How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
Inedible
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Inedible »

It is supposed to be easier if you are already happy more often and your mind tends to be brighter in regular life. When you sit to meditate you will have less time at the beginning trying to unwind and more resources to put toward the object. I am working on learning the seven step process in the book "Bliss Brain" by Dawson Church in an attempt to provide support for my meditation.
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

Inedible wrote: Wed Oct 07, 2020 6:38 pm It is supposed to be easier if you are already happy more often and your mind tends to be brighter in regular life. When you sit to meditate you will have less time at the beginning trying to unwind and more resources to put toward the object. I am working on learning the seven step process in the book "Bliss Brain" by Dawson Church in an attempt to provide support for my meditation.
It is inconsistance in my practice regarding piti sukha
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Inedible
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Inedible »

Before you meditate, think about things that make you feel good. What do you really enjoy? What gives you meaning and satisfaction rather than just ordinary pleasure? A short time finding thing you are grateful for causes more serotonin to be produced in your brain. Involve other people and you also get oxytocin. It is more traditional to spend time thinking about the good qualities of Buddha or why you want to practice Dhamma, but you get stronger results by keeping things grounded in your actual experience.
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

why does piti sukha dont arise something when body is kept still?

It is because there is no mindfullness of object

when body is kept still and no mindfullness is there, there is possibility of drifiting in to mini sleep or unawareness and when u come out of awareness there is sleep distruption

but if mindfulness of meditation object is there and body is kept still, then piti sukha arise more possibility
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

is anyone practicing jhana these days want to discuss with me and share some techniques that might be helpful to me?
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Inedible
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Inedible »

The most important thing is to spend a lot of time on meditation. An hour per day in a single session is a minimum. Multiple hours on days you don't have to go to work helps. The next most important thing is to look at how much of your practice time is spent actually doing the technique and how much is lost to the hindrances. Building up momentum is everything. Once you get jhana, you still have to do it every day to keep it and to develop the masteries required to move to second jhana and beyond. This keeps you from losing what took so long to aquire.

So how much time do you practice? And how many activities do you have which require the use of you mind for other things?
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

Inedible wrote: Wed Nov 04, 2020 4:53 pm The most important thing is to spend a lot of time on meditation. An hour per day in a single session is a minimum. Multiple hours on days you don't have to go to work helps. The next most important thing is to look at how much of your practice time is spent actually doing the technique and how much is lost to the hindrances. Building up momentum is everything. Once you get jhana, you still have to do it every day to keep it and to develop the masteries required to move to second jhana and beyond. This keeps you from losing what took so long to aquire.

So how much time do you practice? And how many activities do you have which require the use of you mind for other things?
i dont practice sitting meditation. I radiate metta where I am , which position I am.

i try to enter jhana only when im going to bed for sleep by keeping body stiff and still but mind aware (however I am looking for someone who teach this method in detail as its hard for me to enter all time )
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Inedible
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Inedible »

It sounds like listening to guided Yoga Nidra practices might be a good idea for you. It is something you do while going to sleep.

If you aren't going to do seated meditation for at least an hour every day you won't get jhana.

It helps to have confidence in your ability to enter jhana. For decades I have believed it should be difficult, but I am working to change my beliefs and results are coming more quickly this time.
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by SteRo »

A good idea is perhaps to first attain sotapanna because then jhanas aren't an issue anymore but are attained effortlessly. If on the other hand one gets obsessed with jhanas but does not attain it due to kammic obstructions, neither sotapanna nor jhana might be ever attained.
Cleared. αδόξαστος.
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by coconut »

Attaining jhanas is about learning to master control of your attention.

See the sutta about the most beautiful girl in the land (sn 47.20) , and also watching your thoughts like watching cattle (mn 19).

Thoughts are symptoms of your attention and pollution (previous habits/karma).

If your attention is on the right place, you will have good non-sensual, non-cruel thoughts without 5 Hindrances.

Controlling your attention is like controlling a horse. If the horse is going in the right direction you do nothing. If the horse is going in the wrong direction you pull on the rheins.

In other words, effort is only needed when your attention is going in the wrong direction (mn 19, mn 20).

If you whip the horse when it's going in the right direction, the horse will get tired (mn 20), so you don't need to waste energy on forcing good thoughts.

Just watch your attention and thoughts, and only step in when the attention goes to the wrong place and the thoughts are bad.

