The texts in the Theravada tradition seem to want to be extremely systematic about what they address. But. The texts are not always systematically consistent with one another.
Take the example of “the Jhanas.”
In the Theravada tradition, the term Jhana is used to describe various states or levels of “meditative absorption.” Throughout the Suttas, there are 8 Jhanic states referred to – 1st Jhana, 2nd Jhana, 3rd Jhana, 4th Jhana, Base of Infinite Space, Base of Infinite Consciousness, Base of Nothingness, and Base of Neither-Perception-Nor-Non-Perception. In some texts the Jhanic progression also culminates in a state of Cessation.
But the texts are not consistent either in how many Jhanas one must progress through, or in what one does with their mind during a Jhanic state. Nor (as far as I can tell) are we given an explicit method in the Suttas by which to attain the Jhanas. Explicit method seems to come later in the tradition with compilers/systematizers like Buddhaghosa. In the Suttas, one seemingly sits, performs some type of meditative discipline (for Buddhaghosa it is clearly a concentrative act on a specific object), and “enters the Jhanas.”
Comparing three texts from the tradition, we can see several differences in meditative practice related to the Jhanas.
In the Mahasaccaka Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 36), the Buddha is recorded as attaining 4 Jhanas and then directing his purified mind at various elements of experience (his past lives, the passing away and reappearance of all beings, and “the destruction of the taints”). This attaining of the first 4 Jhanas, and subsequent direction of mind, is the full basis for the Buddha’s Enlightenment experience in this text. There is no mention of, and seemingly no need to attain, Jhanas 5-8 or a meditative state of Cessation.
“Now when I had eaten solid food and regained my strength, then quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, I entered upon and abided in the first jhāna, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain. With the stilling of applied and sustained thought, I entered upon and abided in the second jhāna, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain. With the fading away as well of rapture, I entered upon and abided in the third jhāna, where I meditated with equanimity, mindful and fully aware, personally experiencing the bliss on account of which the noble ones announce: ‘He has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.’ But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain. With the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, I entered upon and abided in the fouth jhana, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. But such pleasant feeling that arose in me did not invade my mind and remain. When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it [toward past lives, the passing away and reappearance of beings, and the destruction of the taints]…”
In the Mahamalunkya Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 64), an aspirant (confusingly) ascends through only 7 of the 8 Jhanas. In each Jhanic state, the aspirant is directed to “turn [his] mind away from [any conscious formations]” and directly seek Nibbana. In this text, there is no final state of Cessation mentioned, although perhaps one could experience Cessation/Nibbana during their Nibbanic seeking in any particular Jhanic state.
“Here, with seclusion from the acquisitions, with the abandoning of the unwholesome states, with the complete tranquilization of body inertia, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. Whatever exists therein of material form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.’ If he is steady in that he attains the destruction of the taints…Again, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhana…Again with the fading away as well of rapture, a bhikkhu…enters and abides in the third jhana…Again with the abandoning of pleasure and pain…a bhikkhu enters and abides in the fourth jhana, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity. Whatever exists therein of material form, feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.’ If he is steady in that he attains the destruction of the taints. Again, with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides int he base of infinite space. Whatever exists therein of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.’ If he is steady in that he attains the destruction of the taints…Again, by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite consciousness. Whatever exists therein of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.’ If he is steady in that he attains the destruction of the taints…Again by completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of nothingness. Whatever exists therein of feeling, perception, formations, and consciousness, he sees those states as impermanent, as suffering, as a disease, as a tumour, as a barb, as not self. He turns his mind away from those states and directs it towards the deathless element thus: ‘This is the peaceful, this is the sublime, that is, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana.’ If he is steady in that he attains the destruction of the taints.”
In the Culasaropama Sutta (Majjhima Nikaya 30), one progresses through all 8 Jhanic states and then achieves Cessation. In this text, there is no mention of directly seeking Nibbana during any particular Jhanic state.
“Here, brahmin, quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unwholesome states, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the first jhana, which is accompanied by applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of seclusion. This is a state higher and more sublime than knowledge and vision. Again, with the stilling of applied and sustained thought, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the second jhana, which has self-confidence and singleness of mind without applied and sustained thought, with rapture and pleasure born of concentration… with the fading away as well of rapture, a bhikkhu abides in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, still feeling pleasure with the body, he enters and abides in the third jhana, on account of which noble ones announce: ‘He has a pleasant abiding who has equanimity and is mindful.’…with the abandoning of pleasure and pain, and with the previous disappearance of joy and grief, a bhikkhu enters and abides in the fourth jhana, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and purity of mindfulness due to equanimity with the complete surmounting of perceptions of form, with the disappearance of perceptions of sensory impact, with non-attention to perceptions of diversity, aware that ‘space is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite space…by completely surmounting the base of infinite space, aware that ‘consciousness is infinite,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of infinite consciousness by completely surmounting the base of infinite consciousness, aware that ‘there is nothing,’ a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of nothingness… by completely surmounting the base of nothingness, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception…by completely surmounting the base of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, a bhikkhu enters upon and abides in the cessation of perception and feeling. And his taints are destroyed by seeing with wisdom.”
These texts, and others, lead authors like Buddhaghosa to attempt a synthesis of the tradition. In the culmination of Buddhaghosa’s Path of Purification, he seems to bring the texts together by having an aspirant attain each Jhana, and then after emerging from each Jhanic state see each state as impermanent, painful, and not-self. Finally, after an aspirant ascends through all 8 Jhanas, they direct their mind to Cessation/Nibbana and attain it in fullness.
“Having folded his legs crosswise, set his body erect, established mindfulness in front of him, he attains the first jhana, and on emerging he sees the formations within it with insight as impermanent, painful, and not-self…After that, he attains the second jhana, and on emerging he sees formations with insight in like manner…After that, he attains the third jhana, and on emerging he sees formations with insight in like manner.…After that he attains the fourth jhana, and on emerging he sees formations with insight in like manner…After that he attains the base consisting of infinite space, and on emerging he sees the formations in it in like manner…After that he attains the base consisting of boundless consciousness, and on emerging he sees the formations in it in like manner…After that he attains the base consisting of nothingness…Now, when he has thus attained the base consisting of nothingness and emerged [and done (a) preparatory task], then he attains the base consisting of neither perception nor non-perception. Then after one or two turns of consciousness have passed, he becomes without consciousness, he achieves cessation [“because the effort is directed to cessation”].”
I believe what the Theravada tradition presents in Jhana practice is a concentration practice which can lead to – in its final state, in certain circumstances, and in Theravada language – the peaceful, the sublime, the stilling of all formations, the relinquishing of all attachments, the destruction of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbana. Theravada’s way of talking about an experience of the Absolute.
But the Theravada tradition – in its description of the Jhanas and elsewhere – feels both too systematic and not systematic enough. If it’s going to try to 100% systematize a spiritual path, then the texts need to systematically align.
I’m not sure you can strictly systematize the spiritual life or meditative experience. We have various maps, from various travelers. But maybe we all need to make our own way.