What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
SarathW
Posts: 21257
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by SarathW »

In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... than.html5

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
nibbedhika
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Oct 04, 2017 5:27 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by nibbedhika »

Samadhi is one of the seven factors of enlightenment and means deep or absorbed meditation. Its characteristic is one-pointedness (ekkagata) or the abscence of the five hindrances. It is possible to talk of three levels of samadhi.

Samadhi can be methodically achieved using any of the 40 subjects of meditation. Fixing the mind on any stable concept (as opposed to transient real sensations) is the only way to go up to complete (appana) samadhi. For those who are not working all the way up to appana samadhi (e.g. vipassana or Mahayana meditation) the fading away of the five hindrances in any condition leads from khanika (momentary) to upacara (neighbourhood) samadhi.

Jhana is a spontaneously arising transcendental state, in the sense that it is not methodically built up and is different from normal cognitive and emotional states. Its main characteristic is the arising of the five jhana factors including a distinctive intense pleasure. There are several jhanas, each with its own characteristics.

The connection between samadhi and jhana is that samadhi leads to jhana. Actually, jhana arises in two ways - complete (appana) samadhi leads to samatha jhana and the attainment of insight knowledge leads to vipassana jhana.

This is a slightly controversial topic, and this is what I think is the classical interpretation - let me know if I am wrong. Different authors venture different interpretations of the terms and also different practical implementations. You should refer to the usage of whatever book or teacher you are working with, for the sake of consistency. Or read more on the topic, e.g. The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation by Henepola Gunaratana, or Leigh Brasington's extensive writing on the more controversial points.
User avatar
Zom
Posts: 2715
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 6:38 pm
Location: Russia, Saint-Petersburg
Contact:

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Zom »

In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?
Easy. Jhana is a particular state of samadhi.
SarathW
Posts: 21257
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by SarathW »

Similar to Zom, an interesting idea came from the similar post in stack exchange.
Accordingly, Jhana is like the measuring unit and the Samadhi is the object subject to measurement.
eg: Say, first Jahana means one measure of Samadhi.

buddhism.stackexchange.com
SarathW
What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/ques ... nd-samadhi
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
SarathW
Posts: 21257
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by SarathW »

Zom wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2017 3:40 pm
In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?
Easy. Jhana is a particular state of samadhi.
It appears Jhana is a lower level of Samadhi.


https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/wh ... madhi/6627
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
Zom
Posts: 2715
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 6:38 pm
Location: Russia, Saint-Petersburg
Contact:

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Zom »

It appears Jhana is a lower level of Samadhi.
I'd say otherwise - it is quite powerful level of samadhi. Especially 4th one, which is obviously enough for total eradication of any kind of defilement.
Saengnapha
Posts: 1350
Joined: Wed Sep 13, 2017 10:17 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Saengnapha »

Zom wrote: Thu Oct 05, 2017 1:26 am
It appears Jhana is a lower level of Samadhi.
I'd say otherwise - it is quite powerful level of samadhi. Especially 4th one, which is obviously enough for total eradication of any kind of defilement.
Both are impermanent.
Spiny Norman
Posts: 10186
Joined: Fri Mar 05, 2010 10:32 am
Location: Andromeda looks nice

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Spiny Norman »

SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:13 am In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
Samadhi is described in a variety of ways in the suttas: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/search_r ... ght.org%2F
Buddha save me from new-agers!
pyluyten
Posts: 105
Joined: Wed Jan 11, 2017 9:08 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by pyluyten »

You are probably pointing to a pretty interesting question, where we lack of knowledge to answer properly.

Obviously we can take suttas or comments for granted ; and say the are 32 categories of samadhi & 93 types of jhanas.
But we could as well

1) ask ourselves, *why* are 2 terms used. "Jhana" is a particular type of "Samadhi" sounds fair.
But is it that simple?

2) and what is their history. I have read Buddhism did create one term, not the other one,
and you will sure find many alternatives opinions.

I am sorry not to be able to answer properly, because i am certain one can find interesting - and practical -
stuff thanks to your question
davidbrainerd
Posts: 1011
Joined: Fri Jul 01, 2016 3:12 am

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by davidbrainerd »

SarathW wrote: Wed Oct 04, 2017 2:13 am In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
The first link is broken. Ah, just have to remove the 5 at the end.

Fixed - Mike
User avatar
_anicca_
Posts: 345
Joined: Sun Mar 20, 2016 9:44 pm

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by _anicca_ »

Samadhi accompanied by equanimity is the 4th Jana.
"A virtuous monk, Kotthita my friend, should attend in an appropriate way to the five clinging-aggregates as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, an emptiness, not-self."

:buddha1:

http://vipassanameditation.asia
2600htz
Posts: 825
Joined: Fri Aug 27, 2010 11:37 pm

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by 2600htz »

Hello:

I think its pretty clear that Samadhi is the actual game you are playing, while a Jhana is a particular level/stage of that very same game.
The real debate is what is actually the game you should be playing or the quality you should be developing, since i don`t really agree with the most traditional definition of Samadhi.

Regards.
User avatar
xofz
Posts: 54
Joined: Mon Feb 22, 2016 11:29 pm
Location: WA, USA
Contact:

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by xofz »

Samadhi is the continual arising of single-pointed concentration.

Jhana's are pleasurable states that can distract the mind and lead one out of samadhi.

Do not attach to any of the jhanas; ultimately, they are transient. Stick to maintaining samadhi.
becoming aware!
Unexist
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:30 pm

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Unexist »

Samadhi is you become a river, without I me mine and jhana is the four streams of actual seeing or vision to four Noble truth. Find fourth by forwarding from three and merge in it.

It's the fourth is called as sea where all river merges. It's Dukkha nirodh gamini patipada.
Unexist
Posts: 29
Joined: Thu Sep 14, 2017 4:30 pm

Re: What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

Post by Unexist »

Beware to call fourth the sea or nirodhgaminipatipada in terms of eternal or imparmanent, with body or bodiless, empty or full, near or far, I or you, being or non-being, seen, seer, or object of senses, doer or enjoyer, free or bound.

It's not worthy to call it by any name. It's unknown.

Upanishad can only says like "not this not this".
Post Reply