THE PATH OF SERENITY AND INSIGHT

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In the oldest scriptures of Theravada Buddhism much attention is given to the Jhanas, high levels of meditative attainment distinguished by powerful concentration and purity of mind. Ven. Dr. Gunaratana examines these jhanas within the context of Buddhist teaching as a whole and particularly within the meditation disciplines taught by the Buddha. Beginning with the ethical foundation for meditation, the role of the teacher, the classical subjects of meditation, and the appropriateness of these subjects to individual practitioners, the author traces the practice of meditation to the higher reaches of realization. The eight stages of jhana are individually analyzed and explained in terms of their relation to one another and to the ultimate goal of the teaching.

The author makes the critical distinction between the mundane jhanas and supermundane jhanas, pointing out that the lower four, while leading to various mental powers and psychic attainments, are not necessary to full enlightenment and may be developed or bypassed as the meditator wishes. The author goes on to explain the place of the Jhanas among the accomplishments of the arahat and to elucidate their usefulness for the dedicated meditator.

About the Author:

VENERABLE HENEPOLA GUNARATANA served as Hon. General Secretary of the Buddhist Vihara Society of Washington, DC. and later became President of the Society. He has taught courses in Buddhism, conducted meditation retreats, and lectured widely throughout the United States and Canada and pursued his scholarly interests as well. His books and articles have been published in Malaysia, India, Sri Lanka and the U.S.A.

In 1973 Venerable Gunaratana occupied the position of Buddhist Chaplain at the American University. His basic aim was to diffuse Buddhist teachings throughout North America.

Experts from Reviews:

... This is a work which combine sound scholarship with considerable practical experience.

... The author's approach successfully combines a time-honoured methodology with a clear and businesslike form of exposition well adapted to the present times. The interested modern reader finds here a systematic, thorough introduction to the whole field of Buddhist mental culture and the progress of insight structured in the traditional way to take account of the three main divisions of the Noble Eightfold Path - morality, concentration and wisdom.
Buddhist Studies Review
5.1 (1988)

Amadeo Sole-Leris

... The quality of the author's exposition is doubled as he consults the Burmese Buddha Sasana Samiti editions and Sinhalese and Devanagari editions of the commentaries and sub-commentaries besides, without solely relying on the PTS edition.
Vol. 7 Nos. 7-9.
September 1987

Review Projector (India)

... For a long time in my experience new-comers to Buddhism have been confused about the position of the jhanas (absorptions) in Buddhist meditation practice. This is the first book... which deals clearly and exhaustively with the subject.
Middle Way

Philip M. Eden

... (The) book will help to elucidate the nature of the experience to a large number of earnest people who are endeavouring to find lasting peace of mind through the use of Buddhist meditation practice. The path of Serenity and Insight is one through which a meditator may attain the various levels of Jhanas.

... (It) is highly recommended to those who are interested in proper meditation techniques for their mental development, tranquillity and purity.
Vol. 22, No. 2, December 1985.

Voice of Buddhism

PREFACE
Chapter

1. INTRODUCTION
   The Doctrinal Context of Jhana
   The Importance of Jhana
   Etymology of Jhana
   Jhana and Samadhi
   Jhana and the Constituents of Enlightenment

2. THE PRELIMINARIES TO PRACTICE
   The Moral Foundation for Jhana Cutting off Impediments Approaching the Good Friend The Subjects of Serenity-meditation Choosing a Suitable Dwelling

3. THE CONQUEST OF THE HINDRANCES
   The Five Hindrances
   Seclusion from the Hindrances Kinds of Seclusion
   The Causal Arising of the Hindrances
   The Elimination of the Hindrances
   The Way of the Gradual Training
   The Way of Mindfulness
   The Eradication of the Hindrances
   The Benefits of Abandoning the Hindrances

4. THE FIRST JHANA AND ITS FACTORS
   Vitakka
   Unwholesome Applied Thought
   Wholesome Applied Thought
   Ordinary Wholesome Thought
   Wholesome Applied Thought in Jhana
   Wholesome Applied Thought in the Noble Path
   Vicara
   Piti
   Sukha
   Ekaggata
   An Overview of the First Jhana
   The Jhana Thought-Process
   Perfecting the First Jhana

5. THE HIGHER JHANAS
   The Second Jhana
   The Attainment of the Second Jhana
   Internal Confidence
   Unification of Mind
   Concentration
   Rapture and Happiness
   General Remarks on the Second Jhana
   The Third Jhana
   The Attainment of the Third Jhana
   Equanimity
   Mindfulness and Discernment
   Happiness
   One-pointedness
   The Fourth Jhana
   The Attainment of the Jhana
   The Four Conditions
   [1] Pleasure
   [2] Pain
   [3] Joy
   [4] Grief
   New Elements in the Jhana
   The Fivefold Scheme of the Jhana
   Concluding Remarks

6. BEYOND THE FOUR JHANAS
   The Four Immateial Jhanas
   The First Aruppa: The Base of Boundless Space
   With the Complete Surmounting of Perceptions of Matter
   With the Disappearance of Perceptions of Resistance
   With Non-attention to Perceptions of Variety
   Unbounded Space
   The Second Aruppa: The Base of Boundless Consciousness
   The Third Aruppa: The Base of Nothingness
   The Fourth Aruppa: The Base of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception
   General Remarks on the Aruppas
   The Modes of Direct Knowledge
   The Prerequisites for Direct Knowledge
   The Six Abinnas
   Knowledge of the modes of super-normal power
   The Three Wonders
   The Second Abhinna: the divine ear-element
   The Third Abhinna: the knowledge of others minds
   The Fourth Abhinna: the knowledge of recollecting previous lives
   The Fifth Abhinna: the divine eye - the Knowledge of the passing away and rebirth of beings
   The Sixth Abhinna: the knowledge of the destruction of the cankers
   Other kinds of Supernormal knowledge
   The Jhana and Rebirth.

7. THE WAY OF WISDOM
   The Nature of Wisdom
   The Two Vehicles
   The Functions of Jhana
   The Seven Purifications
   Purification of Morality
   Purification of Mind
   Purification of View
   Purification of Overcoming Doubt
   Purification of Knowledge and Vision into the Right and Wrong Paths
   Purification by Knowledge and Vision of the Way
   Knowledge of contemplation of rise and fall
   Knowledge of contemplation of dissolution
   Knowledge of appearance as terror
   Knowledge of contemplation of danger
   Knowledge of contemplation of dispassion
   Knowledge of desire for deliverance
   Knowledge of contemplation of reflection
   Knowledge of equanimity about formations
   Conformity knowledge
   Purification by Knowledge and Vision
   Change-of-lineage
   The first path and fruit
   The second Path and fruit
   The third path and fruit
   The fourth path and fruit

8. JHANA AND THE NOBLE ATTAINMENTS
   Supramundane Jhana
   The Jhanic Level of the Path and Fruit
   Two Attainments of the Noble Ones
   The Attainment of Fruition
   The Attainment of Cessation
   The Seven Types of Noble Persons
   Jhana and the Arahat

1. The Thirty Seven Constituents of Enlightenment
2. Forty Subjects of Meditation
3. The Eight Attainments
4. Kamma and Rebirth

INDEX:

1. English
2. Pali