108 (Day) Cittānupassanā —Eight Meditative-Qualitative Thoughts (Exercises 24-31 in Satipaṭṭhāna Practices) | Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta (MN 10) | Study Notes from BMV Monday Sutta Study with Bhante Dr. G. Chandima
Cittānupassanā — Contemplation of the Thought (cont.)
3.10 Mahaggataṃ vā cittaṃ ‘mahaggataṃ cittan’ti pajānāti.- A mahaggata thought is uplifted, vast, and spacious—often associated with meditative absorptions, encompassing both material-sphere consciousness (rūpāvacara) and immaterial-sphere consciousness (arūpāvacara).
He/she understands an unexpanded thought as “an unexpanded thought.”
An amahaggata thought is limited, small, and confined—characteristic of sensual-sphere thoughts (kāmāvacara). It lacks the uplift of deep concentration or the expansiveness of boundless qualities. Here, the practitioner simply recognizes a thought that remains ordinary, unrefined, or preoccupied with mundane concerns.
He/she understands a thought that has a higher object as “a thought with a higher object.”
Sauttara refers to thoughts within the sensual sphere (kāmāvacara), yet it denotes those that are “higher” or “superior” compared to coarse or inferior sensual thoughts. In this context, sauttara highlights a thought directed toward more refined, wholesome, and elevated objects within the sensual domain.
He/she understands a thought with the supreme object as “a thought with the supreme object.”
Anuttara means “unsurpassed, supreme.” It refers again to both material-sphere and immaterial-sphere thoughts (rūpāvacara and arūpāvacara), but designates them as “unsurpassed” because the objects of these meditative states are far more elevated and refined than those of sauttara thoughts. In this sense, anuttara marks the highest level of contemplative orientation beyond all sensual-domain refinements.
He/she understands a concentrated thought as “a concentrated thought.”
A samāhita thought is collected, steady, unified, and stable. It is not scattered or shaken by sense impressions. Recognizing this strengthens confidence in meditation and deepens the development of tranquillity and insight. In later exegetical works, to be precise, such a thought is described as arising within either appanā-samādhi (full absorption) or upacāra-samādhi (access concentration).
Upacāra-samādhi (access concentration) is a state where the thoughts are calm, steady, and closely settled on the meditation object, but not fully absorbed. The five hindrances are weakened rather than completely absent, and some peripheral awareness remains—you may still notice sounds, bodily sensations, or thoughts without losing mindfulness.
Appanā-samādhi (full absorption) is the complete unification of the thoughts with the meditation object, corresponding to proper jhāna. Here, the hindrances are fully suppressed, external awareness disappears, and the mind (thoughts) is deeply immersed in calm and joy. This state powerfully purifies and stabilizes the mind, but insight does not operate during absorption itself; wisdom reflection occurs after emerging. Thus, upacāra-samādhi is the main working ground for insight, while appanā-samādhi functions as a strong supportive calm.
He/she understands an unconcentrated thought as “an unconcentrated thought.”
Here the practitioner notices the absence of concentration (both appanā-samādhi and upacāra-samādhi)—the thought is unsteady, fragmented, or wavering. This honest recognition is not a failure; it is the foundation for returning the thought to calm and stability.
He/she understands a liberated thought as “a liberated thought.”
Liberated’ means liberated by momentary liberation (tadaṅga-vimutti) and liberation through suppression (vikkhambhana-vimutti).
He/she understands a thought not liberated as “a thought not liberated.”
- ‘Not liberated’ means devoid of both kinds of liberation.As for liberation by eradication (samuccheda-vimutti), liberation by tranquillization (paṭipassaddhi-vimutti), and liberation by escape (nissaraṇa-vimutti), there is no scope for them here.
- The triadic formula—internal, external, and both—broadens mindfulness beyond the self. Observing one’s own thoughts (ajjhattaṃ) cultivates introspective clarity; observing others’ thoughts(bahiddhā) nurtures empathy and detachment; observing both dissolves the boundary between self and other, revealing universality in the thought processes.
