A guide to the samatha Jhanas (Part 1: The form Jhanas)

[@agentsully]

Wow excellent description. Can’t wait to use this guidance.

[@thecosmicwhisperspodcast]

Just started learning about jhanas. Dankejewel !

[@pimvermeulen2115]

Graag gedaan;)

[@aquababy2012]

I would recommend that anyone interested in these techniques to read The Middle Length Discourses for themselves.

[@mja4752]

Without a teacher it s a very difficult read .

[@oswaldoluna5367]

Your explanation is super helpful, thank you!

[@valerieevanier9632]

This is such a great video. Thank you so much, it is very helpful.

[@Peace.Beyond.All.Understanding]

This was really well made and helpful, thanks so much

[@denilotus5538]

The enormous tenacity of our paramis pool to achieve that so jhan is not just smiling

[@gideonros2705]

Bollocks

[@BKKKevin]

Very good!... Please do more English videos!...

[@mja4752]

The pleasant body sensations are key to Piti . I tried today I worked :) still unbalanced but I got it :) thanks

[@dr.s.p.]

This is almost a complete copy of Leigh Brasington’s book, almost word for word in that author’s interpretations of the traditional teachings.

[@mja4752]

SMILE never forget to smile ... that and no craving ... work on vippassana to get rid of the five hindrances and build concentration ... jhanas will follow quite easily for the first 4 at least

[@alexlimion2624]

thank you for your Guidance Pim! What you've said in your last response makes a lot of sense to me but I may revisit after sitting with it for a bit. So grateful that you provide this guidance, i will watch more of your videos. Thank you!

[@alexlimion2624]

a sorry i forgot if you mentioned it in the video but are these Sutta jhanas rather than visudhimmaga Jhanas?

[@pimvermeulen2115]

They are not visudhimmaga jhanas😉

[@bradlachance933]

Have heard comparisons to the first Jhana, as the most pleasurable one comparable to sexual orgasm and others saying not nearly as intense and closer to the feeling of a "runners high". Any thoughts or comparisons of this state of rapture to other external activities of a similiar feeling??

[@sanjeevbhakta98]

I found it closer to runners high

[@marciestoddard730]

Id recommend not chasing rapture as you will get stuck there.

[@koistya]

Is it OK to listen to binaural bits during concentration meditation?

[@pimvermeulen2115]

If it's ok to you, it's ok to me;)

[@jameshetfield5894]

Beautiful job! I am currently working Stage 6 of TMI, and I hope to soon be doing everything you taught in this video. I can reach AC but have trouble making the jump. Thank you for this video, and your English is beautiful!

[@pimvermeulen2115]

Thanks very much! The stage 6 whole body breathing technique is a great preparation exercise for the 1st jhana! You will get there;)

[@tarik2328]

Pim Vermeulen hey Pim, I haven’t had success with whole body jhana’s yet, however I’m coming close to the 1st pleasure jhana. Do you have any tips for me, for the body breathing. Also, I haven’t found whole body breathing useful for getting exclusive attention. Any tips? :)

[@Equpois]

Hi. Thank you for this video. Do you keep your eyes open or close before entering the first Jhana?

[@pimvermeulen2115]

Best to close:) less distractions=easier to concentrate

[@samrt-boro]

I just entered the first jhana

[@respectdhamma3645]

Pa Auk Teachers have made major changes to the meditation system. What is wrong? What is correct? Please look at Mistakes of Pa Auk Meditation.

[@alexlimion2624]

Thank you!

[@alexlimion2624]

I must say I went on jhana retreats in 2014 and 2015 (Bhante G). As I began to open Jhana 1 at the end of the first 7 day retreat , I never completed it and felt I left something unfinished that wants to complete itself. Does that make any sense? Anyway, though my main practice is now mahamudra, I feel should finish exploring the jhana s for my sake of my throbbing head ... enjoyed your video and plan to watch more. Nice to know you review the comments!

