Hello Ben, and many thanks for saving me a boat load of work. I was hoping
to add that Dhammapada verse to my Four Fruits of Meditation paper. I wanted
the verse# and the original Pali, so you did all of the work for me.

As for Jhana attainment, the basic thing that I have found, both from
experience and talking to a lot of people who have attained jhana, is the first thing
one should do is reread the Anapanasati sutta, and keep it near by for lots
of reflection, because everything you need to know to attain jhana is right
there. You can also use the Maha-satipatthana sutta, DN 22, as well.

Basically I have found there are just a few tricks to jhana attainment. Here
they are:

1) Work on relinquishment (letting go)
2) Practice "sensitive" to joy (sukha) and bliss (piiti)
3) Sit often, regularly, with intensity and duration (at least 1 hour per
sit, once a day, but preferably 2 hours per sit 3 times a day)
4) Each time you sit, sit as though it is your last act in life.

Of course follow the Noble Eight Fold Path and at least the 5 Precepts, this
is Buddhism after all.

That ought to cover you on jhana attainment. The Buddha said you could make
it in 7 years or less. I have found if one sits like this the first jhana
should arrive within a few weeks.

If you have any further jhana questions then check in at the Jhana Support
Group.

Best regards,

Jeff Brooks

Jhana Support Group
A dialog support group for ecstatic contemplatives in a Buddhist context
website http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Jhanas/
Subscribe: Jhanas-subscribe@yahoogroups.com

In a message dated 3/14/04 1:42:38 AM, Pali@yahoogroups.com writes:

<< Date: Sat, 13 Mar 2004 20:09:29 -0500
From: "Benjamin Jerome" <bj3682@...>
Subject: Re: Common Misconceptions of Jhana

To Everyone Reading this Thread:

While I stayed at the Bhavana Society, Bhante G repeated Dhammapada Verse 372
after each and every meditation session:

Natthi jhaanam apan~n~assa, pan~n~aa natthi ajhaayato,
Yamhi jhaanan~ ca pan~n~an~ ca sa ve nibbaanasantike.

There is no concentration without wisdom,
No wisdom without concentration.
One who has both wisdom and concentration
Is close to peace and emancipation.

Thannisaro Bhikkhus translation:
There's no jhana
for one with no discernment,
no discernment
for one with no jhana.
But one with both jhana
& discernment:
he's on the verge
of Unbinding.

Seeing that I have neither, I'm wondering how I can develop them!

Metta,
Ben >>