Dear Robert,

Thank you for reply.

> In the samyutta Nikaya, I, 190, Vangisa Sutta, Invitation, that
> with the Buddha were 500 monks who were arahats. The Buddha said to
> Sariputta: "There is nothing, Sariputta, for which I blame these five
> hundred Monks, in deed or word. Of these monks, sixty have the
> threefold knowledge, sixty have sixfold supernormal knowledge, sixty are
> emancipated in both ways, and then others are emancipated by insight (alone). "

This Pavaara.naa sutta says:

“Imesampi khvaaha.m, saariputta, pa~ncanna.m bhikkhusataana.m na
ki~nci garahaami kaayika.m vaa vaacasika.m vaa. Imesa~nhi,
saariputta, pa~ncanna.m bhikkhusataana.m sa.t.thi bhikkhuu tevijjaa,
sa.t.thi bhikkhuu cha.labhi~n~naa, sa.t.thi bhikkhuu
ubhatobhaagavimuttaa, atha itare pa~n~naavimuttaa”ti"'

"Pa~n~navimutti" means "liberated by wisdom". Acording to Atthakatha to
Kitagiri sutta, this term refers to those who attain Arahant liberation
through either dry-insight (no jhana experience) or only one or more of
the rupa-jhana. So even according to Atthakatha "pa~n~navimutti" are not
necessarily "sukkhavipassaka".

Pa~n~naavimuttoti pa~n~naaya vimutto. So sukkhavipassako, catuuhi
jhaanehi vu.t.thaaya arahatta.m pattaa cattaaro caati imesa.m vasena
pa~ncavidhova hoti. Paa.li panettha a.t.thavimokkhapa.tikkhepavaseneva
aagataa. Yathaaha- "na heva kho a.t.tha vimokkhe kaayena phusitvaa
viharati, pa~n~naaya cassa disvaa aasavaa parikkhii.naa honti. Aya.m
vuccati puggalo pa~n~naavimutto"ti.

Suttas describe "pa~n~navimutti" as one who attained jhanas:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/anguttara/an09-044.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/canon/sutta/digha/dn-15-tb0.html

"Ubhatobhaagavimutti" is one who is both liberated by wisdom and by
attaining all eight jhanas.

> The Commentaries explain far from the Buddha's parinibbana the
> arahants have less sublime qualities, no more analytical knowledges.
> In the first 1000 years they may have the 4 patisambhidhimaggas, the
> next 1000 years there were only arahats who are sukkha vipassaka,
> In the third period of thousand years there are only people who
> have attained the state of non-returner, anagami, no arahants.

Still you gave no reference.

Probably you meant the following commentary:

Pa.tikacceva pa~n~nattattaa pana aparaanipi pa~nca vassasataani
.thassatiiti eva.m pa.thama.m vuttavassasahassameva .thassati.
Vassasahassanti ceta.m pa.tisambhidaapabhedappattakhii.naasavaana.m
vaseneva vutta.m, tato pana uttaripi
sukkhavipassakakhii.naasavavasena vassasahassa.m, anaagaamivasena
vassasahassa.m, sakadaagaamivasena vassasahassa.m, sotaapannavasena
vassasahassanti eva.m pa~ncavassasahassaani pa.tivedhasaddhammo
.thassati. Pariyattidhammopi taaniyeva. Na hi pariyattiyaa asati
pa.tivedho atthi, naapi pariyattiyaa sati pa.tivedho na hoti.
Li"nga.m pana pariyattiyaa antarahitaayapi cira.m pavattissatiiti.

Atthakanipatadi-Atthakatha 4.137, Culavagga-Atthakatha 6.1291

Best wishes, Dmytro