Spiny O'Norman wrote:retrofuturist wrote:Greetings,
I find anyone's "claims" of samma samadhi, as no more thrilling than proficiency in any of the other seven aspects of the Noble Eightfold Path.
I agree, it's no big deal actually. It seems strange to me that we have people making out that jhana is an impossibility for the average practictioner, and implying that people are making "claims" as some sort of ego trip.
Spiny
Like anything, it depends. For the average practitioner, lay or monastic, jhana takes some work (as the suttas themselves indicate), and depending upon which style of jhana one is striving for, it may take a fair amount of work over time. If one is following the Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw style, it likely will take a lot of work and will likely require retreat setting to help.
http://www.leighb.com/jhanantp.htm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; the descriptions for each linked eassay neatly outlines the various approaches, giving some idea of how much work might be required for the average practitioner following a chosen approach. If I can attain jhana, it certainly is not impossible, but then for me it was in the context of a three month vipassana retreat and working with a highly experienced Indian teacher trained by Mahasi Sayadaw.
Oh, gawd, an ego trip: I just laid claim to having attained jhana, which I have actually said that before, but I have also said that I have, as a sustained practice, given it up. The issue is not so much talking about having attained jhana, but it is in how it is talked about. For me the touchstone in this issue is this story:
After only a year and a half of practice at Wat Ba Pong, one American [Jack Kornfield] asked and received permission to travel and study with other Thai and Burmese teachers. A year or two later, he returned full of tales of his travels, of many months of extraordinary and intensive practice and of a number of remarkable experiences. . . . Then the Western monk went to the cottage of Achaan Sumedho, the senior Western disciple of Achaan Chah, and told all his stories and adventures, his new understandings and great insights into practice. Sumedho listened in silence and prepared afternoon tea from the roots of certain forest plants. When the stories were completed and the insights recounted, Sumedho smiled and said, "Ah, how wonderful. Something else to let go of."
Jhana and other attainments (real or imagined) all too easily become credentials.