Was it a jhāna?

General discussion of issues related to Theravada Meditation, e.g. meditation postures, developing a regular sitting practice, skillfully relating to difficulties and hindrances, etc.
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Kidet0
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Kidet0 »

confusedlayman wrote: Wed Sep 07, 2022 8:00 pm In jhana mind is awake
I have come to learn that right here in this post in the last few days. Thank you.
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

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Kidet0 wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 6:08 am I'm starting to think that perhaps awareness was there albeit very weak, thus the impression that there was nothingness.
This is what i would guess as well, either 'perception of nothingness' or 'neither perception nor non-perception'.

I am leaning towards the neither perception nor non-perception because of how you say you lost time and was confused as to whether there was or wasn't percipience.

Either way it's good, just keep training for calm and i think that it will occur again.
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by User13866 »

I think that as you settle into it and reflect on this state more you will progress beyond.

Knowing how you were training would be helpful.

There is nothing particular you should be doing, the way you were training inclined your mind to that experience and it will keep happening.

However you should reflect on the impremanence of that too and avoid relishing & making much out of that attainment.
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Kidet0
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Kidet0 »

User13866 wrote: Fri Sep 09, 2022 10:43 am I think that as you settle into it and reflect on this state more you will progress beyond.

Knowing how you were training would be helpful.

There is nothing particular you should be doing, the way you were training inclined your mind to that experience and it will keep happening.

However you should reflect on the impremanence of that too and avoid relishing & making much out of that attainment.
I will honor you by taking that advice. Thank you.
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Eko Care
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Eko Care »

Kidet0 wrote: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:03 pm Was that cessation what is called a jhāna?
Personally, I don't think so.

I have heard from experienced scholars and meditators that what many people who follow modern meditation techniques are experiencing, is THE BHAVANGA CITTA (or something close to it), in the form of VOIDNESS or CESSATION of sensual experience.

The bhavanga citta is the root mind we born with and die with. It exist everytime we don't have a intentional thought (eg: sleep) and is almost like voidness or cessation to the ordinary minds of us.

I heard one of the founder sayadaw of a popular Burmese meditation technique had accused another founder sayadaw of a popular Burmese meditation technique, saying that your Nibbana is Bhavanga.
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Kidet0
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

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Eko Care wrote: Sat May 06, 2023 7:48 pm
Kidet0 wrote: Tue Sep 06, 2022 10:03 pm Was that cessation what is called a jhāna?
Personally, I don't think so.

I have heard from experienced scholars and meditators that what many people who follow modern meditation techniques are experiencing, is THE BHAVANGA CITTA (or something close to it), in the form of VOIDNESS or CESSATION of sensual experience.
Interesting. One monk I spoke to recently told me that the mind hid itself and became untraceable due to my inexperience. Would very much like to dedicate more time to practice and study in order to understand more about it.
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Dhamma Chameleon
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Dhamma Chameleon »

This post from the Yellow Page teachings thread seems relevant here
For meditators today, a common malaise is spiritual nostalgia. People with this illness suffer from their struggles to reproduce a powerful samādhi experience that occurred in the early days of their practice. They speak with awe of the unforgettable breakthrough they made in their meditation, and with sad eyes admit their frustration at being unable to experience it again. Perhaps one day, they conclude wistfully, it will happen. They live in hope. In fact it is this very hope, expectation and desire that prevents them from moving forward.

The good of Buddhist meditation is not to gain a particular profound state of mind and make it permanent. Such a motivation would mean aiming at a heavenly rebirth. We practice for liberation. We develop samādhi in order to give the mind the necessary stability and clarity to see the nature from our experience whatever it may be, and not to dwell on our memories of the past. There is a lot to learn from deep states of samādhi, but there are also a lot of traps we may fall into because of them.

Ajahn Jayasāro
17/1/23
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Kidet0
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Kidet0 »

Dhamma Chameleon wrote: Sun May 07, 2023 6:15 am This post from the Yellow Page teachings thread seems relevant here
Perhaps one day, they conclude wistfully, it will happen. They live in hope. In fact it is this very hope, expectation and desire that prevents them from moving forward.
I agree. At this point, I do understand why craving for past experiences is counterproductive. It's just that the experience made an extraordinary impression on the mind and so I thought it was the hallmark of some attainment. I had never meditated before. I didn't know better.
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Dhamma Chameleon »

Kidet0 wrote: Sun May 07, 2023 7:06 pm At this point, I do understand why craving for past experiences is counterproductive. It's just that the experience made an extraordinary impression on the mind and so I thought it was the hallmark of some attainment. I had never meditated before. I didn't know better.
I totally understand! These experiences make a big impression, they are so different and feel special. The mark of a truly worthwhile attainment is that it leads to less suffering. The rest is just pretty views along the way. It's ok to enjoy them, just don't get sucked in and forget where you're going.
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Kidet0
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by Kidet0 »

Kidet0 wrote: Sun May 07, 2023 2:41 am
One monk I spoke to recently told me that the mind hid itself and became untraceable due to my inexperience...
Found something! Mind goes into hiding, cittam niliyati? viewtopic.php?t=40789
pudai
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Re: Was it a jhāna?

Post by pudai »

'Feeling(feeling) in and of itself'
'I will breathe in sensitive to rapture.'
'I will breathe out sensitive to rapture.'

'I will breathe in sensitive to pleasure.'
'I will breathe out sensitive to pleasure.'

'I will breathe in sensitive to mental fabrication.'
'I will breathe out sensitive to mental fabrication.'

'I will breathe in calming mental fabrication.'
'I will breathe out calming mental fabrication.'
End of; 'Feeling(feeling) in and of itself.'

Body in body is mindfulness and often practiced before moving onto feeling in and of itself which is jhana.
The six senses accommodate; All the factors of existence... The All.
Apart from; The All... Nothing exists.
The senses are empty of a self & what belongs to a self.
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