Transcript Slide 1

The Jhanas
Jan 27th , 2008
Panna/Wisdom
Time
The Training Path Sila/Virtue
Topic
2008 Class Syllabus
Sutras and material
Feb 10th
12 dept. origination
SN 12.23
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/bodhi/wheel277.html
Feb 24th
4 noble truths
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/study/truths.html
March 9th
Right View
MN 9,
March 23
Wisdom
MN 58, MN 78
April
7 Stages of Purification
Visuddhimaga
May 4th
4 found. of mindfulness
SN 47.16, SN 47.35, SN 47.40, MN 125, SN 47.8, SN 35.206, SN 47.19
May 18th
4 right efforts
SN 49.1, MN 2, SN 16.2, MN 101, MN 66, MN 78
June 1st
4 bases of powers
SN 51.2, SN 51.26, SN 51.20, SN 51.13, SN 51.15, SN 51.22
June 15th
5 faculties
SN 48.8, SN 55.5, SN 48.10, SN 48.50, SN 48.52
June 29th
5 kinds of powers
SN 50.1, SN 48.43, SN 48.55, SN 48.55
July 13th
7 factors of enlightenment
SN 46.6, SN 54.2, SN 56.52, SN 46.51, SN 56.53, SN 56.54
July 27th
8 fold path
SN 45.1, SN 45.8, MN 117, MN 149
August
37 wings of awakening
Sept 7th
Behaviors of Recluse
MN 57, MN 61, MN 86, MN 82
Sept 21st
Powers of Enlightened
MN 77, MN 81, MN 89, MN 100
Oct 5th
Actions and Karma
MN 51, MN 56, MN 84, MN 88
Oct 19th
Social Hierarchy
MN 93, MN 94, MN 96, MN 98
Nov
Sila & Metta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/buddharakkhita/wheel365.html
Dec
Reflections, Feedback
Name
Robin
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/wheel377.html
Ying
Ying
Ying
All
Two Inter-related Meditation Systems
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Samathabhavana or Samadhibhavana
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The development of serenity and concentration
Calming, stabilizing, unified, and concentrated
The necessary platform for gaining insights
Vipassanabhavana or Pannabhavana
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The development of insights and wisdom
Gaining understanding the real natural of phenomena
The essential key to liberation
Jhanas (in relationship to the two systems)
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Jhanas refer to a set of meditative attainments that are pivotal to both
systems with an inherent reference to Samathabhavana
Jhanas (U Pandita) (also translated as “absorptions”) refers to the quality of
the mind that can stick to an object and observe it
There are two kinds of Jhanas
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Samatha Jhanas – Concentration and Tranquility only
Vipassana Jhanas – Jhanas that have insights and liberation as the end results
Jhanas
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Samadhi vs Jhanas
1. Samadhi: To collect, to bring
together, calm, to unify
2. Jhana: Meditative attainments
Two meanings of
Jhanas (According to
Buddhaghosa)
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Samadhi
Burn up
•
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One of the root
word for Jhanas is
“Jhapeti”, which
means burn up, i.e.,
to burn up
defilements that
prevent the
development of
concentration and
insight.
Contemplation
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Contemplation of
object –
Development of
concentration
Contemplation of
the characteristics
of phenomena –
Related to insights
Jhanas
In a
narrow
sense
Refers to one specific
mental factor: onepointedness
Refers to a whole
group of mental
factors contributing to
a meditative state
In a
wider
sense
Covers 3 levels of Samadhi:
1.
Preliminary
concentratio
(Parikammasamadhi),
initial efforts
2.
Access concentration
(Upacarasamadhi),
suppression of the
five hindrances, the
manifestation of the
jhana factors, clear
mental object
3.
Absorption
concentration
(appanasamadhi), full
maturation of the
Jhana factors
Overlaps with
Samadhi in the 3
level. Refers to the
absorption
concentration, which
comprises the 8
attainments and the 4
immaterial
attainments.
