Vipassanā in Jhāna:
A Personal Narrative and Practical Guide
This is my book. It is a free resource, targeted at serious vipassanā meditators; most especially those who practice in the U Ba Khin tradition. However, I also believe it will be of interest to meditators in other vipassanā traditions, and indeed, to anyone involved in the current, world-wide revival of Buddhist meditation.
The problem is that the suttas of the Pāli Canon tell us that the Buddha taught his monks to practice vipassanā while in the state of jhāna. However, historically, this practice has become neglected, especially with the recent spread of vipassanā to the global, lay community. But now, with the wonderful opportunities for lay people to sit for longer retreats, under ideal conditions, we have the opportunity to practice vipassanā in the same manner the Buddha taught: in jhāna.
The question is, how do we do that? This book addresses that question.
It is a practical guide on how to develop jhāna, and then how to use that jhāna to enhance your vipassanā meditation. It is based on the insights of one vipassanā meditator, developed over a fifty-year practice, cross-validated and supported by reference to the Buddha’s teaching in the Pāli Canon, the writings of various respected vipassanā teachers, and a variety of well-known monks and scholars.
The benefits of simply attaining jhāna are considerable, but those benefits are compounded multiple times once that jhāna is integrated into a vipassanā practice. Jhāna will turbo-charge your practice! However, this can be understood only by those who make the effort and succeed in getting jhāna themselves. Those who do, will be well rewarded for their effort. So, to one and all, I say:
ehipassiko — try it and see for yourself
Feel free to share this publication with others.
