deliberations  regarding the demerits of the said

　　　　   object, others  are explicit  about the next step

　　　　   viz.  withdrawal  of attention from the object no

　　　　   longer   desired   (note   such  expressions   as

　　　　   amanasikara, samatikkama, and atthagama ? in the

　　　　   meditation formulas of the arupya-samapattis. )

　　　　　　　　　　  478 页

　　   that an agreeable  vedana is the ultimate  goal of the

　　   spiritual  life.In  this  connection  we may note  the

　　   statement  of Vasubandhu  that  the four  dhyanas  are

　　   dominated by vedana (vedana-prabhavitani dhyanani).

　　　　 By  rejecting  the  different   lower  types  of

　　   feelings, and  by mentioning  adukkhamasukham  as  the

　　   highest  type of feeling  that has been  attained, the

　　   fourth  jhana again  emphasises  the vedana  to be the

　　   supreme Nibbana in this world.

　　　　  Moreover some confirmation of our interpretation

　　   of  the  non-Buddhist   sramana   thoughts,  specially

　　   regarding the meditative  techniques, will be found in

　　   the  Dvedha-vitakka-sutta   which   we  will   discuss

　　   next.The  spiritual  journey of a Parama-ditthadhamma-

　　   nibbanavadin in quest of an ideal happiness starting

　　   from  the  ordinary  plain  of  sensual  enjoyment  of

　　   outside objects to the attainment  of the fourth jhana

　　   may be described as follows:

　　　　 An ordinary person experiences utmost happiness

　　   while fully enjoying  an abundant  supply of desirable

　　   objects  (kama).But  his happiness  gives place to the

　　   feeling  of pain when the objects  undergo  change and

　　   destruction.So   he  deliberates   and  comes  to  the

　　   decision  (Vitakka  and vicara) that these objects are

　　   impermanent  and  ultimately  lead  to painful  mental

　　   states (akusaladhamma)  of grief, lamentation etc.Thus

　　   the meditator  frees  himself  from the attraction  of

　　   these desirable  objects  and stops paying any further

　　   attention to them. Consequently he gets separated from

　　   desirable objects and their painful effects, viz.  the

　　   unwholesome　　 mental　　 states　　 of　　 grief　　 etc.

　　   (akusaladhamma)　　 and   attains   the   first   jhana

　　   characterised  by rapturous happiness (pitisukha) born

　　   of seperation  (viveka).( 注 33) It is obvious that at