It is true that once a person go into jhanas he can see spirits and ghosts?
Bro, this is can see karma already. What about those who can see spirits?
My office got two pple who are born with third eyes. But the same ghost in office one see is just white with long hair, another see with decomposed features.
To me, the differences is due to the difference in their perception aggregate. Maybe something in our perception blocks our natural ability too see.
hi,
see karma is PUBBENIVASA, see spirit is DIBBA-CAKKHU - CELESTIAL VISION.
you ask with jhana can or not, didn't ask if got people without jhana can or not mah. :) so i based on one who do not have, and by practicing certain technique can achieve that form of spiritual power, though it's not necessary a buddhist thingy. those from cult also can cultivate it.
i think as for people without jhana can see spirits could be due to previous life cultivation.
it's true that all people have the abilities, just haven't cultivated it.
yes, to what i know, they should appear the way when they are dead, and the appearance remain there. if die from car accident, then the body also look like from car accident. those die from illness one are more normal looking, just pale.
/\
Short answer: no.
Much misconception about Jhana...
IMO, 'Happiness Through Meditation' by Ajahn Brahm has one of the clearest description of the Jhanas
Being able to see ghost does not necessarily mean deva eye. Most likely is ghost eye. Ghist eye can see ghost. Deva eye can see deva and ghost. Many people have ghost eye because in past lives they were ghost
If you develope 4th jhana you can develope supernatural powers like deva eye but only if you make certain intentions to develop
Do u think being able to enter fourth jhana is rather common, e.g. 1 in 100?
Can we discuss, why ghosts can see us and we mostly cannot see them?
Also does other realms like ghost, asura and deva hv family structure like human?
Originally posted by libido:Also does other realms like ghost, asura and deva hv family structure like human?
they are sort of a "retribution" after human realm what.
/\
quote:
III. Chalabhinna (sixfold knowledge of the worthy ones). The third type are Enlightened people that enjoy the eternal peace or Nirvana and have been liberated from the cycle of life and death by the forty methods of meditation and have gained miraculous psychic power and supernatural knowledge far beyond that of scientists. They have practiced meditation with the eight devices (kasina) until they have reached the fourth stage of absorption (one-pointedness of mind) in each device.
Kasina: (related to Sanskrit krtsna, 'all, complete, whole'), is the name for a purely external device to produce and develop concentration of mind and attain the Four Absorptions (Jhána States). It consists in concentrating one's full and undivided attention on one visible object as preparatory image (parikamma-nimitta), e.g. a colored spot or disc, or a piece of earth, or a pond at some distance, etc., until at last one perceives, even with the eyes closed, a mental reflex, the acquired image (uggaha-nimitta). Now, while continuing to direct one's attention to this image, there may arise the spotless and immovable counter-image (patibhága-nimitta), and together with it the neighbourhood-concentration (upacára-samádhi) will have been reached. While still persevering in the concentration on the object, one finally will reach a state of mind where all sense-activity is suspended, where there is no more seeing and hearing, no more perception of bodily impression and feeling, i.e. the state of the first mental absorption (First Jhána).
Ten Kasinas are mentioned in the Sutras: earth-kasina, water, fire, wind, blue, yellow, red, white, space, and consciousness. There are ten kasina-spheres: someone sees the earth kasina, above, below, on all sides, undivided, unbounded .... someone see the water-kasina, above, below, etc. (M. 77; D. 33) Cf. abhibháyatan, bhávaná; further s. Fund. IV.
For space and consciousness-kasina we find in Vis.M. V the names limited space-kasina (paricchinnákása-kasina; . . . s. App. ) and light-kasina (áloka-kasina).
http://www.angelfire.com/indie/anna_jones1/arhat.html#N30
a lot of us all sure used to be ghost before, but not all can see ghosts.
/\
Seems like in jhanas state one's volition will become intensified and the karma created will be intensified also.
What I dun understand is if one meditate and will in emptiness. Will one be aimless in life in a layman view?
lol, i remember got a person ask a rinpoche a way to practice spiritual power quickly. the rinpoche say, u die and become ghost , automatically have spiritual power, etcOriginally posted by libido:Can we discuss, why ghosts can see us and we mostly cannot see them?
Originally posted by libido:Seems like in jhanas state one's volition will become intensified and the karma created will be intensified also.
What I dun understand is if one meditate and will in emptiness. Will one be aimless in life in a layman view?
don't quite understand the first statement.
there's it call 出里心 (sense of leaving samsara), but later need to upgrade to bodhi heart.
/\
Here is a brief description of what really is Jhana..
