Speaking of jhana, there’s one thing that I can’t get my head around.
Ajahn Brahm speaks a lot on jhana and does jhana retreats. According to him, one loses
(physical) sense contact completely and one stops hearing altogether. When you can hear, you’re not in jhana, he says. (He never mentions words like ariya or anariya btw.)
He has shared many present-day stories on how people stay in jhanas for hours or even days.
also a story from the sutta when a monk got “cremated” in the forest, and was seen later in the village by the people who cremated him because they thought he was dead (so at least fourth jhana I presume).
However, he teaches to get into jhanas via breath.
According to what I’ve learned and my own experiences I’m a bit confused with his statements. So what exactly is it when people are shut off from the world even in the FIRST jhana as he says. Also, I remember him saying that jhana leads to one of four results according to Buddha; sotapanna sakadagami, anagami or arahant.
If he has misunderstood something, that’s one thing, but I would doubt the man is straight out lying in his position. So, again, confused :)
Oh right, AND being in jhana makes you “invincible” as in you can’t really get hurt.
I remember another story btw of a retreat held by a Vietnamese monk who, on day 1, entered jhana and got out at the end of the retreat 8 days or so later, and then apologized for being “absent” to his students.