➥ cetovimutti and paññāvimutti.

• for cetovimutti:
  • liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]
  • liberation [from attachment through inward calm]
• for paññāvimutti:
  • liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment
• cetovimuttiyā: liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]
• cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ: liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment

Cetovimutti (when without paññāvimutti)

In contexts without paññāvimutti, cetovimutti means ‘liberation [from perceptually obscuring states].’ This can be demonstrated in two steps:

1) Cetovimutti means freedom from attachment, hatred, and undiscernment of reality.

• Now that unshakeable liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] is void of attachment, void of hatred, void of undiscernment of reality.

sā kho panākuppā cetovimutti suññā rāgena suññā dosena suññā mohena. (SN iv 296-7)

2) Freedom from attachment, hatred, and undiscernment of reality means liberation from perceptually obscuring states:

• The elimination of attachment, hatred, and undiscernment of reality: the destruction of perceptually obscuring states is spoken of in that way.

rāgavinayo dosavinayo mohavinayo ti āsavānaṁ khayo tena vuccatī ti. (SN v 8)

Cetovimutti: often not arahantship

Cetovimutti usually does not mean arahantship:

• If the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill is developed and cultivated, it is impossible, out of the question, that ill will would plague your mind.

Aṭṭhānametaṁ āvuso anavakāso yaṁ mettāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya… atha ca panassa vyāpādo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī ti. (DN iii 248)

Where it does mean arahantship, it is called unshakeable (akuppā cetovimutti). See next paragraph.

Cetovimutti: temporary or permanent

Cetovimutti may mean temporary or permanent liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]:

• Then Venerable Godhika, abiding diligently, vigorously, and resolutely applied [to the practice] attained temporary liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]. But then Venerable Godhika fell away from that temporary liberation [from perceptually obscuring states].

Atha kho āyasmā godhiko appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto sāmayikaṁ cetovimuttiṁ phusi. Atha kho āyasmā godhiko tāya sāmayikāya cetovimuttiyā parihāyi. (SN i 120)

• Which one thing should be realised? Unshakeable liberation [from perceptually obscuring states].

Katamo eko dhammo sacchikātabbo? Akuppā cetovimutti. (DN iii 272-3)

Cetovimutti plus paññāvimutti

When cetovimutti occurs with paññāvimutti it has a different meaning. Paññāvimutti never occurs without cetovimutti, so has a single meaning. Here we will consider their meanings when they occur together, in the light of the eleventh Bālavaggo Sutta, where they correspond to samatha and vipassanā:

• Two things are conducive to insightfulness into reality. Which two? Inward calm and insightfulness.

Dve me bhikkhave dhammā vijjābhāgiyā. Katame dve? Samatho ca vipassanā ca.

When inward calm is developed, what benefit accrues? The mind is developed.

Samatho bhikkhave bhāvito kamatthamanubhoti? Cittaṁ bhāvīyati.

When the mind is developed, what benefit accrues? Attachment is abandoned.

Cittaṁ bhāvitaṁ kamatthamanubhoti? Yo rāgo so pahīyati.

When insightfulness is developed, what benefit accrues? Penetrative discernment is developed.

Vipassanā bhikkhave bhāvitā kamatthamanubhoti? Paññā bhāvīyati.

When penetrative discernment is developed, what benefit accrues? Uninsightfulness into reality is abandoned.

Paññā bhāvitā kamatthamanubhoti? Yā avijjā sā pahīyati.

The mind that is defiled by attachment is not liberated [from perceptually obscuring states].

Rāgupakkiliṭṭhaṁ vā bhikkhave cittaṁ na vimuccati.

Penetrative discernment that is defiled by uninsightfulness into reality is not developed.

Avijjupakkiliṭṭhā vā paññā na bhāvīyati.

Therefore the liberation [from attachment] by [developing] the mind [in inward calm] is due to the fading away of attachment.

Iti kho bhikkhave rāgavirāgā cetovimutti

And the liberation [from uninsightfulness] by [developing] penetrative discernment is due to the fading away of uninsightfulness into reality.

avijjāvirāgā paññāvimuttī ti. (AN i 61)

On the basis of this sutta this we render the terms as:

• Cetovimutti: liberation [from attachment through inward calm]
• Paññāvimutti: liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment

Cetovimuttiṁ plus paññāvimuttiṁ: not necessarily arahantship

The combination of cetovimuttiṁ and paññāvimuttiṁ may or may not imply arahantship:

• Some person is unvirtuous but he discerns according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where that unvirtuousness ceases without remainder.

Idha panānanda ekacco puggalo dussīlo hoti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa taṁ dussīlyaṁ aparisesaṁ nirujjhati. (AN v 139)

• He, in this very lifetime, through the destruction of perceptually obscuring states, enters upon and abides in the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, realising it for himself through transcendent insight.

So āsavānaṁ khayā anāsavaṁ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ diṭṭheva dhamme sayaṁ abhiññā sacchikatvā upasampajja viharati (AN i 234, MN i 34)

Ubhatobhāgavimutto; Paññāvimutto; Paññāvimuttin; Cetovimuttin

For discussion of these terms see Glossary sv Ubhatobhāgavimutto.

• ubhatobhāgavimutto: one who is liberated [from perceptually obscuring states] both through [penetrative discernment and through attaining the immaterial states of awareness]
• paññāvimutto: one who is liberated [from perceptually obscuring states] through penetrative discernment
• paññāvimuttin: one who is liberated [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment
• cetovimuttin: one who is liberated [from attachment through inward calm]

Illustration: cetovimutti, liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]

And what, bhante, is the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through the perception of nonexistence?

