Samadhi and Jhanas meditation
Buddhadragon
Ehipassiko & Carpe DiemSamsara Veteran
I received this morning this quaint book called "Manual of a Mystic," (1916) translated from the Pali and Sinhalese by F.L. Woodward and T.W. Rhys-Davids.
The only descriptions of the book I have found surfing the net are:
"This is a 1916 translation of a rare 18th century palm-leaf manuscript written in both Sinhalese and Pali.
It is a manual of "Yoga practice," by which the translator means the practice of samadhi and the jhanas.
This book is not part of the Pali Canon, though there is some correspondence between the methods described here and those found in the Abhidhamma, the Visuddhimagga and other parts of the Pali Canon.
The PTS Pali edition is called: The Yogavacara's Manual."
And then:
"The Yogavacara's Manual of Indian Mysticism as Practiced by Buddhists" is the translation of a rare manuscript in both Pali and Sinhalese discovered in 1893 at Bamabara-walla Vihara in Sri Lanka.
It deals with a method of meditation leading to samadhi and jhanas that is not strictly canonical.
T.W. Rhys Davids, the editor, brought out the text originally in 1896.
His introduction discusses in some depth the correspondences and differences between the canonical practice of the jhanas and that found in this text."
???
So...
Jhanas? Samadhi?
I thought this link could be helpful...
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/gunaratana/wheel351.html
Comments
@dhammaDragon. To further whet your interest I'd like to recommend The Pali Literature of Ceylon by GP Malalasekera. First pub by the Royal Asiatic Society of Great Britain and Ireland 1928. The following quote I heard in Sri Lanka. When Buddhaghosa is by, even wise men lose the lustre of their wisdom, like the moon in the Dragons mouth".
Happy reading/learning friend.
Very interesting.
Sadly not translated into english?
https://archive.org/details/yogavacarasmanu00unkngoog
@lobster. Manual of a Mystic by FL Woodward hardcover 181pgs. Pali Text Society publication 2003. A copy of Woodard's 1916 book. English 25.00 usd. From store.pariyatti.org. It looks as though you can also order directly from PTS. By the way Pariyatti distributes both PTS and BPS(Buddhist Publication Society) titles.
One final thought. If interested www.palitext.com. Home page for PTS.
Thanks @grackle
Ah ... now we have a clue - 'Tantric Theravada' ... seem like heretics.
I like them already
https://infogalactic.com/info/Tantric_Theravada
It seems these practices have been reserved for the elite ... or eradicated by the dogmatists, tsk, tsk
I was unaware of such a Hinayana tradition but should have access at my local Theravadin Temple library or perhaps esoteric library, if it has not been relocated ...
The copy I have is in English, @lobster.
TW Rhys Davids original from 1896 was in Pali or Sinhalese because they did not have time to translate it.
But by 1916, his wife Caroline had appointed FL Woodward to undertake the translation.
I think I saw a PDF available for download in English too, but I must check?
The original is worth taking a look at, because the preface by Rhys Davids was not kept in the 1916 version I have, and apparently it is pretty complete...
@grackle I have looked up and down for old versions of Buddhaghosa, but they are extremely difficult to find...
I love rare books
This link directs to the PDF version of Rhys Davids original (not in English).
Only the preface is in English.
??☯️
https://www.google.ch/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=http://www.discoveringbuddha.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/TWRD-1896-Yog%C4%81vacaras-Manual-of-Indian-Mysticism-as-Practiced-by-Buddhists.pdf&ved=0ahUKEwjvma7tp_vTAhWIaFAKHQowDycQFggpMAQ&usg=AFQjCNF_BZ-fPnVyO4yyzNVOOqr3dH1QRw
The contents page looks more like satipatthana than jhana.
Yes, @SpinyNorman.
It does have a lot of satipatthana, anapanasati, yet goes on to describe the jhanas in detail, too.
So have you seen anything specific which is different to the sutttas?
For the time being, it is just one more sutta, written in an old-fashioned way, a composite of all the above... not too different, not too alike... and with some interesting insights.
Next week I'll have more time to delve into it, and I'll see if I can post some quotes.
? ? ?