Practicing the Jhanas: Traditional Concentration Meditation as Presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Sayadaw

by Stephen Snyder, Tina Rasmussen, Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw (Foreword)

Two experienced American meditators explain the stages and techniques of concentration meditation, as taught by the Buddhist master Pa Auk Sayadaw

This is a clear and in-depth presentation of the traditional Theravadin concentration meditation known as jhāna practice, from two authors who have practiced the jhānas in retreat under the guidance of one of the great living meditation masters, Pa Auk Sayadaw. The authors describe the techniques and their results, based on their own experience.

Genres: Buddhism, Meditation, Religion, Spirituality

160 pages, Paperback

First published December 1, 2009

About the author

Stephen Mugen Snyder, Sensei began practicing daily meditation in 1976. Since then, he has studied Buddhism extensively—investigating and engaging in Zen, Tibetan, Theravada, and Western non-dual traditions. He was authorized to teach in the Theravada Buddhist tradition in 2007 and the Zen Buddhist schools of Soto and Rinzai in 2022. Stephen is a senior student of Roshi Mark Sando Mininberg and a transmitted teacher in the White Plum Asangha—the body of teachers in the Maezumi-roshi lineage.

Stephen’s resonant and warmhearted teaching style engages students around the globe through in-person and online retreats, as well as one-on-one coaching. He encourages students to turn toward their true nature and, with realization of their true nature, embody their true identity. Stephen is the author of four books, including Demystifying Awakening and Buddha’s Heart. He also co-authored Practicing the Jhānas. For more information, please visit awakeningdharma.org.

Reviews

[Wt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an accessible account of Venerable Pa-Auk Sayadaw's exhaustive training in samatha bhavana written by two people who have completed it. It cannot count as a masterful or complete exposition of the buddha-dhamma, but it is useful for generally clarifying the different jhanas and jhana masteries and the way of progressing through them under the Pa-Auk meditation system. It is really an introductory and/or reference book to the Pa-Auk samatha meditation system, but it is neither detailed nor specific enough to serve as a real practice manual.

The last chapter outlines the 4 elements meditation that is considered the gateway to vipassana in the Pa-Auk system, but it is just that - an outline. This book focuses on samatha bhavana, which the authors are interested in reinstating as a key practice in Buddhist meditation. This interest in samatha and the jhanas leads them to a somewhat "abortive" presentation of the dhamma, in which samatha is prioritized and vipassana relegated to a cursory end-note (or end chapter). The omission of vipassana from the author's telling of the Buddha's own path to Enlightenment in the first page of their introduction is rather glaring. The authors mention the early training of the Buddha under two meditation teachers who taught him the jhanas. They then write: "Completing these attainments [of the 8 jhanas] was the foundation for the bodhisattva's path to eventual Buddhahood." Full Stop. Next paragraph: "Over the next forty years, the Buddha gave many public talks...." There is no mention of WHAT actually led the Buddha to full enlightenment - which is that vital step from jhana to insight.

The authors do point out that the main reason for undertaking the practice of the jhanas is the purification of the mind. However, they fail to provide original insight into the vital connection between purification of mind and the attainment of cessation (nirodha-samāpatti). The progression from jhana to vipassana, ending in cessation, is not elaborated upon or covered as an intrinsic part of this book. This failure to more explicitly guide the practice of the jhanas to the final goal of Nibhaana, cessation and liberation unfortunately limits the use and worth of this book as a general contribution to the buddha-dhamma, and as an overall guide for Buddhist meditation. However, for those who want a detailed summary of the Pa-Auk Sayadaw's system of developing the jhanas, this will be an invaluable book.

[Travis McKinstry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book if one truly wishes to attain high level jhanic states (as I assume many people here don't even know what that means).


If you want to get serious about meditation, and I don't mean just "15min of mediation can save you stress!"-- I mean, sit down for an hour or so, achieve higher levels of consciousness, and live to tell about it.


It's amazing.

[Masha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very informative book, I've read it through and trough at least a dozen times. It provided me with lots of guidance and help as I was just getting into the Anapana Meditation by myself, at the Pa-Auk Forest Monastery. It helped identify flaws in my practice and understand how to push through the difficulties, hindrances one encounters during meditation.