[@pimvermeulen2115]

I didn't receive a notification of your message, probably because you responded on yourself so sorry for the late reply. Yes, it makes perfect sense! The Jhanas provide us with a greater sense of completeness and being which every human being is looking for in life. However, the grasping on to that feeling of completeness is the paradoxical problem because the grasping is the reason one doesn't feel complete and can therefore just be (without changing anything) in any given moment. So there could be something inside of you that wants to experience that feeling the 1st jhana gave you yet again, but if you're really honest with yourself and be aware of that desire, perhaps even ask what it needs, it can heal itself. Jhanas are wonderful, but like any other state of mind, temporary and therefore unsatisfying. Realize that and the feeling of completeness will be gone. I hope that this makes sense and is helpful to you🙏

[@MrHamster1982]

Possible to contact u thru email? I am not sure if I entered first Jhana or not

[@pimvermeulen2115]

[e-mail]

[@tramhongtruc3727]

@@pimvermeulen2115 thank you

[@JhannySamadhi-zh7un]

These are lite jhanas, not samatha jhanas. Samatha jhanas come after attaining samatha and don’t require focusing on sensations. No wonder so many people are confused with videos like this

[@gideonros2705]

It's not because of videos like his its because many teachers and many books say so. So who is in, right? For anyone even inclined to achieve light jhanas is a blessing for the world.

[@SteppenwolfHarryHall]

Is it possible or realistic to enter the jhanas by a daily meditation practice, or is it necessary to be on a retreat and meditating many hours a day?

[@pimvermeulen2115]

Yes it is, although talent plays a big role in this case. Some people aren't able to ever enter the Jhanas but this doesn't necessarily say anything about their realizations. With daily practice (1 hr at minimum) and cutting-back of hindrance inducing activities like gaming, tv, alchohol etc. it is certainly possible. Good luck!

[@madtrade]

it's possible ! sure it will be slower and may take you some months but in the end you will end up there

[@VeritableVagabond]

How was your experience through the Progress of Insight with jhana under your cap?

[@pimvermeulen2115]

The first time intense but quick. Total duration 3-4 weeks:) With thanks to TMI as well! The Jhanas definitely make the Dukkha Nanas easier, because it gives a break from all the unpleasantness.

[@VeritableVagabond]

@@pimvermeulen2115 Wow. With the power of jhana, what Insight technique do you use? I'm currently using noting after getting to stage 5/6 in TMI. What do you think of Mahasi noting? From what I'm understanding jhana seems to really juice up the Insight pump.

[@pimvermeulen2115]

Yes it does! And TMI (samatha in general) too. I did a lot of self-inquiry, noting the 6-sense doors, observing vedana when popping out of the 4th Jhana. I'm not a huge mahasi noting fan as it makes experience/meditation very chunky and less fluid, and therefore less pleasant but it works. TMI on it's own offers all you need for insight though;)

[@VeritableVagabond]

@@pimvermeulen2115 Sweet! I appreciate your help. Noting reminds me of choiceless awareness practice described in TMI. I suppose that's much more flowy than noting. Looking forward to more videos from you!

[@VeritableVagabond]

@@pimvermeulen2115 did you get jhana outside of retreat? How long were you meditating for daily?

[@Oi-mj6dv]

For me, first jhana feels like my body felt down a bit. Sometimes can be quite abrupt lol

[@marciestoddard730]

Same!!!

[@backwardthoughts1022]

the terms are completely jumbled. piti is a part of the form realm which appear when you achieve access concentration. prior to this is fullblown perfect single-pointed concentration of the desire realm. the difference between the 2 is desire realm perfect concentration must be intiaited thru intention whereas perfect concentration of the form realm can arise seemingly spontaneously thru its dependence on the mental and physical piti one now permanently has. the difference between access concentration/entering the beginning of the form realm and fullblown 1st jhana is at 1st jhana one can easily sit up to 4 hours in single pointedness on an object, one develops extrasensory capacity without effort, and one can begin intentionally cultivating extrasensory capacities of one's choosing which are previously inaccessible as simple fields of knowledge. it will not be much longer, soon accomplished and authentic persons will start appearing capable of actually demonstrating the path and helping ppl for real, no more nonsense and aiming in the dark.

