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October 25, 2005
By the contemplative recluse monk Sotapanna
(copyright 2005 all rights reserved)
jhána: 'absorption, ecstasy' (meditation) refers chiefly to
The jhanas are altered states of consciousness that arise due to the skillful practice of meditation. The Christian mystics, like Saints Anthony, Vitus, Francis of Assisi, Bernard of Clairvaux, Teresa de Avila and Juan de la Cruz, also taught various techniques of prayer, meditation and contemplation, and they called these altered states of consciousness religious ecstasies. In fact one will find every contemplative tradition, such as Sufism and kabala, has some context for these states.
The state of consciousnessof jhana is one of full alertness and lucidity. Within a Buddhist context this high degree of absorption is generally developed by the practice of one of the 40 subjects of meditation as described in the various sati suttas (D 22, M 10, 118. 119). Often also in the commentaries the 4 immaterial spheres (arúpáyatana) are called absorptions of the immaterial sphere (arúpa-jjhána or arúpávacara-jjhána).
The rupa jhánas are free from 5 things (i.e. the hindrances, nívarana, q.v.). Jhána in its widest sense (e.g. as one of the 24 conditions; s. paccaya 17). They are the source of at least 3 of the 7 factors of enlightenment (bliss piiti, tranquility passaddhi, and equanimity upekkha); they are the concequence of another of the factors of enlightenment (mindfulness sati); and they are the very definition of another (samádhi). The 6th factor of enlightenment, bliss (piiti), remains the backbone of all the jhanas, getting rarefied with each jhana. Thus jhana accounts for at least 5 of the 7 factors of enlightenment, and through experience this contemplative can say that the remaining two factors of enlightenment [Wisdom (panna) and Energy (viriya)] are also a consequence of the attainment of jhana . Jhána is the Buddha's very definition of the 8th fold of the Noble Eightfold Path (D 22).
The stereotype text, often met with in the Suttas, runs as follows:
Kayagata-sati Sutta (MN 119) “Mindfulness of the Body"
(The Four Jhanas)
"Furthermore, quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful mental qualities, he enters and remains in the first absorption (jhana): bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born from withdrawal, accompanied by applied and sustained attention (
'vitakka' and 'vicára'). He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born from withdrawal. Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again and again with water, so that his ball of bath powder becomes saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within and without -- would nevertheless not drip; even so, the contemplative permeates... this very body with bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born of withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body that is not pervaded by bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born from withdrawal. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, and resolute, any memories and resolutions related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers and settles inwardly, grows unified and centered. This is how a contemplative develops mindfulness of the body. "And furthermore, with the stilling of applied and sustained attention (vitakka and vicára), he enters and remains in the second jhana, with bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born of tranquility, unification of awareness free from applied and sustained attention (
'vitakka' and 'vicára') and with internal assurance. He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born of tranquility. Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from within, having no inflow from the east, west, north, or south (1), and with the skies supplying abundant showers time and again, so that the cool fount of water welling up from within the lake would permeate and pervade, suffuse and fill it with cool waters, there being no part of the lake not pervaded by the cool waters; even so, the contemplative permeates... this very body with the bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born of tranquility. There is nothing of his entire body not pervaded by bliss (piti) and joy (sukha) born of tranquility. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, and resolute, any memories and resolutions related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers and settles inwardly, grows unified and centered. This is how a contemplative develops mindfulness of the body. "And furthermore, with the fading of joy (sukha), he remains in equanimity, mindful and alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure (piti). He enters and remains in the third jhana, of which the noble ones declare, 'Equanimous and mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' He permeates and pervades, suffuses and fills this very body with the bliss (piti) divested of joy (sukha). Just as in a lotus pond, some of the lotuses, born and growing in the water, stay immersed in the water and flourish without standing up out of the water, so that they are permeated and pervaded, suffused and filled with cool water from their roots to their tips, and nothing of those lotuses would be not pervaded with cool water; even so, the monk permeates... this very body with the bliss (piti) divested of joy (sukha). There is nothing of his entire body not pervaded with bliss (piti) divested of joy (sukha). And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, and resolute, any memories and resolutions related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers and settles inwardly, grows unified and centered. This is how a contemplative develops mindfulness of the body.
