Hello Laura,
I was going to comment before this, but it is well that I laid off while more information was uncovered and came to the surface.
To start with, it is clear to me, now, that not only are your "concentration skills good," but they are
excellent. When I saw Adam's comment about the possibility of your experiencing "sloth and torpor" I knew he was after a red herring. Your descriptions are exquisitely precise, as well you had already mentioned taking precautions about dipping down into dull-mindedness and were aware that this state you were in was not "falling asleep." Also you mentioned that: "I retain a subtle sense of presence during these blankouts, because the breath is vaguely there." This
alone precludes the possibility of sloth and torpor being a cause.
And for those reasons I tend to agree with you that:
Ruth Laura Edlund:
As I'm writing this up I'm wondering if this might not just be a hard fourth jhana.
That's what it sounds like to me, too.
Also, tarin, I'm afraid, had it somewhat backwards when he suggested that
passaddhi starts to "fade away with the transition into 4th." In truth, it expands into the fourth jhana. He may be working with a different understanding of
passaddhi than I am. The people who have used the word around me used it in conjunction with the prolonging of the calmness/tranquility that takes place
after the sitting is through, meaning after formal meditation and extending into periods of normal consciousness. During these periods the mind becomes unbothered by the kind of "monkey mind" distraction that can take place during meditation, and can be indicative of the establishment of mindfulness (
sati). Of course, it can also be used in conjunction with meditative states, and tends to be descriptive of
profoundly quiet states of mind wherein concentration and mindfulness becomes established and strengthened.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
This is an excellent question, if for no other reason that it reminds me that my sitting time is a precious resource and that setting clear intentions for it are helpful.
Your response here is clearly insightful, especially the part about being able to "set clear intentions" for your meditative sessions. Yes, they are helpful indeed. In fact, this is
how one begins to make the advancements that one wishes to make. By setting clear intentions to do such and such during contemplation.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
...I would like to develop concentration as an aid to developing insight. I seem to recall from my book larnin' is that one can attain full enlightenment with nothing more than access concentration. So even the fourth jhana, if that's where I am, might be overkill.
You've clearly already done that! That is, developed "concentration as an aid..." That was clear from your first post. All you have to do now is just used the concentration that you've already developed and apply it toward insight themes, as you at times have already half-heartedly suggested in your descriptions. I'm speaking about the parts of your descriptions where you mention, for example, noting "a thought about ill business partner and the physical sensation the thought produces." This is clearly insight contemplation based on your developed ability at concentration.
In this state, if you wished to develop more insight about, say for instance, the five aggregates and the role they play in personality view, you could do that from this state that you have described. The mind is quiet and can focus like a laser beam on any subject you wish to bring up. Beginning to avert the mind toward these subjects during these moments will inevitably lead to the development of insight about them. So, yes, have at it.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
I suppose I could pay closer attention during the fadeout and see if there is boundless space and consciousness that I am overlooking. (!!) I sense that more effort, or a more directed effort, might destabilize the state I am reaching.... I am frankly curious about the formless realms.
Yes, that would be one way of doing it (referencing the highlighted sentence above). If you wish to explore the immaterial levels of absorption, all you have to do is make a resolution (intention) to do so and then follow that resolution while you are in contemplation.
Although I don't think you were "overlooking" boundless space and consciousness in your first experiences of this state. You were just languishing in the profound tranquility of it all. Nothing wrong with that either. It's just a different resolution (intention). And one that was probably best taken in the way that it occurred so that now you KNOW what that state is and how to use it in the future.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
...I find concentration states easy and enjoyable, and, in times of stress, restorative. The higher (or deeper, depending on one's perspective) states seem to be more restorative. Therefore, I pursue strengthening my concentration.
Yes. This is a discovery that we all make, at one time or another. Concentration states (once again, leading to the experience of
passaddhi) help to strengthen our ability to remain mindful. In other words, they strengthen one's
sati. It is that mindfulness that you find so attractive and resilient, helping you to tackle "the gruesomeness of day." The mind is able to remain calm and to focus on solutions to obstacles rather than to become entangled in the negativities of life, which can lead to feelings of discouragement about the situations one faces. From this standpoint, you remain in a position of empowerment over the obstacles that face you, meaning that you can see and take positive steps to overcome them.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
I will ponder whether I was mistaking passaddhi for upekkha in my initial analysis. That is entirely possible.
I don't think you were. Your descriptions were very precise about where you were. I take you at your word. When you're meditating, you KNOW where you're at. And that's
exactly where you want to be. That's one thing that is very clear about your descriptions. You're familiar with the territory.
Ruth Laura Edlund:
I seem to recall reading in MCTB that it is possible to skip over jhanas. If that is what I am doing, and somehow I'm jumping from jhana 4 to 7 (or even 8), is there merit to exploring and looking for jhanas 5 and 6 (collecting the set as it were)?
That depends upon you and that which you wish to become familiar with. In terms of being able to corroborate the Buddha's findings, I would think that having experienced the fifth and sixth jhana would be informative, if nothing else. In a kind of "been there, done that" kind of way. See what I mean?
Hope that helps you.
In peace,
Ian