ศึกษาลักขณูปนิชฌานในการเจริญวิปัสสนาภาวนา ในคัมภีร์พุทธศาสนาเถรวาท

Abstract

        This thesis has three objectives: to study the state of Jhāna in the Theravāda Buddhist Scriptures, to study Lakkhanūpanijjhāna in the Theravāda Buddhist Scriptures and to study how Lakkhanūpanijjhāna can be developed through Vipassanā Meditation practice. Clarified and analyzed data are taken from the Theravāda Buddhist scriptures namely, the Tipitaka, Buddhist commentaries, Tīga, and other related scriptures such as the Visuddhimagga then composed, explained in details, corrected and verified by Buddhist scholars.
        The study found that the states for Jhāna happen when the mind is steadily concentrated until it is up to the level of Appanāsamādhi: the Attainment Concentration. The Jhāna can be divided into 2 forms : (1) the Samathabhāvanā’s conceptual concentration consisting Rūpa-jhāna : the Four Absorptions of the Form Sphere and Arūpa-jhāna : the Four Absorptions of the Formless Sphere. Both Jhāna forms yield the highest result called the Samāpatti (the attainment) and Abhiññā (the superknowledge), which is concluded as Ārammaṇūpanijjhāna: the object-scrutinizing Jhāna. (2) The Vipassanābhāvanā’s ultimate truth concentration, that is, when practitioners acknowledge the Three Characteristics of the conditioned things. This practice yields the highest result called Magga, Phala and Nibbāna and is called Lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna: characteristic-examining Jhāna.
       Lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna is in fact the acknowledgement of the ultimate truth namely the Magga, Phala and Nibbāna. It is considered Vipassanābhāvanā because it acknowledges conditioned things by their Three Characteristics. It is considered Magga because it is the Vipassanā’s successful path and it is considered Phala because it contemplates the Suññata: voidness, the Animitta: signless and the Appaṇihita: desireless conditions. And lastly, Lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna is considered Nibbāna because it acknowledges the final deliverance from suffering of conditioned things.
       Vipassanābhāvanā, as the path to Lakkhaṇūpanijjhāna, can be practiced in two main different methods, namely, (1) Samathapubbankavipassanā, using jhāna as its base and the ones who use this method is called Samathayānika, and (2) Vipassanāpubbankasamatha using no jhāna as its base, but take to the Khaṇikasamādhi: momentary concentration until its strength is equivalent to the jhāna. Practitioners who use this method is called Vipassanāyānika. Both ways are, according to the SatipaṭṭhānaSutta, the methods for Vipassanā Meditation practice, which the Buddha stated that is the only way leading mankind out of the conquering power of defilements and would lead to the permanent freedom.