To fk, Lars, Everett, Piya, Rene, Derek,

(from Ven. Thanissaro's translation of A.V.28)

1st jhana: ...ball of bath powder - saturated,
moisture-laden, permeated within & without (with
water)...

2nd: ... a lake with spring-water welling up from
within, having no inflow from east, west, north,
south...

3rd: ... lotus pond... [lotuses ] stay immersed in the
water and flourish without standing up out of the
water, so that they are permeated & pervaded, suffused
& filled...


So these first 3 similes are really cool, but then we
get to the 4th jhana: ... just as if a man were
sitting wrapped from head to foot with a white cloth
so that there would be no part of his body to which
the white cloth did not extend.

=========================

Does anyone else find that simile kind of
disappointing? From the simile, all I can picture for
the 4th jhana is a cartoon mummy, not a lofty
meditative state where your body feels
ethereal/nonexistent.

Does the original pali or commentaries elaborate on
the mummy cloth simile? I just don't get it.

-fk

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%
Jeff:
Hello all, I'm new to your group and I happend to browse back in your
archives to see what the various itnerests are here. I noticed about 3 weeks
ago there was some discussion of jhana. It happens to be an interest of
mine, and if anyone wants to revist it, or take a peek at the Jhana Support
Group, where we are building quite an archive of jhana related disguission.
You can check out the JSG at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jhanas
Jhanas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

The Potthapada Sutta helped me out a great deal in understanding the jhanas.
I have included it here with copious abridgements and alternate translations,
scholars please excuse my literary license.

Potthapada Sutta, DN. 9-17

9-10. (One scrutinizes) the sense doors...Having reached the first jhana,
(one) remains in it. Whatever sensations (that were there) disappear. At
that time there is present a true but subtle perception of delight and
happiness, born of detachment, and (one) becomes one(,) who is conscious of
this delight and happiness. In this way some perceptions arise through
training, and some pass way. This is that training...

11. ...With the subsiding of thinking, by gaining inner tranquillity and
unity of mind (consciousness), (one) reaches and remains in the second jhana,
which is free from thinking, born of concentration, filled with delight and
happiness. At (this) time there arises a true but subtle perception of
delight and happiness born of concentration, and (one) becomes one(,) who is
conscious of this delight and happiness. In this way some perceptions arise
through training, and some pass way.

12. ...Dwelling in equanimity, mindful and clearly aware, (one) experiences
in (one's) body that pleasant feeling of which the Noble Ones say: "Happy
dwells the (one) of equanimity and mindfulness," (thus one) reaches and
remains in the third jhana...There arises at this time a true but subtle
sense of equanimity and happiness. In this way some perceptions arise throu
gh training, and some pass way.

13. ...With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance
of previous joy and grief, one reaches and remains in the fourth jhana, a
state beyond pleasure and pain, purified by equanimity and mindfulness...and
there arises a true and subtle sense of neither happiness nor unhappiness,
and (one) becomes one(,) who is conscious of this subtle sense of neither
happiness nor unhappiness. In this way some perceptions arise through
training, and some pass way.

14. ...By passing entirely beyond bodily sensations, by the disappearance of
all sense of resistance and by non-attraction to the (diverse perceptions),
seeing that space is infinite, (one) reaches and remains in the sphere of
Infinite Space. In this way some perceptions arise through training, and
some pass away.

15. ...By passing entirely beyond the Sphere of Infinite Space, seeing that
consciousness is infinite (one) reaches and remains in the Sphere of Infinite
Consciousness. In this way some perceptions arise through training, and some
pass away.

16. ...By passing entirely beyond the Sphere of Infinite Consciousness,
seeing that there is no thing, one reaches and remains in the Sphere of
No-Thingness. (One) becomes one who is conscious of this true but subtle
perception of the Sphere of No-Thingness. In this way some perceptions arise
through training, and some pass away.

17. ...From the moment that one has gained this (self-awareness, one)
proceeds from stage to stage till (one) reaches the limit of perception. (At
this moment) it occurs: "Mental activity is worse for me, lack of mental
activity is better...So, (one chooses to) neither think nor imagine.
Then...(one) attains cessation.

best to all

layman Jeff