Preparation for Jhana Attainments
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Four factors to prepare
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Virtue and morality
Choose good friends
Choose meditation subjects
Choose suitable dwelling
Virtues and Morality
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Negatively abstain from immoral body, verbal, and mental actions
Positively promote and incline moral and ethical actions
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Four fold Purification of morality (Catuparisuddhisila) (Based on Visuddhimaga)
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Loving kindness and compassion
Mindfulness
Generosity
Morality of restraints (Precepts)
Restraint of the senses (Protect sense doors)
Purification of livelihood, obtaining basic requisites
Proper use of requisites, only for maintenance of his health, comfort, not for enjoyment
and luxury
Choose good friends
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Kalyanamitta (good friend) includes qualified teachers and yogis supporting the
training
Preparation for Jhana Attainments – Choose Meditation Subjects
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40 meditation subjects categorized into 7 categories and two angles: See table below
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Inducing the deeper levels of concentration and attainments
Suitable to different personalities, greedy, hating, deluded, faithful, intelligent and the speculative
Attainments
Personalities
Meditation Subjects
10 Kasinas
Absorption, 4 Jhanas
4 colors -- Hating
4 elements: Earth, water, fire, air
4 colors: blue, yellow, red, and white
Light and the limited space
10 kinds of
foulness
Absorption
Only 1st Jhana
(require applied
thought)
Greedy (to counter sensual
desires)
The 10 stages of the decomposition of the corpse: the
bloated, the livid, the festering, the cut-up, the gnawed,
the scattered, the backed and scattered, the bleeding,
the worm-infested and a skeleton.
10
recollections
Access
Concentration only –
except for the
mindfulness of body
(1st Jhana) and
breathing (4 Jhanas)
Mindfulness of body - greedy
Mindfulness of breathing –
deluded and the speculative
1st 6 recollections – faithful
M. of death, peace - Intelligent
Recollections of Buddha, the Dhama, the Sangha,
morality, generosity and the deities, mindfulness of
death, mindfulness of body (32 parts), mindfulness of
breathing (in & out), and the recollection of peace
(reflection on the qualities of Nibana.
4 divine
abidings
Absorption, the first 3
can lead to 3rd Jhana
(due to pleasure/joy),
the last one 4th Jhana
Hating
Brahmavihara: Loving-kindness, compassion,
sympathetic joy, and equanimity
4 immaterial
states
Absorption, the 4
immaterial Jhanas
1 perception
Access
Concentration
Intelligent
Perception of the repulsiveness of food
1 defining
Access
Concentration
Intelligent
The defining of the 4 elements, the analysis of the body
in the 4 modes: solidity, fluidity, heat, and oscillation.
The base of boundless space, the base of boundless
consciousness, the base of nothingness, and the base of
neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
The Attainments of Jhanas
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The two fold process
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The process of abandoning
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The process of acquiring
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Abandoning those states that are obstructive to the attainment of Jhanas
Acquiring those states that compose the Jhana states
Jhana Factors
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Each Jhana is comprised of a set of factors that were acquired through
the two fold-process
Jhana Levels
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Fine-material Jhanas: 1st – 4th Jhana
Immaterial Jhanas:
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The base of boundless space
The base of boundless consciousness
The base of nothingness
The base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception.
The Five Jhana Factors
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Applied Thought – Vitakka
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Application of the mind to its object with special clarity
Wholesome
Sustained Thought – Vicara
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Developed phase of the thought process which has continued pressure on the object
The act of anchoring the mind on the object with continued pressure
Rapture – Piti
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Gladdening due to seclusion and the abandoning of five hindrances
MN 119. “Secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and
abides in the first Jhana, …. Rapture and happiness born of seclusion…”
Mental formation
The delight in the attaining of the desired object
Happiness – Sukha
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Signifies pleasant feeling, gratifying and intensifying the associated states
Feeling
The enjoyment of the taste of what is acquired
One-pointedness – ekaggata
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This is a hinted, derived factors, instead of explicitly mentioned in the sutra
Non-distration, non-wavering
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First Jhana has these major 5 factors, but also have other additional components
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Other higher Jhanas progressively abandon gross and crude factors and settle into more subtle,
perfect, and gentle factors, except for the 4th Jhana which has a new factor, i.e., neutral feeling,
arising.
