wrong jhāna, paj-jhāyanti nij-jhāyanti avaj-jhāyanti

AN 6.46 dhamma teachers disparaging meditation experts

AN 6, 1. paṭhamapaṇṇāsakaṃ, 5. dhammikavaggo, 4. mahācundasuttaṃ (AN 6.46), para. 2 ⇒

“Friend!” those bhikkhus replied. The Venerable Mahācunda said this:

“idhāvuso, dhammayogā bhikkhū jhāyī bhikkhū apasādenti — ‘ime pana jhāyinomhā, jhāyinomhāti jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti avajjhāyanti . kimime jhāyanti, kintime jhāyanti, kathaṃ ime jhāyantī’ti? tattha dhammayogā ca bhikkhū nappasīdanti, jhāyī ca bhikkhū nappasīdanti, na ca bahujanahitāya paṭipannā honti bahujanasukhāya bahuno janassa atthāya hitāya sukhāya devamanussānaṃ.

397(1) “Here, friends, bhikkhus who are Dhamma specialists1343"" disparage those bhikkhus who are meditators, saying: ‘They meditate and cogitate, [claiming]: “We are meditators, we are meditators!”1344"" Why do they meditate? In what way do they meditate? How do they meditate?’ In this case, the bhikkhus who are Dhamma specialists aren’t pleased, and the bhikkhus who are meditators aren’t pleased, and they aren’t practicing for the welfare of many people, for the happiness of many people, for the good, welfare, and happiness of many people, of devas and human beings.

AN 11.9 simile of horse who only thinks about eating

AN 11.9

AN 11, 1. nissayavaggo, 9. saddhasuttaṃ (AN 11.9), para. 2 ⇒

“In the same way, there are cases where an unbroken colt of a man, having gone to the wilderness, to the foot of a tree, or to an empty dwelling, dwells with his awareness overcome by sensual passion, obsessed with sensual passion. He does not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from sensual passion once it has arisen. Making that sensual passion the focal point, he absorbs himself with it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it.

“ājānīyajhāyitaṃ kho, saddha, jhāya; mā khaḷuṅkajhāyitaṃ . kathañca, khaḷuṅkajhāyitaṃ hoti? assakhaḷuṅko hi, saddha, doṇiyā baddho ‘yavasaṃ yavasan’ti jhāyati. taṃ kissa hetu? na hi, saddha, assakhaḷuṅkassa doṇiyā baddhassa evaṃ hoti — ‘kiṃ nu kho maṃ ajja assadammasārathi kāraṇaṃ kāressati, kimassāhaṃ paṭikaromī’ti. so doṇiyā baddho ‘yavasaṃ yavasan’ti jhāyati. evamevaṃ kho, saddha, idhekacco purisakhaḷuṅko araññagatopi rukkhamūlagatopi suññāgāragatopi kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti. so kāmarāgaṃyeva antaraṃ katvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati avajjhāyati, byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati. thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati. uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati. vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti. so vicikicchaṃyeva antaraṃ katvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati avajjhāyati. so pathavimpi nissāya jhāyati, āpampi nissāya jhāyati, tejampi nissāya jhāyati, vāyampi nissāya jhāyati, ākāsānañcāyatanampi nissāya jhāyati, viññāṇañcāyatanampi nissāya jhāyati, ākiñcaññāyatanampi nissāya jhāyati, nevasaññānāsaññāyatanampi nissāya jhāyati, idhalokampi nissāya jhāyati, paralokampi nissāya jhāyati, yampidaṃ diṭṭhaṃ sutaṃ mutaṃ viññātaṃ pattaṃ pariyesitaṃ anuvicaritaṃ manasā, tampi nissāya jhāyati. evaṃ kho, saddha, purisakhaḷuṅkajhāyitaṃ hoti.

“He dwells with his awareness overcome by ill will… sloth & drowsiness… restlessness & anxiety… uncertainty, obsessed with uncertainty. He does not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from uncertainty once it has arisen. Making that uncertainty the focal point, he absorbs himself with it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it.

KN Snp 4.7 wrong jhāna has sankappa (thinking)

KN Snp 4.7

♦ 823.	(thanissaro trans.)
♦ “yaso kitti ca yā pubbe,	His earlier honor & dignity:
hāyate vāpi tassa sā.	lost.
♦ etampi disvā sikkhetha,	Seeing this,
methunaṃ vippahātave.	he should train himself
	to abandon sexual intercourse.
♦ 824.
♦ “saṅkappehi pareto so,	Overcome by resolves,
kapaṇo viya jhāyati.	he broods [does jhana]
♦ sutvā paresaṃ nigghosaṃ,	like a miserable wretch.
maṅku hoti tathāvidho.	Hearing the scorn of others,
	he’s chagrined.

see same snp 4.7 passage in Vitakka V&V article for detailed treatment of this passage

