Culadasa, accomplished "jhana-heavy" Vism. Jhana meditator, and his response to sexual misconduct charges

[frank k]

https://www.reddit.com/r/EarlyBuddhismM ... sm_jhana/
excerpt:
Culadasa, accomplished "jhana-heavy" Vism. Jhana meditator, and his response to sexual misconduct charges

Does Visuddhimagga's supposedly better "jhana heavy" style of meditation actually confer any benefits over the Buddha's definition of jhana?

Contrary to their claims, I have yet to see any Vism. "jhana heavy" meditators demonstrate any discernible evidence that "jhana heavy" leads to stronger wisdom, sharper faculties, stronger morality, honesty, and integrity, over the supposedly "easy" jhana the Buddha taught in the suttas. If anything, that extreme samatha fetishism characterizing "jhana heavy" seems to lead to blotting out their moral decision making and one pointedly pursuing their selfish interests.

Case in point:



2019 UPASAKA CULADASA

[Sam Vara]

https://www.reddit.com/r/EarlyBuddhismM ... sm_jhana/
excerpt:
Culadasa, accomplished "jhana-heavy" Vism. Jhana meditator, and his response to sexual misconduct charges

Does Visuddhimagga's supposedly better "jhana heavy" style of meditation actually confer any benefits over the Buddha's definition of jhana?

Contrary to their claims, I have yet to see any Vism. "jhana heavy" meditators demonstrate any discernible evidence that "jhana heavy" leads to stronger wisdom, sharper faculties, stronger morality, honesty, and integrity, over the supposedly "easy" jhana the Buddha taught in the suttas. If anything, that extreme samatha fetishism characterizing "jhana heavy" seems to lead to blotting out their moral decision making and one pointedly pursuing their selfish interests.

Case in point:



2019 UPASAKA CULADASA

Excellent point, frank, and there is I think another dimension to this. When people who claim some superior attainment reveal themselves to be no better than average at basic self-control, there are two possible options we might want to consider. One is that they are telling the truth about their attainment, but that it confers no discernible advantage in terms of basic self-control and morality. The other is that - given their evident lack of basic self-control - they might just be lying about their claims to have attained something special. Culadasa might really have got himself into some really heavy jhana states, but still has trouble maintaining basic sexual continence and honesty. That raises issues about the desirability of those states. Alternatively, it might be the case that those special jhana states are indeed incompatible with lying and sexual misconduct, and that Culadasa - the proven liar - was lying about ever having attained them. One way for ugly older guys to attract women is to raise their status by being something really special in spiritual circles.

The same applies here on DW, in a very minor way. People who claim or imply that they are holier-than-thou (or in Buddhist terms, "more-accomplished-than-thou" or "more-knowledgeable-than-thou") on DW are advised to avoid personalised disputes, name-calling, and displays of anger when dealing with those who trigger them. Any nastiness on their part means that either that their claimed or implied superiority is not worth having; or that it is bogus.

[coconut]

FYI, Culadasa's definition of Jhanas in his book TMI was taken from Leigh Brasington's book, so they're not his own definition or interpretation. Also Culadasa claimed to be a non-returner in one of his skype sessions which were on his youtube channel.

He also believed he could make more people enlightened faster than the Buddha by using scientific approaches. After that video, I made a post about that comment in 2017 on his TMI subreddit, way before his interest in prostitutes was revealed by his wife, and I told them flat out that this was cult, and that Culadasa was not an ariya and not even a real neuroscientist like his book claims (unlike Sam Harris who is a real neuroscientist), and his book was not what the Buddha taught and there is no way an ariya could think they're smarter than the Buddha, and they got angry at me just like a cult protecting their leader would. But shortly after people started doubting his scientific credentials, he was a massage therapist who had some kind of degree though.

[confusedlayman]

FYI, Culadasa's definition of Jhanas in his book TMI was taken from Leigh Brasington's book, so they're not his own definition or interpretation. Also Culadasa claimed to be a non-returner in one of his skype sessions which were on his youtube channel.

He also believed he could make more people enlightened faster than the Buddha by using scientific approaches. After that video, I made a post about that comment in 2017 on his TMI subreddit, way before his interest in prostitutes was revealed by his wife, and I told them flat out that this was cult, and that Culadasa was not an ariya and not even a real neuroscientist like his book claims (unlike Sam Harris who is a real neuroscientist), and his book was not what the Buddha taught and there is no way an ariya could think they're smarter than the Buddha, and they got angry at me just like a cult protecting their leader would. But shortly after people started doubting his scientific credentials, he was a massage therapist who had some kind of degree though.

if u want to find non returner go to search only in monastery.. no way non returner use internet for teaching if im not wrong

[JamesTheGiant]

Funniest comment on this:

"Well I guess jhana isn't better than sex after all"

-Anonymous commenter on Reddit.

