Leigh Brasington's Interpretations of the Jhanas
Posted: Wed Jan 29, 2014 6:08 pm
I start to read Leigh Brasington's essay 'Interpretations of the Jhanas' http://leighb.com/jhanantp.htm#1 and think there are quite some interesting aspects to consider and to discuss. In order to keep things in context , I plan to go through the whole article piece by piece but leave it to the reaction and possible discussion on the forum whether to finish . I put my comments in brackets . Response appreciated ...
I like to thank Leigh for publishing this compilation , which is a fine source of orientation inviting to dig further for one's own practise
quote
Although the Jhanas appear very frequently in the discourses of the Buddha (suttas), now two and a half millenna later there is no generally agreed upon interpretation of what exactly these states of concentration are. This paper is a highly subjective attempt by one Jhana practitioner to simply list and categorize the various interpretations I have heard of here at the beginning of the 21st century. The information in this list is quite likely to not be totally accurate. If you can provide more details of a teacher's method, Please write me at !
The first broad categorization would be into "Sutta Style Jhanas" and "Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas". These two phrases are not ideal, but I use them until someone comes up with a better pair. "Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas" use a nimitta for access and involve very deep concentration. "Sutta Style Jhanas" do not require a nimitta and involve more accessible states of concentration.
(but do not exclude it, do they ?
The Jhanas as discussed in the suttas are accessible to many people. The suttas seem to indicate that they were just part of the monastics' training program; thus they were not a big deal and were accessible to many.
( I think that one should keep in mind that the Buddha recommended Jhana as well for householders.)
However, the Visuddhimagga states in section XII.8 that of those who undertake the meditation path, only one in 1,000,000 (at best) can reach absorption 1.
footnote"[T]he kasina preliminary work is difficult for a beginner and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The arousing of the sign is difficult for one who has done the preliminary work and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To extend the sign when it has arisen and to reach absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it." Vsm. XII.8
Thus only 1 in 100 x 100 x 100 = 1,000,000 can reach absorption (Jhana) - using the most optimistic figures.
( I read : one in a hundred or [one in] a thousand and believe this is meant in Vis.M. )
We don't have to take this figure literally to begin to understand that the Jhanas as discussed in the Visuddhimagga are of a much deeper level of concentration than those described in the suttas. Basically, the Jhanas as described in the Visuddhimagga seem to be much more developed and systematized than those of the suttas. Even the factors given for the first four Jhanas are not the same: see The Traditional Factors of the 8 Jhanas.
( it seems to me that Vis.M. missed in some parts to distinguish what is commentary and what is enhancement of the Buddha Dhamma. )
So the following table lists the various interpretations I have encountered and gives a (hopefully somewhat accurate) picture of each of the interpretations. Each system is given by the name of the place or teacher that teaches (or taught) in the style:
Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas
Pa Auk Monastery (near Moulmein, Taninthayi Division, Burma) continues the genuine monastic tradition as preserved in the Visuddhimagga. The Jhanas taught there are a very deep absorption, and not surprisingly are not accessible by the majority of people who undertake learning them. The stories I hear are of about one-third of the monks and nuns being able to access them (with nuns doing a bit better than the monks).
Lay practitioners from the West seldom report any success accessing these deep states except in the context of a multi-month retreat. Various access methods are taught including kasinas and anapanasati. The Jhanas are used to generate a concentrated mind, which is then used to do the various insight practices outlined in the Visuddhimagga, and to undertake the systematic study of the mind as outlined in the Abhidhamma.
Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder are authorized as Teachers by the Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, and are authors of the book Jhanas Advice from Two Spiritual Friends, an accessible and direct experiental account of jhana practiced, endorsed by Sayadaw.
(B.T.W. the ten kasinas mentioned in A.N.I,35 : the 4 elements ; blue,yellow,red,white kasinas; space and consciousness kasina . Would be interesting to find some links of practioners reporting about their experience )
so far .. to be continued
I like to thank Leigh for publishing this compilation , which is a fine source of orientation inviting to dig further for one's own practise
quote
Although the Jhanas appear very frequently in the discourses of the Buddha (suttas), now two and a half millenna later there is no generally agreed upon interpretation of what exactly these states of concentration are. This paper is a highly subjective attempt by one Jhana practitioner to simply list and categorize the various interpretations I have heard of here at the beginning of the 21st century. The information in this list is quite likely to not be totally accurate. If you can provide more details of a teacher's method, Please write me at !
The first broad categorization would be into "Sutta Style Jhanas" and "Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas". These two phrases are not ideal, but I use them until someone comes up with a better pair. "Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas" use a nimitta for access and involve very deep concentration. "Sutta Style Jhanas" do not require a nimitta and involve more accessible states of concentration.
(but do not exclude it, do they ?
The Jhanas as discussed in the suttas are accessible to many people. The suttas seem to indicate that they were just part of the monastics' training program; thus they were not a big deal and were accessible to many.
( I think that one should keep in mind that the Buddha recommended Jhana as well for householders.)
However, the Visuddhimagga states in section XII.8 that of those who undertake the meditation path, only one in 1,000,000 (at best) can reach absorption 1.
footnote"[T]he kasina preliminary work is difficult for a beginner and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The arousing of the sign is difficult for one who has done the preliminary work and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To extend the sign when it has arisen and to reach absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it." Vsm. XII.8
Thus only 1 in 100 x 100 x 100 = 1,000,000 can reach absorption (Jhana) - using the most optimistic figures.
( I read : one in a hundred or [one in] a thousand and believe this is meant in Vis.M. )
We don't have to take this figure literally to begin to understand that the Jhanas as discussed in the Visuddhimagga are of a much deeper level of concentration than those described in the suttas. Basically, the Jhanas as described in the Visuddhimagga seem to be much more developed and systematized than those of the suttas. Even the factors given for the first four Jhanas are not the same: see The Traditional Factors of the 8 Jhanas.
( it seems to me that Vis.M. missed in some parts to distinguish what is commentary and what is enhancement of the Buddha Dhamma. )
So the following table lists the various interpretations I have encountered and gives a (hopefully somewhat accurate) picture of each of the interpretations. Each system is given by the name of the place or teacher that teaches (or taught) in the style:
Visuddhimagga Style Jhanas
Pa Auk Monastery (near Moulmein, Taninthayi Division, Burma) continues the genuine monastic tradition as preserved in the Visuddhimagga. The Jhanas taught there are a very deep absorption, and not surprisingly are not accessible by the majority of people who undertake learning them. The stories I hear are of about one-third of the monks and nuns being able to access them (with nuns doing a bit better than the monks).
Lay practitioners from the West seldom report any success accessing these deep states except in the context of a multi-month retreat. Various access methods are taught including kasinas and anapanasati. The Jhanas are used to generate a concentrated mind, which is then used to do the various insight practices outlined in the Visuddhimagga, and to undertake the systematic study of the mind as outlined in the Abhidhamma.
Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder are authorized as Teachers by the Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw, and are authors of the book Jhanas Advice from Two Spiritual Friends, an accessible and direct experiental account of jhana practiced, endorsed by Sayadaw.
(B.T.W. the ten kasinas mentioned in A.N.I,35 : the 4 elements ; blue,yellow,red,white kasinas; space and consciousness kasina . Would be interesting to find some links of practioners reporting about their experience )
so far .. to be continued