MN 108 praisworthy jhāna and un-worthy

MN 108

MN 3, 1. devadahavaggo, 8. gopakamoggallānasuttaṃ (MN 108.1), para. 23 ⇒	“Indeed, Master Ānanda, that the Bamboo Grove is pleasant…favourable for retreat is because of the worthy ones who are meditators and cultivate meditation. The worthy ones are meditators and cultivate meditation. On one occasion, Master Ānanda, Master Gotama was living at Vesālī in the Hall with the Peaked Roof in the Great Wood. Then I went there and approached Master Gotama, and in many ways he gave a talk about meditation. Master Gotama was a meditator and cultivated meditation, and he praised every type of meditation.”
84. “na ca kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā sabbaṃ jhānaṃ vaṇṇesi, napi so bhagavā sabbaṃ jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesīti. kathaṃ rūpañca, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesi? idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco kāmarāgapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāmarāgaparetena, uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti; so kāmarāgaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. byāpādapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati byāpādaparetena, uppannassa ca byāpādassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti; so byāpādaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. thinamiddhapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati thinamiddhaparetena, uppannassa ca thinamiddhassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti; so thinamiddhaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. uddhaccakukkuccapariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati uddhaccakukkuccaparetena, uppannassa ca uddhaccakukkuccassa nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti; so uddhaccakukkuccaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. vicikicchāpariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti; so vicikicchaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati. evarūpaṃ kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesi.	26.“The Blessed One, brahmin, did not praise every type of meditation, nor did he condemn every type of meditation. What kind [14] of meditation did the Blessed One not praise? Here, brahmin, someone abides with his mind obsessed by sensual lust, a prey to sensual lust, and he does not understand as it actually is the escape from arisen sensual lust. While he harbours sensual lust within, he meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates.1035 "" He abides with his mind obsessed by ill will, a prey to ill will…with his mind obsessed by sloth and torpor, a prey to sloth and torpor…with his mind obsessed by restlessness and remorse, a prey to restlessness and remorse…with his mind obsessed by doubt, a prey to doubt, and he does not understand as it actually is the escape from arisen doubt. While he harbours doubt within, he meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates. The Blessed One did not praise that kind of meditation.
	27.“And what kind of meditation did the Blessed One praise? Here, brahmin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, .. [the 4 jhānas] ...
	…The Blessed One praised that kind of meditation.”

MN 50 insult monk’s jhāna by comparing to animals hunting

MN 50

MN 1, 5. cūḷayamakavaggo, 10. māratajjanīyasuttaṃ (MN 50.1), para. 6 ⇒

“atha kho te, pāpima, brāhmaṇagahapatikā anvāvisiṭṭhā dūsinā mārena bhikkhū sīlavante kalyāṇadhamme akkosanti paribhāsanti rosenti vihesenti — ‘ime pana muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. seyyathāpi nāma ulūko rukkhasākhāyaṃ mūsikaṃ maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. seyyathāpi nāma kotthu nadītīre macche maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. seyyathāpi nāma biḷāro sandhisamalasaṅkaṭīre mūsikaṃ maggayamāno jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati; evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyanti. seyyathāpi nāma gadrabho vahacchinno sandhisamalasaṅkaṭīre jhāyati pajjhāyati nijjhāyati apajjhāyati, evamevime muṇḍakā samaṇakā ibbhā kiṇhā bandhupādāpaccā “jhāyinosmā jhāyinosmā”ti pattakkhandhā adhomukhā madhurakajātā jhāyanti pajjhāyanti nijjhāyanti apajjhāyantī””ti.

13.“Then, Evil One, the Māra Dūsī took possession of those brahmin householders, telling them: ‘Come now, abuse, revile, scold, and harass the virtuous bhikkhus of good character; then perhaps, when they are abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed by you, some change will come about in their minds whereby the Māra Dūsī may find an opportunity.’ Then, when the Māra Dūsī had taken possession of the brahmin householders, they abused, reviled, scolded, and harassed the virtuous bhikkhus of good character thus:523 "" ‘These bald-pated recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman’s feet,524 "" claim: “We are meditators, we are meditators!” and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate.525 "" Just as an owl on a branch waiting meditate, and mismeditate.525 "" Just as an owl on a branch waiting for a mouse meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a jackal on a river-bank waiting for fish meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a cat, waiting for a mouse by an alley or drain or rubbish bin, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, or just as a donkey unladen, standing by a door-post or a dustbin or a drain, meditates, premeditates, out-meditates, and mismeditates, so too, these bald-pated recluses, these swarthy menial offspring of the Kinsman’s feet, claim: “We are meditators, we are meditators!” and with shoulders drooping, heads down and all limp, they meditate, premeditate, out-meditate, and mismeditate.’ Now, Evil One, on that occasion most of those human beings, when they died, reappeared on the dissolution of the body, after death, in a state of deprivation, in an unhappy destination, in perdition, even in hell. [335]

Commentary

the only difference between right and wrong jhana

is the fuel source.

wrong jhana uses the fuel of 5niv hindrances.

right jhana uses the fuel of seclusion from 5niv hindrances, and the rapture and pleasure (piti & sukha) that results from that.

anyone has done wrong jhāna

examples of near universal human jhana experience.

example 1: falling in love

when two people fall in love, in the honey moon phase which can last days, weeks, or months, they walk around all day with a dopey smile, their thoughts and perception overwhelming tainted by the fever of being in love. everything seems wonderful, the birds are singing, squirrels are dancing, etc. They can hardly function and do anything else except obsessively think about their loved one.

example 2: sorrow of a broken heart

say the person one was madly in love with dumps them. Or a close relative or friend dying.

then they are consumed with the jhana of sorrow. they cry, they weep, they can't eat, they can't sleep, they can not think about anything other than their all consuming sorrow. they are in so much mental agony they seriously contemplate suicide. Some go through with that. that's the jhana absorption of sorrow and a broken heart.

example 3: man catches lover cheating on him in bed with another man

the man becomes gripped with the jhana of ill will, so much so that he comes close to killing both his lover and the cheater partner. even a virtuous man goes through this obsessive jhana of ill will where he is gripped by it, can not think of anything else, and comes close to or does actually commit murder in revenge and anger.

