[AndrewBoss]

there must be discussion of something like access concentration in the suttas, from which the comentary or abhidhamma took its lead.

also, an interesting comparative study is that of the Anapanasati Sutta with the jhana scriptures

the Anapanasati Sutta, in its 9th stage, includes cittanupassana (contemplation of mental states & defilements) which arise between the rapture/happiness of the 5th-8th stages and the liberation of mind at the 12th stage (prior to exclusive vipassana of the 13th-16th stages)

however, the jhana scriptures do not mention any cittanupassana between the rapture & happiness of the 1st, 2nd & 3rd jhanas and the pure clarity of the 4th jhana (contrary to the Satipatthana & Anapanasati Suttas)

it is though the Satipatthana & Anapanasati Suttas have four satipatthana or tetrads where as the jhana literature only has three satipatthana, namely, contemplation of body, contemplation of feelings then straight to vipassana after the purity of mind of the 4th jhana

even if the 4th jhana, and its purity of mind, may be regarded as cittanupassana, the jhana suttas do not mention experiencing residual defilements of the citta, as the Satipatthana & Anapanasati Sutta do:

And how does a monk remain focused on the mind in & of itself? There is the case where a monk, when the mind has passion, discerns that the mind has passion. When the mind is without passion, he discerns that the mind is without passion. When the mind has aversion, he discerns that the mind has aversion. When the mind is without aversion, he discerns that the mind is without aversion. When the mind has delusion, he discerns that the mind has delusion. When the mind is without delusion, he discerns that the mind is without delusion.

NM 10 [9] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the mind.' He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the mind.'

MN 117 thus, it may be speculated the Anapanasati Sutta describes a path on access concentration

it is possible the commentary or abhidhamma took its lead from the actual experience of practitioners

for example, many teachers, such as Ajahn Buddhadasa, who mostly disregarded commentry & abhidhamma, did not deny & taught the reality of access concentration

the one teacher i have heard that seems to deny the reality of access concentration (based on the suttas) is Ajahn Brahm (7:15 in the video)

but in my understanding, Ajahn Brahm is, without any doubt, incorrect



however, re-listening, Ajahn Brahm may not be "denying" access concentration but merely & correctly saying it does not "fulfill" (the highest) samma samadhi

Ajahn Brahm may be teaching from personal experience. his mind may have had such a degree of purity prior to his practise that he attained the path of attainment concentration (jhana) immediately from kayanupassana (contemplation of breath/body)

where as, for other practitioners, their path may proceed on the level of access concentration, which, after completion, must be begun again for the path of attainment concentration

imo, stream-entry can occur at any time for a mind that perceives the path & can let go into quietude

however, a mind with more coarse conditioning (past karma) will proceed its transcendant path of samatha/vipassana on the level of access concentration where as very karmically pure stream-enterers (such as Sariputta or Ajahn Brahm) will proceed their transendant path of samatha/vipassana on the level of attainment concentration and go directly to jhana

thus, there is certainly a transcendent path of samatha/vipassana with access concentration however some practitioners, such as Ajahn Brahm, may have never experienced it, thus they may deny or de-emphasise it

(this is contrary to the more common experience where a practitioner experiences momentary rapture or access rapture and believe it is jhana)

my opinion

regards