In Nettippakarana it says
587…Herein, the Blessed One discloses a blunt (light) teaching of the True Idea to one of keen faculties; the Blessed One discloses a blunt-to-keen teaching of the True Idea to one of medium faculties; the Blessed One discloses a keen teaching of the True Idea to one of blunt faculties.
Herein, the Blessed One discloses a blunt teaching of the True Idea to a person who gains knowledge by what is condensed, a keen one to one who is guidable,
“True Idea” is authors translation of Dhamma, I presume.
Dear Citta
we need some background to understand this.
As you know the followers of the Buddha can be classified as 4 types as per the Abhdhamma - Puggala-Pannati.
(see uploaded file)
p.58
What sort of person is quick in acquiring (Ugghàtitannu)?
The person who comprehends the doctrine at the time of its pronouncement is said to be quick in acquiring.
What sort of person learns by exposition (Vipancitannu)?
The person to whom comprehension of the doctrine comes when the meaning of what is briefly uttered is analysed in detail.
What sort of person is one who may be led (Neyya)?
The person to whom comprehension of the doctrine comes by recitation, questioning, and earnest attention and by serving, cultivating and waiting upon lovely friends is one who may be led.
What sort of person is one with whom the word is the chief thing (Padaparama)?
The person to whom comprehension of doctrine would not come in this life, however much he may hear and say and bear in mind or recite, is said to be one with whom the word is the chief thing. Puggala-pannatti_Scan (1).pdf (2.5 MB)
Obviously we are either Padaparama or Neyya. The padaparama may attain next life or a future life, so they should strive to laydown the foundations now by considering and studying etc.
Herein the Blessed one teaches samatha to one of keen faculties; The blessed one teaches samatha and insight to one of medium faculties and the blessed one teaches insight [alone] to one of blunt faculties.
Those with great accumulations or merit can develop by way of samatha - they master jhanas and then develop vipassana. Or ones with medium accumulations of merit can attain via samatha and vipassana.
For the ones with blunt faculties they are taught by insight alone i.e the sukkhavipassaka.
on p.15 of The Guide (english translation of the Netti).
[How it is taught]
41. Herein, the Blessed One teaches escape to a person who gains knowledge by what is condensed( Ugghàtita),
he teaches disappointment and escape to a person who gains knowledge by what is expanded (Vipancita)
he teaches gratification, disappointment, and escape, to a person who is guidable (neyya)
This for us who are Neyya at best we need to contemplate and understand many aspects of the teaching
“In that place, the Blessed One (Bhagavā) demonstrates calm (samatha) to one with sharp faculties (tikkhindriyassa), the Blessed One demonstrates calm and insight (samatha-vipassanā) to one with moderate faculties (majjhindriyassa), and the Blessed One demonstrates insight (vipassanā) to one with dull faculties (mudindriyassa).”
This passage outlines how the Buddha tailors his teachings based on the spiritual capacities or faculties (indriya) of individuals:
Tikkhindriyassa (one with sharp faculties): For those with sharp, keen spiritual faculties, the Buddha focuses on teaching “samatha,” which refers to practices leading to calm, concentration, and the unification of mind. These individuals, due to their sharp faculties, are perhaps understood to already possess a certain level of insight or are capable of developing insight with a strong foundation in calm.
Majjhindriyassa (one with moderate faculties): For those with moderate faculties, neither exceedingly sharp nor dull, the Buddha provides teachings on both “samatha” (calm, concentration) and “vipassanā” (insight). This suggests a balanced approach for those whose spiritual faculties are developed enough to benefit from both aspects of practice, implying that their path involves cultivating deep concentration along with direct insight into the nature of reality.
Mudindriyassa (one with dull faculties): For individuals with duller spiritual faculties, the Buddha emphasizes “vipassanā,” or insight practices. This may suggest that for those who find it more challenging to develop deep concentration, the direct cultivation of insight into the nature of phenomena can be a more suitable or effective method.
.
When it is said “comprehends the doctrine”, it doesn’t sound as certain as saying “Attain Nibbana / Full Liberation / Destruction of all taints, etc.”.
Does “comprehends the doctrine” refer to:
a) obtaining “conceptual” right view?
b) Stream entry?
c) Arhatship?
To rephrase my original question in the 1st post:
Would Abhidhamma be considered “keen” teaching and thus be what is required for neyyo? (me: probably)
Or is it for for ugghaṭitaññū & vipañcitaññū who can catch all its subtleties ?
The translator used "comprehension of Dhamma’ but another translation would be Realization of Dhamma. So it is at least sotapanna.
The ugghaṭitaññū only need brief teachings. The vipañcitaññū need more.
For the Neyya they need a wide range of teachings to really comprend and realize (he teaches gratification, disappointment, and escape, to a person who is guidable (neyya)).
Thus the neyya (and padaparama) need to hear and contemplate many aspects of Dhamma - including of course Abhidhamma. Naturally different aspects of the teaching are more helpful depending on timing, or inclination and so on.
For the one who is steeped in Abhidhamma the anattaness and conditionality (and dukkha and anicca) of all dhammas shines through practically the entire Tipitaka. If they also begin to see this in daily life then pariyatti and patipatti unite…
With regards to Mudindriyassa (one with dull faculties); they are taught insight alone- vipassana - as in dry insight worker. This way is not moistened by Samatha. Why are these dull ones taught only this path?
It is because only the great ones have accumulations for both samatha and vipassana. These Tikkhindriyassa (one with sharp faculties) are so amazing, they can master jhanas as well as develop vipassana, thus they are taught the various ways to master jhana and also vipassana.
The path of insight alone is not as wonderful as the one who is a jhanalabhi but it is still leads to nibbana: Anguttara Nikaya Putta sutta 4.87
Bodhi Note “778 Mp resolves samaṇamacalo into samaṇa-acalo, with–m–a mere conjunct consonant. It identifies this figure with the seven kinds of trainees (sattavidhampi sekhaṃ dasseti). On the next two ascetics, Mp says: “The white-lotus ascetic (samaṇapuṇḍarīka) is an ascetic similar to a white lotus (puṇḍarīka), which has fewer than a hundred petals. By this he shows the dry-insight arahant (sukkhavipassakakhīṇāsavaṃ dasseti), called a white-lotus ascetic because his virtues are incomplete, since he lacks the jhānas and direct knowledges. The red-lotus ascetic (samaṇapaduma) is an ascetic similar to a red lotus (paduma), which has a full hundred petals. By this he shows the arahant liberated in both respects (ubhatobhāgavimuttaṃ khīṇāsavaṃ dasseti), called a red-lotus ascetic because his virtues are complete, since he possesses the jhānas and direct knowledges.”
Dear Citta,
The moments of satipattana are kusala and thus by definition free of hindrances - for those moments. But these may quickly pass and the hindrances are there again. Those very hindrances can be known as merely conditioned phenomena, and then they become the object of satipatthana
From the Commentary to the Satipatthana sutta
Here the mindfulness which lays hold of the hindrances is the Truth of Suffering. Thus the portal of deliverance of the bhikkhu who lays hold of the hindrances should be understood…
The concentration that arises at these time is real, it is associated with right view and other wholesome factors but it may not be as strong or obvious as upacāra-samādhi.
If satipatthana keeps developing then vipassana knowledges may occur and then concentration is stronger, but still this type of concentration has to arise with a profound type of understanding, Right view has to lead… It can’t be made to arise, but when there are the right conditions it can arise.