Jhāna and enlightenment of non-buddhist brahmans

and ascetics

AN 4.123 once returner reborn in brahma realm corresponding to 4j, ordinary person low rebirth

(AN 4.123)

Tattha ṭhito tadadhimutto tabbahulavihārī aparihīno kālaṃ kurumāno brahmakāyikānaṃ devānaṃ sahabyataṃ upapajjati.	If they abide in that, are committed to it, and meditate on it often without losing it, when they die they’re reborn in the company of the gods of Brahmā’s Group.
Brahmakāyikānaṃ, bhikkhave, devānaṃ kappo āyuppamāṇaṃ.	The lifespan of the gods of Brahma’s Group is one eon.
Tattha puthujjano yāvatāyukaṃ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṃ tesaṃ devānaṃ āyuppamāṇaṃ taṃ sabbaṃ khepetvā nirayampi gacchati tiracchānayonimpi gacchati pettivisayampi gacchati.	An ordinary person stays there until the lifespan of those gods is over, then they go to hell or the animal realm or the ghost realm.
Bhagavato pana sāvako tattha yāvatāyukaṃ ṭhatvā yāvatakaṃ tesaṃ devānaṃ āyuppamāṇaṃ taṃ sabbaṃ khepetvā tasmiṃyeva bhave parinibbāyati.	But a disciple of the Buddha stays there until the lifespan of those gods is over, then they’re extinguished in that very life.

AN 4.124 only nonreturner, not non buddhist can be reborn in pure abode with 4j

(AN 4.124)

DN 1 mistaken belief that nibbana realized upon attaining first jhana

(DN 1)

Yato kho, bho, ayaṃ attā vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati,	Quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, this self enters and remains in the first absorption, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, ...
ettāvatā kho, bho, ayaṃ attā paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṃ patto hotī’ti.	That’s how this self attains ultimate extinguishment in the present life.’
Ittheke sato sattassa paramadiṭṭhadhammanibbānaṃ paññapenti.	That is how some assert the extinguishment of an existing being in the present life.

DN 1 similar mistake for remaining 4 jhanas

KN Snp 5.0 vatthu-gāthā (prologue-verses)

♦ 5. pārāyana-vaggo

(KN Snp 5.0)

♦ 1014.
♦ bhadrāvudho udayo ca,	Bhadrāvudha & Udaya,
posālo cāpi brāhmaṇo.	Posāla the brahman,
♦ mogharājā ca medhāvī,	Mogharāja the intelligent,
piṅgiyo ca mahāisi.	and Piṅgiya the great seer—
♦ 1015.
♦ paccekagaṇino sabbe,	all with their own groups,
sabbalokassa vissutā.	famed in all
♦ jhāyī jhānaratā dhīrā,	the world,
pubbavāsanavāsitā.	endowed with jhāna,
	delighting in jhāna,
	enlightened,
	perfume with perfumes3
	from previous lives,

MN 79.10 - (is there a world of perfect happiness? A path to it?)

MN ^79.10 udayi’s tradition had people who could do up to third jhāna, their ‘world of perfect happiness’

SN 35.132 With Lohicca: union with Brahma, using jhāna (pre Buddhist)

SN 35.132 Lohicca: With Lohicca

“mā māṇavakā saddamakattha;	“Students, stop being so noisy.
dhammaṃ vo bhāsissāmī”ti.	I will speak to you on the teaching.”
Evaṃ vutte, te māṇavakā tuṇhī ahesuṃ.	When this was said, the students fell silent.
Atha kho āyasmā mahākaccāno te māṇavake gāthāhi ajjhabhāsi:	Then Mahākaccāna recited these verses for them.
“Sīluttamā pubbatarā ahesuṃ,	“The brahmins of old excelled in ethics,
Te brāhmaṇā ye purāṇaṃ saranti;	and remembered the ancient traditions.
Guttāni dvārāni surakkhitāni,	Their sense doors were guarded, well protected,
Ahesuṃ tesaṃ abhibhuyya kodhaṃ.	and they had mastered anger.
Dhamme ca jhāne ca ratā ahesuṃ,	Those brahmins who remembered the ancient traditions
Te brāhmaṇā ye purāṇaṃ saranti.	enjoyed virtue and jhāna.
Ime ca vokkamma japāmaseti,	But these have lost their way. Claiming to recite,
Gottena mattā visamaṃ caranti;	they live out of balance, judging everyone by their clan.
Kodhābhibhūtā puthuattadaṇḍā,	Mastered by anger, they take up many arms,
Virajjamānā sataṇhātaṇhesu.	attacking both the strong and the weak.
Aguttadvārassa bhavanti moghā,	All is vain for someone who doesn’t guard the sense doors,
Supineva laddhaṃ purisassa vittaṃ;	like the wealth a person finds in a dream.
Anāsakā thaṇḍilasāyikā ca,	Fasting, sleeping on bare ground,
Pāto sinānañca tayo ca vedā.	bathing at dawn, the three Vedas,
Kharājinaṃ jaṭāpaṅko,	rough hides, dreadlocks, and dirt,
mantā sīlabbataṃ tapo;	hymns, precepts and observances, and self-mortification,
Kuhanā vaṅkadaṇḍā ca,	those fake bent staffs,
udakācamanāni ca;	and rinsing with water.
Vaṇṇā ete brāhmaṇānaṃ,	These emblems of the brahmins
katā kiñcikkhabhāvanā.	are only used to generate profits.
Cittañca susamāhitaṃ,	A mind that’s serene,
vippasannamanāvilaṃ;	clear and undisturbed,
Akhilaṃ sabbabhūtesu,	kind to all creatures:
so maggo brahmapattiyā”ti.	that’s the path to attainment of Brahmā!”

⛔ABRJ: Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond

see BRJ👻🥶 for full details.

From Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm

Page 192

The Landmarks of All Jhānas

“From the moment of entering a jhāna, one will have

no control. One will be unable to give orders as one

normally does. When the will that is controlling vanishes, then the “I will” that fashions one’s concept of future also disappears. Since the concept of time ceases in jhāna, the very question “What should I do next?” cannot arise. One cannot even decide when to come out. It is this absolute absence of will, and of its offspring, time, that gives the

jhānas their timeless stability and allows them to last sometimes for many blissful hours.

