non-Buddhist  materials  preserved  in  the  Buddhist

　　   scriptures.Moreover  much of such materials  became a

　　   part  of Buddhism  even  during  the lifetime  of the

　　   Buddha.  Consequently the Buddhists in course of time

　　   came to interpret the four jhanas and other materials

　　   in the light of their own philosophy.  This situation

　　   warns us against blind acceptance of the explanations

　　   given in the later Buddhist texts.

　　　　   The philosophy  and the four jhanic formulations

　　   are but a reflection  of their jhanic experience  and

　　   the method of meditation  followed by them.All  these

　　   aspects　　 form   an   integrated　　 whole.A   proper

　　   understanding   of  any  part   of  this  system   of

　　   meditation　　 is,   therefore,   dependent   on   the

　　   understanding of other parts.

　　   ──────────────

　　   (7) Note the following expression in the first Arupya

　　　　  meditation : ayam atta sabbaso rupasannanam

　　　　  samatikkama patighasannanam atthagamana

　　　　  nattasannanam  amanasikara  "Ananto akaso"ti"

　　　　  akasanancayatanu pago".(Digha Nikaya, I, p. 34).

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　　   For the sake of convenience  we may start  with a

　　   translation of the relevant materials as given in the

　　   Brahmajala-sutta  of the Digha Nikaya.The  deviations

　　   from the current translations will be justified later

　　   in course of our discussion.

　　   Ⅱ. TRANSLATION

　　   a)Preparatory stage

　　　　  The  relevant  passages  of  the  Brahmajalasutta

　　   giving  a short  sketch  of the  philosophy  and  the

　　   religious   practices   of  the  Parama-ditthadhamma-

　　   nibbanavadins may be translated as follows:

　　　　　　 Bhikkhus, there are some samanas and brahmanas,

　　　　　　 advocates of the supreme Nibbana in the visible

　　　　　　 world, who declare  in five  ways  the  supreme

　　　　　　 Nibbana  for  the  existing  beings.   On  what

　　　　　　 authoritative tradition, on what basis do these

　　　　　　 honourable  samanas  and brahmanas  declare the

　　　　　　 supreme  Nibbana  through  5  objects   in  the

　　　　　　 visible  world for an existing  being?Here some

　　　　　　 monk and brahmana  speak  thus and hold such a