Sutta Interpretations > Paṭhama Mettā Sutta (AN 4.125)

June 7, 2018; revised June 8, 2018; September 13, 2018; August 30, 2020

1. WebLink: suttacentral: Paṭhama Mettā Sutta (AN 4.125) clearly states the difference between jhānā cultivated by Noble Persons (Ariyā) and those who are merely on the mundane path (assutavā puthujjano). Here assutavā puthujjano means one who has not comprehended Tilakkhaṇa; one MUST have removed the ten types of micchā diṭṭhi even to cultivate anāriya jhāna.

▪Since jhānic states represent the same rūpāvacara realms, the jhānic experience could be the same for both Ariya and anāriya jhāna (I am not sure).

▪However, the critical difference is that Noble Persons (who have cultivated jhāna) NEVER come back to kāma loka and attain Parinibbāna, while the anāriyās come back to kāma loka, and could be born in the apāyā too.

▪That is because the Ariyā have REMOVED kāma rāga (ucceda pahāna), while anāriyās have only SUPPRESSED them (vikkhambhana pahāna).

[pahāna : ‘overcoming’, abandoning. There are 5 kinds of overcoming:

(1)overcoming by repression (vikkhambhana-pahāna), i.e. the temporary suspension of the 5 hindrances (nīvarana, q.v.) during the absorptions,

(2)overcoming by the opposite (tadanga-pahāna),

(3)overcoming by destruction (samuccheda-pahāna),

(4)overcoming by tranquillization (patipassaddhi-pahāna),

(5)overcoming by escape (nissarana-pahāna).

[nissaraṇa ：[nt．] 1．going out； departure； 2．escape．]

(1)“Among these, ‘overcoming by repression’ is the pushing back of adverse things, such as the 5 mental hindrances (nīvarana q.v), etc., through this or that mental concentration (samādhi, q.v.), just as a pot thrown into moss-clad water pushes the moss aside....

(2)“ ‘Overcoming by the opposite’ is the overcoming by opposing this or that thing that is to be overcome, by this or that factor of knowledge belonging to insight (vipassanā q.v.), just as a lighted lamp dispels the darkness of the night. In this way, the personality-belief (sakkāyadiṭṭhi, s. diṭṭhi) is overcome by determining the mental and corporeal phenomena ... the view of uncausedness of existence by investigation into the conditions... the idea of eternity by contemplation of impermanency ... the idea of happiness by contemplation of misery....

(3)“If through the knowledge of the noble path (s. ariyapuggala) the fetters and other evil things cannot continue any longer, just like a tree destroyed by lightning, then such an overcoming is called 'overcoming by destruction' ” (Vis.M. XXII, 110f.).

(4)When, after the disappearing of the fetters at the entrance into the paths, the fetters, from the moment of fruition (phala) onwards, are forever extinct and stilled, such overcoming is called the ‘overcoming by tranquillization’.

(5)“The ‘overcoming by escape’ is identical with the extinction and Nibbāna” (Pts.M. I. 27). (App.).]

2. The Brahma Vihāra in Buddha Dhamma are four types: mettā (loving-kindness), karuṇā (compassion, the opposite of karuṇā is anger), muditā (empathetic joy), and upekkhā (equanimity towards all beings).

▪The four realms correspond to the four highest-intensity rūpāvacara jhāna levels (in sutta categorization of jhāna).

▪We can clearly see the concept of gati; most translators do not even know what that word means.

▪Instead of translating the sutta word-by-word, I have just provided the meaning of each verse.

