How to Discern Absorption Factors

If you want to discern jhāna factors, first, you should try to re-enter first jhāna at least more than one hour. We would like to suggest you, if you maintain your concentration more than two or three hours, at that time only, if you reflect jhāna factors, it will be better. But if you want to reflect jhāna factors at that sitting, at least you should re-enter first jhāna up to one hour or more than one hour.

When the nimitta is very bright, concentration is very strong. At that time, emerging from jhāna, you should discern interior of your heart. In which area? Where the bhavanga mind state rests. What is bhavanga mind state? We will explain later. Hm? They translate bhavanga as life continuum. The meaning of bhavanga is there are two words: bhava and aṅga. Bhava means existence. Aṅga means cause. The cause of existence. What is the meaning?

If there are no mind states, we will die. Not to die because of previous kamma, this bhavanga mind state arises between two cognitive process. If you see, or if you hear, or if you smell, if you taste, or if you feel tangible objects, or if you are thinking, at that time, eye-door cognitive process, ear-door cognitive process, nose-door cognitive process, tongue-door cognitive process, body-door cognitive process, and mind-door cognitive process respectively arising and passing away. Between cognitive process, if there is no mind state, then we will die. So, previous kamma produce this bhavanga mind state between two cognitive process, not to cease the continuity of mentality.

Because of previous kamma, this bhavanga mind state arises. But this bhavanga mind state rests on your heart base. If you can discern four elements systematically, in your heart, you can not see your heart, you can see a group of small particles called kalapas. If you analyze these kalapas, there are six types of kalapas. Among six types, one type of kalapa is heart-decad kalapa. If you analyze this heart-decad kalapa, there are eight types of materiality such as earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, color, odor, flavor, nutritive essence, life faculty and heart base.

Bhavanga mind state arises depending on this heart base. Every mind consciousness, mano-viññāṇa, also arises depending on this heart base. If there is no mind state, if completely mind state stop, this is the death stage. We call you will die at that time. So, not to die or not to break down the series of mentality, previous kamma produce this bhavanga mind state.

First, you should try to discern this bhavanga mind state if you want to discern five jhāna factors. For beginners, it is not easy to discern this bhavanga mind state. But they can discern the brilliant and transparent element produced by this bhavanga mind state.

Every consciousness which arises depending on heart base can produce mind-produced kalapas. In each kalapa, there are eight types of materiality, such as earth element, water element, fire element, wind element, color, odor, flavor, and nutritive essence. Among this eight types, color is bright. Again, among these eight types of materiality, there is fire element. That fire element is called utu, temperature. That temperature also can produce new kalapas. In each kalapa, there are also, in the same way, eight types of materiality. Among eight types, the color of these materiality also brilliant and bright.

Depending on the power of wisdom faculty which is associated with bhavanga mind state, when the wisdom faculty of bhavanga mind state is strong and powerful, the brilliant light will be very high. The power of wisdom is when the power of the wisdom is high, the light of the bhavanga mind state is also will be very bright.

Combination of these two types of color becomes transparent, brilliant and transparent element. But that transparent element is usually around the heart. Beginners, the beginners if they want to discern jhāna factors, first they should try to see or to understand this transparent, brilliant, transparent element produced by bhavanga mind state. Metaphorically, this brilliant and transparent element is also called bhavanga or mind-door, mano-dvāra.

If you want to discern this bhavanga mind-door, first, you should try to re-enter your first jhāna for about one hour. When nimitta is very bright, the light of wisdom also very bright. At that time, emerge from that jhāna and quickly, please pay attention in interior of your heart. You will see this bhavanga mind-door. But you should try to discern this bhavanga mind-door for few seconds only. If you discern for a long time, then your heart will become painful. If you can see bhavanga mind-door within few seconds, it is okay. If you cannot see, then please go back to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta and please concentrate on the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta. Please re-establish your first jhāna concentration. Emerge from first jhāna concentration, then you should discern again, bhavanga mind state. Bhavanga mind-door.

In this way, if you try again and again, then you will be able to discern bhavanga mind-door, which is transparent and brilliant, like mirror. If you can discern this bhavanga mind-door, then please re-establish your first jhāna again. Emerging from first jhāna, you should try to discern bhavanga mind-door in the same way. At that time, you will see your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta counterpart sign also appear in your bhavanga mind-door. If you can see, if you can differentiate bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta counterpart sign, at that time, you can discern jhāna factors one by one.

