Dear Ven. Kumāra,
I am not sure we should try to integrate different Buddhist systems
from different periods into a single consistent system. Better to look
at them as different angles or ways of looking at things.
However, as far as the commentarial system is concerned, mettā and
karuṇā do not occur in the fourth jhāna in full absorption. Adosa does
occur, but this is not fully developed as mettā. We can say that adosa
is the seed of mettā found in all skilful consciousness that predisposes
it to become mettā and karuṇā whenever conditions are favourable.
As to why avihiṃsāsaṅkappa is distinguished from abyāpādasaṅkappa in the
Suttanta texts, surely this is a practical matter ? Cruelty is
something distinct from hostility, although ultimately related.
Presumably there was a wish to emphasize the rejection of cruelty,
perhaps as something particularly bad.
Lance Cousins
>
> Thanks, Jim. I'm aware of the orthodox interpretion, but it doesn't
> work in the practical world. E.g., How is it possible to have metta
> and karuna in 4th jhana when the mind is in upekkha?
> 'Jim Anderson' jimanderson.on@... [palistudy] wrote thus at
> 01:46 AM 25-09-14:
>> Content-Transfer-Encoding: 8bit
>>
>> Dear Bhante,
>>
>> There would be no need to include avihiṃsā-saṅkappa if it also
>> referred to
>> the same thing as abyāpāda-saṅkappa. But, according to the Vibhaṅga
>> commentary (on Saccavibhaṅga), they refer to different things. The main
>> difference is that abyāpāda is associated with or equivalent to
>> mettā while
>> avihiṃsā is associated with or equivalent to karuṇā. The
>> explanations given
>> in terms of the six dhātus beginning with kāmadhātu and ending with
>> avihiṃsādhātu in Vbh-a on the Dhātuvibhaṅga are also helpful.
>>
>> Best,
>> Jim
>>
>> ----- Original Message -----
>> From: "Kumara Bhikkhu kumara.bhikkhu@... [palistudy]"
>> <palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
>> To: <Palistudy@yahoogroups.com>
>> Sent: September 23, 2014 12:18 AM
>> Subject: [palistudy] avihimsa·sankappa and abyapada·sankappa
>>
>>
>> In samma·sankappa, we find abyapada·sankappa and
>> avihimsa·sankappa (besides nekkhamma·sankappa). I
>> still can't see why is there a need to include
>> avihimsa·sankappa. Shouldn't abyapada·sankappa cover it?
>>
>> OR perhaps I'm not understanding these terms correctly.
>>
>> Please enlighten.
>>
>> mettâ,
>> kb