hi friends,
i have recently been able to find my way into the jhanas. in and of themselves it is a very cool practice.

since my near term goal is stream entry i would like to get some advice / reading material as to how EXACTLY to use my newly developed skill wisely to accelerate my insight path.

i have read in many places that jhanas "lubricate" the path of dry insight thus making progress easier / faster but as of yet have seen / read no concrete practice methods with explicitly describe this lube job.

• is it simply, get into the jhana, come out of the jhana, introduce the object of insight?
• are certain jhanas more helpful for certain insight stages?
• how do typical sits go when employing jhanas to insight?

thanks for any input

tom

I think what is meant by that phrase is that jhanas make the process more pleasant due to the bliss, joy, tranquility and equanimity that are typical of jhana practice.

The way I used jhanas to support my insight practice was mostly to rely on the concentration and stability of mind that comes from increased samadhi. That means, entering jhana (or any state of good enough samadhi) and then basically doing my normal noting practice. This made it easier to sit for longer periods of time and possibly helped in seeing things more clearly.

Another way you can use jhana is just as a place to recover. When insight practice get difficult or draining you can take a while to sit in jhana, relax and let the mind-body recover for a while. It's like a little bit of vacation, you come back with renewed strength and vigor.

hi eran,
thanks for your thoughts. the way you describe is what i have been doing in the very few days since i found my way into the jhanic states.

i read a post on kenneth folk's wiki regarding the parrallels between jhanas and nanas which provoked the question of whether or not 3rd jhana, for example, would not be a better place to hang out and launch an insight investigation from when one is at the equanimity level of nanas. perhaps just my monkey mind looking for connections when i should be just getting it done.

as far as jhanas being a place to recover, yeah, a very nice cove to rest in. i read in the MCTB though (i believe) that by relying too much on jhana can slow down the progress of insight. it could be though that that was referring to your point about a nice refuge from the sometimes difficult passages but that amounts to the same thing methinks..slowing down the progress. or?

tom

I generally used dry insight most of the time but if I enter jhana then the process is - Enter jhana and abide there before beginning insight practice, so you're staying in jhana and noting within it. Being in jhana suppresses the hindrances which takes away some of the usual distractions you might encounter.


I don't know, personally I look at the factors of each jhana and choose which one to begin from as each have their benefits. My favoured way to go about it is to enter 4th jhana and begin from there due to the equanimity, pleasure and mindfulness inherent here. This, in my experience, makes going through the dukkha ñanas much less unpleasant and reveals some subtle stuff which may not reveal itself at first through dry insight.

Try this link about the factors of each jhana.


I like to think that using jhanas 'peels back' certain strata of mind and allows more detailed exploration. Here's some links to my own practice threads on here and KFD so see of there's anything of use to you there.

First practice thread.
KFD practice thread.


Once you're in equanimity you're in the 4th vipassana jhana anyway, don't worry about entering specific jhanas at specific times, remember the comment about jhana leading to insight. Enter jhana before beginning insight, or alternatively enter jhana if you're feeling a bit rough or tender during a sit 'cause there's no point in burning yourself out.


If you spend all your time dwelling in jhana then progress will be slower, however it's worth knowing that progress is still possible. Don't let progress become a stress, there's no point in it as it will happen naturally if you practice well.

tommy,
mille grazie. there are gems in your answers which really resonate. i will check out your practice thread and start employing jhanas immediately in my sits.

much success and happiness on your current track.

tom

Here is a recent thread on this subject:

How to Investigate Jhanas?

hi eric,
great thread, that really helps. have a great day.

tom