The Jnanas in Meditation

The Jnanas in MeditationConcentration, the ability to detach nonp beilself from the environment and the seement of sixth awareness and later(prenominal) on Nirvana are the reasons why educatees enrol themselves in surmisal classes. Because of these, every one t individu aloneying guess should pay special(prenominal) attention in helping and control the student in attaining these goals. In this kibosh, the jnana sack up be use by the t separatelyer to enhance the students practice of supposition and depart the path to enlightenment and gaining interior(a) peace.The Jnana What is it all about?Jnana is a experimental condition that is used for most meditation practices, and can be found in former(a) writings with alter spellings depending on the language being used. The term jnana that exit be used in this module is from the Pali language. Other spellings of the word are gnana or gnaan in the Sanskrit language, or dhyana also in Sanskrit. Regardless of its spelling an d language use it, the term is used to designate the figurehead of know directge of an individual. This meaning is one of the most widely used in meditation c lands based on various religious beliefs.The meaning of the word, which is knowledge, can shift depending on what condition it is being used. Jnana and its context of knowledge revolves around an occurrence in the cognitive verbalism of the individual where something is non just learned, but experienced by the individual. Because of this close association, the knowledge that the individual can gain from an event cannot be separated from his or her actual experience of it and it attached to the reality in which the meditator has experienced the learning. In some cases, it is also connected to a sovereign being that is amaze in the textile world (or the Mahesha-dhama) like Siva-Sakti.In Buddhist practices of meditation such as the Tibetan Buddhists, jnana is used to denote a tell apart of awareness that is pure and fre e from conceptual disruptions and new(prenominal) forms of distractions. This is also used as a contradictory concept to vijnana, which is cognize as divided knowing. It is believed that when a meditator decides to practice and start practicing jnana and go done the Jnana or Bhimis, then that meditator may experience the bearing of neck stir of enlightenment and achievement of Nirvana.According to the vener adapted Mahasi Sayadaw, who is an authority in the Vipassana meditation in Buddhism, there are several(prenominal)(prenominal) nanas or knowledge as the person meditates. What the teacher must stress to his or her students is that these knowledge are to be experienced in floors chronologically. Also, it should be made clear that promotion from one stagecoach to an separate does not have a unique(predicate) time frame since it can vary from being experienced for plainly a short period of time up to several years. The colour in which these knowledge are experienced as a lso vary as well.The Jnana and SamadhiAside from being used to gain knowledge link to the experience of things, the jnanas can also be used to refer to several states of Samadhi. This occurs when the meditator has learned to detach himself or herself from attributes of his or her fountainhead in the pick up to meditate better. When this detachment is attained, the mind of the meditator would become more stable and degraded in the blocking of distractive thoughts and his or her ability to concentrate on the focalise of the mediation will be improved greatly. Samadhi is the result of this increased dumbness of the mind of the meditator practicing the jnana.As mentioned in the previous section, there are several levels of the jnana, and these levels can be applied in the practice of Samadhi as well. The term appana Samadhi is applied when the first to the ivth jnana are grouped together. This is especially unbent when the term is used by the disciples of the Buddha.The Use of t he Jnana in Buddhist TraditionsJnana has been pass on in Buddhist literatures for a long time and it is broadly speaking associated with any form of meditation. The first to the tetradth stage of jnana are considered in the former(a) Buddhist traditions as the right meditation. Because of this context in which it was used jnana has been associated mostly with the meaning it was given by the followers of the Buddha.In early Buddhist texts, it has also been found that the Buddha himself has engaged in the practice of the jnana as he was on his quest to find enlightenment. The practice of the jnana was used by the Buddha to this end because he learned that the meditation practices that he used were not in particular leading him to achieve the state of Nirvana. Prior to using the jnana, the Buddha has used otherwise forms of meditation, but because these did not lead him to Nirvana, he became disillusioned. This has led him to recall a state of meditation he did when he was a child and followed it. In the Maha-Saccaka Sutta, it was mentioned that the Buddha has entered the first jnana and he called this the path to Awakening.If the Buddha himself did the jnana and used them in his quest for Nirvana, then the teacher must stress to students of meditation that indentifying and overcoming the obstacles to concentration is necessary forraderhand they are able to enter the stages of jnana. In the Upakkilesa Sutta, the Buddha was written to be give tongue to that during the practice of meditation and the meditator starts doubting his or her capacity to carry on the meditation, the concentration would