Jhana, and the ecstasies of the mystics

There is a remarkable similarity of religious experiences between the mystics of the various religions. Christian mystics; Sufi and Hindu mystics, Rumi, Kabir and Patanjali; and Buddhist mystics as represented by Siddhartha Gautama. Jhana defined as ecstasy, or absorption into an altered state of consciousness that is based upon bliss, joy and ecstasy. Samma-samadhi

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• jhana
• religious experiences
• Christian mystics
• John of the Cross
• Teresa of Avila
• Francis of Assisi
• Sufi
• Rumi
• Kabir
• Hindu
• Patanjali
• Buddhist
• Siddhartha Gautama
• contemplation
• buddhism
• meditation
• spirituality
• yoga
• mystic
• shaman
• samadhi

[ruzickaw]

what´s the point of talking about terminology? Just get into the deep state.

[Jhananda]

@ruzickaw Well, a lot of people get confused when they meditate deeply because there are some pretty bazaar phenomena that arise when one meditates deeply. And, when we go to our meditation teachers most them do not seem to meditate deeply, because most of them have no idea about the various meditation phenomena (charisms).

[ruzickaw]

@Jhananda Not to give any theoretical explanation is the best. Just sit down and what comes up (like pain in the back or the knees) take it as a meditation object. That is enough to start with. Meditation is a gradual process. Jhana is not ecstasis.Jhana (Dhyana) is meditation which leads to absorbtion (samadhi). Ecstasis is being out of oneself, with even loss of clear consciousness. THere is no need to tell the people about the difference.

Whatsoever comes up, just observe it.

[Jhananda]

@ruzickaw Well, I agree that it is best to use the charisms that arise during meditation as meditation objects, just as pain is often used by contemplatives; however, most meditation teachers tell meditators to ignore the charisms as they arise.

Also, a fine point in translation is the Pali term 'Jhana' was mistranslated as 'dhyana' about 21 centuries ago when the Pali canon was translated into Sanskrit, which has resulted in misunderstanding the jhana is just meditation. It is not.

[sandraeggers]

@Jhananda - you do not know to whom you speak - you are 50 yrs too late with that question - speaking of naive. Occultism does not exist except as self-knowledge which IS the path of the mystic - or is that too deep for you?

[Jhananda]

@sandraeggers I agree self-knowledge which IS the path of the mystic; however, few occultists I met and read seemed to be interested in self-knowledge, or self-awareness. I would argue that anyone who is pursues self-knowledge and self-awareness is a contemplative, not an occultists. However, one does not become a mystic until one has developed the ecstatic, altered states of consiouseness of contemplation (samadhi).

[ruzickaw]

@Jhananda Again, no need for semantic discussion, what means what. Feel it.

When i entered for the first time a buddhist meditation center in Sri Lanka, i got only basic instraction: Sit, walk, observe the breath, keep the mind in the here and now. How to do it , i have to find out by myself. Meditators should not given everything digested. Each one has to

struggle to find his own method. All this talk about self-knowledge and self-awareness is usless. There is no self.

[Jhananda]

@sandraeggers we are naive when we never unpack our belief systems. I have unpacked mine. Have you?

[sandraeggers]

There is no dichotomy between occultism and mysticism. Mysticism embodies occultism - occult simply means hidden - occultism or the use of hidden knowledge is something mystics necessarily do as the occult or hidden or supernatural aspects of knowledge reveal themselves to them. Any attempt to analyze and differentiate the occult from mysticism as a path and activity is simply naive.

[JoeJacari]

@Jhananda

In the story "The Rooster and the Tortoise" by Dr. Malachi Martin (three PhDs) in his book HOSTAGE TO THE DEVIL, we have the testimony of a well-known psychologist (Princeton/Stanford/Cambridge)­, Vipassana meditator, who became demonically possessed and levitated in front of his students. His testimony on what happened, how he was trapped and freed during an exorcism, is in that book.

Keep an open mind. Read for yourself. Very fascinating!.