[@denilotus5538]

to enter the jhana is not easy, if our paramis and precepts and morality are not maintained it is very difficult to enter the jhana because just achieving the samadhi ceremony requires tenacity

[@mja4752]

just don t get attaced to jhanas ... the main goal of meditation is to get rid of attachment not to create another object of craving on the way ^^

[@marciestoddard730]

My exact thoughts 2 min in....chasing phenomena isnt a practice...sigh

[@xferryperryx]

Pim Vermeulen hi pim, i reccomend you to study buddhism , dont give wrong information anymore thanks

[@xferryperryx]

@@obadiah7105 the most ancient book on jhana is the Brahmajala-sutta , and is not buddhist, we know by far that the jhana's are not a buddha discovery because he had 2 teacher called Uddaka Rāmaputta and Ālāra Kālāma, probaly they was jain. escluding the Brahmajala-sutta ( is not clear), theravada buddhism have very clear sutta and commentaries about jhana. and this guy in the video just dont know what is the jhana. for exampaple as explained in the abhidamma pitaka no way you can talk move and hear anything during the jhana, and every mental action is impossible. the passagge from 1 jhana to another is complete different, and also the jhana factors are not the jhana state

[@xferryperryx]

jhana state are buddhism material, so if you want understand the jhana, you have to study theravada buddhism.

[@xferryperryx]

and he use pali word like "piti" ecc, so for sure is the pali canon

[@kheylemiquekheylemique3247]

@@xferryperryx but what is wrong with his video ?

[@respectdhamma3645]

Pa Auk Teachers have made major changes to the meditation system. What is wrong? What is correct? Please look at Mistakes of Pa Auk Meditation.

[@gxlorp]

You need to find out some new technique, based on wartching David Hastlehof videos... aka "the Hof".... Then you can call the technique the Pim Hof method. 🥴

[@AlexKellyArtUK]

Imagine you are lost, its getting dark and walking through a city area that is a known crime spot. Suddenly a car pulls up, and the driver says "I wouldn't walk through here on you own, its dangerous. Why don't you jump in and I will take you to a safe place?". What would you do? Jump straight in or check out the driver first, check out the car, ask some questions about where this safe place is etc? Say you get in, its warm and you feel much safer. After a while, you notice they seem to be going in the wrong direction, but its hard to tell as its getting dark. So now you are feeling anxious: does this person really know the way out of danger and/or do they really have your well being in mind? The problem with teachers who set themselves up to teach is that some of what they teach may be good guidance and give good results, but if you are not very careful and on the look out they can easily lead you down a wrong way without you even realising. Where the teacher claims to be fully awakened (arahantship), knowing the complete path to safety because they have actually reached it themselves, then you have to be doubly vigilant in checking them out every step of the way. The Buddha gives some guidance on following a teacher who is fit to teach: “Yes, Master Gotama, to this extent there is the safeguarding of the truth. To this extent one safeguards the truth. We regard this as the safeguarding of the truth. Yet to what extent is there an awakening to the truth? To what extent does one awaken to the truth? We ask Master Gotama about awakening to the truth.” “There is the case, Bhāradvāja, where a monk lives in dependence on a certain village or town. Then a householder or householder’s son, having gone to him, observes him with regard to three qualities-qualities based on greed, qualities based on aversion, qualities based on delusion: ‘Are there in this venerable one any such qualities based on greed that, with his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, “I know,” while not knowing, or say, “I see,” while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?’ As he observes him, he comes to know, ‘There are in this venerable one no such qualities based on greed.… His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not greedy. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can’t easily be taught by a person who is greedy. “When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on greed, he next observes him with regard to qualities based on aversion: ‘Are there in this venerable one any such qualities based on aversion that, with his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, “I know,” while not knowing, or say, “I see,” while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?’ As he observes him, he comes to know, ‘There are in this venerable one no such qualities based on aversion.… His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not aversive. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can’t easily be taught by a person who is aversive. “When, on observing that the monk is purified with regard to qualities based on aversion, he next observes him with regard to qualities based on delusion: ‘Are there in this venerable one any such qualities based on delusion that, with his mind overcome by these qualities, he might say, “I know,” while not knowing, or say, “I see,” while not seeing; or that he might urge another to act in a way that was for his/her long-term harm & pain?’ As he observes him, he comes to know, ‘There are in this venerable one no such qualities based on delusion.… His bodily behavior & verbal behavior are those of one not deluded. And the Dhamma he teaches is deep, hard to see, hard to realize, tranquil, refined, beyond the scope of conjecture, subtle, to-be-experienced by the wise. This Dhamma can’t easily be taught by a person who is deluded." www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN95.html