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The Direct Jhānic Path to Liberating Insight |
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| Author |
Farmer, Mitrānanda Roger
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| Source |
Western Buddhist Review
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| Volume | v.7 |
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| Date | 2020 |
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| Pages | 67 - 94 |
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| Publisher | Triratna Buddhist Order |
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| Publisher Url |
https://thebuddhistcentre.com/
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| Location | London, UK [倫敦, 英國] |
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| Content type | 期刊論文=Journal Article |
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| Language | 英文=English |
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| Abstract | I consider the notion that the jhānas are intrinsically soteriological. When discussing reasons for a neglect of the jhānas as a means to liberating insight, I refer to the commentarial literature, but otherwise I take as primary sources, texts from the Sutta Piṭaka. For insight to arise after the first jhāna, it would have to be unmediated by concepts, as discursive thinking is then absent. I argue that the meditative practice of bare cognition occurs optimally in the fourth jhāna. Alexander Wynne has described this practice as characterised by mindfulness, equanimity and absence of mental construction, and as a way of de-conditioning our tendency to mental proliferation and views. Bare cognition also allows a refined observation of the rise and fall of phenomena leading to insight into impermanence. Not only was jhāna a practice of the Buddha and his early followers, but, as indicated by accounts in early texts of the Sutta Nipāta and Udāna, bare cognition was also. Indeed, a misinterpretation of the Pāli word apilāpanatā may have led to sati (mindfulness) being interpreted as more active and focused, compared to an earlier view of mindfulness as a receptive, non-interfering monitoring. I additionally argue that the non-conceptual experience of jhānic pīti and sukha, by attenuating our attachment to sensual pleasure, leads to insight. I conclude that jhānic experience induces insight directly and may take us to a point at which liberation is virtually assured. |
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| Table of contents | INTRODUCTION 67
THE JHĀNAS OF THE SUTTAS (DISCOURSES) 71
A NEGLECT OF THE JHĀNAS AS A PATH TO INSIGHT 71
A DIRECT JHĀNIC PATH TO LIBERATING INSIGHT 74
IS INTELLECTUAL UNDERSTANDING SUFFICIENT FOR LIBERATION? 75
THE NATURE OF INSIGHT-PRODUCING JHĀNA 75
HOW THE JHĀNAS MAY PRODUCE INSIGHT DIRECTLY 76
JHĀNIC PĪTI AND SUKHA 82
AGAINST JHĀNAS FOR INSIGHT 84
JHĀNA AND NIBBĀNA 85
CONCLUSIONS 87
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS 87
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS 89
ABBREVIATIONS 89
BIBLIOGRAPHY 89 |
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| ISSN | 13577581 (P) |
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| Hits | 105 |
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| Created date | 2021.03.20 |
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