That doesn’t mean it’s not true. And my question was really about non-ordained people since it was about the vinaya rule, and by that definition, laypeople could live their lives closer to monastic life if they wished.
That doesn’t mean it didn’t or can’t happen.
I didn’t say that.
I think I phrase my questions quite carefully, but maybe I do need to include lots of qualifiers and exceptions. I didn’t say this.
My original question was actually not intended to refer to or include “teaching it to others”. I did say “educating”, but I didn’t actually mean “teach how to do it”, just teach what that experience is even like. I’m also referring to if they talk to non-Buddhists or their friends (who have never heard of the term “jhāna”) just to share what very deep meditation is like. It’s really a wide range of possibilities as I mentioned. They may also want to ask for help, relate to others, help prepare others for shocking parts of it, or inspire confidence in other Buddhists.
“given they’ve adequately understood their audience’s mind”. If it’s something where they are just attention-seeking, then that’d be pretty weird, but I’m talking like some (maybe private) groups online with a more trustworthy audience. Maybe this website for example.
Maybe they have no support in non-internet life, and most of their Buddhist interaction has happened on the internet.
In this way, there isn’t too big of a difference between communicating an idea in-person vs online if you comprehend who’s listening, but the advantage of it being online is that it’s documented and sited, not just being hearsay. Also there’s a reason the suttas are online.
My question was supposing that they are telling the truth, but you probably guessed that.
In the “definition” I gave, this was just a shorthand for a more common, longer definition. It’s what I believe the suttas refer to (besides “jhāna” also meaning “meditation”, but so I’m referring to just the parts which mention four jhānas) and what Ajahn Brahm refers to. I never said that this is entered from something like regular sensual pleasure enjoying life or even just lower meditation, I also didn’t necessarily say it was instant, but I would say it happens only after very deeply meditating, and at the end, it is a discrete step, only with that proper conditioning (as well as excellent virtue). Entering discrete states for us isn’t even that uncommon, such as falling asleep, but this state is obviously quite different as you would be stepping into a life transforming joy.