Zazen Notes

“You hear a lot of talk about enlightenment… I’m asking the Bums to describe it, and what you would know when you attain it.”

Bear with me.

Gautama the Shakyan described “action” as action out of determinate thought:

… I say that determinate thought is action. When one determines, one acts by deed, word, or thought.

 ...  read more

A friend commented about the meditative states (jhanas):

[The jhanas] would be an easy way (if you are familiar with the states) to get yourself as deep in emptiness as you could so that you could easily recognize the clear light in the bardo state.

… we commonly pass through some of the jhanas accidentally, not ...  read more

And the Blessed One entered the first jhana. Rising from the first jhana, he entered the second jhana. Rising from the second jhana, he entered the third jhana. Rising from the third jhana, he entered the fourth jhana. And rising out of the fourth jhana, he entered the sphere of infinite space. Rising from the attainment ...  read more