How absurd that he claims to practise hard jhana and still visits prostitutes often. Like, 10 different sex workers.

[BrokenBones]

Whilst I would love to have fun with this, I don't think we can definitively say that 'ambo jhana' is behind the guys behaviour... for all we know he may never have attained it. But it is obvious that no wisdom can be developed whilst fixating on fairy lights.

Ps the fairy lights are very pretty but I wouldn't trust them.

[DooDoot]

Similar to the Ven. Ajahn Brahm, SN 48.10 instructs jhana is developed by letting go.

Also, MN 14 says the jhana master is no longer tempted by sensuality.

The jhana boasters, who are unable to let go of clinging, are all fakes; although generally not deliberate fakes; but merely simply deluded by overestimation and desperation for self-esteem.

[DNS]

FYI, Culadasa's definition of Jhanas in his book TMI was taken from Leigh Brasington's book, so they're not his own definition or interpretation. Also Culadasa claimed to be a non-returner in one of his skype sessions which were on his youtube channel.

He also believed he could make more people enlightened faster than the Buddha by using scientific approaches. After that video, I made a post about that comment in 2017 on his TMI subreddit, way before his interest in prostitutes was revealed by his wife,

If what you write here is true, then he was not a non-returner. A non-returner has given up all cravings for sense pleasures. So he was either not telling the truth or may have believed he was telling the truth, but just over-estimated his meditation experiences.

[robertk]

good business ?
http://culadasa.com/consultations/

Culadasa is now available for personal Dharma and Meditation consultations online.
Working one-on-one with Culadasa is an especially effective way to make rapid progress in your practice, as many meditators have discovered doing solo meditation retreats at Cochise Stronghold.

Culadasa is now available for a limited number of hours each week to provide this same kind of guidance online for those unable to come for a personal retreat. Culadasa is also happy to discuss matters related to Dharma and the challenges of following a spiritual path as a lay person.

The cost for these consultations is $325 for a 45-minute session, payable by Paypal.[
The platform used is Zoom, which is easy to use, very stable and quite forgiving of internet bandwidth problems, and allows for sessions to be recorded
/quote]

[confusedlayman]

Similar to the Ven. Ajahn Brahm, SN 48.10 instructs jhana is developed by letting go.

Also, MN 14 says the jhana master is no longer tempted by sensuality.

The jhana boasters, who are unable to let go of clinging, are all fakes; although generally not deliberate fakes; but merely simply deluded by overestimation and desperation for self-esteem.

People cant be tempted when in jhana but after jhana, during normal waking state they can even commit 5 henious crime if they want because jhana dont solve defilement at root level ( eg- devadatta) , there is also another monk who good in jhana but disrobed and had marrage plus kids and he permanantly ordained only 7th time

[DooDoot]

People cant be tempted when in jhana but after jhana,

no. not if practicing jhana constantly, such as daily

it is not possible to attain real jhana than fall away very quickly into the animal realm of sexual evil

Culadasa obviously never ever not once ever attained jhana; not even the 1st

[confusedlayman]

People cant be tempted when in jhana but after jhana,

no. not if practicing jhana constantly, such as daily

it is not possible to attain real jhana than fall away very quickly into the animal realm of sexual evil

Culadasa obviously never ever not once ever attained jhana; not even the 1st

If someone can daily enter then he prefers jhana

[Inedible]

I liked reading his book, but like with all the rest, I couldn't follow the directions. His book The Mind Illuminated really is very good. Do you really care if he can do what it says if you can?

[Spiny Norman]

The same applies here on DW, in a very minor way. People who claim or imply that they are holier-than-thou (or in Buddhist terms, "more-accomplished-than-thou" or "more-knowledgeable-than-thou") on DW are advised to avoid personalised disputes, name-calling, and displays of anger when dealing with those who trigger them. Any nastiness on their part means that either that their claimed or implied superiority is not worth having; or that it is bogus.

Another thing I've noticed on forums is people claiming to have overcome self-view, but still apparently having an ego the size of a planet.

[coconut]

The same applies here on DW, in a very minor way. People who claim or imply that they are holier-than-thou (or in Buddhist terms, "more-accomplished-than-thou" or "more-knowledgeable-than-thou") on DW are advised to avoid personalised disputes, name-calling, and displays of anger when dealing with those who trigger them. Any nastiness on their part means that either that their claimed or implied superiority is not worth having; or that it is bogus.

Another thing I've noticed on forums is people claiming to have overcome self-view, but still apparently having an ego the size of a planet.

Forums regarding "enlightenment" or self-help attracts mentally ill people just like light attracts bugs.

Another reason to use the suttas as the standard, as they are the closest thing we have to the Buddha's word. See my recent post about having to be a non returner (or sotapanna at minimum) to properly understand no-self, according to the suttas, and people responding with denial because it means they were wrong.