Does this in anyway imply abandonment of Bodhisattva Vows if one
were to reside in jhanic rapture?!
"And what are skillful resolves? Being resolved on
renunciation (freedom from sensuality), on non-ill will, on
harmlessness. These are called skillful resolves. What is the cause
of skillful resolves? Their cause, too, has been stated, and they
are said to be perception-caused. Which perception? — for
perception has many modes & permutations. Any
renunciation-perception, non-ill will-perception or
harmlessness-perception: That is the cause of skillful resolves.
Now where do skillful resolves cease without trace? Their
cessation, too, has been stated: There is the case where a monk,
with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters
& remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of
composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought
& evaluation — internal assurance. This is where skillful
resolves cease without trace. And what sort of practice is the
practice leading to the cessation of skillful resolves? There is
the case where a monk generates desire...for the sake of the
non-arising of evil, unskillful qualities that have not yet
arisen...for the sake of the abandoning of evil, unskillful
qualities that have arisen...for the sake of the arising of
skillful qualities that have not yet arisen...(and) for the...
development & culmination of skillful qualities that have
arisen. This sort of practice is the practice leading to the
cessation of skillful resolves.
Comments by Jnana (Geoff):
http://measurelessmind.ca/jhana.html
In the thought-world of the Pāḷi discourses, directed thought
(vitakka) is closely related to resolve (saṅkappa). MN 78
Samaṇamuṇḍika Sutta tells us that unskillful resolves cease in the
first jhāna and that skillful resolves (kusalā saṅkappā) consisting
of the resolve of renunciation (nekkhammasaṅkappa), the resolve of
non-aversion (abyāpādasaṅkappa), and the resolve of harmlessness
(avihiṃsāsaṅkappa) don’t cease until the second jhāna. This
provides some context as to the meaning and significance of
directed thought and evaluation (vicāra) in the standard jhāna
formula. The Samaṇamuṇḍika Sutta states:
