroughly freeing through delight in the object.

What is meant is [the mind’s] occurrence on the object without constraint, free from worry, like a child sleeping on his father’s lap, his body completely relaxed.

This second meaning [regarding the object] does not apply to the last emancipation, but only to the others [for in the last emancipation there is no object of perception].”

1777 1st liberation footnote from bodhi

Rūpī rūpāni passati.

Mp: “Here, ‘form’ is the jhāna with a form object, which has arisen by way of a blue kasiṇa, etc., based on something internal such as head hairs, etc.

One who gains this [jhāna] is said to possess form.

One might also see forms with the eye of jhāna externally, such as a blue kasiṇa, etc.

What is indicated by this are the four form-sphere jhānas in the case of a person who has attained jhāna through the kasiṇas with an internal or external basis.”

1778 2nd liberation footnote from bodhi

One not percipient of forms internally sees forms externally (ajjhattaṃ arūpasaññī, bahiddhā rūpāni passati).

Mp: “One who is not percipient of forms internally is one who does not attain form-sphere jhānas based on his own head hairs, etc. What is shown by this are the form-sphere jhānas of one who attains jhāna externally, having done the preliminary work externally.”

1779 subha footnote from bodhi

Subhant’eva adhimutto hoti. Mp: “By this what is shown are jhānas based on extremely purified color kasiṇas, such as blue, etc.”

Mp points out that Paṭis, a canonical exegetical treatise, defines the emancipation on the beautiful as the four immeasurable states (loving-kindness, compassion, altruistic joy, and equanimity); see Paṭis II 39,14–26.

It seems that the first emancipation comprises the first two bases of overcoming; the second, the second two bases of overcoming; and the third, the remaining four bases of overcoming.

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