If you want to discern jhāna factors, please re-establish your first jhāna concentration. Emerging from jhāna, you should try to discern bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together. Then you should discern vitakka, application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. If you can clearly see vitakka, the application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object, then please go back to the, to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again. Please re-establish your first jhāna concentration again. When the light of wisdom is very bright, at that time, in the same way, you should try to discern bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together and vicāra, sustained application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. If you can discern easily, then please go back to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again, and re-establish your first jhāna again. When the light of wisdom is very bright, then in the same way you should try to discern bhavanga mind state and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together. Then you should try to discern pīti, rapture. Rapturous mind to ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. If you can clearly discern pīti, then please go back to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object and re-establish your first jhāna concentration again. Emerging from first jhāna, then in the same way, you should try to discern bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together. And then, please discern sukha, happiness feeling. Happiness feeling of ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. Then if you can discern sukha easily, then please go back to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again. And then, please re-establish your first jhāna concentration again. When the light of wisdom is very bright, at that time, in the same way you should try to discern ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta and bhavanga mind-door together. Then please discern ekaggatā, one-pointedness. One-pointedness of the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object.

Altogether there are five jhāna factors. If you can discern five jhāna factors one by one clearly, then please go back to your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta and then re-establish your first jhāna concentration again. When the light of wisdom is very bright, at that time, emerging from first jhāna, you should try to discern in the same way, ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta and bhavanga mind-door. Then you should try to discern five jhāna factors together. If you practice again and again, you will be able to discern five jhāna factors together. If you can discern five jhāna factors together, then you should continue to practice five masteries.

What are five masteries? Among five masteries, reflecting jhāna factors, they divided into two parts. Āvajjana-vasī and paccavekkhaṇā-vasī. If you can discern five jhāna factors together very, very quickly, these two masteries are included. When you are discerning jhāna factors, your mind-door adverting consciousness also can discern five jhāna factors. In the same way, your impulsion, javana mind consciousness also can discern these five jhāna factors. If you can discern by your mind-door adverting consciousness, these jhāna factors, it is called āvajjana-vasī. If you can discern by impulsion, javana mind moments, these five jhāna factors, this discerning knowledge is called paccavekkhaṇā-vasī. So, they divide into two parts. For beginners, it is not easy to differentiate. This is āvajjana-vasī or this is paccavekkhaṇā-vasī. These jhāna factors are discerned by mind-door adverting consciousness.

strong determination called one-hour full absorption. You should try to enter into full absorption stage one hour. If you do adhiṭṭhāna, strong determination, for two hours, you should try two hours. If you try, if you did, if you do strong determination for three hours, you should try to enter into full absorption stage for three hours. Usually we would like to suggest you to establish your first jhāna concentration for about three hours, every, in every sitting for constituted three days or one week.