"And furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure (sukha) and pain (dukkha)-- as with the earlier disappearance of elation and anxiety -- he enters and remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity and mindfulness, with neither pleasure (sukha) nor pain (dukkha). He sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness. Just as if a man were sitting covered from head to foot with a white cloth so that there would be no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend; even so, the monk sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness. There is nothing of his entire body not pervaded by pure, bright awareness. And as he remains thus heedful, ardent, and resolute, any memories and resolutions related to the household life are abandoned, and with their abandoning his mind gathers and settles inwardly, grows unified and centered. This is how a contemplative develops mindfulness on the body."
1- The first jhana (effusive elation) contains 6 jhana factors:
Sati | Mindfulness |
applied or initiating attention | |
sustained attention | |
joy | |
bliss | |
Ekaggatha | one-pointedness |
Sati | Mindfulness |
joy | |
bliss | |
Ekaggatha | one-pointedness |
Passaddhi | tranquility |
avitakka ca aicara | no applied or sustained attention |
Sati | Mindfulness |
joy | |
bliss | |
Ekaggatha | one-pointedness |
Passaddhi | tranquility |
Upekkha | equanimity |
Sati | Mindfulness |
bliss | |
Ekaggatha | one-pointedness |
Passaddhi | tranquility |
Upekkha | equanimity |
Asukha ca Adukkha | no pleasure & no pain |
Transitional phase absorption (nerupajhana-nearupajhana) between material (rupa) an immaterial (arupa) absorption (jhana), where OOBs and luminous orbs appear, as well as the recollection of former lives takes place..No sensory stimuli "contact" remains.
The 8 jhana factors (jhánanga
Sati | Mindfulness |
bliss | |
Ekaggatha | one-pointedness |
Passaddhi | tranquility |
Upekkha | equanimity |
Asukha ca Adukkha | no pleasure & no pain |
Avedana | No sensory stimuli |
viriya, vîrya, kundalini | Energy, lit. 'virility', vigor |
5th jhana | Sphere of Infinite Space | Akasanancayatana | Absorption or union (yoga) with infinite space, or a God of infinite dimension |
6th jhana | Sphere of Infinite Consciousness | Vinnananaacayatana | Absorption or union (yoga) with the infinite consciousness of God, or Devekut with the Shekhinah (Kabbalah), absorption into infinite being, Indra's net of jewels (Mahayana Buddhism), Vishnu's Ocean of Milk (Hinduism), the cloud of truth (dharma meghaï) (yoga sutras). |
7th jhana | The Sphere of No-Thingness | Akincannayatana | absorption or union (yoga) with the Infinite in a non-dual state such that the contemplative cannot distinguish between either this nor that, neither self nor other, neither self nor god. "I am That" Tat Twam Assi. |
8th jhana | The Sphere of Neither-Perception-nor-non-perception | Nevasannanasannnayatana | Cessation (nibbana/nirvana) union (yoga) with the Infinite in which there is no sensible dimension, blackness, the full enlightenment or annihilation (fana). |
Other absorption states not apparently described in the Buddha's Discourses
1 | absorption or union (yoga) with infinite time, or a God of infinite time, |
jhána-nimitta:the signs or characteristics of absorption, charism.
jhána-paccaya: is one of the 24 conditions (paccaya, q.v.).
Bibliography:
Last updated 07-02-06
What is Ecstatic Buddhism? (September 19, 2004)
What is Jhána? Jhána as defined in the Buddha's Discourses (October 13, 2005)
The GWV Jhana Resource Guide
Jhana, the Joyful Home of the Way. Understanding the meditative absorption states (jhanas) and their associated phenomena (phala) within the Buddhist canon. Kundalini, Kriyas, OOBs and other aspects of Ecstatic Meditation by the contemplative recluse monk Sotapanna
The Jhanas By Ajahn Brahmavamso
A Honed and Heavy Axe: Samatha and Vipassana in Harmony by Chandako, Ajahn
A Swift Pair of Messengers by Bhikkhu Sujato
The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation, by Mahathera Henepola Gunaratana (Buddhist Publication Society Wheel Publication No. 351; 1988; 159k/53pp.)
