Jhana Dhamma Talks

The cultivation of calm or tranquility and the development of concentration
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Modus.Ponens
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Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Hello

I'm creating this thread with the purpose of us all sharing dhamma talks about jhana, be they sutta jhanas or hard jhanas. Please, I ask you: no discussions about what jhana itself is and no debates in general. It's just a place for people to put dhamma talks they found helpful here.

It would be useful if people summarised the dhamma talk. :)

Can this be made sticky, even if just temporarily? That is, if there is little or no interest, it would be made "unsticky" afterwards. :)

Metta
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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tiltbillings
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by tiltbillings »

>> 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
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Modus.Ponens »

This dhamma talk is by Ayya Khema. She describes the jhanas 1 to 8, how to get there (except that this part on the 4th is not possible to hear), what you do after each jhana and what insights you get from each jhana. In the end there's a bit of Q&A. It's a very good concise explanation of the subject, in my opinion.

'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
Samma
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Samma »

Basic intro from Henepola Gunaratana

http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com/issu ... ration.php
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by SarathW »

“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
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SDC
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by SDC »

“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
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BlindJoeDeath
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by BlindJoeDeath »

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Anagarika
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Anagarika »

Samma wrote:Basic intro from Henepola Gunaratana

http://archive.thebuddhadharma.com/issu ... ration.php

I had the good fortune to be at a Dhamma talk and Q&A with Ven. Gunaratana just last night. His focus was on mindfulness, and he spent some time on jhanas toward the end of his talk. https://www.facebook.com/events/137012616508120/

He was in good form, and per Bhante Sujatha, his health is good for an 85 year old man. He had some health problems a few years ago, but is now traveling and teaching, this week in the Chicago area. I spoke with him briefly, and he's sharp, friendly, and maintained good vigor for the 3 hours he was talking and answering questions, and signing his newest book, which has its focus on the jhanas.
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Modus.Ponens »

At point 5 in this page there are four dhamma talks on jhana, including instructions.

http://www.leighb.com/talks.htm#jhanas
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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Pondera
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Pondera »

I found this short written work very helpful.

http://www.dhammatalks.net/Books/Ajahn_ ... Jhanas.pdf

Then I read this by Ven. Sona and I was less confident. It's an interesting analysis of how a simile becomes literal, on the topic of nimittas, in the three works :

Patisambhidamagga
Vimuttimagga
Visuddhimagga

- follow each other chronologically. Ven. Sona shows how the idea of a "light" nimitta is possibly a misinterpretation (by the time Buddhagosa is writing). Here's the link.

http://www.arrowriver.ca/dhamma/nimitta.html

Ajhan Brahm's work was very encouraging. And then the above analysis seemed to do the opposite for me. But it's a good analysis!

However, I found this (with the help of Google Saffron - thank-you tiltbillings). And it seems consistent with kasina's and the interpretation of light nimitta
[4] "There are these ten totality-dimensions. Which ten? One perceives the earth-totality above, below, all-around: non-dual,[3] unlimited. One perceives the water-totality... the fire-totality... the wind-totality... the blue-totality... the yellow-totality... the red-totality... the white-totality... the space-totality... the consciousness-totality above, below, all-around: non-dual, unlimited. These are the ten totalities.
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

All good reading, IMO. Cheers!

- P.
Like the three marks of conditioned existence, this world in itself is filthy, hostile, and crowded
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mikenz66
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by mikenz66 »

Well, as the second link says:
All of this does not mean that there is only one way to attain serenity using the breath. If someone has developed a technique that issues in jhana and which does not follow the explicit instructions that is fine too. Whatever works.
The strange thing about the second link is that it seems to be based on the assumption that the instructions in the Visuddhimagga are simply a copying and mis-copying of particular older texts.

:anjali:
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by mikenz66 »

Please try to stick to aim of the topic, which is to post useful talks about jhana. Debates about jhana should go elsewhere, e.g. The Great Jhana Debate.

:anjali:
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by philosopher »

Modus.Ponens wrote:This dhamma talk is by Ayya Khema.

I wish I had talks to contribute, but I just wanted to express appreciation for this thread (such a great idea!) and for this talk in particular. It was wonderful and JUST what I've been looking for!

I hope others will post more talks; I've been listening to all of them and very much enjoying them. I think this will make a wonderful resource for anyone interested in learning more about the jhanas, especially via talk format which I find is sometimes more inspiring than reading. That said, the written resources are also wonderful and much appreciated, too.

:anjali:
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by philosopher »

Modus.Ponens wrote:This dhamma talk is by Ayya Khema. She describes the jhanas 1 to 8, how to get there (except that this part on the 4th is not possible to hear), what you do after each jhana and what insights you get from each jhana. In the end there's a bit of Q&A. It's a very good concise explanation of the subject, in my opinion.

I went to look for that talk again and couldn't find it! I did find this, however: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eymbBabFM2E

It's another talk by Ayya Khema on the jhanas.
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Modus.Ponens
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Re: Jhana Dhamma Talks

Post by Modus.Ponens »

Oh my god... that was the best dhamma talk I ever heard. And now it's gone! :cry:

This is just a speculation of mine: I remember the talk seemed to be edited in some parts to conceal things that Ayya Khema might have said that were more delicate to talk about when you are a nun. Maybe that's why it was removed. But, again, it's just speculation.

Anyway, thank you. I will try to find that dhamma talk again. It is too good to be lost like that. Despite the emphasis on jhanas, Ayya Khema described the whole path, from access concentration to enlightenment, in that talk.

EDIT: to mantain my original intention for this thread to have little, to no debate/conversation, if I find the dhamma talk, I will edit this post and put the talk here.

Metta
'This is peace, this is exquisite — the resolution of all fabrications; the relinquishment of all acquisitions; the ending of craving; dispassion; cessation; Unbinding.' - Jhana Sutta
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