Katamā ca bhante ākiñcaññā cetovimutti

In this regard, by completely transcending the state of awareness of boundless consciousness, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the state of awareness of nonexistence, where one perceives that there is [nowhere] anything at all.

Idha bhante bhikkhu sabbaso viññāṇañcāyatanaṁ samatikkamma natthi kiñcī ti ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. (SN iv 296)

And what, bhante, is the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through the [perception of the] absence [of personal qualities]?

Katamā ca bhante suññatā cetovimutti

In this regard a bhikkhu, gone to the wilderness, or the root of a tree, or a solitary abode, reflects thus: ‘This is void of an [absolute] Selfhood and of what could belong to an [absolute] Selfhood.’

Idha bhante bhikkhu araññagato vā rukkhamūlagato vā suññāgāragato vā itipaṭisaṁcikkhati suññamidaṁ attena vā attaniyena vā. (MN i 297-8)

Illustration: cetovimutti, liberation [from attachment through inward calm]; paññāvimutti, liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment

Bhikkhus, these five practices if developed and cultivated have liberation [from attachment through inward calm], and liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment as their fruit and benefit. Which five?

Pañcime bhikkhave dhammā bhāvitā bahulīkatā cetovimuttiphalā ca honti cetovimuttiphalānisaṁsā ca. Paññāvimuttiphalā ca honti paññāvimuttiphalānisaṁsā ca. Katame pañca?

The perception of the unlastingness [of the five aggregates], the perception that what is unlasting is intrinsically unsatisfactory, the perception that what is intrinsically unsatisfactory is void of personal qualities, the perception of the abandonment [of sensuous thoughts, unbenevolent thoughts, malicious thoughts, and unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors], the perception of the passing away [of originated phenomena], the perception of the ending [of originated phenomena].

Aniccasaññā anicce dukkhasaññā dukkhe anattasaññā pahānasaññā virāgasaññā nirodhasaññā. (AN iii 85)

➥ cetovimuttiyā: (main article see: cetovimutti)

Illustration: cetovimuttiyā, liberation [from perceptually obscuring states]

• If the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill is developed and cultivated, it is impossible, out of the question, that ill will would plague your mind.

Aṭṭhānametaṁ āvuso anavakāso yaṁ mettāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya… atha ca panassa vyāpādo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī'ti

• If the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] compassion is developed and cultivated, it is impossible, out of the question, that maliciousness would plague your mind.

Aṭṭhānametaṁ āvuso anavakāso yaṁ karuṇāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya… atha ca panassa vihesā cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī'ti

• If the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] warmhearted joy is developed and cultivated, it is impossible, out of the question, that disgruntlement [with the celibate life] would plague your mind.

Aṭṭhānametaṁ āvuso anavakāso yaṁ muditāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya… atha ca panassa arati cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī'ti

• If the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] detached awareness is developed and cultivated, it is impossible, out of the question, that attachment would plague your mind. There is no such possibility. For this is the liberation from attachment, namely the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] detached awareness

Aṭṭhānametaṁ āvuso anavakāso yaṁ upekkhāya cetovimuttiyā bhāvitāya bahulīkatāya… atha ca panassa rāgo cittaṁ pariyādāya ṭhassatī'ti. (DN iii 248-250)

➥ cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ: (main article see: cetovimutti)

Illustration: cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ, liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment

We shall so enter and abide in the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment,

yañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ upasampajja viharato

that the illusion of personal identity, the illusion of personal ownership, and the proclivity to self-centredness do not exist

ahaṅkāramamaṅkāramānānusayā na honti

That is how you must train yourselves

Evaṁ hi vo sāriputta sikkhitabbaṁ. (AN i 133)

And how is there unrestraint [of the sense faculties]?

Katañcava bhikkhave asaṁvaro hoti.

In this regard, in seeing a visible object via the visual sense, a bhikkhu is intent upon an agreeable visible object and troubled by a disagreeable visible object.

Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu cakkhunā rūpaṁ disvā piyarūpe rūpe adhimuccati appiyarūpe rūpe vyāpajjati

He abides without having established mindfulness of the body, with an undeveloped mind, and he does not discern according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where those unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome factors cease without remainder.

anupaṭṭhitakāyasati ca viharati parittacetaso tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ nappajānāti yatthassa te uppannā pāpakā akusalā dhammā aparisesā nirujjhanti. (SN iv 190)

Some person is virtuous and he discerns according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where that virtuousness ceases without remainder.

Idha panānanda ekacco puggalo sīlavā hoti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa taṁ sīlaṁ aparisesaṁ nirujjhati. (AN v 141)

Some person is full of attachment but he discerns according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where that attachment ceases without remainder.

Idha panānanda ekacco puggalo tibbarāgo hoti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa so rāgo apariseso nirujjhati. (AN v 141)

Some person is ill-tempered but he discerns according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where that anger ceases without remainder.

Idha panānanda ekacco puggalo kodhano hoti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa so kodho apariseso nirujjhati. (AN v 142)

Some person is full of restlessness but he discerns according to reality, with the liberation [from attachment through inward calm] and the liberation [from uninsightfulness] through penetrative discernment, where that restlessness ceases without remainder.

Idha panānanda ekacco puggalo uddhato hoti tañca cetovimuttiṁ paññāvimuttiṁ yathābhūtaṁ pajānāti yatthassa taṁ uddhaccaṁ aparisesaṁ nirujjhati. (AN v 142)