Reply To: Jhāna Cultivation

#50597
Lal
Keymaster

1. To attain jhāna, one must transcend the kāma loka.

  • We are trapped in kāma loka because we crave “close contact” (taste, smell, and body touch). However, we also use the other two sense faculties to fulfill such desires. For example, watching adult movies or talking about tasty food is done with kāma rāga.
  • To attain a jhāna, one must overcome such desires.

2. That can be done in two ways:

(i) One must see (with wisdom) that the consequence of having such desires is to be trapped in kāma loka. Also, based on such temptations, we may do immoral deeds and be reborn in an apāya.

(ii) Kama rāga arises based on kāma saññā. To eliminate kāma rāga, one must overcome kāma saññā. If kāma saññā is inherent, we cannot overcome it. But kāma saññā is “mind-made” and can be overcome. See “Saṅgīti Sutta (DN 33.)“: “Paṭhamaṁ jhānaṁ samāpannassa kāmasaññā niruddhā hoti.” OR “For someone who has attained the first absorption, sensual perceptions have ceased.”

  • That is why I call it a “distorted saññā.”
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