If you can practice five masteries of first jhāna, if you want to go to second jhāna, then at least you should re-establish your first jhāna concentration about one hour. Emerge from first jhāna full absorption stage. You should reflect two disadvantages of this first jhāna. Number one is the nearness of the enemy of hindrances. Number two is the grossness of two jhāna factors: vitakka and vicāra. What is the nearness of hindrances? When you practice ānāpāna meditation systematically, before you re-establish your first jhāna concentration, at access concentration stage, at that time only, five hindrances cease temporarily. So, access concentration, upacāra samādhi, and full absorption concentration, jhāna, appanā samādhi, are very close to each other. Because of this reason, five hindrances can attack this jhāna very easily because of the nearness of five hindrances. This is one disadvantage. Another disadvantage is grossness of vitakka and vicāra. Vitakka is application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. Vicāra is sustained application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object. If you do not apply your attention to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object, your concentration will fall down. This application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta is one type of grossness of mentality. If you want peaceful, very powerful high concentration, this is very gross. Because of the grossness of this jhāna factors, because of the grossness of these jhāna factors, it is very easy to fall down. You can, your first jhāna can easily broken because of hindrances and grossness of this vitakka, vicāra. So, these are two disadvantage, disadvantages. You should reflect these two disadvantages. And then, you should reflect another one advantage. One advantage is pīti, sukha, ekaggatā. Pīti, rapture; sukha, happiness feeling; and ekaggatā, one-pointedness. These three jhāna factors are very quiet. Very peaceful, which is the jhāna factors of the second jhāna. So, after reflecting the advantages of the second, higher jhāna, you should concentrate on your patibhāga nimitta again. But that reflecting must be for few seconds only. If you reflect for a long time, then your ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta will disappear, because of concentration is not on ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta. So, please reflect within very quickly, within few seconds, if you can reflect, then please concentrate on ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again, with the intention to remove gross two jhāna factors: vitakka and vicāra. But usually for many meditators, when they are concentrating on the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again, then they may re-establish their first jhāna again. But at that time, emerge from first jhāna, while they are reflecting jhāna factors, they will see, when, they will see clearly vitakka, vicāra, application of the mind and sustained application of the mind to the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta object becomes gross. They will see clearly. And then pīti, sukha, ekaggatā, these three jhāna factors are very peaceful and very quiet. After reflecting in this way, they should concentrate again on the ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again. When they concentrate ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta again, very soon, full absorption will arise. That full absorption may be second jhāna. If it is second jhāna, they will understand vitakka, vicāra, two jhāna factors disappear. And then, pīti, sukha, ekaggatā, three jhāna factors only remain. At that time, you may reach second jhāna. If it is second jhāna is clear, then you should reflect jhāna factors, discerning bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together. While you are discerning jhāna factors, if you see three jhāna factors only, then you should try five masteries in second jhāna. Two disadvantages of second jhāna and one advantage of third jhāna. Pīti, rapture is gross. If you have a lot of pīti, then you cannot concentrate well on your nimitta. Patibhāga nimitta. So, because of this reason, this pīti, rapturous mind is also gross. Because of the grossness of this pīti, this jhāna also easily can fall down to first jhāna. These are two disadvantages. Then, you should also reflect one advantage. One advantage is sukha and ekaggatā. Sukha, happy feeling, and ekaggatā, one-pointedness. These two jhāna factors are very quiet. This is two jhāna factors of the third jhāna. After reflecting in this way with the intention to remove gross jhāna factor pīti and to attain third jhāna, which has two jhāna factors, sukha, happy feeling, and ekaggatā, one-pointedness, you should reconcentrate on your patibhāga nimitta again. At that time, very soon, full absorption may arise. For many meditators, this full absorption is, especially for beginners, this full absorption is only second jhāna. Emerge from the second jhāna, full absorption, while you are reflecting jhāna factors, at that time you will see, by your direct knowledge, pīti is very gross, and sukha, ekaggatā is very quiet. At that time with the intention to remove gross factor pīti and to attain third jhāna, which has two jhāna factors, sukha and ekaggatā. You should concentrate on your patibhāga nimitta again. At that time, very soon, full absorption will arise. That full absorption may be third jhāna, which has two jhāna factors: sukha and ekaggatā. Happy feeling and one-pointedness. You should try to re- discern these two jhāna factors, by discerning your bhavanga mind-door and ānāpāna patibhāga nimitta together in the same way. If you can discern these two jhāna factors, then it is sure you attain third jhāna. After that, you should try this third jhāna and the five masteries of this, this third jhāna. After practicing five masteries of third jhāna, if you want to go to fourth jhāna, you should re-establish your third jhāna concentration about one hour. Emerge from third jhāna concentration, you should reflect two disadvantages and one advantage. Two disadvantages are, please reflect pīti. Please reflect this third jhāna is close to the enemy second jhāna of pīti. Then please reflect sukha, sukha is gross. If you feel any object happy, then that happiness is also gross manner, gross manner of mind. Because of this reason, it can easily fall down to second jhāna. Then you should also reflect one advantage. One advantage is upekkhā ekaggatā, two jhāna factors, which are the two jhāna factors of fourth jhāna. Upekkhā is equanimity. Ekaggatā is one-pointedness. Equanimous feeling. This two jhāna factors are very peaceful and very quiet. Then after reflecting in this way, you should concentrate on your patibhāga nimitta object again. While you are concentrating on your patibhāga nimitta again, very soon, full absorption may arise. For beginners, this full absorption is usually only third jhāna. Emerge from that third jhāna full absorption, while you are reflecting jhāna factors, at that time you will see sukha is very gross. Upekkhā ekaggatā is very quiet. At that time with the intention to remove gross factor sukha, happy feeling and to attain fourth jhāna, which has two jhāna factors, upekkhā and ekaggatā. Equanimous feeling and one-pointedness. You should concentrate on your patibhāga nimitta object again. At that time, very soon, full absorption will arise again. That full absorption may be fourth jhāna. If it is really fourth jhāna, then your breath at that time will stop completely without remainder. If it is sure, you should try five masteries of the fourth jhāna. After practicing five masteries of fourth jhāna, if you want to go to, practice other samatha meditation subjects such as ten types, ten kasiṇas, four sublime abidings, etc., you can do. But if you want to go to vipassanā, then you can also practice vipassanā.