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/articles/item/1198-the-bliss-of-letting-go.html
IMO... Jhana is essential to enlightenment (contrary to what many may think) for they contain profound understanding of what really is suffering and how the release of suffering really feels like.
For example, if one is very focus and yet have harmful thoughts.
Isn't jhanas part of the concentration component of eightfold path? Therefore, it is concentration where high level yogis will be able to attain, but they still lack wisdom to final deliverance. I remember Buddha ever give an example of attachment to feeling in the case of jhana. In order to escape rebirth, one of the common way is to rest in equanimity at the fourth jhana to practice mindfulness in order to develop insights to wisdom.
Imo. Just for discussion only.
By the way, has Buddha ever talk about the use of kasinas?
Originally posted by libido:For example, if one is very focus and yet have harmful thoughts.
Hi Libido,
From my understanding..Jhanas are progressive states of releases (which results in the experience of joy and bliss along the way). For example, when there is disenchantment with thoughts... thoughts will fade away and cease. When there are disenchantment with physical sensations, physical sensations will fade away and cease.
I agree that in jhanas thoughts has ceased.
I was looking at vishudamagga. When it talks about developing certain powers, it seems to describe one needs to go in and out of jhanas.
tis why need along with precepts.
with precept, it's different, unlike a police commiting offense become double the offense kind of idea, it's on the contrary, a person driving a car is about to hit a wall, the more brakes u apply the lesser the impact. as it's difficult for habits to just stop immediately.
Access Concentration
(click)
You must have a certain amount of concentration for the first Jhana to arise. This is called Access Concentration. Access concentration has Sila (morality) as a prerequisite. The description of the First Jhana starts "Secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind...". If you are not leading a morally upright life, you cannot expect to sit down on a little pillow and find yourself "secluded from sense desires, secluded from unwholesome states of mind." If there is not sufficient Sila, there is too much to desire, too much to hate or fear, too much to worry about, etc.
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awakening101/janas.html
/\
I have a new doubt. See quote below.
"After taking his seat beneath the Bodhi tree, the Buddha entered the four jhanas immediately before direction his mind to the threefold knowledge that issued in his enlightenment (M.i.247-49)."
Seems like in jhanas Buddha still direct his mind to certain topics. Isn't that volition? meaning the mind is concentrated but not totally free from mental exertion?
Originally posted by libido:I have a new doubt. See quote below.
"After taking his seat beneath the Bodhi tree, the Buddha entered the four jhanas immediately before direction his mind to the threefold knowledge that issued in his enlightenment (M.i.247-49)."
Seems like in jhanas Buddha still direct his mind to certain topics. Isn't that volition? meaning the mind is concentrated but not totally free from mental exertion?
Just my opinion only...
As mentioned, there are quite a bit of confusion about Jhanas.
IMO, only the lower jhana is 'concentrated'. The deeper Jhanas are deeper and more profound levels of 'release'. Bliss is the result of the 'movement' from grasping to release. Bliss is like smoke coming out of a explosion... and will fade away. At cessation, there is no bliss.
Again these are just my opinion. Read with discernment.
In any case, only fully enlightened persons can give us the right answer.
Thanks.
Haha, I understand. The reason why I posted here is to discuss with pple who know buddhism and hope to clear my doubts.
I am a Theravada practicer. Before that, I did yoga meditation for almost ten years. I used to focus on chakras that are of specific colours, and that was before I first read about kasina. Now I mainly use breathing as the sign and counter sign. Still practicing to develop wisdom.
Theravada meditation dun encourage going over fourth jhana. Beyond that, it is impossible to dwell on equanimity to observe phenomena to gain insights. If go into the formless adsorption, it is said to develop foundation for rebirth into formless realm.
I think it is meaningless to ask how many people will attain jhanas. If you work hard on it, you definitely will. It is a skill that can be attained with practice just like any other: like mastering piano, etc. But not many people are that dedicated. If you look into some beginner classes on Buddhism, you may find that the people there do not have any experience with jhanas, instead they are simply trying to understand some basic Buddhism concepts and attempt to apply them in life, they are not going into hardcore or essential practices. If you look into communities like Dharma Overground, most of the people there are Hardcore practitioners and have experiences with jhanas.
My advise: go for it, be hardcore and find some hardcore meditation/dharma teachers.
That is a great site. Thank you AEN.
Meditation is good. Let's do it daily.
Also if you're into Theravada practice, you should read the site's owner book, Mastering the Core Teachings of Buddha by Daniel M. Ingram. Very well-written.
http://integrateddaniel.info/book/