Don't "concentrate." Absorb instead: jhana

Ven. Nyanaponika (palikanon.com); Dhr. Seven, Pat Macpherson, C.L. (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Jhana (Sanskrit dhyana) means "absorption" (previously it meant "meditation" in general). Now it refers chiefly to the four meditative-absorptions of the rupa-loka or "fine-material sphere" (rūpajjhāna or rūpāvacarajjhāna, see avacara).

These states are achieved through the attainment of full-, attainment-, or ecstatic-concentration (appanā, see samādhi), during which there is a complete, albeit temporary, suspension of fivefold sense activity and of the Five Hindrances (nīvarana).

However, the jhanic state of consciousness is one of full alertness and lucidity -- with awareness concentrated on a single object. Although it may look like it, it is not a "trance," a formerly popular but misleading translation.

This high degree of concentration (focus, singlepointedness, unification) is generally developed by the practice of one of the 40 subjects of tranquility meditation (samatha-kammatthāna, see bhāvanā).

The four "immaterial spheres" or "bases" (arūpā-yatana) are also called jhanas 5 through 8. They are the absorptions of the immaterial sphere (arūpajjhāna or arūpāvacarajjhāna).

The stereotype text, often met with in the sutras, runs as follows:

(1) "Detached from sensual objects, O meditators, detached from unwholesome consciousness, attached with thought-conception (vitakka) and thinking (vicāra) [or applied and sustained attention], born of detachment/seclusion/withdrawal (vivekaja) and filled with rapture (pīti) and joy (sukha), one enters the first absorption.

(2) "After the subsiding of thought-conception and thinking, by gaining inner tranquility and oneness [unification, singlepointedness] of mind, one enters into a state free from thought-conception and discursive thinking, the second absorption, which is born of concentration (samādhi), and filled with rapture (pīti) and joy (sukha).

(3) "After the fading away of rapture one dwells in equanimity, mindful, clearly conscious, and one experiences that feeling of which the noble ones (ariya) say, 'Happy lives the person of equanimity and attentive mind'; thus one enters the third absorption.

(4) "After having let go of pleasure and pain, and through the disappearance of previous joy and grief, one enters into a state beyond pleasure and pain, into the fourth absorption, which is purified by equanimity (upekkhā, unbiasedness) and mindfulness.

(5) "Through the total overcoming of the perceptions of matter,* however, and through the vanishing of sense-reactions and by purposely not giving attention to perceptions of variety, with the idea, 'Boundless is space,' one reaches the sphere of boundless space (ākāsānañcāyatana) and abides therein.*

• *["By 'perceptions of matter' (rūpa-saññā) are meant the absorptions of the fine-material sphere, as well as those objects themselves..." (Path of Purification, Vis.M. X.1).
• "By 'perceptions of sense-reactions' (patigha-saññā) are meant those perceptions that have arisen due to the impact of sense-organs (eye, etc.) and the sense-objects (visible objects, etc.) They are a name for the perception of visible objects, as it is said (Jhāna-Vibh.): 'What are here the perceptions of sense-reactions? They are the perceptions of visible objects, sounds, etc.' -- Surely, they do no longer exist even for one who has entered the first absorption and so on, for at such a time the five-sense consciousness is no longer functioning. Nevertheless, this is to be understood as having been said in praise of this immaterial absorption, in order to incite the striving for it" (Path of Purification, Vis.M. X.16).
• "Perceptions of variety (ñānatta-saññā) are the perceptions that arise in various fields, or the various perceptions" (ib.). Hereby, according to Vis.M. X.20, are meant the multiform perceptions outside the absorptions.]

(6) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of boundless space, with the idea, 'Boundless is consciousness,' one reaches the sphere of boundless consciousness (viññānañcāyatana) and abides therein.

(7) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of boundless consciousness, with the idea, 'Nothing is there,' one reaches the sphere of nothingness (ākiñcaññāyatana) and abides therein.

(8) "Through the total overcoming of the sphere of nothingness, one reaches the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception (nevasaññā-n'asaññāyatana) and abides therein."

"Thus the first absorption is free from five things (i.e., The Five Hindrances o pancha nīvarana), and five other things are present (i.e., the Factors of Absorption or jhānanga).

"Whenever the meditator enters the first absorption, there have vanished

1. sensuous desire
2. ill-will
3. sloth and torpor (physical and mental tiredness)
4. restlessness and remorse
5. skeptical doubts.

"And there are present:

1. thought-conception (vitakka)
2. thinking (vicāra)
3. rapture (pīti)
4. joy (sukha)
5. concentration (samādhi).

"In the second absorption there are present:

1. rapture,
2. joy
   concentration.

"In the third:

1. joy
2. concentration

"In the fourth:

1. equanimity (upekkhā)
2. concentration" (Path of Purification, Vis.M. IV).

The four absorptions of the immaterial sphere (jhanas 5 through 8) still belong, properly speaking, to the fourth absorption, as they possess the same two constituents.

The fourth fine-material (rupa) absorption is also the base or starting point (pādaka-jhāna) for the attaining of the higher spiritual powers (abhiññā).

In the Abhidhamma, generally a fivefold instead of a fourfold division of the fine-material absorptions is used: The second absorption has still the constituent "thinking" (but without thought-conception), while the third, fourth, and fifth correspond to the second, third, and fourth, respectively, of the fourfold division. (See Table I. 9- 13). This fivefold division is based on sutra texts like A . VIII, 63 [rather than the Abhidharma, which follows a different system of analysis].

For the eight absorptions as objects for the development of insight (vipassanā), see samatha-vipassanā. Full details can be found in the Path of Purification (Vis.M. IV-X).

Jhāna in its widest sense (e.g., as one of the 24 conditions, as in paccaya 17), denotes any, even momentary or weak absorption of mind, when directed on a single object.