Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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User156079
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Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

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Last edited by User156079 on Sat Jul 09, 2016 12:33 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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ryanM
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Re: Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

Post by ryanM »

Ajahn Brahm recounted a time when he was in a sexually active relationship in college and went on a Zen-style retreat. At the retreat he experienced something profound (some state of absorption, I'm sure). So why it's not impossible to be in a relationship and experience things like jhana, the mind needs to be given enough space in order to cultivate these states. Otherwise it's like saying you want to try something new but keep going back to the same old thing. It's not bad per se, but I think a stronger committment to restraining the five sense doors would do anyone good that wishes to cultivate samatha (and vipassana for that matter). Anyways, best of luck!
sabbe dhammā nālaṃ abhinivesāya

"nothing whatsoever should be clung to"
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mikenz66
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Re: Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

Post by mikenz66 »

Hi [name redacted by admin],

I've not seen a lot of detailed information on kasinas, and I don't know anyone who has tried the traditional Theravada kasina approach. You might find some useful tips in Pa Auk Sayadaw's book Knowing and Seeing (free here: http://www.paaukforestmonastery.org/books.htm), and Shaila Catherine's book, Wisdom Wide and Deep. (http://www.wisdompubs.org/book/wisdom-wide-and-deep), which is based on Pa Auk Sayadaw's approach.

I do recall some teachers (possibly Bhikkhu Bodhi) saying that kasina practice can be quite intense in comparison with using objects such as breath, or brahmaviharas...

:anjali:
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pyluyten
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Re: Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

Post by pyluyten »

mikenz66 wrote:Hi [name redacted by admin],

I've not seen a lot of detailed information on kasinas, and I don't know anyone who has tried the traditional Theravada kasina approach.
I only tried "colours disk" because vishudimagga says its works nicely. Breathe is recommended but is subtle & depends on you (your state of mind makes your breathe change).
It might be intersting to try some external object. So, i did buy a red sheet, cut a round, look at it untill i could see the same round with closed eyes.

The work is to keep seeing the kasina even if your eyes are closed from a long time. I think this exercice is intersting at least from the point of view of "what is meditation?"
User156079
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Re: Questions about cultivation of Samatha Jhana

Post by User156079 »

Yes afaik one should be looking at the object, then visualizing it with eyes closed until counter sign arises.
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