Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavadins.

　　   (2) Digha Nikaya, Vol. I. pp. 36 ～ 38

　　   (3) See,ibid.pp.34 ～ 35, pp.183ff.Majjhima Nikaya,Vol.

　　　　  I.pp.33,410,454～55;Dhammasangani (PTS.ED.E.Muller,

　　　　  19) pp.55ff.etc.

　　   (4) See pp.476～477of the present article, also note no.

　　　　  31.

　　　　　　　　　　　　 458 页

　　   opinion we may point out that even a cursory glance at

　　   the four jhanas recorded  in the Buddhist  suttas in a

　　   gradually ascending order, will immediately  show that

　　   the higher states  of meditation  invariably  reject a

　　   mental factor of the immediately  preceding  lower

　　   jhanas.The   formulations   of  two  such  states   of

　　   meditation  even  use  identical  expression  for  the

　　   mental  factor valued  in the lower state but rejected

　　   in the higher state of meditation.On  the contrary the

　　   first arupya samapatti  which immediately  follows the

　　   fourth  rupa jhana, does not reject  any of the mental

　　   factors attained  in the fourth rupa jhana.The  first

　　   arupya meditation  does not, therefore, appear to have

　　   been necessarily  preceded  by the fourth  rupa jhana.

　　　　   This objection  could be negotiated  if we pay

　　   attention  to the technical  terms characterising  the

　　   fourth rupa jhana, viz.  adukkhamasukham  and purified

　　   sati  (sati-parisuddhi).(注 5) None  of these  jhanic

　　   traits  could  be given  up by any  meditator  who  is

　　   striving   to   advance   further   than   the   forth

　　   jhana.Purified  sati constitutes  the very essence  of

　　   the mental state of an advanced meditator.Its presence

　　   in the  first  arupya  meditation  is to be taken  for

　　   granted even though it is not mentioned by name in the

　　   jhanic  formula.Moreover  the  feeling  (vedana  ?  )

　　   adukkhamasukham  being  a neutral  feeling, is not  an

　　   impediment  to spiritual  growth, and  so need  not be

　　   given up.(注 6) We may even insist that this neutral

　　   feeling  must be preserved, for the absence  of this

　　   feeling  would automatically  give rise to some other

　　   feeling  which would agitate  the mind.The  point to be

　　   taken note of in this respect is that none of the mental

　　   factors  in the fourth  jhana  is dispensable, or should

　　   be given up.

　　　　 On the  basis  of the  above  discussion  we may

　　   conclude  that  the  mere  absence  of rejection  of a