B 10 JHANAS

 A

Here’s a simplified breakdown of the 10 levels of Jhanas (deep meditative absorptions), with clear examples for each. Traditionally, Theravāda Buddhism lists 8 Jhanas (4 material + 4 immaterial), but some systems expand to 10 by adding preliminary and post-jhanic states.

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🧘 Simplified 10 Levels of Jhanas (with examples)

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🌀 1. Access Concentration (Pre-Jhana)

Mind is calm but not yet fully absorbed.

• Example: You’re meditating and thoughts are quieter. You’re focused, but distractions still slightly bubble up.

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🌊 2. First Jhana – Joyful Focus

Rapture and happiness arise from focused attention.

• Example: Like hearing a song that makes you feel euphoric and completely immersed.

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💧 3. Second Jhana – Deep Joy without Effort

Joy continues, but thinking stops. Concentration deepens.

• Example: Like floating in warm water—you’re completely relaxed and still, no inner chatter.

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🌅 4. Third Jhana – Peaceful Happiness

Joy fades to calm contentment. Strong inner peace.

• Example: Sitting quietly on a mountain at sunrise, serene and satisfied.

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🪨 5. Fourth Jhana – Pure Equanimity

No more joy or pain—only stillness and balance.

• Example: Emotionless, peaceful stillness—like a candle flame unmoved by wind.

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🌌 6. Fifth Jhana – Infinite Space (First immaterial)

Sense of body vanishes. Awareness expands infinitely.

• Example: Like floating in endless space with no edges, feeling vast and boundaryless.

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🫧 7. Sixth Jhana – Infinite Consciousness

Awareness focuses on consciousness itself.

• Example: Like being aware that you're aware—consciousness observing consciousness.

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🕳️ 8. Seventh Jhana – Nothingness

Everything disappears; only “nothing” remains.

• Example: Like being in a silent, pitch-black room with no thoughts—just emptiness.

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🔇 9. Eighth Jhana – Neither Perception nor Non-Perception

So subtle that it’s not clear if perception even exists.

• Example: Like almost falling asleep—so deep you don’t know if you're aware or not.

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✨ 10. Cessation (Nirodha Samapatti) (Advanced)

All mental activity stops. No consciousness.

• Example: Like turning off a light—no awareness, no experience—total stillness. Only possible for advanced practitioners.

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A

Great! Here's a visual-style simplified diagram, a guided meditation summary, and a comparison to modern experiences like flow states or psychedelics to help you better understand the 10 levels of Jhana.

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🧭 VISUAL DIAGRAM (Simplified Ladder of Jhana)

    ✨ 10. Cessation (Mind Switches Off)
    🔇  9. Neither Perception nor Non-Perception
    🕳️  8. Nothingness (Void)
    🫧  7. Infinite Consciousness
    🌌  6. Infinite Space
   ──────────────────────────────
    🪨  5. Pure Equanimity (No emotion)
    🌅  4. Peaceful Happiness
    💧  3. Joyful Stillness
    🌊  2. Effortless Joy
    🌀  1. Initial Rapture & Focus
   ──────────────────────────────
   🎯  Access Concentration (Not yet Jhana)

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🧘‍♂️ GUIDED MEDITATION SNAPSHOT (Journey through Jhanas)

Sit quietly. Breathe naturally. Let thoughts fade.

1. Focus on breath. Thoughts fade. Calm begins.

2. Joy arises — you feel light, happy (First Jhana).

3. Joy deepens — no effort, only immersion (Second).

4. Joy softens — deep calm contentment (Third).

5. Emotions drop — pure stillness remains (Fourth).

6. The body fades — awareness expands (Infinite Space).

7. You notice awareness itself (Infinite Consciousness).

8. Everything disappears into nothing (Nothingness).

9. Even perception is nearly gone (Neither/Nor).

10. All experience ceases — pure silence (Cessation).

🧠 You emerge with refreshed clarity, like rebooting the mind.

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🌊 MODERN ANALOGIES: Flow, Psychedelics & Deep States

Jhana	Similar Modern Experience
Access Concentration	Light mindfulness, yoga calm
First Jhana (Joy & Rapture)	Flow in sports, runner’s high
Second Jhana (Deep Joy)	Deep creative immersion — music, painting
Third Jhana (Peaceful Joy)	Floating in a sensory deprivation tank
Fourth Jhana (Equanimity)	Stoic calm, Zen-like detachment
Infinite Space (5th)	DMT/psychedelic: “I became the universe” experience
Infinite Consciousness (6th)	Watching your thoughts as a separate observer
Nothingness (7th)	Ego death, mystical void experience
Neither/Nor (8th)	Between sleep and wake—deep abstract stillness
Cessation (9th)	Blackout stillness; complete stop of mental processes

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Would you like:

• A downloadable guide,

• A step-by-step practice routine, or

• Insights on how to safely train toward early jhana stages?

Let me know how deep you want to go.