Because of the perfect one-pointedness and fixed

attention, one loses the faculty of perspective within jhāna. Comprehension relies on comparison—relating this to that, here to there, now with then. In jhāna, all that is perceived is an unmoving, enveloping, nondual bliss that allows no space for the arising of perspective. It is like that puzzle where one is shown a photograph of a well-known object from an unusual angle, and one has to guess what it is. It is very difficult to identify some objects without looking at them from different angles. When perspective is removed, so is comprehension. Thus in jhāna not only is there no sense of time but also there is no comprehension of what is going on. At the time, one will not even know which jhāna one is in. All one knows is great bliss, unmoving, unchanging, for unknown lengths of time.

Even though there is no comprehension within any jhāna, one is certainly not in a trance. One’s mindfulness is greatly increased to a level of sharpness that is truly incredible. One is immensely aware. Only mindfulness doesn’t move. It is frozen. And the stillness of the superpower mindfulness, the perfect one-pointedness of awareness, makes the

jhāna experience completely different from anything one has known before. This is not unconsciousness. It is nondual consciousness. All it can know is one thing, and that is timeless bliss that doesn’t move.

Afterward, when one has emerged from the jhāna, such

consummate one-pointedness of consciousness falls apart. With the weakening of one-pointedness, perspective reemerges, and the mind has the ability to move again. The mind has regained the space needed to compare and comprehend. Ordinary consciousness has returned.

Having just emerged from a jhāna, it is the usual practice to look back at what has happened and review the jhāna experience. The jhānas are such powerful events that they leave an indelible record in one’s memory store. In fact, one will never forget them as long as one lives. They are easy to recall with perfect retention. One comprehends the details of what happened in the jhāna, and one knows which of the jhānas it was. Moreover, data obtained from reviewing a jhāna form the basis of the insight that leads to Another strange quality that distinguishes jhāna from all other experience is that within jhāna, all the five senses are totally shut down. One cannot see, hear, smell, taste, or feel touch. One cannot hear a crow cawing or a person coughing. Even if there were a thunderclap nearby, it wouldn’t be heard in a jhāna. If someone tapped you on the shoulder, or picked you up and let you down, in jhāna you cannot know this. The mind in jhāna is so completely cut off from these five senses that they cannot break in…”

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/abrj-ajahn-brahm-re-definition-of-jhana.html

Compare ⛔ABRJ with ✅☸EBT 3rd jhāna...

And unlike ABRJ, where one is "frozen", in EBT jhāna, one can investigate

STED S&S💭 definition custom built for in-jhāna usage

Now look in AN 4.41...

Also very clear is MN 111...

Ajahn Brahm very similar to VRJ

There’s nothing wrong with Ajahn Brahm’s meditation technique in itself. It can fit into 7sb and EBT meditation, but not the way he does it. The problem is he redefines important fundamental terms like “kāya”, V&V, that confuses and creates havoc with the rest of the world, meditators who follow the EBT jhana system where kāya, V&V, have simple straightforward meanings.

And with Ajahn Brahm’s massive international popularity, it definitely becomes a big problem. For example (real example), and I’m sure this happens frequently for teachers who teach a straightforward EBT jhana, one time B. Thanissaro was giving a talk and Q&A, many people in the audience were trying to clarify why B. Thanisssaro was contradicting what Ajahn Brahm said on what and how jhana works. Finally B. Thanissaro said something to the effect of, “there will be no more questions about Ajahn Brahm’s jhana.”

excerpt from

Richard Shankman's "The Experience of Samādhi"

RS = Richard Shankman

AB = Ajahn Brahm (Brahmavamso)

(inability to "do something" in jhana)

(p.169) role of "will", ability to "do something" in jhana

AB: ...That simile works like this:

The first jhana is the first time when the body and the five senses have disappeared. So when one gets into the first jhana, that is the first occasion when one has completely let go of the body and the five senses, just like the first time that tadpole, transformed into a frog, has gone out of the lake. Only when you have leaped out from the world of the five senses and body are you able to know what a body is and what the five senses are. You cannot know what these five senses truly are when you are swimming around in them. You cannot know what a body is when it is always there for you.

But much more profoundly, in the second jhana your will has disappeared. It is not just that you do not want to do anything. You cannot do anything. The potential to involve yourself with affairs has been completely removed. It is like you have leaped out from another lake that had an immersed in as long as you can remember, the lake called "will".

(he adopts "access concentration" from vism.)

(p.172)

...

RS: Do you use the term "access concentration"?

AB: That is one of the terms that I do use, upacara samadhi. Again, it is not in the suttas, but comes from the Visuddhimagga. But I think it is a useful addition, because it does describe the real state just prior to the jhanas and just after the jhanas. However, I prefer the term "neighborhood" or threshold" to access."

In the case of a house, you cross the threshold on the way in and on the way out. In the case of jhana, the threshold that you cross on the way out is the important one. On the way into jhana, threshold samadhi is very unstable, so it is not all that useful. In any case, if you are that close, you would be a fool not to go farther into the jhana.

When you come out from jhāna, that is the access samadhi that is very stable and lasts a long time. This threshold samadhi is where the deep insights happen, on the way out of jhāna, not on the way in.

The only way you can understand whether it is threshold samadhi or not is to see what is just beyond there. Once you know what jhāna is, you know what is just before and what is afterward, and that is neighborhood samadhi. If you have not gotten into a jhāna, then you will never really know what threshold samadhi is.

(V&V he redefines similar to Vism.)

