Jhana realisation alternative methods

[Living]

Dear friends,

 

Thanks for welcoming me, I am new to the forum. I had a question and I am hoping you can help me. I have read in a number of books about jhanas that I can use my breath awareness at the nostrils to develop concentration so that I can experience the jhanas. I am wondering can the same concentration be built using a mantra ? Has anyone here consistently experienced the jhanas by building their concentration through the use of mantra let's say in TM style or otherwise. 

Also what other methods besides breath awareness and mantra have people here used to build concentration in order to get to the consistent experience of the jhanas. I would request on topic posts from people with actual experience of the Jhanas please.

 

many thanks and Meta...

 

May all beings be happy.

Edited May 20, 2017 by Living

[C T]

In Tibet and all over the Himalayan regions practitioners often use thangka painting for this purpose. 

Its a very intricate process which leads to supramundane concentrative abilities if performed correctly. 

[Living]

Thanks C T that sounds very interesting. Do you have any personal experience on using Thangka paintings for this purpose? Is there any book or materiel that you could recommend on the subject?

[C T]

http://www.tibetan-buddhist-art.com/upcoming-thangka-classes-workshops/#images/mudras-tara-handgebaren.jpg

 

I like Tibetan calligraphy. Its something i would dabble in occasionally. 

Something like this..  

 

[Spotless]

A key understanding is in what one considers "concentration".

It can take considerable time seated to fully understand that the word "concentration" and the practice are entirely different.

 

One holds ones Awareness but without willfulness.

One holds ones attention but without constriction.

One holds ones attention in the stillness of non-position (no-self) and thus allows the lower vibrations to burn off.

 

One pointedness is not one pointedness - it is positionlessness. Only in positionlessness is One Pointedness possible.

In Positionlessness one is one pointed. Presence is One Pointedness - it is Positionlessness.

 

One can be both in One Pointedness and yet not be Awakened - the trance of the illusion may still be transfixing.

Only in One Pointedness can one journey to the higher realms within - without this neutrality is not possible and one will constantly identify and catch on the shirt tail of self.

 

Aditionally:

 

One can attain to jhana's out of trance and in trance.

In trance one will not "own" the ability - it will be done "outside of oneself".

In embodiment - not trance - the attainment becomes an ability, a part Of ones living.

Edited May 30, 2017 by Spotless

[Mark Foote]

"...making self-surrender (one's) object of thought, (one) lays hold of concentration, lays hold of one-pointedness of mind."  

 

(description of the power of concentration, from a sermon on the five powers-- SN V 200, Pali Text Society V 176)

 

 

I made notes on what Gautama laid out as his teaching in the four initial Nikayas or sermon collections in the Pali Canon, and the jhanas are described there--if you're interested, you can read what he had to say here.

 

I don't have the natural succession that Gautama described, but I have elements--I recognize elements of some of the states sometimes as I practice, and more and more I seem to turn to what he described as his "way of living" for guidance. 

My approach is very technical, until it isn't--you can see something of what I mean here, I hope.

 

But it all begins with "making self-surrender the object of thought" in the movement of breath, so far as I know.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Mark Foote

[Spotless]

10 hours ago, Mark Foote said:

"...making self-surrender (one's) object of thought, (one) lays hold of concentration, lays hold of one-pointedness of mind."  

 

(description of the power of concentration, from a sermon on the five powers-- SN V 200, Pali Text Society V 176)

 

 

I made notes on what Gautama laid out as his teaching in the four initial Nikayas or sermon collections in the Pali Canon, and the jhanas are described there--if you're interested, you can read what he had to say here.

 

I don't have the natural succession that Gautama described, but I have elements--I recognize elements of some of the states sometimes as I practice, and more and more I seem to turn to what he described as his "way of living" for guidance. 

My approach is very technical, until it isn't--you can see something of what I mean here, I hope.

 

But it all begins with "making self-surrender the object of thought" in the movement of breath, so far as I know.

The first quote above is a poor use of words - perhaps just a really bad translation:

"making self-surrender (one's) object of thought,  (one) lays hold of concentration, lays hold of one-pointedness of mind"

 

Suggested translation:

"intending self-surrender, willfulness and the scattering of oneself to the illusions is released in the one-Pointedness of a house not divided"

 

 

 

 

Edited July 2, 2017 by Spotless