Personally I really like DN 2. It’s my number 1 sutta. It outlines the whole practice, and gives some hints as to how the absorptions work.DeadBuddha wrote: ↑Mon Oct 31, 2022 11:44 pm Thanks Mike. Do you know if there are any suttas that go into great detail about the jhana technique?
I know that the suttas give a lot of space to the jhânas. But do they explain precisely and methodically how to reach them?
Thank you in advance.
Virtue > sense restraint > mindfulness and clear comprehension > contentment >
First you perfect virtue and sense restraint. This helps to weaken the grosser hindrances of sensual desire and ill-will. Then, when sitting down to meditate, say via mindfulness of breathing, you abandon the finer hindrances. When then you see that the mind is free of the hindrances joy arises, followed by the Jhana factors. It’s also worth remembering that Jhana occurs when the mind isThe Abandoning of the Hindrances
“Endowed with this noble aggregate of moral discipline, this noble restraint over the sense faculties, this noble mindfulness and clear comprehension, and this noble contentment, he resorts to a secluded dwelling—a forest, the foot of a tree, a mountain, a glen, a hillside cave, a cremation ground, a jungle grove, the open air, a heap of straw. After returning from his alms-round, following his meals, he sits down, crosses his legs, holds his body erect, and sets up mindfulness before him.
“Having abandoned covetousness for the world, he dwells with a mind free from covetousness; he purifies his mind from covetousness. Having abandoned ill will and hatred, he dwells with a benevolent mind, sympathetic for the welfare of all living beings; he purifies his mind from ill will and hatred. Having abandoned dullness and drowsiness, he dwells perceiving light, mindful and clearly comprehending; he purifies his mind from dullness and drowsiness. Having abandoned restlessness and worry, he dwells at ease within himself, with a peaceful mind; he purifies his mind from restlessness and worry. Having abandoned doubt, he dwells as one who has passed beyond doubt, unperplexed about wholesome states; he purifies his mind from doubt.
“Great king, suppose a man were to take a loan and apply it to his business, and his business were to succeed, so that he could pay back his old debts and would have enough money left over to maintain a wife. He would reflect on this, and as a result he would become glad and experience joy.
“Again, great king, suppose a man were to become sick, afflicted, gravely ill, so that he could not enjoy his food and his strength would decline. After some time he would recover from that illness and would enjoy his food and regain his bodily strength. He would reflect on this, and as a result he would become glad and experience joy.
“Again, great king, suppose a man were locked up in a prison. After some time he would be released from prison, safe and secure, with no loss of his possessions. He would reflect on this, and as a result he would become glad and experience joy.
“Again, great king, suppose a man were a slave, without independence, subservient to others, unable to go where he wants. After some time he would be released from slavery and gain his independence; he would no longer be subservient to others but a free man able to go where he wants. He would reflect on this, and as a result he would become glad and experience joy.
“Again, great king, suppose a man with wealth and possessions were travelling along a desert road where food was scarce and dangers were many. After some time he would cross over the desert and arrive safely at a village which is safe and free from danger. He would reflect on this, and as a result he would become glad and experience joy.
“In the same way, great king, when a bhikkhu sees that these five hindrances are unabandoned within himself, he regards that as a debt, as a sickness, as confinement in prison, as slavery, as a desert road.
“But when he sees that these five hindrances have been abandoned within himself, he regards that as freedom from debt, as good health, as release from prison, as freedom from slavery, as a place of safety.
“When he sees that these five hindrances have been abandoned within himself, gladness arises. When he is gladdened, rapture arises. When his mind is filled with rapture, his body becomes tranquil; tranquil in body, he experiences happiness; being happy, his mind becomes concentrated.
The First Jhāna
“Quite secluded from sense pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, he enters and dwells in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought and filled with the rapture and happiness born of seclusion. He drenches, steeps, saturates, and suffuses his body with this rapture and happiness born of seclusion, so that there is no part of his entire body which is not suffused by this rapture and happiness.
“Great king, suppose a skilled bath attendant or his apprentice were to pour soap-powder into a metal basin, sprinkle it with water, and knead it into a ball, so that the ball of soap-powder be pervaded by moisture, encompassed by moisture, suffused with moisture inside and out, yet would not trickle. In the same way, great king, the bhikkhu drenches, steeps, saturates, and suffuses his body with the rapture and happiness born of seclusion, so that there is no part of his entire body which is not suffused by this rapture and happiness. This, great king, is a visible fruit of recluseship more excellent and sublime than the previous ones.
santiṭṭhati: stands still; remains; to be fixed or settled
sannisīdati: settles; subsides; becomes quiet
ekodi: woven into one’, integrated, unified; withdrawn, apart
Also remember that the citta is what is concentrated, and that the citta depends upon name (feeling, perception, intention, contact & attention) and one’s form (rupa)
https://suttacentral.net/sn47.42/en/suj ... ript=latinMendicants, I will teach you the origin and the ending of the four kinds of mindfulness meditation. Listen …
And what is the origin of the body? The body originates from food. When food ceases, the body ends.
Feelings originate from contact. When contact ceases, feelings end.
Citta originates from name and form. When name and form cease, citta ends.
Dhammā [hindrances and awakening factors] originate from attention. When attention ends, dhammā end.”
You become focused on the breath. When the breath (rupa) becomes calm, tranquil, stilled then nama (feeling, perception, intention etc) becomes calm, tranquil and stilled. When name and form is calm, tranquil and stilled then the citta (mind) becomes calm, tranquil and stilled and immerses in samadhi. Dependent origination in action, as it were. Personally I recommend focusing your attention at the tip of the nose in order to fix, calm and still the mind. Ajahn Sona also recommends this, as does Theravada and the Sutrantikas of old.