[Buddha-l] Abdhidharma vindicated once again

[JKirkpatrick]

Thanks for the explanation. Yes, self-hypnosis is not expected to
result in loss of consciousness. What you describe sounds more
like a coma.

But speaking of that,  I wonder what the benefit would be for the
individual learning to produce this state of nirodha-samapatti,
except for personal prodigyfication, which could of course be
glossed as reflecting the glory of the dharma. Hard to believe
that the always on the road Buddha (except for the rains retreat)
would go in for such deep withdrawal from his disciples and from
the dedication to spread the dharma. 
On the other hand, come to think of it, what else can one do
during endless rains? Maybe that's when he did it. (Just joking.)
Joanna 

------------------------------
 On Behalf Of Dan Lusthaus
Sent: Thursday, March 03, 2011 4:28 PM


> Quite possibly self-hypnosis is analogous to
nirodha-samapatti.
> Joanna

Not exactly. What they would have in common is that they are
self-induced. 
But nirodha-samapatti is a (nearly?) comatose state in which the
major difference -- according to some of the earliest texts --
between someone in nirodha-samapatti and a corpse is that
nirodha-samapatti still retains life-force (jivatendriya) and
body heat, while a corpse does not. One has no conscious
awareness; this is more than blocking pain.

Dan. 

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