fall and the focus would be diverted. This is important to be avoided by the meditator through remaining diligent in keeping the focus of the meditation on the forefront of his or her mind and ensuring that attention is kept and not just the concentration.Because the Buddha has mentioned that the jnana is the path to achieve liberation and awakening, meditators sho uld be encouragedto develop this as well if they are in the path to liberation and awakening as well.The Stages of the JnanaPali has described all eight stages of the jnana in a appearive manner. quartet of these eight stages are called rupa jnana or meditations or form, while the other four are called arupa jnana or the formless meditations.Rupa jnana is loosely translated to mean fine material jnana. The rupa jnanas are the stages of meditation in which the meditator experiences a deeper level of collectedness of thought and concentrarion. Moreover, each level of the rupa jnana have their intrinsic qualities which are derived from each other and can disappear. The first to quaternary jnana areThe First Jnana. In this level of the jnana, the meditator experiences the presence of rapture, directed thoughts, pleasure, evaluation of thoughts, unification of the mind, mindfulness, presence of contact, feelings and scholarship, intention, consciousness, persistence, desire and atten tion.The Second Jnana. The certify jnana is manifested by the presence of pleasure and rapture, unification of the mind, contact, perception and feeling, intention, desire and consciousness, persistence, finish and attention, equanimity and mindfulness. Also, in this level, there is the presence of internal assurance.The Third Jnana. This stage includes the feeling of equanimity-pleasure, contact, perception, feeling, intention, desire, consciousness, persistence, decision, mindfulness, attention and equanimity.The Fourth Jnana. The fourth level stage of the jnana is correspond by the presence of an unconcern based on the presence of serenity of awareness a feeling of equanimity, presence of unification of the mind and the other things that are experienced in the earlier stages of the jnana.Apart from the things occurring in each of the first to the fourth jnanas, there are qualities that remain specific to each stage. In the first jnana, there is the presence of subtlest forms of mental movement and the complete disappearance of the fivesome hindrances. Moreover, intense and unified form of bliss cadaver and the persons capacity to have unwholesome intentions stops. The second jnana is cerebrate to the cessation of all mental movements and the experience of bliss. In the third jnana, gaiety that is considered to be one half of the feeling of bliss disappears from the perception of the individual. And at last in the fourth jnana, happiness which is the other half of the feeling of bliss disappears and leading to the neutral feeling of neither pain nor pleasure. Also, it is express that this state renders the breathing of the person to temporarily cease.The arupa jnanas, of the formless meditation contains the other four stages of jnana. These states of the jnanas are written in literatures as formless or immaterial. This led this to be called as the Formless propertys in some translation and has helped in distinguishing it apart from the first four jnanas. Contrary to the other stages, these four are used to expand the presence of the concentration that is attained from the first to the fourth jnanas. Also, when the eight jnana has been attained, the meditator can experience enlightenment and complete dwelling in emptiness. The four jnanas in the arupa jnanas areThe Dimension of Infinite Space. In this proportionality of the jnanas, the pursuit qualities are removed from consciousness such as the straightforwardness of the mind, perception of the holding of the boundlessness of space, attention, equanimity, decision, persistence, mindfulness, feeling, perception, contact, intention, desire, and consciousness.The Dimension of Infinite Consciousness. In this stage of the jnana, the following qualities of the mind of the meditator are eliminated like the perception of the dimension if the infinitude of consciousness, contact, feeling, unification of the mind, consciousness, intention, desire, perception, persistence, decisi on, attention, equanimity and mindfulness.The Dimension of tip. In this dimension of the jnana, the perception of the dimension of nothingness, contact, the singleness of mind, perception, feelings, intention, desire, consciousness, decision, mindfulness, persistence, attention and equanimity are ferreted out from the mind of the meditator.The Dimension of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception. In this final stage and dimension of the jnanas, no qualities or characteristics of the mind of the meditator are to be ferreted out, instead, the individual experiences awakening.NOTE The teacher would have to stress out to the student that although the two stages, the Dimension of Nothingness and the Dimension of Neither Perception nor Non-Perception are considered to be part of the jnanas that are described by the Buddha as part of the path to enlightenment, they are not part of the Noble Eightfold Path. This is because according to the Eightfold Path, the last is the Samma Samadhi or the Right Concentration. This is hardly part of the first to the fourth jnanas, and therefore considered to be just the start of attaining concentration. The teacher must therefore take his or her student through all the stages of the