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TEACHINGS | EASTERN HORIZON 9

relevant for this purpose is a discourse in the Saṃyutta– whole body is thoroughly pervaded with joy and
nikāya, which uses these two terms in a way that happiness. This text does seem to consider these
clarifies their implications (SN 36.29). The discourse absorptions to be embodied experiences.
distinguishes between joy and happiness (as well as
equanimity) that are worldly, unworldly, and more This implies that qualifying an absorption as
unworldly than unworldly. “unworldly” does not set mental experience in
opposition to the five physical senses. This holds even
Sensual pleasures derived from experiences through the though the experience of the body in deep concentration
five senses fit the first case: worldly joy (pīti) and differs from the way the body is experienced in daily life.
worldly happiness (sukha). At first sight, this could give
the impression that the difference between worldly and Joy and happiness that are more unworldly than
unworldly can be mapped onto the distinction between unworldly (nirāmisā nirāmisatarā) are in turn the fruit
sensory and mental. Yet, closer inspection shows that of awakening. They occur when awakened ones examine
this is not the case. In fact, the discourse distinguishes the freedom from defilements in their minds.
between “unworldly” and “more unworldly than This last case confirms that the distinction between
unworldly” joy, happiness, and equanimity. Here what is worldly and what is unworldly relates to the
the qualification “unworldly” could hardly intend ethical quality of the mind in which joy or happiness
“mental” in contrast to “sensory”, as applying this to occur. It concerns what, from the standpoint of progress
“more unworldly than unworldly” would result in to liberation, is indeed “worldly”, namely indulgence
the qualification of experiences as ‘more mental than in sensuality. The Saṃyutta-nikāya discourse in fact
mental’. Such an idea fails to make sense. explicitly relates worldly joy, happiness, and equanimity
to experiences that are “connected to sensuality”
A proper appreciation of the implications of (kāmūpasaṃhitā). In contrast, the absence of sensuality
the qualification “worldly” can benefit from and lust is in turn “unworldly”.
clearly distinguishing what is “sensual” from what is
“sensory”. Fully awakened ones still experience the The relationship of the qualification “worldly” to
whole range of sensory experiences, but they do so what is unwholesome can also be seen in a discourse
without sensual desire. The Buddha’s consumption of in the Aṅguttara-nikāya (AN 2.5.7), which describes
food without any lust for its taste is a case in point. The monastics who praise each other in front of lay
problem of sensuality is not a property of the objects of supporters in order to gain material gifts. Such monastics
the senses themselves. Instead, it is due to an unskillful value what is worldly, āmisa, and thereby stand in
mental reaction towards them. contrast to monastics who instead value the Dharma and
do not engage in such reprehensible behavior.
Returning to the Saṃyutta-nikāya discourse in question,
joy and happiness of an unworldly type find their When evaluating the distinction between worldly
illustration in the experience of deep concentration. and unworldly in relation to feeling tones, it needs
This refers in particular to the first or the second to be noted that vedanā is not in itself an intentional
absorptions (unworldly happiness by itself and mental quality. However, feeling tones occur in states
unworldly equanimity relate to the third and fourth of mind that can be wholesome or unwholesome.
absorption, respectively). Here mindfulness of feeling tone can help to note the
ethical quality of the state of mind. The pleasant feeling
Now the Discourse on Mindfulness of the tone of sensuality differs from the pleasant feeling
Body, Kāyagatāsati-sutta (MN 119), includes the tone of absorption attainment. Sensuality arouses
experience of the absorptions in a range of practices worldly pleasant feeling tones, whereas the lower
related to the body. According to the relevant passages, absorptions arouse unworldly pleasant feeling tones. In
with the first and second absorption, a practitioner’s this way, the distinction of feeling tones into worldly and