Abstract

This article explores the “body-witness” (kāya-sakkhin), one of the types of person who are “noble ones” (ariyas): people with different levels of enlightenment on the noble path. It begins by examining the types of noble ones and how they differ, to focus on what is particular to the body-witness. This is their emphasis on samādhi, meditative concentration, rather than on faith or wisdom. They are seen to excel in the four meditative absorptions known as jhānas, the four formless states, and the cessation of perception and feeling. They experience these in a deeper way than the freed-by-wisdom type of arahat (who can also experience these states to a degree), but in a similar way to the freed-both-ways arahat. Analysis of relevant canonical passages show that jhānas and formless states can be experienced in a range of depths and with different degrees of accompanying wisdom. Then, after examining the nature of “witnessing” in the suttas, the range of meanings of kāya is analysed: the physical body, the tactile sense, a route of action, the body of mental states other than consciousness, the sentient body that encompasses these and the physical body, and also all aspects of a person, all five khandhas. A key aspect of the jhānas is that joy and happiness, then just happiness, then an equanimous mindful mind, completely pervade the experienced, sensed body. Hence jhāna very much involves the body, in a positive way. The formless states which build on the jhānas, though, are purely mental states, beyond any sense-impressions or ideas related to material form. Here the mental body comes to the fore, yet in cessation mental states may completely cease, leaving just a living physical body. So “body-witnessing” works in a range of ways but, for a body-witness then freed-both-ways person, in a very deep way in which there is a direct mindful “touching” of the states of samādhi, so as to be in close “contact” with them. This also provides a basis for a further range of “witnessing” in the “higher knowledges” in which the body and sensing are seen to go far beyond their usual range.