I finished Mahasi Sayadaw’s “Manual of Insight” recently and he identifies this experience as the fruit of a particular enlightment stage, beginning with stream entry.
However, I’m reading Bhikkhu Bodhi’s translation of the Majjhima Nikaya, and he identifies this experience as solely belonging to non-returners and arahants. He cites MN 43 and 44 as references, but upon reading them they don’t actually provide any detail.
I was wondering if anyone had other reference points on the discussion of this topic?
I think Mahasi may be talking about fruition attainment (phala samapatti) which even some sotapanna who have skill in mundane jhana can attain.
Bhikkhu Bodhi is explaining the nirodhasamāpatti (saññāvedayitanirodhasamāpatti) that is mentioned in MN44 and where the mental factors actually cease (cessation attainment). This is a rare attainment only available to anagami and arahat who have mastery of all 8 mundana jhana.
Thank you! There is so much information out there on phala samapatti I’m having a hard time getting a concise description.
Would it be fair to say phala samapatti is the cessation of craving (ie Nibbana) and nirodha samapatti is the cessation of conciousness (ie Parinibbana)?
During phala samapatti nibbana is taken as object - but phala is not nibbana.
A word of caution: naturally many would like to think they have attained levels of enlightenment and one not so rare error is to confuse a lapse in sensory perception, or a Bhavanga (life‑continuum) phase, with the realization of Nibbāna.
During strong concentration (even miccha samadhi, the wrong kind) sensory input can fall away so that there is a sense of “blankness,” or the “stopping” of the world. This temporary suspension is then misread - by the one hopeful of proof of his level- as the cessation of suffering (nirodha).
However attaining is not a blackout or loss of experience but the unconditioned element is taken as object by supramundane consciousness.
