Nimitta transition into jhana

[Ed Rock]

Greetings Bhante!

Ajahn Brahm has said that, "Just as the first three jhanas take different forms of bliss as their object, and the fourth jhana takes a sublime state of pure peace as its object, so the immaterial attainments each take a pure mental object."

Does this infer that nimitta is only a transition into jhana until mind takes bliss as it's object replacing the nimitta? Or does the bright light persist along with the bliss? Does nimitta persist throughout the four material jhanas, but disappear in the four immaterial attainments?

Thank you, eddie

[Upekkha Bhikkhuni]

Dear Ed,

Venerable Upekkha is away for one month, so she asked some of her nun-friends to help out with the forum.

Yes, the nimitta is a stage on the path to jhana. Usually once the nimitta is stable and the mind is ready it will seem as if you merge with the nimitta. Some people will also report that it is like falling into the nimitta. Some kind of unification with the nimitta is generally how entering the jhanas is described.

According to page 155 of Ajahn Brahm’s “Happiness through Meditation” – one of the characteristics of a jhana is that one is aware “only of bliss that doesn’t move.” The idea of you watching or perceiving an object such as a light simply doesn’t exist. People won’t really understand or be able to process the experience of jhana until afterwards.

The best way to find out what it is really like is to cultivate the eightfold path until you are able to enter the jhanas yourself.

Hope that helps,
Kind Regards,
Ven. Acala

[Ed Rock]

Thank You!

[Ed Rock]

Thank you !