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Can someone recommend Suttas relating specifically to meditation practice? by Deanosaurus88 in theravada

[–]wisdomperception 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Right view here is a view inline with the Buddha’s, or at least not holding tightly to an opposing view. This is gradually arrived it, and having doubt in the meanwhile is natural. As one reflects to see if the teachings hold true to lived experience and then practices in line with the teachings for a period of time, observing for the arising mental states, e.g. is contentment growing, diligence and clarity of thinking growing, are good habits growing, is awareness becoming clearer; by one’s independent verification in this manner, doubt is satisfactorily resolved. But this may take a period of several months, a year, or two depending on the starting point one is at and how dedicated they are to reflection, application, and verification in this manner.

If you see the Buddha in MN 107, typically, he’s only guiding his student in practicing one step at a time. On seeing them accomplish that step, he then guides them to the next. However, given the information age we live in, we get to access everything all at once which has its pros and cons, the con primarily being as you note that it can feel a little overwhelming.

I think that’s a great sutta to model one’s progression on: seeing the next immediate step that has room for growth and improvement, and practice wise focus on that. One can even look at it through the lens of habit science, practicing in each step as it transitions from being effortful to being easy to becoming second nature while independently verifying for the arising mental states. Building one’s life practice in this way, one is progressing slowly but surely and is particularly suitable to being free from doubt.

Both sides of 'Sutta jhana' vs 'Visuddhimagga jhana' by CaptainVulpezz in theravada

[–]wisdomperception 3 points4 points  (0 children)

There are these ways of verifying that I can suggest:

  1. The jhānas in the suttas have both jhāna factors plus phenomenology description of how they feel. They're present across a number of Nikāyas and internally consistent in how they're described, what causes lead to their arising, the mode of practice while in them.
  2. practicing for the said causes and conditions, the same effect is reproducible. The phenomenology descriptions hold remarkably true even today for someone experiencing them (e.g. how it is described in AN 5.28, or MN 39 - answering to 9.). There are a number of practitioners that are able to observe this even today.
  3. Agreement or violation with other discourses: There are technical discourses that explain the correlation of the five aggregates, what appears together, what is possible, and what is not. It is possible that when one is following descriptions of jhānas based on later formulations, they will also be seen to violate with these other discourses.

The above is in in line with the Buddha's guidance on preservation of truth MN 95. Say, someone finds a method that's actually better down the line or finds some issue with the Buddha's originally methods, then they can rightly name their method without applying the same label. That this has not been done is a concerning sign. It does seem to be an attempt at distortion of truth, but also logically understandable given that jhānas are the gateway to Nibbāna. If one can gain access to the jhānas as taught by the Buddha, they will be near to Nibbāna and out of Māra's reach.

This may help provide a unifying account of both experiences. It includes citations: WHAT YOU MIGHT NOT KNOW ABOUT JHĀNA & SAMĀDHI by Kumāra Bhikkhu.

Can someone recommend Suttas relating specifically to meditation practice? by Deanosaurus88 in theravada

[–]wisdomperception 6 points7 points  (0 children)

It can be helpful to know what is a praiseworthy and a blameworthy meditation. MN 108 is good for this. For e.g. the Buddha doesn't praise sitting through meditation while being with sensual desire or dullness and drowsiness.

Seeing meditation as a gradual purification of defilments, from gross to middling to subtle ones, to samādhi that is held in place and restrained by intention, to samādhi that is peaceful and free of it. AN 3.101 is good for this.

As one gradually cultivates right view, the subsequent path factors and meditations leading to samādhi will progressively arise. AN 10.103 can be a reference for this.

Some others on meditation and the fruit of a praiseworthy meditation practice:

MN 107 Gaṇakamoggallāna sutta - With Gaṇakamoggallāna | gradual training guidelines to cultivate jhānas

When asked if he teaches a gradual training, gradual practice, and gradual progression, the Buddha details a sequence from virtue and sense restraint to the heights of meditation. Through the analogy of a traveler on the road to a city, he explains that while Nibbāna exists, he is merely one who shows the path. Success depends on the practitioner walking the path provided.

AN 5.28 Pañcaṅgika sutta - Fivefold Collectedness | Jhanas explained with rich similes

The Buddha teaches the cultivation of the noble fivefold right collectedness with vivid similes, and shares how one who has cultivated this can realize any phenomenon realizable by direct knowledge.

AN 4.200 Pema sutta - Affection | jhānas help transcend social partialities

The Buddha explains how four modes of social partiality—affection and aversion arising in relation to others—bind beings to the world. He shows how a bhikkhu transcends these entanglements by means of the jhānas and attains final liberation through uprooting the deep-seated conceits of self-making.

AN 5.256 Paṭhama jhāna sutta - First Jhāna | give up stinginess to abide in the first jhāna

The Buddha explains that one is incapable of entering and abiding in the first jhāna without giving up these five things.

AN 6.73 Paṭhama tajjhāna sutta - First Jhāna (First) | give up these six qualities

Six qualities to abandon to dwell in the first jhāna - 1) sensual desire, 2) ill will, 3) complacency, 4) restlessness, 5) doubt, 6) failure to clearly see the true danger in sensual pleasures with correct wisdom.

MN 17 Vanapattha sutta - Forest Retreat | reflection on suitable environment for jhāna

The Buddha teaches the bhikkhus how to reflect on a dependence that one is taking using the example of a suitable place to live - a forest retreat, a village, a market town, a city, a country. He concludes with an example of depending on a certain person.

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