jnanas with the focus on the stage of having his or her perceptions and feelings cease to exist.E.The Nirodha-SamapattiIn his path to attaining Nirvana the Buddha has made a find higher than the eight stage of the jnanas, or the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception. This is called the nirodha-samapatti, or the cessation of feelings and perceptions, and is sometimes considered to be the 9th jnana.The Jnanas and the Attainment of brain waveBuddhist texts present the thought that if a meditator was able to progress into the ninth stage of the jnana or the stage of the nirodha-samapatti later on(prenominal)(prenominal) going through all the eight stages of the jnana, liberation is attained.The meditator uses the jnana in an effort to rest the mind and to localise and strengthen it in the process. When this happens, he or she will be able to focus the attention into finding out the true disposition of the dhamma and go on the quest to higher forms of knowledge. In this way, it can be said that the more time the meditator stays in the state of jnana, his or her mind becomes more powerful and sharper as a result.Moreover, because the presence of the five hindrances are controlled or suppressed for an extended period of time after the meditator enters the jnana, he or she will be able to feel clearer, will be full of compassion, mindful, and experience the feeling light and peaceful after meditating. Despite this positive results that the jnana brings to meditators, teachers should warn their students that they should not mistake this or arrogate for this to be the stage of enlightenment.What the teacher has to the student is that the practice of jnana alone cannot lead him or her to enlightenment, but it can help hi m or her suppress the presence of defilements that disrupt meditation. The meditators should use the jnana as a tool to develop deeper sense of knowledge and as a means to cultivate their cleverness on things which can help them to attain Nirvana.In the Theravada Buddhist tradition translation made in the Visuddhimagga, the meditato is usually found in the state of post-jnana portal concentration after he or she comes out of the jnana. When in this state, the meditator would be able to carry out the analysis and investigation of the true nature of phenomena and how they begin, develop insight into the characteristic impermanence of things and of suffering and the non-self. These things can only be experienced by the meditator if he or she practices the core concepts of the Buddhas teachings.If the Visuddhimagga has included that the practice of vipassana is done after the person emerges from the jnana, it is contradicted by what is written on the suttas. In these works, it is sai d that the meditator can practice vipassana and gain insight while in the jnana. In fact, it encourages the meditator to stay in the fourth jnana after entering it so that the presence of mental defilements are removed and uprooted before working to attain insight can be started. restraint of the JnanasA successful entry and attainment of the jnana cannot be achieved if the person would just progress from one state after the other only. This means that for the meditator to fully agnize the jnanas, he or she would have to attain a mastery the present state he or her is doing first before wanting to go on to higher stages. This mastery will help the meditator to easily enter and leave the jnanas at will and experience them when he or she requires it. another(prenominal) benefit of this is that it will avoid the confusion that can occur later on when the manifestations of a lower level of jnana shows itself in the higher states.The following aspects of jnana mastery should be included by the teacher in instructing and guiding as student meditator in to higher jnanas in the quest to attain insight, liberation and enlightenment.Mastery in adverting. In this aspect of mastery, the student meditator should be taught on how to advert certain factors of thejnanas especially when the meditator has just emerged from it. This, he or she should be able to do at will.Mastery in attaining. This aspect allows the meditator to quickly enter the jnana quickly.Mastery in resolving. This happens when the meditator is able to remain in the jnana for a certain period of time.Mastery in emergent. The mastery of emerging allows the meditator to emerge from a stage of jnana quickly and without any perceived difficulty.Mastery in reviewing. This occurs when there is an ability on the part of the meditator to review the jnana and other factors related to it while gaining knowledge in the process.ReferencesRichard Shankman,The Experience of Samadhi an in discernment Exploration of Bu ddhist Meditation, Shambala publications 2008Venerable Sujivo,Access and Fixed Concentration. Vipassana Tribune, Vol 4 No 2, July 1996, Buddhist wiseness Centre, Malaysia.Bodhi, Bhikkhu (trans.) (2000). The Connected Discourses of the Buddha A New Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya. Boston Wisdom Publications.ISBN 0-86171-331-1.Henepola Gunaratana,The Jhanas in Theravada Buddhist Meditation.Pali CanonsAnguttara NikayaandDhammapada, by John T. Bullitt.Jhanas Advice Information about the Jhanas from Tina Rasmussen and Stephen Snyder, authors ofPracticing The Jhanas traditionalistic Concentration Meditation As Presented By The Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw by Snyder, Stephen Rasmussen, Tina. Shambhala 2009.ISBN 978-1-59030-733-5Jeffrey S, Brooks,The Fruits (Phala) of the Contemplative Life