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High
Get’n
High
Ever’a Trick Inni Book
Pur’n’ear
Wa-d’e sa?
‘e sa stica Nibbananna inni e-ae-a ‘anna eda da Bannana!
Introduction
Sit
Attain Balance
Prepare the Way
Get Rid of the Bindups
The First Burning
The Second Burning
The Third Burning
The Fourth Burning
If I can do one thing for Buddhism in America, it is to point out that Getting High, Meditation, SAMADHI, getting the JHANAS, Sitting Practice, or whatever you want to call it, is, at best, only half the practice. Just about anywhere you find Buddhism in America today (Saturday, October 04, 2003 3:57 AM), you find a disproportionate focus on the practice of Meditation. Meditation is an important tool, but what is absolutely essential in Meditation Practice is that the practice end properly: in Letting it Go.
For the rest, it’s most useful purpose is that hinted at in the term "Getting High". (By the way, this is a religious term that is older than the drug culture.) From a height a wide view is possible; from the highest height one can step off of it all, or, better, let it all go without fear of getting caught by a higher crag. From a wide view it is easier to see the essential point of the Buddha’s Teaching: That there is nothing there that is not changeable; that Pain (DUKKHA) is the consequence of change, and that, because it changes and is painful, there is nothing there that can justify being called the Self of one. Seeing these points can be accomplished without Getting High and Getting High can be accomplished without seeing these points.
The general emphasis on Meditation is a product of the drug culture. The current wave of interest in Buddhism in the US began with the end of the Korean War. Korean Vets brought home Zen Buddhism and drug habits. The combination put the lie to the government propaganda about the horrors of drug use, and the sixties saw Pot smoking become almost an acceptable pastime. Pot smoking and later LSD gave people an experience that neither the religion nor the science of the time could explain: there were clearly other ways of experiencing reality than the one that people had been told was the only way of seeing things. This in turn lead to seeking an explanation for these experiences in the religions of other cultures which seemed to be describing the phenomena that were being experienced. For the most part Buddhism was not the choice of these seekers (except for those who followed Carlos Castaneda's Don Juan, who did not reveal the Buddhist underpinnings of his system until very late in the game), but Buddhist teachers noticed the phenomena and came to this country in the hopes of spreading the word about the religion they loved and believed to have the answers to what it was that these seekers were seeking. The aversion of the drug culture to training in ethical culture (what they know as "morality" -- which is living in accordance with the behavioral norms of the times, and is a different thing than living by ethical standards), lead to the emphasis on Meditation Technique and a de-emphasis by these teachers, of the need for training in harmless behavior and other aspects of ethical culture. Big mistake. The "High" state is a very powerful mental condition and one in which "Deeds of Mind" result in huge consequences. People who Get High from drugs or natural means for the most part instinctively know (or have experienced first hand) the power of the state. This results in a sort of experiential self-censorship: without training in self discipline, no matter how intense the meditation training or frequency of drug use, the experience stops at a certain point and the individual turns away or experiences a lengthy period of frustration with his system of choice.
Footnote:
The common portrayal of pot as turning the smoker into a goofy airhead is clearly a misunderstanding based on lack of personal experience. Both Pot and LSD are hypnotic in effect, and they simply create the experience the user expects. The mental state itself is one which is highly concentrated. When this mental state is interrupted, or if it is never entered into by the user, (a common experience of novice thrill-seeking users), there is a period of disorientation which makes the user appear goofy. Left undisturbed the state is conducive to very high level mental work. This is not the problem with drug use. From the Buddhist perspective the problem with drug use is the fact that it does bodily harm (Pot smokers are breathing in Fire!), is a cause of desire, and the untrained individual can do himself immense karmic damage. What a person does to obtain drugs, or what a person on drugs does is a consequence of the training of the individual, not the drug. Moreover, the individual who learns to get high using drugs does not, through that, actually learn to get high, should the drug become unavailable (as in a subsequent birth) he has not trained himself. The accomplishments of the individual who has learned to Get High on his own power travel with him.
This is the reason that I have placed Book I and Book II before Book III: High Getting High. This is the order in which this system should be mastered. Thus practiced, attaining high levels of Getting High will be both easy and safe, and will therefore give the individual who attains them a really powerful tool for making headway in this system. Or, at least, when you ignore Books I & II and go straight to Book III and end up facing a roadblock or the Abyss or the Gates of Hell, you will know what to do to get yourself up oucha shethatchagotchasefinna.
Finally, Book I was complete in itself if the reader had no further resources, Books I and II together also make a complete unit, and, now, Books I, II, and III also make a complete unit. And Further, Book II and III make a complete unit, and all three books can stand by themselves as complete units. This is not just a little game of putting together the tinker toys, it is a demonstration of the nature of the DHAMMA: Each unit is essentially the entire system. From whatever position it begins, it always ends in UPEKKHA (or some similar concept), letting go, giving up.
