How far can be a beginner go as far as 9 Jhanas go...

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
Post Reply
Padmist
Posts: 43
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2021 8:10 am

How far can be a beginner go as far as 9 Jhanas go...

Post by Padmist »

For a beginner, how far can I go as far as the 9 Jhanas go
https://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?ti ... _Cessation

I'm your usual Western Buddhist, has a job, lay practitioner, I can meditate 1-2 hours daily maybe on meditation. How far can I go? Is it possible to do this in this lifetime?

Suppose I reach 8th or 9th, what happens then? Or must I be a monk to get to that level?
SarathW
Posts: 21227
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: How far can be a beginner go as far as 9 Jhanas go...

Post by SarathW »

Padmist wrote: Tue Apr 06, 2021 1:30 am For a beginner, how far can I go as far as the 9 Jhanas go
https://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?ti ... _Cessation

I'm your usual Western Buddhist, has a job, lay practitioner, I can meditate 1-2 hours daily maybe on meditation. How far can I go? Is it possible to do this in this lifetime?

Suppose I reach 8th or 9th, what happens then? Or must I be a monk to get to that level?
This is a good question.
Buddha realised that they all impermanent, so he seek Nibbana.
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
Inedible
Posts: 953
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 12:55 am
Location: Iowa City

Re: How far can be a beginner go as far as 9 Jhanas go...

Post by Inedible »

Access isn't really a jhana, so I'm guessing you mean cessation. Either way, the most important thing is to reach the first jhana. At one to two hours a day, maybe you will gain it in a year. It will take additional time to master it before moving on to the second jhana, which is an important step. That first jhana gives you a tool to speed up your progress. In that I'm not there yet, I can't say anything from experience about moving on from there. It is really hard to keep going long enough to reach jhana when so many of your practice sessions don't seem to have anything to do with what the books describe. Sloth & torpor make a terrible hindrance. And I haven't had a hint of piti in years. I was hoping to use jhana to suppress the five hindrances and elevate my daily life, but it turns out you have to do it the other way around. Your daily life has to be elevated so that when you sit to meditate you are already close to access concentration.
Post Reply