The present paper is the first part of the article dealing with the modifications wrought by Gotama the Bodhisattva in the S 'raman a system of meditation which had gained prominence even before the rise of the Buddhism. The problem has been dealt with reference to the 4 rupa jhanas created by the Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavadins long before the advent of the Buddha. In this paper an attempt has been made to form a clear idea about the 4 rupa jhanas.
The formulas of the 4 jhanas contain informations not only about the mental states in different stages of meditation but also about the process leading to such states.The interpretations of these formulas given in the Buddhist commentaries are of a much later date，and are more a reflection of the current Buddhist thoughts than that of the Parama-dittha-dhamma-nibbanavada.
It is, however，imperative that to understand truly the import of the 4 jhanas we must understand the philosophy of the Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbanavada of which these jhanas originally formed a part. An attempt has, therefore，been made to reconstruct this philosophy. It has been shown that the sole purpose for which the Parama-ditthadhamma-nibbana-vadins led a religious life was not to gain enlightment but to experience an agreeable feeling like ptisukha, sukha etc. Nibbana merely stood for an unhindered enjoyment of an agreeable feeling. The meditative technique，the modes of formulation of the 4 jhana states are but the products of this philosophy. And it is in the light of this philosophy that we have tried to understand the import of the jhana formulas, comprehend the true meaning of the technical terms like upekkha, sukha, vitakka, vicara etc. and to reconstruct the meditative technique employed by the Parama- ditthadhamma-nibbanavadins.
The present paper thus prepares the ground for the proper understanding of the extent and nature of the modifications made by Gotama the Bodhisattva in the S'ramana system of meditation. This contribution of the Bodhisattva will be discussed in the second part of the article.
