Hi Chris and All,

>Chris André Stranden wrote:
> Are there any statements in the Palicanon that clearly states that

it is

> possible to reach Nibbana without having such a strong samadhi that

you can

> enter the jhana-states?

If you take the Pali Canon to be the Tipitaka, then yes, I do believe
there are statements found in the Pali Canon that support the
attainment of Nibbana without the attainment of rupa or arupa jhanas.
This passage from the Puggalapa~n~nati is perhaps the best example I
have come across>

======
How does a person attain the higher wisdom of insight into things but
not the inner tranquillity of mind?
Here a certain person is an attainer of the *supermundane path and
fruition*, but not of ecstatic meditation accompanied by an idea of
form or the idea of formlessness. In this way a person attains the
higher wisdom of insight into things but not the inner tranquillity
of mind.

Katha~nca puggalo laabhii hoti
adhipa~n~naadhammavipassanaaya, na laabhii ajjhatta.m
cetosamathassa?

Idhekacco puggalo laabhii hoti lokuttaramaggassa vaa phalassa
vaa, na laabhii ruupasahagataana.m vaa aruupasahagataana.m vaa
samaapattiina.m.

Eva.m puggalo laabhii hoti adhipa~n~naadhammavipassanaaya, na laabhii
ajjhatta.m cetosamathassa.
====


It seems that the following passage from Majjhima Nikaya also
supports the attainment of of at least Stream-entry without the
attainment of rupa and arupa jhanas.

From Culadukkhakkhandha Sutta MN14

"Even though a *Noble disciple* has seen clearly as it actually is
with proper wisdom how sensual pleasures provide little
gratification,much suffering, and much despair, and how great is the
danger in them, as long as he still does not attain to the rapture
and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures,apart from
unwholesome states, or to something more peaceful than that, he may
still be attracted to sensual pleasures."

Bhikkhu Bodhis notes on the passage from his Majjhima translation>

The "rapture and pleasure that are apart from sensual pleasures" are
the rapture and pleasure pertaining to the first and second jhanas;
the states "more peaceful than that" are the higher jhanas.

Rgrds
Steve.