RS: Are you rendering the term vitakka-vicāra more as the sense of “connecting and sustaining," rather than as applied and sustained thought"?

AB: Yes. Vitakka-vicāra is a movement of the mind, which is not verbal, it is automatic. It is not something deliberately willed. Nor is it any part of the thinking process. It is what I call in experiential terms "the wobble in the first jhāna." A wobble means there is a lack of absolute stillness, but it is still pretty still.

(p.173)

The reason it is happening is because there is still a residual amount of involuntary control, a lot of holding on to the bliss, the pīti-sukha. And because of that involuntary holding on to that bliss, the mind is not totally stable. The holding on to it is called “vicāra." It is a type of attachment, a very subtle form of attachment. And the vitakka is the automatic mental process of moving toward the bliss. But this is not thinking. It is completely subverbal. Once vitakka-vicāra is completely abandoned, then you are absolutely still. It is the trademark feature of the second jhāna.

(kāya redefined from anatomical body to "mental body")

RS: In the beautiful similes that are used in describing jhāna, the jhāna factors are pervaded throughout the whole body. If all feelings of the body disappear, it is not clear how to interpret that.

AB: The word kāya in Pāli is well translated by the English word “body." We have a physical body, but also have a body of evidence, a body of experience, and these are all immaterial "bodies." We use the word "physical body” just to make sure we know what body we are talking about. Kaya, just like the word "body," means an accumulation of things, a conglomerate, a group of things.

Pervading the “kāya" with the jhāna factors means that the experience of bliss pervades the whole "mental body” throughout the jhāna. It does not mean experiencing the jhāna with the physical body. That is a misunderstanding of the use of the word kāya in Pāli. It is quite clear that in jhānas you cannot feel anything to do with the body.

#N/A!

Cinderella

if it doesn't fit

Cinderalla (Jhāna) is being unjustly incarcerated.

Some of her stepsisters have stepped up, claiming to be the rightful partner of Prince Siddhartha (with the correct interpretation of Jhāna).

How do they prove this?

By trying to jam their oversized feet into the glass slipper.

Despite that, it doesn't fit.

So one of the stepsisters cuts off her toes and jams her bloody stump in there, and exclaims, "Perfect fit!"

Cinderalla (jhāna) is being unjustly incarcerated.

Her captors are actually intelligent and virtuous, but somehow, for some reason, side with stepsister.

Now Cinderella's fate rests in the jury's hands. If you don't speak up and apply some pressure, Cinderella remains locked up.

Do the right thing.

If the glass slipper doesn't fit, you must acquit!

Cinderella's step sisters

2016-nov.

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/vitakka-vicara-jhana-factors/2589/34

hi mikenz,

i’ve read ajahn brahm’s book which you quoted from, and especially the relevant sections on jhana and anapanasati many times. a.brahm’s teaching is very similar to vism. It’s much closer to vism. than a straightforward reading of the EBT. he does a much better job of training beginning meditators to relax and enjoy the process than most burmese teachers who use the vism. model, and where the vism. takes parimukham (near mouth) literally, a.brahm says to not use any part of the body to fix the breath to. but both vism. and a.brahm use anapanasati as just the preliminary part, the actual meditation object to get into jhana is the visual light that appears. in the vism., after the light appears and becomes stable, it literally says, now turn to the page from access concentration under earth kasina and proceed from there to get into jhana.

so if you were to characterize vism. and a.brahm’s teaching of anapanasati to get into jhana in terms of EBT, it’s really a hybrid of anapanasati and the samadhi bhavana for aloka sanna (visual light perception). or you could say it’s a type of pure citta-anupassana. but the star of the show is the visual light nimitta. the kinaesthetic experience of anapanasati is just the understudy with a small supporting role.

compare that to ajahn lee’s method 2, or arahant upatissa’s description of the 16 steps of anapanasati, where the kinaesthetic experience of anapansatisamadhi is there the whole time even in jhana.

the best way for people to resolve their doubts is to try doing jhana using those various ways and see what matches the EBT.

i was reading the vimuttimagga description of jhana under earth kasina yesterday, and in comparison to what i remember from visuddhimagga’s description, here’s where it differs.

in vimuttimagga, it explains that you stop hearing sound in the formless attainments. take a look at the standard formula for space-infinitude-dimension:

sabbaso rupa-sannanam samatikkama / all form perceptions (is) surmounted.

patigha-sannanam atthangama / resistance perceptions are overcome (vimt. explains these are the 5 sense gates of seeing, hearing, etc.)

nanatta-sannanam a-manasikara / diversity of perceptions (he) doesn’t pay attention to.

vimt. also explains this is why 4th jhana and formless attainments are described as imperturbable. it agrees with straightforward reading of EBT’s where this is the proper place that you don’t hear sound, don’t feel any pain that might develop in the body, etc.

in contrast, if i remember correctly from vism., they agree with ajahn brahm about not hearing sound and not feeling the body in first jhana. and then when it gets to the section on formless attainments, it just says, “nothing new to say here, we’ve already covered that in the first 4 jhanas.”

vism. claims to be compatible with EBT, and the way try to accomplish that is by redefining kaya/body as “collection of mental aggregates”.

ajahn brahm also has to make some questionable redefinitions to get things to work. it feels a lot like cinderella’s stepsisters jamming the glass slipper on.

cinderalla fits

2018-nov.

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/tayo-samadhi-and-aparepi-tayo-samadhi-dn33-dn34/11197/39

ajahn brahm contradicts his teacher ajahn chah here:

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/ajahn-chah-says-in-first-jhana-v-v-thinking-evaluation-physical-body-feels-bliss/9465

So you could start by asking why Ajahn Brahm contradicts his teacher. Many other virtuous, famous, widely followed teachers like B. Thanissaro, Ajahn Lee, B. Gunaratana, also interpret V&V, jhanas, consistently with a straightforward reading of the suttas.

