Milo,
Thank you for those references. I read and skimmed them. I like to think I gave each link the attention that it deserved. Regretably, I'm unsure of what I read. I'm unsure precisely where Ingram's understanding differs from the claims of the Pali canon and I'm unsure where I agree or disagree. I do know that I have no interest in taking his word over the alleged word of Buddha. But as it stands right now I do not feel as though there is any disconnect. Whether Ingram is indeed an Arahant or not, his understanding, to me, seems quite full and complete. (of course, what do I know?!

)
Ni Nurta,
I am not Buddha and do not presume to be. Even Arahants are not Sammasambuddha. Truly, the Jhanas are elusive to me. On the one hand, as some Jhanas have been described to me, I feel as thought I spent a week in Jhana, going to work, hanging out with friends, and generally living my life. I am utterly skeptical, though, as the strict definition of the Jhanas certainly doesn't sound like I could be interacting with people during the process. I mean, I've read that there is a sense of a lack of perception of the body. I don't believe I can recall an experience wherein I lost the experience of being a body. No, I imagine Buddha and his Arahants had a greater access to Jhana than normal people, in the same way an adult has greater access to walking and running than a toddler or young child. I have thought on your claim that I am in the 4th Jhana and it is an interesting one. I wish to settle for nothing less than Nibbana and I am confident that I will not and cannot settle for anything less, for there is nothing less that would satisfy me. I do fear, however, of being in a state that I mistake for Nibbana and that continues to last, for one of the ways I determine if something is or is not Nibbana is by its lastingness. For example, last year I thought I had uprooted anger because I ceased to experience it. After several months I started to notice impatience and frustration and I believed that these were light aspects of anger and that I had not actually uprooted it like I had thought. The idea that I am in 4th Jhana is both pleasant and unpleasant for me. On the one hand, that's nice because I've been looking to experience Jhana (I know you cannot arrive by seeking, but that is my phrasing), and then on the other hand, I do not wish to become trapped in a lesser attainment due to complacency or delusion. You seem to think you know a lot more about my personal state of being than I feel you could possibly know due to our small interactions. At the same time, based on your self-proclaimed attainment, I can only assume that it's not beyond the realm of possibility that you do accurately understand my position. How can I know that this experience is the 4th Jhana? Trust that I have read the descriptions of the 4th Jhana and such a description has not been sufficient in determining what it is and is not. Thanks. Also, this topic seems as good as any as a starting point for a discussion. What do you think I should be concerned with?
An Eternal Now,
Thank you for that sutta link. My only complaint is that such an explanation requires an understanding of the terminology and conceptualization as posed by Buddha and the Pali canon. So, if you did not have such knowledge you might not provide the answers in the same way. I presume an intelligent questioner could take the answers and compare them to what Buddha said and get a sort of useful understanding.
Not two, not one,
I do not know that sutta off the top of my head and, in fact, I'm not sure that I've ever read it. Sounds like great practical advise, though haha. I don't believe I've ever asked anyone for their attainments, largely because I know you're not supposed to share them. This question has largely been posed due to Ingram's and other's assertion that they are Arahants. Once someone admits it, I know longer feel it is rude to question them. They invite such questions by virtue of their admission, in my opinion. Correct, the suttas are not a complete and comprehensive guide. Buddha merely had 45 years of conversations with various people and these conversations were remembered and eventually recorded.
I greatly admire yours, Not two, not one, as well as others' concern for my questions. I do feel that your concerns are misplaced. You all seem to think that this conversation I'm having on here is the focus of my practice, when in fact, it's more like a tangent conversation that has no real impact on my practice. With respect, Dharma Overground is not a place that is a part of my practice. This is an online forum that I have decided to dabble in. I treat this forum as I treat my other forums, such as Critique Circle, Facebook, YouTube, etc. I value the Dhamma-oriented discussions on this forum as that is a topic I rather enjoy discussing significantly more than anything else.
Is there a question that any of you believe would be more fruitful to ask?