- This section deepens contemplation into anicca-saññā—the perception of impermanence. One sees the thought as a process, continuously arising and ceasing. Awareness of this flux uproots craving and builds insight into dukkha and anattā. The thought is no longer “mine,” but a transient flow of conditions.
- At this stage, awareness becomes purified of grasping. The practitioner does not think “I am the thought,” but merely recognizes “there is a thought.” This detached observation marks the maturity of mindfulness: awareness for the sake of knowing, not for owning. One abides free from worldly attachment (anissito ca viharati).
First, I would like to share how a yogi or yoginī attains the first four basic jhānas (absorptions). This outline follows the Subha Sutta (DN 10)
Paṭhama-jhāna (First Jhāna)
How it is attained
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Vivicceva kāmehi, vivicca akusalehi dhammehi
→ Through physical and mental seclusion from sense pleasures and unwholesome states. -
Attention is unified on a wholesome meditation object, allowing absorption to form.
What is removed
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Kāma-saṅkappa (sense-desire thinking)
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Akusala dhamma (five hindrances in particular)
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Kāmacchanda (sense desire)
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Byāpāda (ill will)
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Thīna-middha (sloth & torpor)
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Uddhacca-kukkucca (restlessness & remorse)
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Vicikicchā (doubt)
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What arises
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Vitakka – initial application of the mind
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Vicāra – sustained application
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Pīti – energizing joy
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Sukha – bodily–mental pleasure
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Ekaggatā – unification
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Joy and pleasure born of seclusion (vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ)
Thought is still present, but now task-oriented and unified, not discursive.
Dutiya-jhāna (Second Jhāna)
How it is attained
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Vitakka-vicārānaṃ vūpasamā
→ By letting go of directed and sustained thinking. -
Mind becomes internally confident (ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ) and fully unified.
What is removed
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Vitakka
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Vicāra
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Subtle effort related to “placing” the mind
What arises
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Pīti and Sukha born of samādhi (samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ)
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Cetaso ekodibhāva – one-pointedness without guidance
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Deep inner clarity and confidence
Tatiya-jhāna (Third Jhāna)
How it is attained
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Pītiyā ca virāgā
→ Through fading of exhilaration, not suppression. -
One remains mindful and clearly knowing (sato sampajāno).
What is removed
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Pīti (rapture / excitement)
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Emotional uplift that disturbs equanimity
What arises
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Upekkhā – equanimity
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Sukhaṃ kāyena paṭisaṃvedeti – refined bodily happiness
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Noble contentment described as:
“Upekkhako satimā sukhavihārī”
Happiness becomes quiet, stable, and mature.
Catuttha-jhāna (Fourth Jhāna)
How it is attained
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Sukhassa ca pahāṇā, dukkhassa ca pahāṇā
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Pubbeva somanassa-domanassānaṃ atthagamā
→ By abandoning both pleasure and pain, including subtle affective tones.
What is removed
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Sukha and Dukkha
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Somanassa (joy) and Domanassa (sadness)
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Any affective colouring of experience
What arises
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Adukkhaṃ asukhaṃ – neither-pain-nor-pleasure
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Upekkhā-sati-pārisuddhi – purified mindfulness through equanimity
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Perfect balance, clarity, and stability
This is affect-free awareness, ideal for insight.
We now move on to the arūpāvacara jhānas, and for this, I will be using MN 121, the Cūḷasuññata Sutta as our guiding text.
What are arūpāvacara jhānas (formless attainments)?
In this sutta, the Buddha explains a step-by-step deepening of emptiness (suññatā), where the mind lets go of coarse perceptions and abides in subtler, more peaceful states.
The arūpāvacara jhānas are four formless meditative absorptions, where the mind no longer relies on material form (rūpa) as its object.
They are:
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Ākāsānañcāyatana – the base of infinite space
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Viññāṇañcāyatana – the base of infinite consciousness
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Ākiñcaññāyatana – the base of nothingness
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Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana – the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception
In the sutta, these are not presented as mystical jumps, but as natural refinements of perception through letting go.