You have the right idea that one should compare their meditative experience with what the suttas say, and not rely on suttas alone.

Ideally, one could do the VRJ (vism. redefinition of jhana) and the EBT jhana (straightforward reading of the sutta), and then see which matches the suttas better. Both methods work. It’s not an issue of whether either system works as advertised.

The difference is EBT jhana fits like the glass slipper on cinderella’s foot.

Ajahn Brahm (VRJ without abhidhamma baggage) requires a convoluted redefinition of important basic terms, much like cinderella’s stepsisters trying to jam the glass slipper on. The only way they would be able to get the EBT passages on jhana to support their position is to mutilate kāya, vitakka, vicāra, perhaps cut off a few toes to get the feet to fit in the slipper. If you could call a bloody stump of a foot fitting inside the glass slipper a good fit, then you could say Ajahn Brahm’s interpretation of jhana from the EBT passages is a reasonable fit too.

The pali+english audits I’ve provided are there for when people are ready to examine the evidence for themselves to sort out who has reasonable interpretations of the suttas and who does not.

Examine the evidence for yourself and come to your own conclusions. But you can start with asking why Ajahn Brahm contradicts his own teacher.

jhāna 🌄 mountain: ABRJ, VRJ

https://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/03/simile-of-jhana-mountain-ebt-jhana-abrj.html

✅☸EBT jhāna, is a different type of samādhi than ⛔ABRJ and ⛔VRJ (vism.).

All of those samādhi systems work as advertised, but they have distinct qualitative differences.

It's not ok for ⛔VRJ (vism.) to redefine jhāna and then claim it's the same jhāna the Buddha teaches.

And it's definitely not ok for Ajahn Brahm to claim ⛔ABRJ is what the Buddha meant by ✅☸EBT jhāna.

It's really quite shocking that those claims are tolerated at all.

The problem isn't that some Buddhists prefer a different samādhi system than the one the Buddha taught.

The problem is that by inappropriately naming it the same as ✅☸EBT jhāna, it's horribly confusing to the rest of the world,

especially newbies.

If one prefers ⛔ABRJ, that's fine, but one should be clear it's not the same as ✅☸EBT jhāna.

The Simile of jhāna mountain

Based on the simile from MN 125.

⛔VRJ (Vism. Re-definition of Jhāna)

⛔ABRJ (Ajahn Brahm Re-definition of Jhāna, same as Vism. Redefinition without abhidhamma theory)

Ajahn Brahm (Brahmavamso)

The way Vism. goes about redefining jhāna is explored in great detail here, with pali + english audit.

EBT Jhāna Vs. Vism. Redefinition

To explain it with an original simile, on the path to the ancient city of Nirvana, The Buddha has a sign that points to ✅🌄jhāna mountain of MN 125. The Buddha promised a gradual path, and this includes jhāna samādhi. So the mountain has switchbacks, a gradually elevated path that spirals around the mountain, gently leading to the mountain peak. Anyone can climb this trail - young, old, experienced, inexperienced.

Buddhaghosa comes along, swaps out the sign that points to ✅🌄jhāna mountain to point to a different mountain, which we'll call ⛔VRJ 🌄. Now this VRJ mountain is an identical twin to the Buddha's. Identical in every way, except without the gradual spiraling path. Instead, it's a steep, direct and treacherous ascent up the face of the mountain. Only one in a million people can make it up to even first jhana, which is only 25% of the mountain height.

A thousand years pass, and then Ajahn Brahm comes along. He purports to follow the EBT (Early Buddhist Texts), and not the Abhidhamma. So he removes Buddhaghosa's counterfeit sign, and replaces the Buddha's sign that points to the genuine ✅🌄jhāna mountain. Yay Ajahn Brahm!

But wait!

Then Ajahn Brahm is seen maniacally laughing, driving a backhoe, which is a mechanical excavation vehicle, up ✅🌄jhāna mountain, and he proceeds to destroy the switchbacks, the gradual spiraling path that leads to the top of the mountain. When he's done, it looks identical to ⛔VRJ 🌄. Meaning one has to take the steep, direct and treacherous ascent up the face of the mountain. Only one in a million people can make it up to even first jhana, which is only 25% of the mountain height.

Do you see the problem now?

Trust in ✅☸EBT jhāna. Don't believe the counterfeits.

roller coaster entry sign

excerpt from 2016-nov post:

https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/vitakka-vicara-jhāna-factors/2589/38

in first jhāna referenced in SN 40.1, sensuality is equivalent to desire for 5 cords of sense pleasure.

if you do visuddhimagga style jhāna, resolve to enter first jhāna for 20 minutes, and during that time the only thing you’re aware of is visual light, no body sensations, no sounds, and you can not do anything until you emerge 20 minutes later, what is the sense of talking about speech (vaca) ceasing in first jhāna, kamehi (sensuality) and 5 hindrances being able to perturb and throw you out of first jhāna?

clearly what vism. and ajahn brahm define for their first jhāna has a much greater difficulty than what the buddha is asking for. it’s like you’re in line for a roller coaster and it has a sign that says you need to be at least 3 feet tall to get on the first jhāna roller coaster. then ajahn brahm comes along and crosses out the 3 foot and writes in 6 feet 5 inches tall (198 cm). he just disenfranchised 99 percent of the population.

so here’s why this is important. if you can do a lousy impure first jhāna, then it’s possible you can do a mediocre first jhāna. if you can do a mediocre first jhāna, it’s possible to do a high quality first jhāna…

…its possible for you to do a lousy second jhāna… etc.