So, this day, after waking up, getting up, attending to bowl and robes, leaving your hut, going to town, going on your beggars rounds, eating, chewing, tasting and swallowing, leaving town, urinating and defecating,
Find yourself some place to be alone. Deep, Deep, Deep in some Forest Pasture, at the Root of Soma Tree, on the side of a mountain, in the wilderness, in a cave, in a cemetery, out in the middle of an open field, on a heap of grass and leaves, or in some empty Hut.
Sit down in the cross legged Indian-style position (Full Lotus, Half Lotus or Nobody gonna Notice Lotus (nobody's going to know this lotus!)).
Flop forward and relax as much as possible, and then working up from the anal sphincter, squeezing all the muscles of the body from the spine outward and from outermost in toward the spine rise up to the uttermost erect posture you can attain, and
Remembering to Put a Look of Satisfaction on the Face
Take in 1, 2, 3, One, Two, Three, Deep, Deep, Deep Satisfying breaths, and
Let It All Go
Let It Go
And then, for a few minutes, practice Calming Down.
Thinking: "Stilling, Calming, Tranquilizing this Confounded body, I breath in and out with short breaths,"
Still, Calm, and Tranquilize the body.
And then, Pervade the entire Universe with Friendly Vibrations,
Sympathetic Vibrations,
Happiness at the Happiness's of Others, and
Objective Detachment.
And then,
Attain Balance using the
Seven Dimensions of Awakening
If the mind is Sluggish, ignore Impassivity, Getting High, and Objective Detachment and turn to Investigating Dhamma, Energy Building, and Generating Enthusiasm.
How come?
Because it is not easy to get rid of sluggishness by using Impassivity, Getting High, and Objective Detachment. That’s how come.
In the same way as if a man who wanted to make a fire blaze up would not put together wet grass, wet cow dung and green sticks in the rain and wind and sprinkle it with dust and have a reasonable expectation for the fire to blaze up, but if he put together dry grass, dry cow dung, dry twigs, and blow on it gently and shelter it with his hands from the wind and dust he would have a reasonable expectation for the fire to blaze up.
In the same way, if the mind is Sluggish, ignore Impassivity, Getting High, and Objective Detachment and turn to Investigating DHAMMA, Energy Building, and Generating Enthusiasm.
If the mind is excited, ignore Investigating Dhamma, Energy Building, and Generating Enthusiasm and turn to Impassivity, Getting High, and Objective Detachment.
How Come?
Because it is not easy to calm the excited mind using Investigating Dhamma, Energy Building, and Generating Enthusiasm. That’s how come.
In the same way as if a man who wanted to extinguish a fire by heaping on it dry grass, dry cow dung, dry twigs would not have a reasonable expectation of extinguishing that fire, but if he put on it wet grass, wet cow dung, wet twigs, and exposed it to rain and covered it with dirt he would have a reasonable expectation of extinguishing that fire.
In the same way, if the mind is excited, ignore Investigating Dhamma, Energy Building, and Generating Enthusiasm and turn to Impassivity, Getting High, and Objective Detachment.
And then,
Come right on Up to the Door of High Getting High by Preparation through the
Aristocratic Multi-Dimensional Way
Adopting High View as a Working Hypothesis,
So that High Principles follow as a Matter of Course
So that High Talk and High Works follow as a Matter of Course
So that High Lifestyle follows as a Matter of Course
So that High Self Control follows as a Matter of Course.
So that High Satisfaction (preparation of the Mind for Satisfaction with Higher Things -- having had enough of everything else) follows as a Matter of Course
So that High Getting High will follow as a Matter of Course.
And then,
With Penetrating Knowledge of that Confounded Body, Breath in a Deep Breath,
And
With Release from that Confounded Body Breath Out a Deep Breath
And
Establishing just sufficient conscious awareness to be able to remember "That is the Body", "That is a Sense Experience," "That is an Emotion," and "That is DHAMMA."
Let Go
of
The Five Downbound Mind Bending Bind-ups To High Getting
The five broad generalized categories of things which will prevent an individual from getting off the ground in the practice of Getting High:
It is the essential nature of these items that they can be Let Go without any loss. It will be easier for most, rather than concentrating on the details of any issue that may be obsessing the mind, to turn instead to these general categories and see which category the issue fits. If it cannot just simply be dropped, the following is a broad, generalized categorization of the methods which will most effectively free one from the grip of any one of these Bindups:
If there is Wanting present in the here and now, practice mentally tracing things back to the repulsive features of the thing causing the wanting. In broad, general terms, the repulsive feature of a thing is it’s changeable nature, its being a vehicle for Pain, and the fact that there is nothing in it that is of the nature of Self or that belongs to the Self. If there is no Wanting present in the here and now, make yourself conscious of the fact and be happy without becoming prideful.
