Guided Tour to 13 Jhanas (part 1-7)

[Morning Dew]

I find this fascinating
I actualy had an idea that Jhanas are more like a trans stages and these videos prove me wrong
Kenneth and Nick (our member?? ) are talking through the 13 Jhanas and back. Ha!

Love it. I will sure start to pay more attention to ever changing sensations and perceptions

Note this is the 1st part of 7 videos. The rest is on youtube;

Guided Tour to 13 Jhanas (Part 1)

[Andrew]

I'll be checking this out when I get home for sure...

[Andrew]

Fascinating and inspiring, I feel my ego cling to a 'mystical mountain monk' picture of meditation when I watch this, that the practice should always be distant and unobtainable 

I think this example of 'everyday' attainment is a good antidote for the 'I don't feel like sitting' feeling you questioned today. Great post Che, thanks.

[Morning Dew]

I feel it is beneficial to invoke a feeling of amazement with the sensate phenomena popping here and there then evaporising into nothingness just to come back again in this cycling rollercoaster
This goalless amazement will then become goalless non-judgemental noting-investigation which in time can only lead to deeper and deeper understanding of the suchness of Dhammas. It feels to me like a giant Hubble telescope only this one goes in-within, deeper, deeper, deeper

Be well

[nibs]

Hi there,

I have now come to think of what Kenneth Folk considers the 5 "pure abode" jhanas after the 8th jhana to be nothing more than the interesting territory right before a cessation of all the senses. In a sense, they are not really jhanas, although they do have an absorption quality to them. They seem to be only accessible for yogis who have access to what some call 'fruitions' (cessation of the senses for a brief moment), specifically yogis who have some sort of physio-energetic development at the third eye and maybe the crown spots. One can halt the mind and absorb it in certain parts of the strange entrance experience to a 'fruition'. Yogis stumble on them by accident quite a bit. I do not think they are necessary for progress but they are quite an interesting experience and can be mined for quite a bit of insight into the structure of mind and insight into the 3 C's as one can do with the traditional 8 jhanas.

More info on those videos here:  http://thehamiltonproject.blogspot.com/2011/01/talking-in-jhanas.html

Nick

[Morning Dew]

In order to awaken, are jhanas necessary? To get stream entry, one must gain access to each of the strata of mind that are the nanas/jhanas in order to get to a place where Equanimity is the main theme --> the 11th nana or the 4th jhana. Only there will a yogi be able to see all phenomena arising and passing away with the degree of equanimity and discernment needed. Even the false centre point of the illusory self can be seen as just phenomena and this is where the fetter of identity view gets dealt with. At this stage, it is all seen as a mass of arising and passing away phenomena and sooner or later, when it all synchs up, plop! --> the cessation of all the senses/a path moment/stream entry occurs.

Thanks for the link Nick it seems possible the way you explain it.

Be well

[Andrew]

Yes, thanks Nick, the Hamilton Project is really cool, I appreciate you putting yourself out there for our benefit. The explanation you give of the nanas and jhanas is very clear. It certainly helps me get some perspective, perhaps a little Right View even...

I'll be checking out a few more of those blogs for sure!

Cheers
Good work mate!

A