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.The ob-ject of the base-of-nothingness jhana (akibcabbayatana-jhana) isthe absence of the base-of-infinite-space jhana.The object ofthe base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception jhana(nevasabbanasabbayatana-jhana) is the base-of-nothingnessjhana.So the four immaterial jhanas are based on the fourthkasina jhana and kasina object.Without removing the kasinaobject one cannot go to immaterial jhana.So if a meditatorpractises mindfulness-of-breathing up to the fourth jhana, andthen wants to go to immaterial jhana, he should practise the tenkasinas first up to the fourth jhana.Only after that can he go toimmaterial jhana.If he wants to practise lovingkindness meditation (metta-bhavana) from the fourth anapana jhana he can do so.In thiscase there will be no problem.He must try to see the personwho is the object of lovingkindness with the light of the fourthanapana jhana.If his light is not strong enough it may be a littlebit problematic.But this is exceptional.If after the fourth kas-ina jhana, especially the fourth white kasina jhana he practiseslovingkindness, there may be quick success.So we teach lov-ingkindness meditation after white kasina meditation.Question 6.5: How can one decide oneself the time to die (thatis, choose the time of death)?Answer 6.5: If you have practised mindfulness-of-breathing upto arahant path, you can know the time of your Parinibbana ex-167 Knowing and Seeingactly.The Visuddhimagga mentions a Mahathera who attainedParinibbana while walking.First he drew a line on his walkingpath, and then told his fellow-meditators that he would attainParinibbana when reaching that line, and it happened exactly ashe had said.For those who are not arahants, if they have prac-tised dependent-origination (paticcasamuppada), the causal re-lationship between causes and effects of the past, present andfuture, they can also know their life-span, but not exactly like theMahathera I just mentioned.They do not know the exact date.They may know the period in which they will die.But they attain Parinibbana, or they die, according to the lawof kamma; not according to their own wish.There is one stanzarecited by the Venerable Sariputta: Nabhinandami jivitam nabhinandami maranam; kalabcapatikavkhami, nibbisam bhatako yatha. : I do not love life, Ido not love death, but await the time of Parinibbana, like a gov-ernment servant who waits for his pay-day. To die when he wants is called death by decision(adhimutti-marana).This death by decision usually can be doneby matured bodhisattas only.Why? When they are reborn incelestial planes where there is no opportunity to fulfil theirparamis, they do not want to waste their time so sometimes theymake death by decision.That means they die when they decideto die, and take rebirth in the human world to fulfil theirparamis.Question 6.6: If one day we were to die in an accident, for ex-ample in an air crash, could our mind at that time leave so thatwe would not have any bodily pain? How? Can one, dependingon the power of one s meditation, be without fear at that time,and be liberated? What degree of concentration is required?Answer 6.6: The degree of concentration required is that of thepsychic power of various supernormal powers (iddhividha-abhibba).At that time you can try to escape from danger.But if168 Questions and Answers (6)you have matured unwholesome kamma ready to produce its re-sult, you should remember the case of Venerable Mahamoggal-lana.He was expert in psychic powers, but on the day when hisunwholesome kamma matured he could not enter into jhana.This was because of his matured unwholesome kamma; not be-cause of defilements or hindrances.So the bandits were able tocrush his bones to the size of rice grains.After the bandits hadleft, thinking he was dead, only then could he enter into jhanaagain, and regain his psychic powers.He made a determination(adhitthana) that his body should become normal again, and thenwent to the Buddha to request permission for Parinibbana.Thenhe returned to his Kalasila Monastery, and attained Parinibbanathere.In this case his matured unwholesome kamma producedtheir result, and only after that did they lose their power.Onlythen could he regain his psychic powers.In the same way, if you have no matured unwholesomekamma, and if you have psychic powers, you can try to escapefrom an air crash.But ordinary jhana concentration, and insight-knowledge, cannot save you from this danger.Here we can saythat the reason why one meets with this type of accident may bethat one s unwholesome kamma has matured.The mind cannot leave the body, because the mind arises de-pendent upon one of the six bases.The six bases are eye trans-parent-element, ear transparent-element, nose transparent-element, tongue transparent-element, bodily transparent-element,and bhavavga mind door, or heart-base.These six bases are inyour body.Without a base, a mind cannot occur in this humanworld.So the mind cannot leave the body.However, we can suggest that if you have jhana concentration,you should at the time of danger quickly enter into that jhanaconcentration.In that case you need to have sufficient practicein entering into jhana.It is not possible without sufficient prac-tice.If you enter into jhana at that time, then because of thiswholesome kamma there may be a chance to escape from thedanger, but we cannot say for sure.If you do die while in jhana169 Knowing and Seeingyou may go up to one of the brahma realms after death; if youwere in jhana up to the moment of death.If you can practise Vipassana well then at the time of dangeryou should practise Vipassana again.You should discern theimpermanent (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anatta)nature of formations or conditioned things (savkhara-dhamma).In this case too you need to have sufficient practice.If you havesufficient practice and if you can practise Vipassana thoroughlybefore death takes place, you may attain one of the paths(magga) and fruitions (phala).If so you may reach a happyplane after death.But if you attain arahantship you can attainParinibbana.Should you, however, not have psychic power, orjhana, or not be able to practise Vipassana, you can still escapedue to good kamma alone.If you have good enough kammawhich ensures a long life, there may also be a chance to escapefrom this danger, just like Mahajanaka bodhisatta.Question 6.7: After attaining path and fruition, a noble one(ariya) does not regress to be a worldling (puthujjana), this is the definite fixed-law (sammatta-niyama).Similarly, one who re-ceives a definite prophecy cannot abandon his bodhisatta prac-tice.This too is the definite fixed-law.But the Buddha pro-claimed that everything is impermanent6.Is the above mentioneddefinite fixed-law in accordance with the law of impermanence?Answer 6.7: Here you should understand the law of kamma.Unwholesome kamma (akusala-kamma) produces bad results,and wholesome kamma (kusala-kamma) produces good results.This is an eternal law.If this is so, is the wholesome kamma,and unwholesome kamma permanent (nicca) or impermanent?Please think about this question.6Editor s note: The Buddha did not say: Everything is impermanent ;the Buddha said: All conditioned things are impermanent. (TheDhammapada
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