If there is Anger present in the here and now, practice freeing the Heart by Friendly Vibrations. If there is no Anger present in the here and now, make yourself conscious of the fact and be happy without becoming prideful.
If there is Lazy-Ways-and-Inertia present in the here and now, practice making effort, putting forth energy, striving. If there is no Lazy-Ways-and-Inertia present in the here and now, make yourself conscious of the fact and be happy without becoming prideful.
If there is Fear-and-Trembling present in the here and now, practice Stilling, Calming, Tranquilizing the body and mind. If there is no Fear-and-Trembling present in the here and now, make yourself conscious of the fact and be happy without becoming prideful.
If there is Doubt present in the here and now, practice investigating the DHAMMA from the point of what you consider good and bad, blamelessness and blameworthiness, low and High, dark and light. If there is no Doubt present in the here and now, make yourself conscious of the fact and be happy without becoming prideful.
In the same way, Beggars, as a man, after taking out a loan and setting up a business, and after a time that business becomes successful and he should pay off that loan and have a little left over with which to support a wife, he would feel relief because of this, he would be happy because of this.
In the same way, Beggars, as a man might have fallen sick from some disease, be in pain, in critical condition, unable to eat and without strength in his body, but after a time he were to recover, be free of pain, out of danger from that disease, able to eat, and feeling the strength return to his body, he would feel relief because of this, he would be happy because of this.
In the same way, Beggars, as a man who had been thrown in prison might be freed from bondage, safe and secure, with no loss of property, he would feel relief because of this, he would be happy because of this.
In the same way, Beggars, as a man who had been a slave, not his own man, subject to another, not free to go where he wanted and who, after a time was emancipated, made his own man, not subject to another, free to go where he wanted, he would feel relief because of this, he would be happy because of this.
In the same way, Beggars, as a wealthy merchant traveling on the highway through the wilderness filled with robbers, murderers, and kidnappers, and, after a time he were to emerge from that wilderness safe and sound, with no loss of property, he would feel relief because of this, he would be happy because of this.
In the Same Way, By Letting Go of
The Five Downbound Mind Bending Bind-ups To High Getting:
Wanting
Anger
Lazy Ways and Inertia
Fear and Trembling
Doubt,
Satisfied, Impassive, Above Pleasures of the Senses and Unskilled Mental States
While still experiencing Vitakka and Vicara (Plain old "thinking"; The Inner Dialogue; Introspection, Mental Examination, Reliving Experiences with Feeling through the Imagination),
On The Peace and Calm (Pitisukham: Piti=enthusiasm + Sukkham=sweet sensations) of Solitude
Soak,
Permeate,
Suffuse,
and
Saturate
That Heap of K-Kha Whatsoever There you call "My Body"
With The Peace and Calm of Solitude
So that there is not One Bit of that Body that is not
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With the Peace and Calm of Solitude
High Getting
The Masters of Old Used to Call
The First Burning
JHANA
And Make a Habit of That
And Make a Habitat of That
In the Same Way, Beggars, as The Bath Attendant of Old, or his Skillful Apprentice, whenever he Whisshes to Prepare a Soap Ball, takes a Copper Pot and Sprinkles in Soma Soap Powder and Moistens it with Drops of Apo Water and
Rolls and Rolls and Rolls and Rolls
That ol’ Soap Ball
Round and Round and Round and Round
‘Til it’s Soaked, Permeated, Suffused and Saturated with that Water
(But not so’s it oozes any moisture!)
In the Same Way, Beggars,
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That KAYA There you call "My Body"
With The Peace and Calm of Solitude
§
And Again, Beggars, Deeper Than That,
By Letting Go of Vitakka and Vicara,
Impassive
Whole Heartedly Single Minded
Without Vitakka and Vicara
On The Peace and Calm of Getting High
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That Bag of Bones There you call "My Body"
With The Peace and Calm of Getting High
So that there is not One Bit of that Body that is not
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With the Peace and Calm of Getting High
High Getting
The Masters of Old Used to Call
The Second Burning
JHANA
And Make a Habit of That
And Make a Habitat of That
In the same Way, Beggars, as a Spring-Fed Pond
With no Water coming in from the East
With no Water coming in from the West
With no Water coming in from the South
With no Water coming in from the North
And No Rain Commin’ Down froma Deva Abhibhu -- the Gods Up Above
Is Nevertheless
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With that Cool Water Coming Up
From that Spring that Feeds it from Below
In the Same Way, Beggars,
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That Cesspit There you call "My Body"
With The Peace and Calm of Getting High
On Getting High
§
And Again, Beggars, Deeper Than That
By Letting Peace and Calm Fade Out
Impassive
Detached
Clearly Conscious
Enjoying the Sweet Sensations of Ease
Enter that state Aristocrats describe this way:
"Detached, Satisfied with Getting High, he’s got the life!"