I Strongly recommend this book to anyone at a beginner level, who's not yet sure what Anapana meditation implies.

[Yuni Amir · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book provides the best guidance on meditation so far imo. Having said that, meditation is an individual practice. We need to practice meditation with right “tools” to experience it. So many “tools” and we’re running out of time.

One important takeaway - practice what feels right for you. Practice with curiousity. I’m glad I picked up this book to start my new year.

[mindfroth · Rating 3 out of 5]

More a guidebook than a philosophical explication. Although it isn’t too specific about the rationale behind the various techniques, I’ve come away with a newfound understanding as to the nature of mental purification. Such practices distill mental faculties, and rudiments of quaila, so that they become abstracted as objects of pure attention. You see them in their essential forms, through a kind of psycho-spiritual deconstructionism—the first four jhanas are progressive distillations of different admixtures of ‘jhana factors. The objective is to come into direct touch with them rather than how we normally encounter them, refracted and mediated through everyday phenomenal experience.

Not the most riveting read, but cogent and informative for what it is, which is technical literature.

[Juergen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book on practicing and attaining the Jhanas, the states of absorption available in deep concentration. The authors are lineaged teachers in the tradition of Ven. Pa Auk Sayadaw of Burma. This is straight up Visuddhimagga style Jhana practice, and the instructions are very good and clear. It's hard to imagine being able to get results such as these outside of a retreat setting, but I don't think it's impossible.

I found this book a very good reference point for this style of practice. The authors also have a couple of free talks available online which reflect the content of this book. It's good to review the instructions after putting some practice time in, as it tends to make more sense.

[Pierre Van Eeckhout · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is in no way an account of the content of this book, it's only my reaction to it. The content of this book is a little too hieratic, cold and sticking too strictly to canonical books such as the Visuddimaga for my own needs. Meditation is a different experience for everyone, some will see nimita, some will enter the first or third jhana, some other will be bothered by sloth and torpor. For me, this book felt a little contrived. Meditation seemed like a recipe you follow, entering different stages, leaving stages to enter in deeper or shallower states. But meditation is not a recipe, it's more like walking your own path, with your unique past and experiences, testing for yourself the Buddha words and not taking them for granted at all. Integrating calmness, experimenting peacefulness, opening your heart to universal love can be done in a variety of ways and the book addresses all of them. But everything should be done at your own pace and you should be looking for your own insights. I read half the book before it just fell out of my hands. I still gave it 3 stars because I learned that you should give yourself some credit, your own path is as good as any, all you need is patience, fervor, minute application and you will be well on your way towards unravelling the mysteries of anatta (non-self), annica (impermanence), patticasammuppada (conditioned existence), sunyata (interbeing and inexistence of all essence).

[Carmen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a detailed book with instructions for how to progress through the material and immaterial jhanas. Snyder and Rasmussen reference their retreat experiences under Burmese monk Pa Auk Sayadaw and practices listed in the Visuddhimagga (written by Buddhaghosa in ~5th century).

Compared to Brasington's "Right Concentration" (which I find to be more beginner-friendly), this book sets a higher bar for what is considered to be first jhana. For example, Brasington says there may still be thinking in the first jhana whereas this book claims the jhanas are states of absorption in which thinking is impossible. It also includes many adjacent practices that relate to the jhanas, like the kasinas and protective meditations. I also appreciate the diagram at the end called "Progression of Practice" which summarizes the whole book in a flow diagram.

I could have done without the parts about psychic abilities and the "crystal body" but overall it was a good book for understanding Theravadan jhanic practice.

[Josiah Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great insights to see what's possible and to see the various sides of the jhanas and concentration practices. Mileage will definitely vary especially as the authors did this under regular everyday long hour practices with a teacher's regular guidance for months and years.

To get the more modern and practical angle, I would highly recommend reading Right Concentration by Leigh Brasington in addition to this fantastic book.

[Tetrijeb · Rating 3 out of 5]

just a quick overview of jhanas, with not too much practical information for most people. i recommend shaila catherine books, much more useful content and in depth coverage to be found there

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

Best read if you are taking or have taken to this type of meditation. I am glad it opened a door for me.