[Zapper]

Dear Lal, my question to you is:
Do you get into jhanas? And if you do, what method do you use to get into jhana (kasina, breath etc..)

[Lal]

Hello Zapper,

1. I definitely DO NOT do any standard kasina or breath meditations. That should be clear to anyone.

2. I don’t try to get into jhanas in any case. But when I meditate on the anicca, dukkha, anatta nature (Tilakkhana) I get into “jhanic-like” states. I just don’t have the mindset to cultivate jhanas.
– Anyone who has comprehended Tilakkhana will get into jhanas while in meditation (they just go in and out of jhana). It is just that to stay in jhanas for long times (jhana samapatti) one must practice a lot. But there are some people (who had cultivated jhanas in recent past lives) who can easily get into jhana samapatti. Obviously, I am not one of them.
– My goal is not to enjoy “jhanic pleasures.” My goal is to stop the rebirth process completely ASAP.

3. Not only any human, but ANY living being has attained the highest jhanas in their past. That is why jhanas are not a “big deal.”
– Of course, nothing wrong with getting into jhanas. In fact, there are benefits in cultivating jhanas. The problem arises when one starts enjoying the “jhanic pleasures” and forget that it is only a temporary state (even if one will be reborn in a Brahma realm and can enjoy such “jhanic pleasures” for millions of years). Eventually, they all end up in lower realms as animals or worse. In other words, any animal living today would have been born in a Brahma realm in the deep past.
– My advice to those who are obsessed with jhanas is to point out the account of Devadatta. He was able to attain the highest jhanas and had supernormal powers as well (all via anariya jhanas). But he ended up losing all that and was reborn in hell (niraya) because of his immoral activities.

[tiom]

To start, the method I recommend is to follow your breath in the way it’s described here: https://www.lionsroar.com/entering-the-jhanas/ – It works for me and others.

Kasinas work for me as well. Self inquiry into the source of “me/I” works very well too.

You should study all of these ways in order to find the one that works for you.

One of the main factors is to have zero expectations and just be without any hopes or desires in order to achieve jhanas. If you try to get it – you will push it away.

It’s much easier with a teacher, but of course you can achieve it yourself as well.

Jhanas is something that’s very natural to all of us.

[Christian]

I would not suggest doing those methods above overall – even I suggest some anariya jhanas for people but if you already found real Dhamma there is no point of regressing into wrong views and methods for the sake of experience that it may happen anyway on the Path.

[tiom]

It’s true – jhanas will appear on it’s own if you follow Dhamma correctly.

[Author]

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