Jhana 3: contentment
Purpose
Third jhana has the feeling of contentment. It’s like we are in this cool, light bubble and contentment suffuses into every cell of our being. It’s a deep restful feeling of fullness. Once, I felt very pregnant with contentment. The analogies continue:
- The lost man from the desert, having had his filled of refreshing water, sat down by the tree and rested in contentment.
- The extracting and purifying of gold from the soil is nearly finished.
Insight
With jhanas it is important to let nature unfold in its own time and that means relinquishing our control. If we move on too fast, we don’t have enough time to enjoy, familiarise and study the jhanas. Really spent time in any jhana to imprint the feeling. It’s how we traverse in any order we like. If we want to develop jhanas, then feel. If we want to do vipassana, then watch.
Like all the previous jhanas, once our mind has had its fill, it’ll move on. Until then, be full with contentment, with love, with happiness.