Is the bliss of phala felt as vedanā?

Abhidhamma
1

Hello all.

I was reading a book on Abhidhamma, and there I found an interesting claim. Venerable said that phala (a moment after magga citta) is blissful and all, but yet it is not vedanā. How can there be blissful feeling if there is no citta to feel it?

quote:

Q: When someone experiences the bliss of phala, is it still vedanā?

No, it’s supreme bliss-- not normal bliss. This is because there’s no mental defilement. This phala attainment is supreme bliss. You can’t explain it to others.

page 203

-Abhidhammā: The Buddhist Analysis of Actuality. Part Six: Meditation

What am I misunderstanding here?

2

Most people confuse Parinibbāna with “Consciousness that takes Nibbāna as an object”.
The latter is what is being said.
Generally speaking, fruition consciousness is “like a jhāna” but instead of the nimitta as the object, nibbāna is the object.

I think this topic will make sense now.

1 Like
3

Thank you, Bhante!

To clarify

So phala citta it is a conscious state with supramundane blissful feeling of “Nibbāna”. Right?

Thank you!

4

yes.. it is often confused. This is why we need the Abhidhamma and Commentaries. Everything becomes clear and free from distorted and wrong interpretations.