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　　   Summary

　　　　  The present  paper is the first part of the article

　　   dealing  with the modifications  wrought  by Gotama the

　　   Bodhisattva  in the Sramana system of meditation  which

　　   had  gained  prominence  even  before  the rise  of the

　　   Buddhism.The  problem has been dealt with reference  to

　　   the   4  rupa   jhanas   created   by  the  Parama-ditt

　　   hadhamma-nibbanavadins  long before  the advent  of the

　　   Buddha.In this paper an attempt has been made to form a

　　   clear idea about the 4 rupa jhanas.

　　　　 The formulas  of the 4 jhanas contain informations

　　   not only about the mental states  in different  stages

　　   of meditation  but also about the process  leading  to

　　   such  states.The  interpretations  of  these  formulas

　　   given in the Buddhist commentaries are of a much later

　　   date,  and  are  more  a  reflection  of  the  current

　　   Buddhist thoughts than that of the Parama-ditthadhamma-

　　   nibbanavada.

　　　　 It is, however, imperative that to understand truly

　　   the  import  of the 4 jhanas  we must  understand  the

　　   philosophy  of the  Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavada  of

　　   which these jhanas originally  formed a part.An attempt

　　   has,  therefore,  been   made   to   reconstruct   this

　　   philosophy.It  has been shown that the sole purpose for

　　   which  the  Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbana-vadins   led  a

　　   religious  life  was  not to gain  enlightment  but  to

　　   experience  an agreeable  feeling like pitisukha, sukha

　　   etc.Nibbana merely stood for an unhindered enjoyment of

　　   an agreeable  feeling.  The  meditative  technique, the

　　   modes of formulation  of the 4 jhana states are but the

　　   products  of this philosophy.And  it is in the light of

　　   this philosophy  that we have tried  to understand  the

　　   import  of  the  jhana  formulas, comprehend  the  true

　　   meaning  of the technical  terms  like  upekkha, sukha,

　　   vitakka, vicara etc. and  to reconstruct the meditative

　　   technique  employed by the  Parama-dittadhamma-

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　　   nibbanavadins.

　　　　 The present paper thus prepares  the ground for the

　　   proper understanding  of the extent  and nature of the

　　   modifications  made by Gotama  the Bodhisattva  in the

　　   Sramana system of  meditation. This  contribution  of

　　   the Bodhisattva  will be discussed  in the second part