Jhana, the Joyful Home of the Way
Understanding the meditative absorption states (jhanas) and their associated phenomena (phala) within the Buddhist canon.
Kundalini, Kriyas, OOBs and other aspects of Ecstatic Meditation
by the contemplative recluse monk Sotapanna
copyright 2003, 2004, 2005
The
The characteristic manifestations of absorption,
Charismatic Movement,
The Proto-Contemplative Life, Lucid Dreams and
Remaining
Absorption States (Jhanas) Within A
Absorption States (Jhanas) Within A
The Joy of Meditation
The Contemplative Practices (Magga) of Ecstatic Buddhism
A
Understanding Right Meditation (samma-samadhi)
The Degree of "
Random Reflections Upon Field Meditation During a Solo Wilderness Retreat, 2005
On the Recollection of
Walking Meditation (February 23, 2005)
Eyes Open Verses Closed During Meditation
The use of the Visual Meditation Object,
Using the Moon as a visual meditation object, Kasina (August 11, 2004)
Sex and the Ecstasies (Kundalini/Jhana), updated (November 9, 2004)
Food and a Contemplative Life (June 11, 2004)
Commitment as a Refuge,
The Personal Experience of Ecstatic Meditation
Jhanananda's Autobiographical Writing
Some Answers to questions regarding The Personal Experience of
The Experience of
The Proto-Contemplative Life, Lucid Dreams and
Circa 1910-1945,
Circa 1880-1910, A
Circa AD 1000, Salmon-Boy, a Native American lifetime
The Joyful Home of the Way (Di.t.thadhammasukhavihaaraa). Buddhist Psychology and ethics within the context of the meditative absorption states (Jhanas)
Abandoning the Five Hindrances (nivarana) and the 10 Fetters (samyojana)
The Fruits (phala) of the Contemplative Life (September 13, 2004)
Commitment as a Refuge, Dark Night of the Soul in Buddhism (January 1, 2003)
The
Understanding
Understanding the Pali terms,
Dispelling the Myth of
Dispelling Common
Commitment as a Refuge,
The
Exposing translator bias in the Translation of the Pali Canon and other Buddhist literature (updated 11-10-04)
The Buddha's Discourse on Attainment
Key Sutta Translations of the Pali Canon and the Yoga Sutras in support of Ecstatic Meditation,
edited and/or translated by Jhanananda
Ahara Sutta (SN XLVI.51) “Food” (for the Factors of Awakening)
Anapanasati Sutta (MN 118) "Mindfulness of the breath"
Aneñja-sappaya Sutta (MN 106) “Conducive to the Imperturbable” Arupa Jhana Practice Paths
Bahiya Sutta (U 1.10) relinquishing cognition
Ganakamoggallana Sutta (MN 107) On a training strategy
Kayagata-sati Sutta (MN 119) “Mindfulness of the Body"
Magga-vibhanga Sutta (SN XLV.8) “Analysis of the Path”
Mahaasaccaka sutta (MN 36) On the pleasure of meditation (jhana), the fruits (phala) of the contemplative life, and the Dark Night of the Soul.
Mahàsàropama sutta (MN 3. 9) "The Major Discourse on Heartwood"
Maha-satipatthana Sutta (DN 22) the "Larger Discourse on the Four Paths of Mindfulness" updated 10-27-04
Samadhanga Sutta (AN V. 28) "The Factors of Absorption"
Samadhi Sutta (AN IV.41) "The Discourse on Absorption"
Samana-Mundika Sutta (MN 78) "Mundika the Contemplative"
Samaññaphala Sutta (DN 2) “The Fruits of the Contemplative Life”
Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) "the Four Paths of Mindfulness"
Satipatthanasamyutta (SN 8) (8) “The Competent Cook,” a Discourse on Jhana-nimitta.
Translation into English of Dhammapada Verse 372 By Twenty-five Authors (November 10, 2004)
May you be enlightened in this very lifetime
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