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- how to investigate in the immaterial jhanas
how to investigate in the immaterial jhanas
- richardweeden
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15 years 7 months ago #59392
by richardweeden
how to investigate in the immaterial jhanas was created by richardweeden
After reading lots on this site I have re-engaged with concentration practice. This is largely a result of reading the strata of mind model and comments on the hurricane ranch discussion that post-1st path the best policy is to develop concentration . I believe I attained first path about three years ago, and kenneth's comments that the first four concenration jhanas become clear after seems bourn out in my experience.
The cutting edge of my practice is now adverting and entering the first two immaterial jhanas. They are beginning to become clearer and the suggested techniques for gaining them seem to work quite well.
My specific questions are:
1)boundless space jhana:
This question relates to which of the three gears is most appropriate for investigation.
How can the meditator actually notice space coming and going? While there are subtle flickerings in my experience, these appear to be happening within space so some things within the jhana do appear to be impermanent but are these the jhana itself.
I can get some distance on the experience of space by noticing that I am aware of it and asking 'what knows space?'
I can do nothing and just 'be' with the jhana and trust ( I am least confortable with this as I fear simply becoming subtly absorbed, and becoming lost in a simulacrum of choiceless awareness.
boundless consciousness jhana:
I am confused about whether the sense of knowing space which is encouraged in the instructions is any different from second gear. I have used kenneths method of expanding consciousness out to the horizon and and then curving it back on itself which does create a kind of knowingness - though clearly there is something knowing this too, or it could not be recognised. MTCTB suggests that the jhana is not the witness, but kenneth I think suggests there is some kind of link between this jhana and the witness. Thoughts appreciated.
The cutting edge of my practice is now adverting and entering the first two immaterial jhanas. They are beginning to become clearer and the suggested techniques for gaining them seem to work quite well.
My specific questions are:
1)boundless space jhana:
This question relates to which of the three gears is most appropriate for investigation.
How can the meditator actually notice space coming and going? While there are subtle flickerings in my experience, these appear to be happening within space so some things within the jhana do appear to be impermanent but are these the jhana itself.
I can get some distance on the experience of space by noticing that I am aware of it and asking 'what knows space?'
I can do nothing and just 'be' with the jhana and trust ( I am least confortable with this as I fear simply becoming subtly absorbed, and becoming lost in a simulacrum of choiceless awareness.
boundless consciousness jhana:
I am confused about whether the sense of knowing space which is encouraged in the instructions is any different from second gear. I have used kenneths method of expanding consciousness out to the horizon and and then curving it back on itself which does create a kind of knowingness - though clearly there is something knowing this too, or it could not be recognised. MTCTB suggests that the jhana is not the witness, but kenneth I think suggests there is some kind of link between this jhana and the witness. Thoughts appreciated.