10 Ways to ZEN (jhana)

Wisdom Quarterly, Ven. Buddhaghosa (Path of Purification)

Serenity is beginner's mind, our natural joy and tranquility, free of neurosis -- "monkey mind," distraction, worry, ADHD, believing mere thoughts, etc. (alibaba.com).

Meditation (jhana, zen) Means Merit

Successful meditation is spectacularly profitable karma (merit). Allowing full absorption (into a single object) purifies the heart/mind.

It is redounding with profit leading to the storing up of tremendously beneficial karma (seeds with the capacity to exponentially ripen with pleasant results).

Jhana has the power to lead to rebirth as a divinity, in accordance with the depth and level of mastery if it is held at the time of passing.

Moreover, it can serve as the basis for fruitful insight (vipassana) practice. In this case it becomes supermundane, leading to enlightenment here and now.

What destroys serenity and insight? These Five Hindrances oppose absorption: sensual craving, ill-will, physical sloth and mental torpor, restlessness and remorse, doubt and uncertainty.

What gives rise to successful meditation? These five Factors of Absorption (zen, jhana, dhyana) lead to "right concentration," a component of the Noble Eightfold Path: application of mind, sustained attention, rapture, joy, and concentration.

The ancient commentarial Path of Purification (Vissudhimagga I 128) gives ten ways to improve the likelihood of gaining one of these serene states of stillness:

1. Purify the basis: clean body, clean surroundings (wearing white), clean conscience.
2. Balance these five factors: Energy equal to concentration and faith to understanding with no limit on mindfulness.
3. Skill in the sign: develop a nimitta (internal light or object so intense that the mind creates a counterpart) by balanced persistence.
   
4. Exert mind on all occasions: steady persistence is more fruitful than spurts of effort.
5. Control mind on all occasions: restraint is a blessing, as are mindfulness and clear comprehension.
6. Encourage mind on occasions when it is advantageous to rouse and cheer it.
7. Observe the mind with equanimity: when things proceed appropriately.
8. Avoid distracted, agitated, frantic, unconcentrated, and stressful people.
9. Cultivates company with well focused, determined, and concentrated people.
10. Resolutely determine level of absorption (of the eight jhanas) to be practiced. (This is done by emerging from one level of absorption and reflecting on its defects and the peacefulness of being free from those defects. For example, the defect of the first jhana is that it is very close to the ordinary scattered mind because of the Five Hindrances; the second jhana is far from those distressing influences).

Meditating on Inner Light

Wisdom Quarterly
(Sammyundead/Flickr)

The "counterpart sign" (patibagha nimitta) is literally an inner light produced by prolonged attention in meditation. "Where attention goes energy flows" has become a popular slogan of the Law of Attraction movement. Nowhere is it more evident than during sitting practice.

We can worry ourselves sick by focusing on stimuli (thoughts, memories, ideas) that produces alarm. We can lull ourselves into fantasy by reflecting on the pleasant aspects of something. But the way of mindfulness is to take things just as they are without evaluating, judging, or resisting them.

Dispassionate observation leads to detachment and liberation, a temporary release of the heart from the burdens it takes as its own the rest of the time.

Gently, non-judgmentally, serenely bringing the mind back to the meditation object again and again as many times as it wanders will eventually produce a meditation sign. Whether using the breath or a candle flame, an image of the Buddha or a photo (perhaps of oneself) to project loving-kindness (metta) towards are all suitable.

Why does the light not come, and what can be done to invite and encourage it?

First, it is necessary to establish oneself in VIRTUE (five or more precepts) so that the mind/heart are free from reproach. One neither has cause to worry about or regret what one has done or left undone.

Second, it is necessary to focus, collect, and CONCENTRATE the mind on a single object. This means purposely excluding all distractions and other concerns. This is when the light comes as a side effect of purification.

Third, the light itself is not important. But with it one is able to cultivate liberating insight called WISDOM. This is done by applying the mind on four "foundations."

• Tibetan approach to Four Foundations
• BOOK: The Four Foundations of Mindfulness
• Mahayana and the Four Foundations
  

Light Meditation (how to video)

Sri Sathya Sai Baba in Sathya Sai Speaks (Vol. X, pp. 348-350, Shivarathri, 1979); text edited by Wisdom Quarterly

There are many meditations and lots of different advice. This is a universal and usually effective form, a first step toward spiritual [= spirit = spiritus = breath] development.

It takes discipline but leads to joy. Practice before dawn when the body is refreshed after sleep before dealing with the day. Have a lamp or a candle before you with an open, steady, straight flame. Sit in front of the candle in the lotus posture or any other comfortable sitting position.

Mayo Clinic recommends this meditation

Look at the flame steadily for some time, closing eyes when the flame is firmly in the mind's eye. Let it slide down into the lotus of the heart, illuminating the path. When it enters the heart, imagine the petals open one by one, bathing every thought, sensation, and emotion in light removing darkness from them. There is no space for darkness to hide. The light of the flame becomes wider and brighter. Let it pervade all limbs.

Now those limbs will not indulge in dark, suspicious, or destructive activities; they have become instruments of light and love. As the light reaches the tongue, falsehoods vanish from it. Let it rise up to the eyes and ears and undo dark desires infesting them. The head is suffused with light dispelling dark thoughts. Imagine the light grows more and more intense. Let it shine all around and spread ever widening circles, encompassing loved ones, friends, companions, strangers, rivals, enemies, all living beings, the entire universe.

As the light daily illumines the senses, a time will soon come when one no longer relishes dark and disturbing sights and tales or crave for base, harmful, deadening toxic foods and drinks, demeaning things, places of ill-repute and injury, or frame harmful designs against anyone at any time. Stay with the thrill of everywhere witnessing the light [which may refer to the nimitta preceding jhana in serenity or Buddhist shamatha meditation].

If one adoring the good (for oneself, others, and both) in any form now, visualize that form in the all-pervasive light. Practice this meditation regularly every day. At other times rest the mind on the breath just under the nose like an uplifting fragrance.

• No time? Try the One Moment Meditation
  
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