SKILLED THOUGHTS, JHANAS & THE RIGHT PATH (FULL DHAMMA SESSION, Poya)

<p><strong>Welcome back to the Sutta Meditation Series Podcast.</strong></p> <p>This is the FULL DHAMMA SESSION, conducted on VAP POYA (9 October 2022) via zoom, on <strong>"SKILLED THOUGHTS, JHĀNAS &amp; THE RIGHT PATH"</strong></p> <p><strong>We examine the </strong><em><strong>Dvedhāvitakka Sutta </strong></em><strong>(MN 19), where the Buddha gives an account of what he did as the unenlightened Bodhisatta to develop the mind towards Nibbāna. </strong>&nbsp;It's a very inspiring and useful teaching that we can learn and incorporate into our practice, to develop the Noble Eightfold Path.</p> <p>**Please note - we are examining this teaching from the Buddha with the aspiration for the supramundane development of the Noble Eightfold Path**</p> <p><em>Note - the short 10 minute meditation around the 40min mark has been included in this recording.</em></p> <p>In this Dhamma session, we cover:</p> <ul> <li>Introduction to the <em>Dvedhāvitakka Sutta </em>(MN 19)</li> <li>“Deep dive” into how the Bodhisatta<br> (1) understood thoughts, (2) his instruction for developing and maintaining skilled thoughts as the means to (3) enter and abide in the four jhana concentrations, (4) accomplish the three knowledges and realise Nibbāna</li> <li>The Simile of the Deer Herd - encouragement and urgency</li> </ul> <p>As part of this Dhamma session, we will address some of the misconceptions around thinking or dealing with thoughts in meditation, attaining the jhanas and how to know you have entered into each one, as well as certain difficulties regarding the jhanas. We will also briefly look at how to develop the three knowledges. It is useful to remember the four jhanas and three knowledges are part of the trainee's mode of progress.</p> <p>Some of the suttas covered directly or indirectly in this session:</p> <ul> <li>— Mahācattārīsaka Sutta(MN 117)</li> <li>— Saḷāyatanavibhaṅga Sutta (MN 137)</li> <li>— Sekha-pāṭipada Sutta (MN 53)</li> <li>— Mahāassapura Sutta (MN 40)</li> <li>— Alagaddūpama Sutta (MN 22)</li> <l