	Pāli	English
1	Cattārome, bhikkhave, puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmiṁ. Katame cattāro?	Bhikkhus, there are four types of "cooled down" individuals (santo). Which four?
2	Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo mettāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati, tathā dutiyaṁ tathā tatiyaṁ tathā catutthaṁ. Iti uddhamadho tiriyaṁ sabbadhi sabbattatāya sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena abyāpajjena pharitvā viharati. So tadassādeti, taṁ nikāmeti, tena ca vittiṁ āpajjati.	Bhikkhus, There is an individual who cultivates mettā bhavana in four directions. Thus he keeps pervading above, below, and all around the universe with compassion.
3	Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Brahmakāyikānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ kappo āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.	When he dies, he is reborn in the realm Brahmakayika realm. Those devas have a life-span of a eon (kappa). An anāriya person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, can be reborn in hell, animal womb, or the state of the hungry ghosts.
4	Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.	But a disciple of the Blessed One (an Ariya), having used up all the life-span of those devas, attains Parinibbāna there. The difference is in the gati between a Noble Person and an anāriya (assutavatā puthujjanena).
5	Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo karuṇāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati,..(rest of the verse same as that of 2 above).	Again, Bhikkhus, There is an individual who cultivates karuṇa bhāvanā in four directions (rest same as in 2 above).
6	Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno ābhassarānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Ābhassarānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ dve kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.	When he dies, he is reborn in the Abhassara realm. Those devas have a life-span of 8 eons (Maha Kappa). An anāriya person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, can be reborn in hell, animal womb, or the state of the hungry ghosts.
7	Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.	But a disciple of the Blessed One (an Ariya), having used up all the life-span of those devas, attains Parinibbāna there. The difference is in the gati between an the noble ones and an anāriya (assutavatā puthujjanena).
8	Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo muditāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati,..(rest of the verse same as that of 2 above).	Again, Bhikkhus, There is an individual who cultivates mudita bhāvanā in four directions.
9	Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno Subhakinha devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Subhakinha, bhikkhave, devānaṁ cattāro kappā āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.	When he dies, he is reborn in the Subhakinha realm. Those devas have a life-span of 4 eons (kappa). An anāriya person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, can be reborn in hell, animal womb, or the state of the hungry ghosts.
10	Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.	But a disciple of the Blessed One (an Ariya), having used up all the life-span of those devas, attains Parinibbāna there. The difference is in the gati between an the noble ones and an anāriya (assutavatā puthujjanena).
11	Puna caparaṁ, bhikkhave, idhekacco puggalo upekkhāsahagatena cetasā ekaṁ disaṁ pharitvā viharati,..(rest of the verse same as that of 2 above)	Again, Bhikkhus, There is an individual who cultivates upekkha bhāvanā in four directions.
12	Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṁ kurumāno vehapphalānaṁ devānaṁ sahabyataṁ upapajjati. Vehapphalānaṁ, bhikkhave, devānaṁ pañca kappasatāni āyuppamāṇaṁ. Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.	When he dies, he is reborn in the Vehapphala realm. Those devas have a life-span of 500 eons (kappa). An anāriya person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, can be reborn in hell, animal womb, or the state of the hungry ghosts.
13	Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṁ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṁ tesaṁ devānaṁ āyuppamāṇaṁ taṁ sabbaṁ khepetvā tasmiṁyeva bhave parinibbāyati. Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati.	But a disciple of the Blessed One (an Ariya), having used up all the life-span of those devas, attains Parinibbāna there. The difference is in the gati between an the noble ones and an anāriya (assutavatā puthujjanena).
14	Ayaṁ kho, bhikkhave, viseso ayaṁ adhippayāso idaṁ nānākaraṇaṁ sutavato ariyasāvakassa assutavatā puthujjanena, yadidaṁ gatiyā upapattiyā sati. Ime kho, bhikkhave, cattāro puggalā santo saṁvijjamānā lokasmin”ti.	Bhikkhus, this is the difference in outcomes due to difference in gati between a Noble Person and an anāriya (assutavatā puthujjanena).

Notes:

1. The four jhānic states attained by an Ariya discussed in this sutta are from anāriya jhāna. Therefore, they are jhānic states attained specifically by a Sotāpanna, by SUPPRESSING kāma rāga. If a Sotāpanna attained even the first Ariya jhāna, then he/she would be born not in those four realms, but in the realms reserved for those who attained the Ānāgāmi phala (realms #23 through #27; see, “31 Realms of Existence.”

2. Note that by cultivating mettā, karuṇā, muditā, and upekkhā bhāvanā, one is born in Brahmakāyika, Abhassara, Subhakinha, and Vehappala Brahma realms with lifetimes of 20000, 40000, 60000, and 84000 kappā.

3. For more information on jhānā, see “Samādhi, Jhāna (Dhyāna), Magga Phala” and “Power of the Human Mind.”

4. Information on 31 realms comes from suttā like this one. I have corrected the lifetimes of these four rūpāvacara realms in the post, “31 Realms of Existence.”