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Analysis of Jhāna: What to Prepare Before Jhāna
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Analysis of Jhāna: What to Prepare Before Jhāna

Jhānavibhaṅgo

Before discussing the jhāna factors, the twelfth Vibhaṅga explains the preparatory sequence word by word: virtue and proper resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, guarding the senses, moderation in eating, effort in the watches of the night, mindfulness and clear comprehension, a secluded dwelling, and abandoning the five hindrances.

7 points

In the Jhāna-vibhaṅga, the twelfth chapter of the Vibhaṅga, the second book of the Abhidhamma Piṭaka, the outline doesn't start straight with jhāna. It starts with a monk restrained by the Pātimokkha, accomplished in conduct and resort, seeing danger in the slightest faults, guarding the senses, moderate in eating, devoted to wakefulness in the first and last watches of the night, mindful and clearly comprehending, resorting to a secluded dwelling, sitting with body upright, abandoning the five hindrances, and then attaining jhāna.

The Suttanta analysis of this chapter explains each word, such as monk, Pātimokkha, conduct, resort, lodging and each hindrance. This page covers only the preparation before entering jhāna; the factors of each jhāna come in the following section.

The text is written for monks. Some points, such as conduct, resort and lying down only in the middle watch, belong to the renunciant life; applying them to lay life on this page is an adaptation. Theravāda tradition holds the Abhidhamma to be the Buddha's teaching, while many scholars consider it compiled later.

  1. 1

    Virtue, conduct and resort Pātimokkhasaṃvarasaṃvuto viharati ācāragocarasampanno

    Pātimokkha is explained as virtue that is a support, a beginning and a chief means for the accomplishment of wholesome states. Restraint is non-transgression by body and speech. Good conduct is non-transgression and not making a living by improper means, such as flattery or giving gifts to win affection. Proper resort is not frequenting unsuitable places, and associating with families who have faith and wish for the welfare of the Buddha's followers.

    Applying it in daily life

    Review the places you often go and the people you spend time with, offline and online: do they help your mind settle or stir it up?

  2. 2

    Seeing danger in the slightest faults, and training for everyone Aṇumattesu vajjesu bhayadassāvī

    Slight faults are explained as faults considered minor, which should be restrained and guarded against. The practitioner sees the fault, the danger and the escape from them. For undertaking the training rules, the text defines four trainings: those of monks, nuns, male lay followers and female lay followers.

    Applying it in daily life

    Small faults repeated daily, such as being five minutes late or telling small lies, are the place to start, because they turn into habits without our noticing.

  3. 3

    Guarding the senses and moderation in eating Indriyesu guttadvāro bhojane mattaññū

    One who guards the senses, on seeing a form, hearing a sound, smelling, tasting, touching or cognising a mental object, does not grasp at its signs or features, through which covetousness and distress would flow in. One moderate in eating reflects that they eat not for fun, intoxication, beauty or fattening, but to sustain the body, end hunger and support the holy life.

    Applying it in daily life

    Before opening your feed or eating a heavy meal, ask yourself one question — "What is this for?" — and stop once you've got what you need.

  4. 4

    Effort in the first and last watches Pubbarattāpararattaṃ jāgariyānuyogamanuyutto

    The text explains that through the day and the first watch of the night, a monk purifies the mind of obstructive states by walking and sitting; in the middle watch he lies in the lion's posture, mindful, with the intention of rising; and in the last watch he rises and trains again. Continuous effort is right effort, self-protecting wisdom is right view, and the qualities conducive to awakening in this chapter are the seven factors of awakening.

    Applying it in daily life

    You don't need to skip sleep. Just make the time before bed and after waking a short period of mind training instead of screen time.

  5. 5

    Mindfulness and clear comprehension in every posture Abhikkante paṭikkante sampajānakārī

    The practitioner is mindful and clearly comprehending when going forward and back, looking ahead and aside, bending and stretching, wearing robes, eating, drinking, defecating and urinating, walking, standing, sitting, sleeping, waking, speaking and keeping silent. The text explains mindfulness with synonyms such as recollection and not forgetting, and clear comprehension as wisdom, clear knowing and non-delusion.

    Applying it in daily life

    Pick one routine, such as brushing your teeth or washing dishes, and do it fully aware from start to finish. It's mindfulness practice that needs no extra time.

  6. 6

    A secluded place, and establishing mindfulness Parimukhaṃ satiṃ upaṭṭhapetvā

    A secluded lodging is explained thus: whether near or far, if it isn't crowded with householders and renunciants, it is called secluded. A lodging means anywhere a monk stays. Then one sits cross-legged, sets the body upright, and establishes mindfulness at the tip of the nose or at the sign above the mouth.

    Applying it in daily life

    Seclusion needn't be far from home. A quiet corner of a room where no one passes at a certain time will do. Sit upright and rest your attention on the breath at the tip of the nose.

  7. 7

    Abandoning the five hindrances that weaken wisdom Pañca nīvaraṇe pahāya

    The text explains each hindrance. Sloth is the mind's sluggishness and dejection; torpor is drowsiness; remorse is thinking the unallowable allowable and the allowable unallowable, along with worry and distress. One who abandons sloth and torpor has perception of light — perception that is bright, open and pure. The five hindrances weaken wisdom, because wisdom not yet arisen does not arise, and wisdom that has arisen ceases.

    Applying it in daily life

    If you get drowsy while meditating, open your eyes, bring to mind a sense of light, or get up and walk. If you're worried about a past mistake, correct it as far as you can first, then come back and sit.

Try it in daily life

Many people want to meditate to calm the mind but don't look at what happens before they sit: what they did all day, how they ate, what they watched, and whether they slept enough. The text shows that calm begins long before you reach the cushion.

Try using this outline as a checklist. If you sit and your mind is scattered, look back at which point is still loose — scrolling your phone right up to sitting, eating too much, or an unresolved matter weighing on your mind.

For lay people, the point about effort through the night doesn't mean going without sleep. Sleeping enough and then waking to train mindfully is closer to the text's intent than forcing the body.

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