2. How are they attained according to this sutta? (Very simply)
The Buddha’s method here is subtractive, not acquisitive.
The repeated pattern is:
“Not attending to X, attending to Y, the mind inclines, settles, and becomes unified.”The actual progression:
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From social perception → solitude
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Let go of village (gāmasaññā) and people (manussasaññā)
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Abide in forest perception (araññasaññā)
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Mind becomes calm and unified
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From environment → elemental simplicity
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Let go of forest perception
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Attend only to earth perception (pathavīsaññā) as a smooth, unified whole
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From form → formless
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Let go of earth perception
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Attend to infinite space (ākāsānañcāyatana)
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From space → consciousness
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Let go of space
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Attend to infinite consciousness (viññāṇañcāyatana)
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From consciousness → nothingness
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Let go of consciousness
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Attend to “there is nothing” (ākiñcaññā)
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From nothingness → ultra-subtle perception
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Let go of nothingness
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Abide in neither-perception-nor-non-perception
This progression is not about travelling somewhere
and not about creating special experiences.
It is about what the mind is paying attention to
and what it stops paying attention to.
Each step means:
The mind drops a coarser focus and rests on a subtler one.Nothing mystical. Just simplifying perception again and again.
From social perception → solitude
What is happening?
Normally, our mind is full of:
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People
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Conversations
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Society
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Roles
These are called:
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gāmasaññā – village / social life
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manussasaññā – people perception
What does the meditator do?
They stop attending to:
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Thoughts about people
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Social identity
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Human interaction
And they attend to only one thing:
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araññasaññā – the sense of being alone, secluded, not involved
Result
The mind thinks:
“I am not dealing with people now. I am simply alone.”Because social pressure disappears:
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Agitation reduces
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The mind becomes calm
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Attention gathers into one simple feeling of solitude
This is the first simplification.
From environment → elemental simplicity
What is happening?
Even “forest” still has many details:
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Trees
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Rocks
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Uneven ground
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Sounds
What does the meditator do?
They now let go of forest details
and attend only to:
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pathavīsaññā – earth perception
But not earth as objects.
Instead:
Earth as one continuous, smooth, solid presenceThe Buddha gives a simile:
Like a hide stretched flat — no bumps, no holes.
Result
The mind rests on:
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Stability
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Solidity
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Unity
The environment is no longer “many things”
It is one simple experience.
This is deeper unification.
From form → formless (infinite space)
What is happening?
Even “earth” is still form:
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Solid
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Bounded
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Defined
What does the meditator do?
They stop attending to form altogether
and attend to:
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ākāsānañcāyatana – infinite space
This means:
Awareness opens to “space without edges”No objects.
No surface.
Just openness.
Result
The mind experiences:
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Vastness
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Lightness
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No boundary
This is the first formless attainment.
From space → consciousness
What is happening?
Now the meditator notices:
“Even space is known by awareness.”So attention shifts from what is known
to the knowing itself.
What does the meditator attend to?
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viññāṇañcāyatana – infinite consciousness
Meaning:
Awareness knowing awareness, without objects.Result
The mind feels:
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Boundless knowing
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Extremely subtle clarity
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No sense of inside or outside
Still peaceful — but more refined.
From consciousness → nothingness
What is happening?
Now the meditator sees:
“Even consciousness is something.”So they let go of any sense of ‘something present’.
What do they attend to?
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ākiñcaññāyatana – “there is nothing”
This does not mean blankness.
It means:
Result
The mind rests in:
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Emptiness
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Non-presence
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Extreme quiet
This is not nihilism, just very subtle non-attending.
From nothingness → ultra-subtle perception
What is happening?
Even “nothingness” is still a perception.
So the mind lets go even of that clarity.
What remains?
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nevasaññānāsaññāyatana
Neither perception nor non-perception
This means:
Perception is so faint that it cannot be clearly said to exist or not exist.Result
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Extremely refined stillness
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Almost no mental movement
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But not liberation yet
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