Of course we are talking about the jhana that is found in the sutta's, which is called 'Right', and is an essential part of the path. Maybe I can forsee your reply being........but what is the jhana that is to be found in the suttas? To which my reply is .........it is the Right jhana that is built upon the other Right factors of the path.tiltbillings wrote:That is an interesting and extremely unfortunate distortion of the Mahasi Sayadaw practice. It right up there with B. Alan Wallace's sniper business. In all my formal instruction, it has never, ever been presented outside a Buddhist context of sīla-samādhi-paññā. That mindfulness practice has been, by some, secularized does not diminish the significance of this profound practice within its Dhamma context.Brizzy wrote: Dry insight on the other hand can be more appealing, since the practices can be undertaken 24/7, no lack of virtue or lack of renunciation actually impedes one in the process of noting or feeling. Indeed, such practices as noting or feeling can be undertaken regardless of ones actions.
Attainment of significant levels of jhana type concentration do not require a Buddhist context and certainly can happen within contexts thay are not at all in line with what is taught in the suttas.Cultivation of jhana is a lifestyle choice in and of itself, one cannot claim to cultivate jhana and live life heedlessly.
Metta