Jhana Factors and Their Progressive Levels
4
Immaterial
Jhanas
Jhanas by Names
3.
Third Jhana
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Disappearance of rapture
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Subtler happiness
2.
Happiness
Second Jhana
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Acquiring
4.
One-pointedness
Abandoning
Disappearance
of applied and
sustained
thought
Rapture
Fourth Jhana
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Abandoning
Strong rapture
and happiness
5 hindrances
are opposed
to the 5
Jhana factors
One
pointedness
is hinted,
others are
explicit from
Sutras
Arising of
equanimity
Acquiring
One-pointedness
Subtle happiness
First Jhana
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Abandoning
Equanimity
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1.
Jhanas by Numbers
Acquiring
Applied thought
One-pointedness of the mind
Sustained thought
Rapture (Stronger)
Happiness (Stronger)
Abandoning (5 Hindrances)
Greed and Sensual desire
Ill will
Sloth and torport
Restlessness and worry
Doubt
Acquiring (5 Jhana Factors)
One-pointedness of the mind
Rapture
Applied thought
Happiness
Sustained thought
Access Concentration and Absorptions
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For Jhana attainments have two phases
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Access concentration
Absorption concentration
One is encouraged to reach absorption as much as one can before trying the next
Jhana
Access concentration
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Jhana factors are weak and fragile, prone to its dangers
Absorption concentration
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Jhana factors are strong and fully developed, and the mind can remain continuously
in concentration as he/she wishes
Perfecting the Jhanas – from access to absorption
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Extension of the sign
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Extending the size of the object of the Jhana, from small to large areas
Five masteries
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Mastery in adverting: the ability to clearly see each factor one by one after merging from
Jhana, wherever he wants and whenever he wants, and for as long as he wants
Mastery in attaining: the ability to enter upon Jhana quickly
Mastery in resolving: the ability to remain in the Jhana for exactly pre-determined length of
time
Mastery in emerging: the ability to emerge from Jhana quickly without difficulty
Mastery in reviewing: the ability to review the Jhana and its factors with retrospective
knowledge immediately after adverting to them
MN 119 pg 952 – Description of the Four Jhanas and Similes
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First Jhana
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“Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters
upon and abides in the first Jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought,
with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. He makes the rapture and pleasure born of
seclusion drench, steep, fill, and pervade this body, so that there is no part of his whole body
un-pervaded by the rapture and pleasure born of seclusion.”
Simile: The bath powder
Second Jhana
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“with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the
second Jhana, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and
sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. He makes the rapture and
pleasure born of concentration drench, steep, fill, and pervade this body, ….. born of
concentration.”
Simile: The lake with cool water
Third Jhana
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“with the fading away as well of rapture, a bhikkhu abides in equanimity, and mindful and fully
aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, he enters upon and abides in the third Jhana, on
account of which noble nodes announce: “He has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and
is mindful.”. He makes the pleasure divested of rapture drench, steep, …”
Simile: The underwater lotus
Fourth Jhana
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“with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and
grief, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the fourth jhana, which has neither-pain-norpleasure and purity of mindfulness due to enquanimity. He sits pervading this body with a pure
bright mind, so that there is no part of his whole body unpervaded by the pure bright mind”
Simile: The pure white cloth
The Immaterial Jhanas
The Jhana Attainments
Second Jhana
Rapture/Happiness
First Jhana
The base of
Neither perception nor
non-perception
Third Jhana
Subtle happiness
Fourth Jhana
Equanimity
Initial Efforts
The base of
nothingness
BIW
The base of
boundless
consciousness
The base of
boundless space
Effort
Four Jhanas
Immaterial Jhanas
Attainments