If you master your attention 24/7, jhanas will happen automatically.
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

coconut wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:37 am Attaining jhanas is about learning to master control of your attention.

See the sutta about the most beautiful girl in the land (sn 47.20) , and also watching your thoughts like watching cattle (mn 19).

Thoughts are symptoms of your attention and pollution (previous habits/karma).

If your attention is on the right place, you will have good non-sensual, non-cruel thoughts without 5 Hindrances.

Controlling your attention is like controlling a horse. If the horse is going in the right direction you do nothing. If the horse is going in the wrong direction you pull on the rheins.

In other words, effort is only needed when your attention is going in the wrong direction (mn 19, mn 20).

If you whip the horse when it's going in the right direction, the horse will get tired (mn 20), so you don't need to waste energy on forcing good thoughts.

Just watch your attention and thoughts, and only step in when the attention goes to the wrong place and the thoughts are bad.

If you master your attention 24/7, jhanas will happen automatically.
Thanks
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

SteRo wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 9:25 am A good idea is perhaps to first attain sotapanna because then jhanas aren't an issue anymore but are attained effortlessly. If on the other hand one gets obsessed with jhanas but does not attain it due to kammic obstructions, neither sotapanna nor jhana might be ever attained.
I want to do jhana because i want to see 3 chsracteristic after emerging from it..

Dry wisdom is like a concept to me...
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Pulsar »

Coconut wrote copying the comment briefly
Controlling your attention is like controlling a horse. If the horse is going in the right direction you do nothing. If the horse is going in the wrong direction you pull on the reins.
In other words, effort is only needed when your attention is going in the wrong direction (mn 19, mn 20).
If you whip the horse when it's going in the right direction, the horse will get tired (mn 20), so you don't need to waste energy on forcing good thoughts.
Well spoken Dear Coconut, how very well spoken!
If you whip the horse when it is doing the right things, horse might get mad, who knows? he might find it hard
to maintain his equanimity with such an awfully rude master.
You continue
Just watch your attention and thoughts, and only step in when the attention goes to the wrong place and the thoughts are bad.
If you master your attention 24/7, jhanas will happen automatically.
Wow what a nicely crafted answer. When you are good you are really good.
OP's query is ill directed. The spiritual seeker in Buddha's dispensation, does not set out, by wishing
"I want to attain Jhana"
That is a misguided wish...
Read AN 10.2 on volition....
As Coconut says Jhana automatically happens when one begins with the right conditions, and proceed with
determination i.e. Samma vayama.
Dear OP how do you understand the 8-fold path? without a fundamental
understanding of the path, it is pointless speaking about jhana or even Right Speech as referred to in MN 117.
Many may not realize, but right speech begins with right view.
With love :candle:
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confusedlayman
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by confusedlayman »

Pulsar wrote: Thu Nov 05, 2020 12:52 pm Coconut wrote copying the comment briefly
Controlling your attention is like controlling a horse. If the horse is going in the right direction you do nothing. If the horse is going in the wrong direction you pull on the reins.
In other words, effort is only needed when your attention is going in the wrong direction (mn 19, mn 20).
If you whip the horse when it's going in the right direction, the horse will get tired (mn 20), so you don't need to waste energy on forcing good thoughts.
Well spoken Dear Coconut, how very well spoken!
If you whip the horse when it is doing the right things, horse might get mad, who knows? he might find it hard
to maintain his equanimity with such an awfully rude master.
You continue
Just watch your attention and thoughts, and only step in when the attention goes to the wrong place and the thoughts are bad.
If you master your attention 24/7, jhanas will happen automatically.
Wow what a nicely crafted answer. When you are good you are really good.
OP's query is ill directed. The spiritual seeker in Buddha's dispensation, does not set out, by wishing
"I want to attain Jhana"
That is a misguided wish...
Read AN 10.2 on volition....
As Coconut says Jhana automatically happens when one awith the right conditions, and proceed with
determination i.e. Samma vayama.
Dear OP how do you understand the 8-fold path? without a fundamental
understanding of the path, it is pointless speaking about jhana or even Right Speech as referred to in MN 117.
Many may not realize, but right speech begins with right view.
With love :candle:
Thanks im trying to improve day by day
I may be slow learner but im at least learning...
Pulsar
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Re: How many of you really tried to attain jhana?

Post by Pulsar »

Confusedlayman wrote
Thanks im trying to improve day by day
I know you are!
With love :candle:
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