How does one know that he's reached a Jhana level in Metta meditation?
score:4
Mettā jhāna. How to know. You should have continuous concentration with out any distracting thoughts for starters. Only after one attains should one reflect if they attained. Basically that means until you consistently get continuous concentration for one to three+ hours according to your determination at will, then you should reflect on the jhāna factors in the heart area. The five factors are: Applied thought Sustained thought Joy Happiness experience One object (repeated one pointedness of mind on one object..no distractions)
You can see lesson seven in my pdf at http://Subhuti.net.tf about the technicalities regarding jhāna. Although it mentions breath meditation, all jhānas are the same. The Vissudhimagga actually explains jhāna by using the Earth Kasina as its primary example. The only difference is the meditation object and whether it is expanded. Metta has a visual object too and it can be expanded in range or a single person/being or group of beings or direction. Metta can be quite complex in the numerous ways that one can do it. Please see The book "Knowing and Seeing" by Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw for details.
Upvote:5
IMO, you are mixing apples and oranges. Metta meditation is practiced towards "the state of brahmas" (AN 4.190 and AN 3.63), not one of the Four Jhanas. The "state of brahmas" (brahmapatta) is a state of non-dualistic unity with the world. The way to attain it, is through progressively expanding the context of Metta meditation, starting from yourself, to include a closest person (e.g. mom), then friends, then neutral people, then enemies, then all the world. The sign of having reached the state of Brahma are the thoughts like "I am God", "I am all this infinite Universe", "I am True Goal of all religions and the Real Meaning of Love" etc. It is a very powerful experience.
While Four Jhanas are much more localized around oneself, esp. one's emotional state. Like you say in your question, The First Jhana can indeed be practiced with a help of a phrase, that helps one focus on the topic of meditation (in case of the first Jhana the topic is one's actual state of successfully having separated oneself from unwholesome dharmas). However, from Second Jhana onward, the target state of rapture/bliss/equanimity must be generated directly, with no help of discursive thinking.
To emphasize one important point: Four Jhanas are "mastered", not "reached". They are not states/levels you automatically find yourself in. In other words, you don't practice something towards Jhana level X and then "reach Jhana level X". You practice Xth Jhana itself. After having mastered First Jhana, you then practice Second Jhana and so on. The sign of having mastered the First Jhana is ability to successfully do the First Jhana at will at any time, that's it.
More post
- 📝 When seeking information is sarcasm seen as a deliberate lie?
- 📝 Is there a better term than Hinayana?
- 📝 How do I deal with Aversion?
- 📝 How did Maitreya become so large and rich?
- 📝 Can one be a part-time monk?
- 📝 Can anyone do something intentionally?
- 📝 Buddhism after death
- 📝 let go of wanting to change the past in my meditation practice
- 📝 Is observing the five precepts a gradual training?
- 📝 Devas and their appearance
- 📝 what happens to the mind during meditation?
- 📝 What would one encounter at a Buddhist temple service?
- 📝 Right effort and concentration
- 📝 Are all forms of Dukkha related to a sense of self?
- 📝 "true love", compassion and suffering
- 📝 Were there any ancient Buddhist Universities, outside of India?
- 📝 What is the Distinction Between Knowledge of The Path and the Fruit?
- 📝 No owner of the Dhamma?
- 📝 What must be done before rebirth in the hell realms becomes inevitable?
- 📝 The knot of adherence to dogmatic assertion of truth
- 📝 had an episode of psychosis - can I ever become a monk?
- 📝 Timing of meditation
- 📝 Does regret help us to correct our faults?
- 📝 Is Anapanasati a complete path? Does it, by itself, lead to nirvana?
- 📝 Mindfulness is leading to anxiety and depersonalisation
- 📝 What is eradication of the fetter of identity-view (sakkāya-diṭṭhi)?
- 📝 Do meditative "exercises" and "mental workouts" enhance the ability to reach enlightenment?
- 📝 Normal Deep Breathing vs Buddhism Basic Meditation
- 📝 What does the Pali canon, and other respected work, teach about parenting?
- 📝 Is it forbidden to fight to defend your possessions from a thief?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 How does one know that he's reached a Jhana level in Metta meditation?
- 📝 In Vipassana meditation - How long does one keep watching an object?
- 📝 How does one know the difference between aversion and danger?
- 📝 Is it possible to exercise Metta to all or is Metta only a mental state only? If so how does one act to remain dispassionate?
- 📝 How could one know that Nibbana is the cessation of consciousness if there is no consciousness?
- 📝 How does one know which kamma-cetana and action is related to which kamma-vipaka being experienced?
- 📝 How does one know if one is destined to attain Nibbana?
- 📝 How does an arahant know that ignorance won't return/re-arise after death?
- 📝 How does one practice mindfulness during thinking - e.g. thinking about how to solve a problem?
- 📝 How does one explain consistency within phenomena if the mind generates phenomena?
- 📝 How can I know that I am clear of thoughts while I am meditating?
- 📝 Does being in a commited married life make it impossible to attain Nirvana? If not, how can one progress towards Nirvana?
- 📝 How does one Realize emptiness?
- 📝 How does one become a lay Buddhist?
- 📝 Are there Theravada meditation retreats that allow one to work for room and board?
- 📝 How does one escape suffering when they cannot provide for those they love
- 📝 How does one cultivate uplifted energy (paggaha)?
- 📝 How does one do an "eye opening" for a new statue?
- 📝 Does anybody know the composition of the 6th council and how the delegates were chosen?
- 📝 How does one Practice Sila?
- 📝 How does one practice Buddhism when experience is limited by the 6 senses?
- 📝 If someone was an Once-returner in last life how can he know that ?
- 📝 How does metta sutra develop loving kindness
- 📝 How does one calm one's bodily fabrications?
- 📝 How can one apply the skills developed through Vipassana meditation to overcome FMO/PMO (fantasy, p**n, masturbation, o*g**m) addiction?
- 📝 How will I know that this state of no suffering will last forever?
- 📝 How can I remedy the erratic energy-power that arises from vipassana aka cessation-contemplation meditation so I can feel more in-control?
- 📝 If i am the result of an aggregate, how does one refer to oneself?
- 📝 How does one develop right view in the space of multiple views?
- 📝 How and when does one not invest in others in Buddhism?