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  • The Last Post (for a while…)
    And what a ride it’s been! I started this blog less than 9 months ago, soon after the WA bhikkhuni ordination. It filled a need that I had felt, for a way of communicating that was more direct and contemporary. And it seems to have filled a need for others, too: 226 000 views, and […]
  • A Further Note on Monastery Constitutions
    In continuing my occasional series on Monastery constitutions and the legal/Vinaya issues involved, I’d like to take a short look at one recently revised constitution, that of Vimutti Monastery in New Zealand. Vimutti is governed under the legal framework of the Auckland Theravada Buddhist Association. The ATBA has been an active presence for many years, […]
  • An Even Swifter Pair
    Dear and beloved bloggists, There’s been some discussion here on samatha/vipassana, sparked in part by my post on A Swift Pair of Messengers a few days ago. This is, of course, one of the old Theravadin family arguments. I’d like to congratulate the posters so far on their civil and engaging responses. The spark behind […]
  • A Swift Pair of Messengers
    I’ve just finished revising and publishing my first book, A Swift Pair of Messengers. You can find it online here. At the moment it’s just in html format; in the next few days I’ll be supplying print-on-demand, pdf, and scribd versions. I originally wrote this while staying at Sukhavana in Ipoh, Malaysia. At that time, […]
  • Who Owns a Monastery in the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya?
    Schopen’s discussion on ownership in the Mulasarvastivada Vinaya is much more detailed, and I cannot hope to do it justice here. Here is Schopen’s own summary of his findings. As he emphasizes, it is difficult to draw definite conclusions without much more study, yet the findings in this summary are all securely attested in the […]

Phenomena which occur in Jhana

One thing i would like to mention about the nimittas, sounds and other tingling and inspiring experiences found in Jhana meditation, is the fact that they are hypnotic and induce “sukha” (pleasurable vedhana/sensation
although most western practitioners dont find anything negative about pleasurable experiences (experiences actually are not pleasurable onr unpleasurable.. they are just experiences – it is our creation of mental formations (Sangkhara) and subsequent vedhana which arise (becoming) when our sanya and vinyana (perception and conscious awareness) of these things come into contact with the object (experience)…

Satipathana Sutta

SATIPATTHANA SUTTA
Kayanupassana-is observing the body, its movements, its impermanence, its non-self nature.
vedhananupassana is observing the feelings and sensations of pleasure displeasure and neutrality
Cittanupassana is observing the mind, and Dhammanupassana is observing all phenomena

The Sound of Silence

For those of you who are practising Vipassana Kammathana or Jhana meditation many of you might be experiencing a ringing sound in your ears. Don’t be confused or worried, this is only one fo the many effects which might occur.

Supramundane Abilities resulting from Jhana Absorbtion

Treatise on letting go and the arisal of Psychic power and how to treat the matter

Volitional Phenomaena

From Arupajhana, the inclination to communicate with “others” does not exist.. as one retrogresses back into rupajhana, the concept of otherhood returns. Inclinations are noisy disturbances; like a train passing your bedroom window.

Jhana and Discernment

There is no jhana for one with no discernment,
and Likewise, no discernment, for one with no jhana.
But one with both jhana & discernment:
Such a person Is on the verge of …

The problems with Jhana

Some of the effects experienced amongst others are for example; Goosebumps or hair standing up on end, piercing whistling sound in your head (from the centre of the head out to both ears), flashing lights in the corners of your vision, glowing auras around the objects in the room etc.

Jhanas and Vipassana

The statements made towards the end of this video from Ven Dhammavuddho indicate why it is important to practise both Samatha, and Vipassana in order to attain Enlightenment (Nirvana).
I (as …