sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
Post Reply
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by alan... »

are there any that give more detailed instruction? how to begin, maintain, rise to the next, etc.?
daverupa
Posts: 5980
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by daverupa »

More detailed instruction than what?
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
User avatar
tiltbillings
Posts: 23046
Joined: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:25 am

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by tiltbillings »

daverupa wrote:More detailed instruction than what?
Than the suttas with the least detail and with middling detail.
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12

This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.

“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
User avatar
retrofuturist
Posts: 27848
Joined: Tue Dec 30, 2008 9:52 pm
Location: Melbourne, Australia
Contact:

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by retrofuturist »

Greetings,

I like this...

MN 44: Culavedalla Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
User avatar
SDC
Posts: 9062
Joined: Mon Dec 14, 2009 11:08 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by SDC »

The seven factors of awakening (satta bojjhaṅgā) get into detail - SN 46.3 is a good one. Here is a good talk - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZgaDj0YN9s

Beware of becoming obsessed with attaining jhāna, you run the risk of wasting a lot of precious time. From what I have been taught, it is something that will occur with relative ease through proper development. Do not forget about everything the Buddha teaches before samādhi. Just my 2 cents.
“Life is swept along, short is the life span; no shelters exist for one who has reached old age. Seeing clearly this danger in death, a seeker of peace should drop the world’s bait.” SN 1.3
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by alan... »

retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,

I like this...

MN 44: Culavedalla Sutta
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Metta,
Retro. :)
perhaps I did not read it carefully enough but I only see a very small section on Jhana practice. Am i missing something?
User avatar
Assaji
Posts: 2106
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:24 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by Assaji »

Hi Alan,
alan... wrote:are there any that give more detailed instruction? how to begin, maintain, rise to the next, etc.?
Jhana practice is a multifaceted activity.

If you'll take one by one the criteria from the Anapanasati sutta (say, how calm is the body, etc.) or Satipatthana sutta (e.g. whether the mind is spacious - "mahaggata" or constricted), insert them into the framework of Dvedhavitakka sutta instead of two kinds of thinking, comprehend the right effort through redirection of attention described in Bhikkhunupassaya sutta and Ahara sutta, and consult Gavi sutta on moving to the next jhana, - you'll have a solid roadmap.

Note that Ven. Thanissaro's "theme" is his rendering of Pali "nimitta".

Best wishes, Dmytro
daverupa
Posts: 5980
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 6:58 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by daverupa »

Link fixed; the translator's introduction probably misunderstands pasadaniya nimitta.
  • "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.

    "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.

- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by alan... »

Dmytro wrote:Hi Alan,
alan... wrote:are there any that give more detailed instruction? how to begin, maintain, rise to the next, etc.?
Jhana practice is a multifaceted activity.

If you'll take one by one the criteria from the Anapanasati sutta (say, how calm is the body, etc.) or Satipatthana sutta (e.g. whether the mind is spacious - "mahaggata" or constricted), insert them into the framework of Dvedhavitakka sutta instead of two kinds of thinking, comprehend the right effort through redirection of attention described in Bhikkhunupassaya sutta and Ahara sutta, and consult Gavi sutta on moving to the next jhana, - you'll have a solid roadmap.

Note that Ven. Thanissaro's "theme" is his rendering of Pali "nimitta".

Best wishes, Dmytro
thanks much!
User avatar
Assaji
Posts: 2106
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 7:24 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by Assaji »

alan... wrote:thanks much!
You are welcome! Each sutta, for example Tapussa, takes a somewhat different perspective on jhana, and you get a multidimensional image as a result.
alan...
Posts: 824
Joined: Thu Dec 06, 2012 9:37 pm

Re: sutta(s) with most detail on jhana practice?

Post by alan... »

Dmytro wrote:
alan... wrote:thanks much!
You are welcome! Each sutta, for example Tapussa, takes a somewhat different perspective on jhana, and you get a multidimensional image as a result.
cool, i'm reading them now.
Post Reply