And
With Ease
On the Sweet Sensations of Ease
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That Cracked Pot there you Call "My body"
With the Sweet Sensations of Ease
So that there is not One Bit of that Body that is not
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With the Sweet Sensations of Ease
High Getting
The Masters of Old Used to Call
The Third Burning
JHANA
And Make a Habit of That
And Make a Habitat of That
In the Same Way, Beggars, as The Lotus Pond
Filled with White Lotuses, or
Filled with Red Lotuses, or
Filled with Blue Lotuses,
Some White Lotuses, or
Some Blue Lotuses, or
Some Red Lotuses
Are Born In the Water
Grow Up In the Water
And, Not Rising Above the Water,
Come to Flower Below the Surface of the water, and are
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
From the Tops of the Tips of their Flowering Heads above
To the Bottoms of their Roots Below
With that Cool Water
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That Cracked Pot there you Call "My body"
With the Sweet Sensations of Ease
§
And Again, Beggars, Deeper Than That
By Letting Go (Pahana: Pass Hand) of Dukkha
By Letting Go of Pleasure (Sukkha)
By Letting Mental Ease and Mental Pain Find their Own Way Home
And
Without Pain
and
Without Pleasure
Detached, Satisfied, and Entirely Clear
Off The Clean Clear Through,
Bright,
Shinny
Radiance
of
Detachment
Soak,
Permeate,
Suffuse,
and
Saturate
That Body Sitting There
With A Heart that is
Clean Clear Through, Bright, Shinny and Radiant with Detachment
So that there is not One Bit of that Body that is not
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With The Clean Clear Through, Bright, Shinny Radiance of Detachment
High Getting
The Masters of Old Used to Call
The Fourth Burning
JHANA
And Make a Habit of That
And Make a Habitat of That
In the Same Way, Beggars, as it comes to pass that a Beggars Body is Rapt from the top of the Tips of the Hairs of the Head Above to the bottoms of the Soles of the Feet below in a Clean White Cloth, so that that whole body can be seen to be Wrapped in that White Cloth,
In the Same Way, Beggars
Soak, Permeate, Suffuse, and Saturate
That Body Sitting There With A Heart that is
Clean Clear Through, Bright, Shinny and Radiant with Detachment
So that there is not One Bit of that Body that is not
Soaked, Permeated, Suffused, and Saturated
With The Clean Clear Through, Bright, Shinny Radiance of Detachment
Discussion:
Somewhere back when, some people I, for one, have never been able to identify started to say that attaining the Jhanas and becoming Arahatta was impossible in this day and age. These people, who by their position define themselves as people who could not attain the Jhanas or become Arahatta, and who, therefore should have no credibility on the subject, have somehow come to great influence in the Buddhist community. They retain their position because of the difficulty one who attains the Jhanas has in proving a claim to attaining them, which, in any case, it would be unlikely he would make, and, of course, the Arahatta could not claim to be such.
(By the way: I call the JHANAS "burnings" or "shining" as this is an American Folk and Indian terminology for the same mental state. JHANA is from the Pali roots JA: to be born, >JAN and NA>Latin nosco, Scottish, ken, English gnor, know, and leads to, not "is derived from" JHAYATI, to perceive, to burn, or shine, as in "he is burning to learn", or "his mind is luminous", or "his intellect shines"--In other words, the word means, simply "to know.")
Here’s the clue (aside from the fact that today, with our improved communications, and advanced pharmaceuticals we have examples of people attaining the higher levels of the JHANAS all around us: American, Russian, Tibetan, Latin American, Australian shamans –SAMANAS): Each of the four JHANAS is not one particular state to be attained, it is a spectrum of states, or a "broad" state. And, and this is the most important thing, it is not a state that is "attained" it is the state that exists when the states that are obstructing it are eliminated. This is a way of seeing things that is very alien to the way we think, and I believe it is the source of a great deal of the misunderstandings that exist today about what the Buddha taught. In the first JHANA, for example, the initial entry point is as simple as enjoying the peace and calm of solitude (imagine sitting under a tree, enjoying the view). The second JHANA is as simple, at it’s entry point, as having attained the entry point of the first JHANA, and directing the mind to the fact. The Third Burning is as simple at it’s entry point as attaining the first and second burnings at their entry points and being at ease with spending time like that. The Fourth Burning is as simple as letting go. And it is possible to go to any and all of the burnings directly without passing through the others.
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