[Buddha-l] Re: there he goes again (samharris)

[L.S. Cousins]

Erik,

>the other day I stumbled upon a text called 'The Jhanas' by Ajahn 
>Brahmavamso from Singapore. It is available online. From this I get 
>the impression that the jhana's are not only buddhist but also a 
>part of hindu teachings. Brahmavamso describes the 4th jhana as a 
>kind of total samadhi where the meditator has no perceivable 
>heartbeat and no preceivable breath. This reminds me of hindu yogis 
>who let themselves be buried for some time.

There might be various forms of bodily response of this kind.

But I wouldn't doubt that both the precepts aspect of the eightfold 
path and the concentration aspect were in large part shared with some 
branches of ancient Brahmanism and with various later Hindu 
traditions.

>  Wouldn't it be possible that all those jaayins were becoming 
>selfcentered and apathic, giving themselves a jhanic holiday from 
>time to time, not doing anything for the community or sangha, 
>convinced as they were that they had reached real nibbana.

Since it is precisely by the jhaanas that loving-kindness and 
compassion, etc. are developed, this seems implausible to me.

>  I mean if jhana nr. 4 = nibbana, we could as well change to 
>transcendental meditation, because this method  gives very swift 
>entrance into  samadhi's.

The fourth jhaana, and even the eighth in the jhaana sequence, is not 
nibbaana. The jhaanas make the mind ready for awakening, but 
certainly do not constitute awakening themselves.

How all this relates to TM is a different matter.

Note that even first jhaana is not just any samaadhi. It is preceded 
by guarding the senses, developing mindfulness and clear 
comprehension, learning how to still the five hindrances and how to 
establish a particular balanced state of mind.

Lance Cousins