The Jhanas: Deep States of Meditative Happiness

The Jhanas: A Complete Guide

 

 

The Jhanas: Deep States of Meditative Happiness

The jhanas are receiving unprecedented attention in the West. Featured in The Atlantic, Time, and Vox, they’re being called everything from “bliss on demand” to “a cheat code for life.” And the reports are true—the jhanas are real, they’re accessible, and they can profoundly change your experience of being alive.

But here’s what often gets lost in the hype: the jhanas aren’t the destination. In the Buddha’s teaching, they’re part of a complete path that leads somewhere even more remarkable—lasting freedom from suffering.

What Are the Jhanas?

The jhanas are natural states of deep mental happiness, peace, and clarity that arise when the mind becomes settled and unified. They’re not mystical or supernatural—they’re experiences your mind is already capable of having when the conditions are right. The good news is that you do not have try hard, or force something to happen. It’s by relaxing and observing your mind that they will naturally arise. They key is in having the correct meditation practice – the one that the Buddha taught.

The original teachings of the Buddha were written down in an ancient language called Pali.

The word “jhana” comes from Pali and means “meditation” or “meditative state”. When you’re in a jhana, your attention rests in a particular state, and the usual mental chatter falls away. The Jhanas are well known outside of the West, and only in the last few decades have they come to be known, understood and used in meditation practices outside of Asia.

It’s important to note that we are not talking about something where you mind becomes concentrated, focused or shutting off anything that is happening. You are not trying to make these states come up , you are setting up the correct conditons for them to arise naturally. These are all mental states to be developed and more importantly, to be experieced.

The Eight Jhanas

The Buddha described eight progressively deeper jhana states:

First Jhana: Joy and happiness arise. The mind feels uplifted, light, and content. There may be physical sensations of pleasure. Some people report a vibratory or kinetic sensation.

Second Jhana: Inner confidence and unification of mind. The initial excitement settles into a stable, radiant happiness.

Third Jhana: The joy fades, leaving deep contentment and equanimity. A profound sense that everything is okay.

Fourth Jhana: Pure equanimity and mindfulness. Remarkable stillness and clarity. The mind is bright, stable, and ready for insight.

Fifth through Eighth Jhanas: Called the “formless jhanas” or “immaterial jhanas.” These involve experiences of boundless space, boundless consciousness, nothingness, and a state of neither-perception-nor-non-perception. They’re increasingly subtle and refined.

How to Reach the Jhanas

The jhanas can’t be forced—they arise naturally when conditions are right. Those conditions include:

• Correct technique (knowing what to do and what not to do)
• Adequate time (extended sessions of 45+ minutes help)
• Letting go of striving (wanting or chasing jhana too much blocks it)
• Quieting the hindrances and distrations (desire, aversion, restlessness, dullness, doubt)
• Guidance from experienced teachers

At Tranquil Mind, we use loving-kindness as the foundation for jhana practice. This approach often works faster than breath-based methods because the pleasant feeling of loving-kindness naturally inclines the mind toward deeper states.

Beyond the Jhanas

While jhana experiences are profound and valuable, the Buddha taught them as part of a larger path. The calm, clear mind developed through jhana practice allows for real insight and real change to occur. This comes seeing deeply into the nature of one’s own mind. These insights lead to the stages of awakening, which are beyond the jhanas.

At Tranquil Mind, we teach the Jhanas and beyond. If you’re interested in the jhanas, we encourage you to see them as a doorway to something even greater. Learn more about all the stages of the Buddha’s path by starting your own practice. If you’d like one-on-one help, we’re available, at no cost.