Number of times Jhāna Practice shows up in the Majjhima Nikāya.
From Vasettha Sutta: Sutta 98
“Who has crossed to the further shore
And meditates within the jhanas,
Is unperturbed and unperplexed,
Attained Nibbana through no clinging:
He is the one I call a brahmin.”
The Buddha declared that Jhāna Practice was the path to Nibbāna and he declared this more frequently than any other methodologies in the Majjhima Nikāya. Other sects say that “Dry-Insight” Practice without Jhānas was taught by the Buddha, yet there is no mention of such a practice in the Nikāyas. This was a commentarial addition much later. How a monk attains Jhāna is mentioned in at least 50 out of 152 suttas. 33% of all suttas have a mention of it there. I include also “base of infinite consciousness etc.”
Researched: Majjhima Nikāya translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi and Ñāṇamoli – Wisdom Pub. 1995
Jhāna Practice Explained/Described
Sutta No. Sutta Name Page No.
METHODOLOGY
Jhāna Practice
*searched “he abided in the first jhāna”
also *searching ”jhana” for instructions and explanation in addition to above.
Also *searching “Base of infinite consciousness”
Note: There should be many more instances in the Saṃyutta Nikāya of the Jhānas.
to be researched soon
David Johnson
Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
May 26, 2016
From Vasettha Sutta: Sutta 98
“Who has crossed to the further shore
And meditates within the jhanas,
Is unperturbed and unperplexed,
Attained Nibbana through no clinging:
He is the one I call a brahmin.”
The Buddha declared that Jhāna Practice was the path to Nibbāna and he declared this more frequently than any other methodologies in the Majjhima Nikāya. Other sects say that “Dry-Insight” Practice without Jhānas was taught by the Buddha, yet there is no mention of such a practice in the Nikāyas. This was a commentarial addition much later. How a monk attains Jhāna is mentioned in at least 50 out of 152 suttas. 33% of all suttas have a mention of it there. I include also “base of infinite consciousness etc.”
Researched: Majjhima Nikāya translated by Bhikkhu Bodhi and Ñāṇamoli – Wisdom Pub. 1995
Jhāna Practice Explained/Described
Sutta No. Sutta Name Page No.
- 1 Mulapariyaya Sutta: The Root of All Things 83
- 4 Bhayabherava Sutta: Fear and Dread 102
- 6 Akankheyya Sutta: If a Bhikkhu Should Wish 115
- 8 Sallekha Sutta: Effacement 123
- 12 Mahasthanada Sutta: The Greater Discourse on the Lion's Roar 164
- 13 Mahadukkhakkhandha Sutta: The Greater Discourse on the Mass of Suffering
- 19 Dvedhavitakka Sutta: Two Kinds of Thought 207
- 25 Nivapa Sutta: The Bait 246
- 26 Ariyapariyesana Sutta: The Noble Search 253
- 27 Culahatthipadopama Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Elephant's Footprint 269
- 30 Culasaropama Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on the Simile of the Heartwood 291
- 31 Culagosinga Sutta: The Shorter Discourse in Gosinga 301
- 36 Mahasaccaka Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Saccaka 332
- 38 Mahatanhasankhaya Sutta: The Greater Discourse on the Destruction of Craving 349
- 39 Maha-Assapura Sutta: The Greater Discourse at Assapura 362
- 41 Saleyyaka Sutta: The Brahmins of Sala 379
- 43 Mahavedalla Sutta: The Greater Series of Questions and Answers 387
- 44 Culavedalla Sutta: The Shorter Series of Questions and Answers 396
- 45 Culadhammasamadana Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Ways of Undertaking Things 405
- 51 Kandaraka Sutta: To Kandaraka 443
- 52 Atthakanagara Sutta: The Man from Atthakanagara 454
- 53 Sekha Sutta: The Disciple in Higher Training 460
- 59 Bahuvedaniya Sutta: The Many Kinds of Feeling 502
- 64 Mahamalunkya Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Malunkyaputta 537
- 65 Bhaddali Sutta: To Bhaddali 542
- 66 Latukikopama Sutta-. The Simile of the Quail 551
- 76 Sandaka Sutta: To Sandaka 618
- 77 Mahasakuludayi Sutta: The Greater Discourse to Sakuludayin 629
- 78 Samanamandika Sutta: Samanamandikaputta -648
- 79 Culasakuludayi Sutta: The Shorter Discourse to Sakuludayin 654
- 98 Vasettha Sutta: To Vasettha 798
- 99 Subha Sutta: To Subha 808
- 101 Devadaha Sutta: At Devadaha 8-27
- 107 GanakamoggalUna Sutta: To Ganaka Moggallana 874
- 108 Gopakamoggallana Sutta: With Gopaka Moggallana 880
- 111 Anupada Sutta: One by One as They Occurred 899
- 112 Chabbisodhana Sutta: The Sixfold Purity 903
- 113 Sappurisa Sutta: The True Man 909
- 119 Kayagatasati Sutta: Mindfulness of the Body 949
- 120 Sankharupapatti Sutta: Reappearance by Aspiration 959
- 121 Culasunnata Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Voidness 965
- 122 Mahasunnata Sutta: The Greater Discourse on Voidness 971
- 125 Dantabhumi Sutta: The Grade of the Tamed 989
- 137 Salayatanavibhanga Sutta: The Exposition of the Sixfold Base 1066
- 138 Uddesavibhanga Sutta: The Exposition of a Summary 1074
- 139 Aranavibhanga Sutta: The Exposition of Non-conflict 1080
- 140 Dhatuvibhanga Sutta: The Exposition of the Elements 1087
- 141 Saccavibhanga Sutta: The Exposition of the Truths 1097
- 143 Anathapindikovada Sutta: Advice to Anathapindika 1109
METHODOLOGY
Jhāna Practice
*searched “he abided in the first jhāna”
also *searching ”jhana” for instructions and explanation in addition to above.
Also *searching “Base of infinite consciousness”
Note: There should be many more instances in the Saṃyutta Nikāya of the Jhānas.
to be researched soon
David Johnson
Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center
May 26, 2016
