As we know … doing metta we can achieve 1 st jhana …
Is it possible to be continuesly in this metta jhana or u can experience this only when u seat crossed legs like u do for other jhanas and deep State of meditation…
I think there is mention of buddha and some monks being in 1st jhana while walking…
Monks who have mastery of jhana, in ancient times, were able to enter and exit jhana at will- thus they can be performing activities while entering and exiting rapidly.
But someone who is remains in jhana is not able to be walking about
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Ok understood…this concept itself is excellent. Just enter and come out whenever u feel need such mastery is excellent…
So I want to ask …
Buddha said in one of his previous births he practice metta meditation for 7 years and he born as brahma for seven eons…
That mean he had mastery over that kind of meditation and he used to be in metta meditation for maximum time ??
Also when nalagiri beacome peaceful around buddha it was the power of metta.
Buddha made nalagiri as a object of metta and entered in metta …
There is a jataka story where the Bodhisatta was continuously practicing Metta meditation and no weapons or threats could harm him. He only got hit by an arrow when he paused his practice momentarily. So, metta can be practiced in any posture and you can get the benefits. I think at least some level of concentration would be required to get the full benefits.
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Wow i want to read this jataka story.can u name it
The name of the jataka is Suvannasama Jātaka.
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One can achieve the 3rd Jana with metta.
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In metta we continuesly need to think about happiness of all …may every be happy…
And that’s why we continuesly need vichara
So that why deeper jhana such as 2nd and onwards are not possible…
There is no information about deepar jhanas in metta…
https://vipassana-metta.com/fileadmin/dokumente/Sayadaw_U_Indaka_-_Metta.pdf
Please read there, it is possible to reach the 3rd says Sayadaw u Indaka
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Wow thanks for sharing this material
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One of the things that inspires me is The Ancient Venerable Subhūti Mahathera. He would go into jhāna before receiving food. The practice of mettā on any level is also good to do (Jhāna or not). When I go for alms in America, I often practice mettā to protect my own mind while also giving an opportunity for others to notice that I’m standing outside the house. The villagers are very responsive to loving-kindness and I too believe it can protect not only my mind but “help” protect from enemies as well.
Here was an example in Hawai’i
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Recently, there are some people in my class who doesn’t necessarily like me. So, I radiate metta towards them. I do it like this. I think of their names. Then I wish “May they be happy — May they attain the four paths and four fruits and Nibbana and be free from all defilements”.
I try to be specific when I wish “May they be happy.” My definition of happy in this case is attaining the four paths, four fruits, Nibbana and being free from all defilements.
A person can only be the most happy when they attain the four paths, four fruits, Nibanna and when they become free from all defilements. Just like how I wish to attain them, I wish for others to attain them as well.
When I do this, I’m able to get rid of any dislike I may have towards the people in my class who doesn’t like me. It feels really nice.
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That’s a very good definition of happiness. I’ve also come across other interpretations that include having fortunate rebirths in the future—such as human or heavenly births. Since attaining the path and fruition may be too difficult for some at this time- and also because, for some people, Nibbāna may not yet seem like a happy destination- I wish that they may at least experience this kind of happiness. There are also those who are destined to attain enlightenment in future lives—perhaps even as Buddhas—so I wish that their wandering in Saṁsāra may be as peaceful and fortunate as possible until they reach Nibbāna.
At least, that’s how I practice mettā: by wishing others whatever kind of happiness they’re capable of receiving right now, even if it’s not the ultimate one.
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Yes, that’s also good. I like to think about the ultimate happiness or suffering.
When I practice Karuna, I think about ultimate suffering. I contemplate that people are in a state of suffering even if they seem happy in their day-to-day life because they don’t know the four noble truths. Ignorance is a state of suffering. So, I practice karuna by wishing “May they be free from suffering — May they be free from ignorance”. Many people don’t even know they are trapped in samsara, much less how to escape from it. They may have to wander through samsara for a long time. Many people also don’t know what is truly kusala and what is truly akusala. I feel compassionate towards those who are not Buddhists. If they knew about the Dhamma and understood it deeply, they would appreciate it very much.
Additionally, I practice karuna in this way: “May they be free from suffering — May they be free from restlessness (mind wandering) and sensual desires”.
This works for me when I’m radiating compassion especially towards Devas.
I see them as being tortured by sensual desires and mind wandering. Their minds are constantly overwhelmed by thoughts about sensual pleasures. They may want to eat something delicious. A moment later they may want to listen to something pleasant. Then, they may want to see something beautiful. As such, their mind can’t truly rest even for a moment. They have to wait million of years to be able to reborn as a human again to live a life of purity. As someone who longs to live the holy life, I can feel compassionate towards devas and humans for that reason.
SN 46.54 says meditation on good-will when developed to its highest form, leads to “the beautiful liberation.” Thanissaro says this equates to the fourth jhana. The reasoning is the sutta goes on to say compassion in its highest form results in the level of infinite space.
Beautiful consciousness is defined in the Vism. as all profitable consciousness.
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From what I’ve read, it’s only possible to reach up to the 3rd jhana with metta, karuna, and mudita, but upekkha is only compatible with the fourth jhana and not the first 3 jhanas.
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SN 42.8 describes the boundless qualities of all 4 brahma-viharas as:
“keeps pervading the all-encompassing cosmos with an awareness imbued with good-will (compassion…)- abundant, expansive, immeasurable…”
This supports the sense of space attributed to three of them in SN 46.54 (Infinite space, consciousness & nothingness). This is only possible after the development of the seven factors of awakening.