but when people think, “man there’s no way i can ever get into a samādhi where there’s absolutely no thinking, body disappears, i can’t hear sounds” … guess what happens? they give up. i’ve seen so many meditators in the vism. system give up when it’s obvious to me they can do at least a decent first jhāna and very likely at least a lousy second jhāna according to a simple EBT reading. they gave up because they were meditating under the influence of vism. jhāna (MUI). too much emphasis on “one pointedness”, not nearly enough emphasis on passadhi-sambojjhanga, kaya-passadhi and citt-passadhi. if they had instead followed arahant’s upatissa’s instructions on 16 steps anapanasati in vimuttimagga, or ajahn lee’s method 2 anapanasati, then they would have n excellent chance to break through. i believe this is how the mahasi movement got started. people just gave up because they imagined first jhāna to be too difficult, so they pioneered a vipassana only path without samatha, and then created vipassana jhānas and other weird workarounds, when an occams razor reading of the EBT would have preempted the need for those fabricated complications.

Sid Gotonirvana's family farm

parable of Sid Gotonirvana's family farm

http://notesonthedhamma.blogspot.com/2019/02/parable-of-sid-gotonirvanas-family-farm.html

A long time ago, in paradise valley, Sid and his family, with the surname of Gotonirvana, had a farm collective, growing a rich variety of fruits. They tasted extraordinary, and the fruit was completely wholesome and nutritious. Their fruit was available far and wide, famous everywhere.

their advertisement read:

Sid and Gotonirvana family farms,

quenching thirst with the tastiest fruit

with an entirely complete and pure variety of fruits.

Hundreds of years later, after many generations, the Gotonirvana clan and family farms still thrived. They still had the amazing complete collection and variety of fruits as their root patriarch great-great-great-great-grand-pappy Sid, but in addition to the original fruits, now the family had many additional hybrids, and some would even dare to say, some genetically modified fruits that were not as tasty and efficacious as previous generations.

The current leader of the Gotonirvana clan was Bud. He begat a son named Ghosa, and was nicknamed 'Gus'. Now Gus was born with a taste impediment. He loved bitter melon, and hated all other fruits and vegetables. And he did not like the way his father Bud ran the family business, and he definitely did not like Bud's insistence on maintaining tradition. Their advertisement was even identical as Sid's original, with the addition of proudly proclaiming the length of their service.

Sid and Gotonirvana family farms,

quenching thirst with the tastiest fruit

for the past 500 years,

with an entirely complete and pure variety of fruits.

Now Gus believed the family business should not narrowly focus on only fruits that quench thirst, but should expand to include every kind of edible food, edible by humans, animals, bugs, and even microscopic unseen living organisms.

So he did what he felt would be in the best interest of the family business. He staged a hostile takeover, and had his father and other relatives with controlling interests opposed to his vision imprisoned and/or exiled.

Now the new business plan to expand into all edibles, not just fruit, needed to be phased out. So the first part of his plan, to groom the consumers into gradually accepting his brilliant new vision, was to restrict the fruit to a selection that would make the consumer receptive to his new ideas. With a one pointed spot light on the fruit of his choice: Bitter Melon.

The old family advertisement was modified to suit Gus's agenda, and the plan was underway. The public reaction was mixed. People old enough or knowledgeable enough to know past history were skeptical about the changes. Young people who didn't know history or think things through, but were excited by all things new, sided with Gus.

Soon, there was a shareholder meeting, and Gus took questions:

question: Isn't bitter melon a vegetable, not a fruit?

Gus: it's an access vegetable-fruit, so it's practically the same as a fruit.

Some of the shareholders didn't trust Gus, so they went over to the farm collective to see what they actually grew there.

There were so many varieties of fruit, too many to count. But there were 7 major fruits, including delicious mango, pineapple, durian, mangostein, avocado, coconuts, etc.

The complete variety of fruits were still allowed to grow, but besides the one picked by some family and friends, most of the fruit lay rotting on the ground.

Still on the farm was the old sign:

Sid and Gotonirvana family farms,

quenching thirst with the tastiest fruit

for the past 500 years,

with an entirely complete and pure variety of fruits.

Next to it, was a bigger, shinier, new sign with new slogan:

Sid and Gotonirvana family farms,

quenching thirst with the tastiest edibles

for the past 500 years,

with an entirely complete and pure experience of bitter melon.

	(derived from b.sujato trans.)
“Taggha, bho ānanda, veḷuvanaṃ ramaṇīyañceva appasaddañca appanigghosañca vijanavātaṃ manussarāhasseyyakaṃ paṭisallānasāruppaṃ,	“Surely, Master Ānanda, it is owing to the
yathā taṃ bhavantehi jhāyīhi	venerables who do-jhāna,
jhāna-sīlīhi.	making a habit of doing-jhāna.
Jhāyino ceva bhavanto jhāna-sīlino ca.	For the venerables do in fact do-jhāna and make a habit of doing-jhāna.

Ekamidāhaṃ, bho ānanda, samayaṃ so bhavaṃ gotamo vesāliyaṃ viharati mahāvane kūṭāgārasālāyaṃ.	This one time, Master Ānanda, Master Gotama was staying near Vesālī, at the Great Wood, in the hall with the peaked roof.
Atha khvāhaṃ, bho ānanda, yena mahāvanaṃ kūṭāgārasālā yena so bhavaṃ gotamo tenupasaṅkamiṃ.	So I went there to see him.
Tatra ca pana so bhavaṃ gotamo anekapariyāyena jhānakathaṃ kathesi.	And there he spoke about jhāna in many ways.
Jhāyī ceva so bhavaṃ gotamo ahosi jhāna-sīlī ca.	He did-jhāna, and made a habit of doing-jhāna.
Sabbañca pana so bhavaṃ gotamo jhānaṃ vaṇṇesī”ti.	And he praised all kinds of jhāna.”

