‘Right concentration’ consists of one-pointedness of
mind, the mind focusing unwaveringly on a single object, which
can be taken to the point where one attains successively the four
dhyanas (Pali: jhanas), the four ‘meditations’ or, in this context,
perhaps ‘absorptions’.
These dhyanas are said to take the
meditator outside, as it were, the desire realm (kamadhatu) in
which we humans normally live, and to pertain to the realm of
(pure) form, the rupadhatu.
The first and lowest of the dhyanas
is characterised (in the standard scheme) as involving applied
thought, examination, joy, happiness, and one-pointedness of
mind.
The second dhyana has the same features apart from the
applied thought and examination, which are no longer
experientially present and have dropped away.
The third has
happiness and one-pointedness, and the fourth possesses just
one-pointedness and equanimity.12 To quote from Peter Harvey:
The fourth jhana is a state of profound stillness and peace,
in which the mind rests with unshakeable one-pointedness
and equanimity, and breathing has calmed to the point of
stopping. The mind has a radiant purity, due to its ‘brightly
shining’ depths having been uncovered and made manifest at
the surface level. It is said to be very ‘workable’ and
‘adaptable’ like refined gold, which can be used to make all
manner of precious and wonderful things. It is thus an ideal
take-off point for various further developments. Indeed it
seems to have been the state from which the Buddha went
on to attain enlightenment.
(Harvey 1990:250–2)
The four dhyanas are also spoken of as being realms into which
one can be reborn as certain types of gods, thus bringing together
cosmological realms and mental transformation in an interesting
way which shows a blending of ‘outer’ cosmology and ‘inner’
psychology on these rarefied levels of Buddhist experience.
Page 55
Williams, Paul,
and Anthony Tribe. 2000. Buddhist Thought: A Complete Introduction to the
Indian Tradition. London ; New York: Routledge.
From: alakendu das <mailmealakendudas@rediffmail.com>
To: indology@list.indology.info
Sent: Sunday, September 11, 2016 5:44 PM
Subject: [INDOLOGY] Etymology and meaning of 'Jhana'
Of late I am vividly going through a very old translation of a book on Abhidhamma Buddhist philosophy .It is difficult to gather the name of the translator.However,in course of the book I came across an analysis found in the book 'VishuddhiMagga'by BuddhaGhosha which uses a term 'Jhana'while describing the 3 -levels of consciousness .Jhana has been used while elaborating on the 2nd level of consciousness ,where the Yogachara( i.e the bhikhhu who delves into Yoga) meditates on an object abd finally attains Jhana.
Can anybody enlighten on the implication of the term Jhana and it's etymology.
ALAKENDU DAS.
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