Little Book of Jhāna: A Concise Guide to Cultivating Deep States of Meditative Consciousness

Welcome

In a world brimming with distractions, the early Buddhist practice of deep meditative absorption, known as the jhānas, offers a sanctuary of profound tranquility and clarity. Little Book of Jhāna serves as both a guide and a companion on the journey through these eight transformative states of consciousness, each more refined than the last.

Drawing from the revered Buddhist suttas, each chapter provides a detailed exploration of the individual jhānas, revealing their distinct characteristics and offering practical guidance for meditative practice. Alongside these traditional teachings, readers will find insights from contemporary practitioners and scholars, creating a rich tapestry of wisdom that bridges ancient and modern understanding.

Throughout this journey, I weave in reflections from my own practice, offering a personal lens through which the profound depths of the jhānas can be understood and accessed. Whether you are new to meditation or a seasoned practitioner, this book invites you to explore the transformative potential of the jhānas, guiding you step by step toward deeper states of peace and illumination.

Simon Reakes,

April 2025

Introduction

The term “jhāna” (Pali; Sanskrit: dhyāna) literally means “meditation” or “absorption,” and is derived from the verb jhayati, meaning “to meditate” or “to contemplate.” The jhānas represent states of deep meditative absorption and mental unification that were central to the Buddha's teachings on mental cultivation (samādhi). Samādhi is one of the three pillars of the Noble Eightfold Path (ethical conduct, concentration, and wisdom). While jhānas are specifically, associated with right concentration (sammā samādhi), which is the eighth factor of the Noble Eightfold Path, they have come be reframed as the path and practice of the cultivation of deep states of meditative consciousness.

I have already introduced some necessary Pali terms, and throughout this book, I will often highlight particular instances that arise when translating Pali to English. This is far from being an exercise in semantics but rather contributes to what is referred to in Buddhism as Sammā-diṭṭhi, or Right View. Right View is the first step of the Noble Eightfold Path in Buddhism. It serves as the foundation for all other aspects of Buddhist practice and is considered essential for spiritual awakening. Right Understanding involves comprehending the nature of reality and acts to clear the path of confusion and misunderstanding.

A word or two on the translation of sammā samādhi. Some scholars propose “unification” as an alternative to “concentration.” The word samādhi derives from roots meaning “to bring together” or “to unify.” Thus, sammā samādhi can be interpreted as the unification of mental factors into a harmonious whole. The idea of unifying mental factors might seem a little abstract now, but as the book continues, I will make clear what these factors are and how they relate to the jhānas. Alternative translations for sammā samādhi include right concentration, right unification, right stillness, right absorption, right immersion, right composure, and right collectedness. As a translation of term sammā, Right in this instance, refers not to what is right by way of what is wholesome and most coherently aligned with the ethical and spiritual path as elaborated by the Buddha.

The Buddha's teaching on meditation can be divided into two main systems:

1. Samatha-bhavana (Cultivation of Serenity): This involves calming and concentrating the mind through practices like mindfulness of breathing (ānāpānasati) or loving-kindness meditation (mettā bhavana). The goal here is to develop deep states of concentration, culminating in the attainment of jhānas. The seminal ānāpānasati sutta, the ‘Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing,’ explicated later in this book, is employed as the foundational practice for entering the jhānas through what is termed access concentration.

2. Vipassanā-bhavana (Cultivation of Insight): The word Vipassanā is derived from the Pāli root words vi (meaning “special,” “intensive,” or “clear”) and passanā (meaning “seeing” or “perceiving”). Together, Vipassanā translates as “clear seeing” or “lucid perception,” or, more usually, “insight.” Vipassanā focuses on gaining insight into impermanence (anicca), suffering (dukkha), and non-self (anattā)—the three marks of existence—by observing phenomena as they arise and pass away, as they come into being and fade way.

While the cultivation of both serenity and insight are essential for liberation, early Buddhist texts emphasise that insight must be developed with a concentrated mind. The jhānas provide this foundation by stabilising and unifying attention that can facilitate the arising of deeper insights. Although immersive meditative practices existed before Buddhism (e.g., within Vedic traditions), key points that makes jhāna practice unique in Buddhism are its integration with insight meditation (vipassanā), along with the framework of the eight jhānas. Due to the deep immersive states of consciousness that occur in the jhānas, it is possible to consider the jhānas as altered states of consciousness. However, in contrast to other spiritual traditions where altered states might be pursued as ends in themselves, the Buddha taught that jhānas are tools for preparing and accompanying the mind for insight into reality. Jhānas are not ultimate goals but stepping stones toward illumination. The Noble Eightfold Path is always a creative synthesis of the three pillars of ethics (sila), absorption (samadhi), and wisdom (prajna). 

Even in this brief introduction, I have begun to reference Buddhist terminology and concepts, and a few thoughts about the jhānas as Buddhist meditation and personal practice might not be out of place here. The question can sometimes arise: "Do I need to be a Buddhist to practice Buddhist meditation?" The stance taken in this book is that the jhānas are deep modes of what the Buddha termed "perception attainments," for cultivating awareness, insight, and illumination on the path to liberation. Practicing the jhānas does not inherently require belief in specific religious tenets or philosophies. Jhāna practice is accessible to people from all walks of life. Attaining jhāna requires consistency, patience, openness, humility, and an attitude of inquiry. It also requires understanding and a light on the path. Little Book of Jhāna offers a contribution in this field.