“Na ca kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā sabbaṃ jhānaṃ vaṇṇesi,	“No, brahmin, the Buddha did not praise all kinds of jhāna,
napi so bhagavā sabbaṃ jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesīti.	nor did he dispraise all kinds of jhāna.
Kathaṃ rūpañca, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesi?	And what kind of jhāna did he not praise?
Idha, brāhmaṇa, ekacco kāma-rāga-pariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati kāma-rāga-paretena,	It’s when someone’s heart is overcome and mired in sensual desire,
uppannassa ca kāmarāgassa nissaraṇaṃ yathā-bhūtaṃ nap-pajānāti;	and they don’t truly understand the escape from sensual desire that has arisen.

so kāmarāgaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati	Harboring sensual desire within they do-jhāna and
pa-j-jhāyati	do-jhāna-concentration
ni-j-jhāyati	and do-jhāna-contemplation
apa-j-jhāyati.	and do-jhāna-rumination.

Vicikicchā-pariyuṭṭhitena cetasā viharati vicikicchāparetena, uppannāya ca vicikicchāya nissaraṇaṃ yathābhūtaṃ nappajānāti;	Their heart is overcome and mired in doubt, and they don’t truly know and see the escape from doubt that has arisen.
so vicikicchaṃyeva antaraṃ karitvā jhāyati pa-j-jhāyati ni-j-jhāyati apa-j-jhāyati.	Harboring doubt within they do-jhāna and do-jhāna-concentration and do-jhāna-contemplation and do-jhāna-rumination.
Evarūpaṃ kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ na vaṇṇesi.	The Buddha didn’t praise this kind of jhāna.

Kathaṃ rūpañca, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ vaṇṇesi?	And what kind of jhāna did he praise?
Idha, brāhmaṇa, bhikkhu vivicceva kāmehi vivicca akusalehi dhammehi savitakkaṃ savicāraṃ vivekajaṃ pītisukhaṃ paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	It’s when a mendicant, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, enters and remains in the first jhāna, which has the rapture and bliss born of seclusion, with directed-thought & evaluation.
Vitakkavicārānaṃ vūpasamā ajjhattaṃ sampasādanaṃ cetaso ekodibhāvaṃ avitakkaṃ avicāraṃ samādhijaṃ pītisukhaṃ dutiyaṃ jhānaṃ …	As directed-thought & evaluation are stilled, they enter and remain in the second jhāna, which has the rapture and bliss born of samādhi, with internal clarity and confidence, and unified mind, without directed-thought & evaluation.
tatiyaṃ jhānaṃ …	And with the fading away of rapture, they enter and remain in the third jhāna, where they do-jhāna with equanimity, mindful and aware, personally experiencing the bliss with their flesh and blood physical body, of which the noble ones declare, ‘Equanimous and mindful, one does-jhānas in bliss.’
catutthaṃ jhānaṃ upasampajja viharati.	Giving up pleasure and pain, and ending former happiness and sadness, they enter and remain in the fourth jhāna, without pleasure or pain, with pure equanimity and mindfulness.
Evarūpaṃ kho, brāhmaṇa, so bhagavā jhānaṃ vaṇṇesī”ti.	The Buddha praised this kind of jhāna.”

4👑☸ Cattāri Ariya-saccaṃ 四聖諦

wrong jhāna wrong samādhi

Wrong samādhi

MN 36 austerity of holding the breath “jhāna”

wrong jhāna, paj-jhāyanti nij-jhāyanti avaj-jhāyanti

AN 6.46 dhamma teachers disparaging meditation experts

AN 11.9 simile of horse who only thinks about eating

KN Snp 4.7 wrong jhāna has sankappa (thinking)

MN 108 praisworthy jhāna and un-worthy

MN 50 insult monk’s jhāna by comparing to animals hunting

MN 108 deserves special attention

(householder claims buddha praised all jhana)

(1. Wrong jhāna based on sensuality)

(3 slightly different types of jhāna)

(2. Wrong jhāna based on ill will)

(3. Wrong jhāna based on sloth and torpor)

(4. Wrong jhāna based on restlessness and remorse)

(5. Wrong jhāna based on doubt)

(✅right jhānas are the STED 4j)

Commentary

the only difference between right and wrong jhana

anyone has done wrong jhāna

conclusion

’jhana’ just means an obsessive focus

Jhāna and enlightenment of non-buddhist brahmans

and ascetics

AN 4.123 once returner reborn in brahma realm corresponding to 4j, ordinary person low rebirth

AN 4.124 only nonreturner, not non buddhist can be reborn in pure abode with 4j

DN 1 mistaken belief that nibbana realized upon attaining first jhana

DN 1 similar mistake for remaining 4 jhanas

KN Snp 5.0 vatthu-gāthā (prologue-verses)

MN 79.10 - (is there a world of perfect happiness? A path to it?)

SN 35.132 With Lohicca: union with Brahma, using jhāna (pre Buddhist)

⛔VRJ: Vism. Redefinition of Jhāna

⛔ABRJ: Mindfulness Bliss and Beyond

Ajahn Brahm very similar to VRJ

(inability to "do something" in jhana)

(he adopts "access concentration" from vism.)

(V&V he redefines similar to Vism.)

(kāya redefined from anatomical body to "mental body")

Pa Auk Sayadaw closely follows VRJ

shankman follows straightforward EBT MN 119 reading

Similes, parables

Ajahn Brahm and the robes

Cinderella

if it doesn't fit

Cinderella's step sisters

cinderalla fits

jhāna 🌄 mountain: ABRJ, VRJ

roller coaster entry sign

Sid Gotonirvana's family farm

☸ Lucid 24.org 🐘🐾‍