i know in some theravada temple in england, they wake up at 6. something like half on hour later, a first *sitting* session, & i think it was for 1.30h . Obviously practice is supposed not to last after sitting but this is different. then the temple is cleaned a bit (yep almost every day). there...

The core problem to this is that the Buddha: Accepted the reality of rebirth based on his own meditative experience Placed this reality at the core of his teaching. Well, for secularist, it is not because "Buddha" said this that this it is "true". Even if we skip the question of...

Dhammanando wrote: But this isn't correct. The term 'arūpajjhāna' dates back to the Dhammasaṅgaṇī of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka.

ah thanks for clarification

I have read "arupa jhana" is not a sutta word, but a commentary word. Arupa is. But instead of jhana we would find eg "ayatana" in suttas. Do you have information, point of view, link regarding this statement? ah sorry i have disturbed for nothing. I found Ajhan Brahm, in his bo...

"Beyond the four jhanas lie four higher attainments in the scale of concentration, referred to in the suttas as the "peaceful immaterial liberations transcending material form" (santa vimokkha atikammarupe aruppa, M.i,33). ...They receive the designation "immaterial" or &qu...

It's really best not to analyze these things. Ajahn Suchart and Mahasi Sayadaw said that concerning yourselves with these things is useless. +1 - it is very difficult to describe a subjective state of consciousness - is is very difficult to judge one own state of consciousness - when we think we ta...

Jhana factors may emerge during mindfulness. I believe this can be find in the Suttas, eg in Anapansati sutta. No matter, there is no doubt being mindful during day will create similar factors than meditation. I think there is even one sutta which says, one which has attained very deep states, is al...

Piti is joyful interest when concentration successfully focusses on the object: …Píti, however, is not a feeling or a sensation, and hence does not belong to the feeling-group (vedaná-kkhandha), but may be described psychologically as 'joyful interest'. As such it may be associated with wholesome a...

A large collection of ancient Pali manuscripts are only found in Sri Lanka - nowhere else.

there were autodafe in India. Sri Lanka was preserved because, well, its an island.

Can one go directly to fourth jhana, skipping the first three? i have no opinion, but below is an excerpt from an interview of Christina Feldman. Richard Shankman : Sometimes people are taught to skip jhanas as part of gaining mastery. For example to go directly from the first jhana to the third.* ...

If that were so then the Buddha's first two teachers who mastered and instructed him in the highest immaterial jhanas would have realized nibbana. :namaste: Of course, there is some controversy over whether Alara Kalama and Udakka Ramaputta were actually practicing 'Jhana' meditation as taught by t...

Q: So, question is really : is there people here who practice what is now known as "Jhana" or "Samatha" and who do not practice Vipassana / whatever? A: Hindus practice that. Buddhism is based on Hinduism but the essential difference is vipassana, which was invented by the Buddh...

You might find Richard Shankman's The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation helpful. It has been mentioned several times already on these forums. IIRC Shankman says that he only ever does samatha meditation, and that this is all that is needed. There's no need for any separate, so-called "mindf...

The three pillars of zen are: skeptical doubt to fuel inquiry, faith in the reality of awakening and the possibility of finding enlightenment yourself, and determination to follow through to the end. i don't know much about this. It would be much appreciated if you can provide interesting material ...

actually there are many suttas & many teachings which say to check, to see by yourself.

Maybe many people do not apply this, but certainly you may , and you should!