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Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 1:24 pm
by Willl
Hi all!
A little about myself: I'm still pretty new to buddhism but not meditation as I've kept up a regular hour a day practice for the last 3 years or so. My approach to meditation and buddhism has been pretty secular, viewing buddhism in general more as a philosophy and drawing back from the more metaphysical aspects of it. I'm still very confused as to where Buddhists stand on the topic of reincarnation for example.
I'm here to learn more about theravada as well as some more advanced guidance for my own meditation practice as I've found it difficult elsewhere online to find people with enough experience to answer my questions.
My own practice started off with very disciplined practice of samatha which lead to becoming pretty experienced in the jhanas. I've spent a lot of time exploring the 4 jhanas although I've not experienced the formless states as far as I know. In the last year my practice has moved much more in the direction of vipassana and mindfulness which always seems to lead me to a quite intense state of infinite boundless awareness. I have a lot of questions regarding this experience and the value of it compared to trying to stay more grounded and present but perhaps that is something to post in more detail elsewhere.
For now, hello to everyone here. I'm excited to learn and grow with this forum.
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 1:33 pm
by Sam Vara
Hello Willl, and welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
I hope the materials here and discussions with other members will help provide answers to your questions.
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 3:51 pm
by bodom
Welcome!
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 4:28 pm
by DNS
Welcome to DW!
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:00 pm
by retrofuturist
Greetings,
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel.
Metta,
Paul.
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 8:26 pm
by SarathW
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:52 pm
by xofz
Welcome! Isn't meditation pleasurable? As long as our bodies are safe and sound, we can do whatever we want with that mind of ours...
Re: Hello
Posted: Wed Jan 10, 2018 9:59 pm
by Meezer77
Hi
Nice to meet you. I've got a burning question that's been on my mind for a while. Do you think it's possible for a secular Buddhist to get Jhana?
Apologies if that's too heavy for your first day. Feel free to ignore me
Re: Hello
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:10 am
by Willl
Hi guys!
meezer77, it's an interesting question and definitely the kind of thing I'm here to discuss. In what way do you think they might not be attainable to a secular Buddhist?
For my part I've always been someone who tries to carve their own path rather than follow anything laid out before me too strictly. The states of absorption themselves don't rely on the belief of anything metaphysical as far as I'm aware? I'll try to outline my experience, perhaps you could point me in the direction of a text that might help me gain some better understanding.
My experience of it is of focusing the mind completely onto the breath, total one pointed focus. After some time the quality of the subject kind of crystallises, each breath becomes like a trickle of pure liquid diamond echoing silently in the vast nothingness within me. I find it only possible to get here once the five hindrances have been abandoned and there is truly no desire for anything to be other than how it is right now. Let everything be.
After some time, if there is truly no desire for it to arise, the first jhana rises like a great unstoppable wave of utterly saturating bliss and pleasure. In full absorption it feels like this bliss has seeped into every synapse and every cell in the body and the breath is totally abandoned. This pleasure then becomes the object of focus.
The rest of the journey through jhana is pretty well documented. I think the depth of absorption can vary a lot. I have found that the abandoning of that first wave of saturating extacy for the subtler realms of happiness and then tranquility to be a process one can go through without being fully immersed, a light jhana if you will.
But certainly when I choose to meditate with the intention of absolute absorption it is a very different experience and I perhaps only experience this once a month or so, largely because I'm never actively trying to get to jhana itself but rather practice samatha meditation for the cultivation of deeper concentration. At the very bottom of the well, in fourth jhana I'm simply held by it. Like a stone at the bottom of a deep pool utterly still and effortless with an endless expanse between my singular unwavering awareness and the world of thought and action.
Re: Hello
Posted: Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:19 am
by Meezer77
Willl wrote: ↑Thu Jan 11, 2018 8:10 am
Hi guys!
meezer77, it's an interesting question and definitely the kind of thing I'm here to discuss. In what way do you think they might not be attainable to a secular Buddhist?
For my part I've always been someone who tries to carve their own path rather than follow anything laid out before me too strictly. The states of absorption themselves don't rely on the belief of anything metaphysical as far as I'm aware? I'll try to outline my experience, perhaps you could point me in the direction of a text that might help me gain some better understanding.
My experience of it is of focusing the mind completely onto the breath, total one pointed focus. After some time the quality of the subject kind of crystallises, each breath becomes like a trickle of pure liquid diamond echoing silently in the vast nothingness within me. I find it only possible to get here once the five hindrances have been abandoned and there is truly no desire for anything to be other than how it is right now. Let everything be.
After some time, if there is truly no desire for it to arise, the first jhana rises like a great unstoppable wave of utterly saturating bliss and pleasure. In full absorption it feels like this bliss has seeped into every synapse and every cell in the body and the breath is totally abandoned. This pleasure then becomes the object of focus.
The rest of the journey through jhana is pretty well documented. I think the depth of absorption can vary a lot. I have found that the abandoning of that first wave of saturating extacy for the subtler realms of happiness and then tranquility to be a process one can go through without being fully immersed, a light jhana if you will.
But certainly when I choose to meditate with the intention of absolute absorption it is a very different experience and I perhaps only experience this once a month or so, largely because I'm never actively trying to get to jhana itself but rather practice samatha meditation for the cultivation of deeper concentration. At the very bottom of the well, in fourth jhana I'm simply held by it. Like a stone at the bottom of a deep pool utterly still and effortless with an endless expanse between my singular unwavering awareness and the world of thought and action.
I'm fairly new to Buddhism myself, and would probably describe myself as a "buffet " Buddhist. I used to be a "buffet " catholic. I'm not very knowledgeable about the Jhanas was just something I was curious about. I can barely sit still for an hour so haven't experienced any of these glorious experiences you're talking about