➥ subha:

• for subha:
  • loveliness
  • lovely objects
  • exquisite
  • the Exquisite
• for asubha:
  • unloveliness
  • unlovely
• for subhāsubhaṁ:
  • fair and foul

The Exquisite means the Imperturbable

We will show in 8 steps that the Exquisite means fourth jhāna.

1) Meditation on [unlimited] goodwill leads to the Exquisite:

• Bhikkhus, the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill has the Exquisite as its culmination, I declare, for a wise bhikkhu here who has not penetrated to a superior liberation.

Subhaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave mettā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi idha paññassa bhikkhuno uttariṁ vimuttiṁ appaṭivijjhato. (SN v 119)

2) Having a mind that is immeasurable, unlimited, and well developed leads to the Imperturbable:

• How about if I, by transcending the world [of sensuous pleasure] with resolve, were to abide with an awareness that was abundant and enlarged (vipulena mahaggatena cetasā)? Having done so, unvirtuous, spiritually unwholesome mental states such as greed, ill will, and aggressiveness would not exist. With their abandonment, my mind would become immeasurable, unlimited, and well developed (aparittañca me cittaṁ bhavissati appamāṇaṁ subhāvitan). Applying himself and frequently abiding in this way, his mind becomes serene through that practice of spiritual development. When there is serenity, he either attains the Imperturbable now, or else he is intent upon discernment.

Yannūnāhaṁ vipulena mahaggatena cetasā vihareyyaṁ abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā. Vipulena hi me mahaggatena cetasā viharato abhibhuyya lokaṁ adhiṭṭhāya manasā. Ye pāpakā akusalā manasā abhijjhāpi sārambhāpi te na bhavissanti. Tesaṁ pahānā aparittañca me cittaṁ bhavissati appamāṇaṁ subhāvitan ti. Tassa evaṁ paṭipannassa tabbahulavihārino āyatane cittaṁ pasīdati. Sampasāde sati etarahi vā āneñjaṁ samāpajjati paññāya vā adhimuccati. (MN ii 262)

3) Aniñjita includes fourth jhāna:

• Fourth jhāna I declare, is within the not-unstable.

catutthaṁ jhānaṁ… aniñjitasmiṁ vadāmi. (MN i 454-5)

Other jhānas are within the unstable:

He enters and abides in third jhāna. That, I declare, is within the unstable.

tatiyaṁ jhānaṁ upasampajja viharati. Idampi kho ahaṁ udāyi iñjitasmiṁ vadāmi. (MN i 454)

4) Āneñjaṁ and aniñjita are synonyms. For example, Snp 750-1 says:

• Whatever suffering arises, all of it arises dependent on spiritual instability (iñjitapaccayā)… Therefore having relinquished spiritual instability (ejaṁ vossajja), imperturbable (anejo) and free of grasping, the bhikkhu should mindfully fulfil the ideals of religious asceticism. (Snp 750-1)

5) Therefore, fourth jhāna is part of the Imperturbable.

6) The immaterial states are also part of the Imperturbable:

• And how is a bhikkhu one who has attained the Imperturbable? In this regard, by completely transcending refined material states of awareness, with the vanishing of states of refined awareness involving physical sensation, not focusing upon states of refined awareness involving the external senses, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the state of awareness of boundless space where one perceives that space is boundless… By completely transcending the state of awareness of nonexistence, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the state of awareness neither having nor lacking perception.

Kathaṁ ca bhikkhave bhikkhu āneñjappatto hoti? Idha bhikkhave bhikkhu sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāsoti ākāsānañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati… Sabbaso ākiñcaññāyatanaṁ samatikkamma nevasaññānāsaññāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Evaṁ kho bhikkhave bhikkhu āneñjappatto hoti. (AN ii 184)

However, these immaterial states cannot be called the Exquisite, because in the list of the eight states of refined awareness the Exquisite is clearly separated from the immaterial states. For example, the third and fourth states are:

• One is focused exclusively on the Exquisite. This is the third state of refined awareness

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti. Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho.

• By completely transcending refined material states of awareness, with the vanishing of states of refined awareness involving physical sensation, not focusing upon states of refined awareness involving the external senses, one enters and abides in the state of awareness of boundless space where one perceives that space is boundless. This is the fourth state of refined awareness

Sabbaso rūpasaññānaṁ samatikkamā paṭighasaññānaṁ atthaṅgamā nānattasaññānaṁ amanasikārā ananto ākāso ti ākāsanañcāyatanaṁ upasampajja viharati. Ayaṁ catuttho vimokkho. (DN ii 71; MN ii 13; AN iv 307)

7) In developing mettā, one develops a mind that is abundant, exalted and measureless (cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena):

• We shall abide pervading the whole world [of beings] with a mind of [unlimited] goodwill, vast, exalted, unlimited, free of unfriendliness and hostility.

sabbāvantaṁ lokaṁ mettāsahagatena cetasā vipulena mahaggatena appamāṇena averena avyāpajjhena pharitvā viharissāmāti. (MN i 126)

8) According to point 2), the qualities of the mind that are aroused in practising mettā would lead the meditator to the Imperturbable i.e. to fourth jhāna. Therefore the Exquisite equals fourth jhāna because [unlimited] goodwill has the Exquisite as its culmination, says point 1).

The divine abidings, the Exquisite, and the immaterial states

The divine abidings have the following points of culmination:

• Mettā: the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] goodwill has the Exquisite as its culmination.

subhaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave mettā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi. (SN v 119)

• Karuṇā: the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] compassion has the state of awareness of boundless space as its culmination.

ākāsānañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave karuṇā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi. (SN v 120)

• Muditā: the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] warmhearted joy has the state of awareness of boundless consciousness as its culmination.

viññāṇañcāyatanaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave muditā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi. (SN v 120)

• Upekkhā: the liberation [from perceptually obscuring states] through [unlimited] detached awareness has the state of awareness of nonexistence as its culmination.

ākiñcaññāyatanaparamāhaṁ bhikkhave upekkhā cetovimuttiṁ vadāmi. (SN v 121)

It neatly fits the sequence to consider the Exquisite as fourth jhāna.

Illustration: subha, loveliness/ unloveliness

The phenomenon of loveliness is discernable because of unloveliness.

yāyaṁ bhikkhu subhadhātu ayaṁ dhātu asubhaṁ paṭicca paññāyati. (SN ii 150)

➥ subhā: (main article see: subha)

Illustration: subhā, loveliness

What do you think, bhikkhus? Has her former loveliness and beauty vanished and a wretchedness become evident?

Taṁ kiṁ maññatha bhikkhave yā purimā subhā vaṇṇanibhā sā antarahitā ādīnavo pātubhūto ti?. (MN i 88)

➥ subhaṁ: (main article see: subha)

Illustration: subhaṁ, lovely objects

There are many attractive things in the world, on this wide earth. They distract [the mind], it seems, [by promoting] thoughts of lovely objects that are associated with attachment.

Bahūni loke citrāni asmiṁ paṭhavimaṇḍale
Mathenti maññe saṅkappaṁ subhaṁ rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ. (Tha 674)

COMMENT:

Norman argues that saṅkappaṁ should be treated as a plural, based on the presence of saṅkappā in verse 675. In which case, subhaṁ rāgūpasaṁhitaṁ are also plurals.

Illustration: subhaṁ, lovely

To consider the unlovely to be lovely is a perversion of perception.

Asubhe bhikkhave subhan ti saññāvipallāso. (AN ii 52)

➥ asubhaṁ: (main article see: subha)

Illustration: asubhaṁ, unlovely

Knowing that what is originated is unlovely, my mind cleaves to nothing at all.

Saṅkhatamasubhan ti jāniya sabbattheva mano na limpati. (Thi 388)

Illustration: asubhaṁ, unloveliness

Develop the meditation on the unloveliness [of the body].

Asubhaṁ rāhula bhāvanaṁ bhāvehi. (MN i 424)

COMMENT:

And what, Ānanda, is the perception of the unloveliness [of the body]? In this regard, Ānanda, a bhikkhu reflects that this [wretched human] body from the soles of the feet up, and down from the hair on the crown of the head, covered in skin is full of various foul things. In this [wretched human] body there are head-hairs… urine. Thus he abides contemplating the unloveliness of this [wretched human] body.

Katamācānanda asubhasaññā: Idhānanda bhikkhu imameva kāyaṁ uddhaṁ pādatalā adho kesamatthakā tacapariyantaṁ pūraṁ nānappakārassa asucino paccavekkhati: atthi imasmiṁ kāye kesā… muttan ti. (AN v 109)

Illustration: asubhaṁ, unloveliness

He abides contemplating the unloveliness of the body

asubhānupassī kāye viharati. (AN ii 155-6)

Illustration: subhaṁ, exquisite

When someone attains the state of refined awareness that is exquisite, he knows that it is exquisite.

yasmiṁ samaye subhaṁ vimokkhaṁ upasampajja viharati subhantveva tasmiṁ samaye pajānātī ti. (DN iii 34)

Illustration: subhaṁ, exquisite/unlovely

I do not say that when one enters and abides in the state of refined awareness that is exquisite, one knows that everything as unlovely. But rather I say that when one enters and abides in the state of refined awareness that is exquisite, one knows that it is exquisite.

Na kho panāhaṁ bhaggava evaṁ vadāmi: yasmiṁ samaye subhaṁ vimokkhaṁ upasampajja viharati sabbaṁ tasmiṁ samaye asubhanteva pajānātī ti. Evañca khvāhaṁ bhaggava vadāmi: yasmiṁ samaye subhaṁ vimokkhaṁ upasampajja viharati subhantveva tasmiṁ samaye pajānātī ti. (DN iii 34)

Illustration: subhaṁ, the Exquisite

One is focused exclusively on the Exquisite. This is the third state of refined awareness

Subhanteva adhimutto hoti. Ayaṁ tatiyo vimokkho. (DN ii 71; DN ii 112; DN iii 262; DN iii 288; MN ii 13; AN iv 307)

➥ subho: (main article see: subha)

Illustration: subho, exquisite

A gem, a beryl, exquisite

maṇi veḷuriyo subho. (DN i 76)

Illustration: subhaṁ, the Exquisite

Whatever he is attached to, that [for him] is “the Exquisite,” so-called. He calls it Purity. It is there that he sees Perfect Truth.

Yaṁ nissito tattha subhaṁ vadāno suddhiṁvado tattha tathaddasa so. (Snp 910)

➥ subhāsubhaṁ: (main article see: subha)

Illustration: subhāsubhaṁ, fair and foul

For long you have wandered the round of birth and death creating fair and foul masquerades. Enough of all that, Maleficent One. You are defeated, Destroyer.

Saṁsaraṁ dīghamaddhānaṁ vaṇṇaṁ katvā subhāsubhaṁ
Alaṁ te tena pāpima nihato tvamasi antakāti. (SN i 104)