<p>Rupa means any form , organic or inorganic, fine or coarse, biological or technological.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-27T15:32:03.280Z
2023-10-27T15:32:03.280Z
Dheeraj Verma
<p>It's same meaning but it's difference in detail.</p>
<p>For example, there are only three senses for Rupa-Bhrhama while human have six senses because of the difference head-Taṇha to rebirth.</p>
<p>See <a href="https://thaipitaka.gitlab.io/sangaha/index.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">AbhidhammatthaSangaha Chapter 1-6</a> for more detail.</p>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-27T22:03:30.830Z
2023-10-27T22:03:30.830Z
Bonn
<p>There is no definitive answer to this question.</p>
<p>The jhana evangelists of the Ajahn Brahm sect say 'rupa' or 'form' refers to the mental image (nimitta) in jhana. But I personally do not agree with this.</p>
<p>The Suttas (e.g. <a href="https://suttacentral.net/sn36.22/en/sujato?lang=en&amp;layout=plain&amp;reference=none&amp;notes=none&amp;highlight=true&amp;script=latin" rel="nofollow noreferrer">SN 36.22</a>) refers to bodily feelings (piti &amp; sukha) &amp; mental feelings (such as domanassa &amp; somanassa). The jhana are based in piti, sukha &amp; equanimity feelings. In other words, the piti &amp; sukha of jhana is generated by the nervous system of physical body or rupa. Even though the rupa cannot be experienced in jhana, the piti &amp; sukha experienced in jhana have their source in the rupa. Similarly, the equanimity of the 4th jhana is the absence of piti &amp; sukha manifesting in the physical body. The suttas also say breathing is the 'thorn' of the 4th jhana, which probably means if/when the 4th jhana starts to weaken, the breathing is the 1st thing experienced. This is probably why jhana is called rupa jhana.</p>
<p>The breathing is physical. When the breathing is calmed by mental absorption into the breathing, this causes piti &amp; sukha to manifest. Thus piti &amp; sukha jhana that (previously) used absorption into breathing as its cause for fruition is probably called 'rupa jhana'.</p>

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2023-10-29T03:37:34.797Z
Would u agree breath, piti, sukha, nimitta are all fine material?
blue_ego
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-30T02:17:27.473Z
There is no word in Pali that means "fine" material. Rupa means "material"
Dhamma Dhatu
CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-27T22:38:37.540Z
2023-10-28T07:37:31.753Z
2023-10-28T07:37:31.753Z
Dhamma Dhatu
<p>Does rupa regarding jhana mean material or fine (subtle) material according to Buddhism? According to <a href="https://buddhist-spirituality.org/eightfold-path/right-concentration" rel="nofollow noreferrer">source</a> it says:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>This is the first of the Absorptions belonging to the Fine-Material
Sphere (rupavacarajjhana). It is attained when, through the strength
of concentration, the fivefold sense activity is temporarily
suspended, and the five Hindrances are likewise eliminated. (Dîgha
Nikaya, 22)</p>
</blockquote>

CC BY-SA 4.0
2023-10-27T17:23:35.627Z
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#rupa
ChrisW
<jhana>
Does rupa jhana mean material or fine material?
# Does rupa jhana mean material or fine material?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2023-10-27)

Does rupa regarding jhana mean material or fine (subtle) material according to Buddhism? According to [source](https://buddhist-spirituality.org/eightfold-path/right-concentration) it says:

> This is the first of the Absorptions belonging to the Fine-Material
> Sphere (rupavacarajjhana). It is attained when, through the strength
> of concentration, the fivefold sense activity is temporarily
> suspended, and the five Hindrances are likewise eliminated. (Dîgha
> Nikaya, 22)

**Tags:** jhana

> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/ptf/dhamma/sagga/loka.html#rupa  

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## 3 answers

### Answer by username_4 on 2023-10-27. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

There is no definitive answer to this question.

The jhana evangelists of the Ajahn Brahm sect say 'rupa' or 'form' refers to the mental image (nimitta) in jhana. But I personally do not agree with this.

The Suttas (e.g. [SN 36.22](https://suttacentral.net/sn36.22/en/sujato?lang=en&layout=plain&reference=none¬es=none&highlight=true&script=latin)) refers to bodily feelings (piti & sukha) & mental feelings (such as domanassa & somanassa). The jhana are based in piti, sukha & equanimity feelings. In other words, the piti & sukha of jhana is generated by the nervous system of physical body or rupa. Even though the rupa cannot be experienced in jhana, the piti & sukha experienced in jhana have their source in the rupa. Similarly, the equanimity of the 4th jhana is the absence of piti & sukha manifesting in the physical body. The suttas also say breathing is the 'thorn' of the 4th jhana, which probably means if/when the 4th jhana starts to weaken, the breathing is the 1st thing experienced. This is probably why jhana is called rupa jhana.

The breathing is physical. When the breathing is calmed by mental absorption into the breathing, this causes piti & sukha to manifest. Thus piti & sukha jhana that (previously) used absorption into breathing as its cause for fruition is probably called 'rupa jhana'.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Would u agree breath, piti, sukha, nimitta are all fine material?  
> **username_4**: There is no word in Pali that means "fine" material. Rupa means "material"  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2023-10-27. Score: 1

Rupa means any form , organic or inorganic, fine or coarse, biological or technological.


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### Answer by username_3 on 2023-10-27. Score: -1

It's same meaning but it's difference in detail.

For example, there are only three senses for Rupa-Bhrhama while human have six senses because of the difference head-Taṇha to rebirth.

See [AbhidhammatthaSangaha Chapter 1-6](https://thaipitaka.gitlab.io/sangaha/index.html) for more detail.


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