What is the difference between the dimension of nothingness and the cessation of perception and feeling

[Khemarato.bhikkhu]

There’s no perception of external senses in the arupa jhanas. Everyone agrees on that. I fail to see how you get a fast “flickering” or “static” from these descriptions.

It appears to me you’re assuming that any consciousness/phenomena at all must flicker, as a sort of Theravada Orthodoxy?

[Mat]

@Khemarato.bhikkhu

I fail to see how you get a fast “flickering” or “static” from these descriptions.

It appears to me you’re assuming that any consciousness/phenomena at all must flicker, as a sort of Theravada Orthodoxy?

No this isn’t insight… its samadhi practice. Vinnana is impermanent, but that isn’t what I was talking about.

[Martin]

The EBT say that vinnana, sanna and vedana are conjoined, but presumably that breaks down in these meditative states?

[Chevita]

Ajahn Sona and Punnadhammo Mahāthero discusses the formless realm in this Youtube video. https://youtu.be/MXaS2Jh4Pks

The book, The Buddhist Cosmos by Punnadhammo Mahāthero
can be downloaded on the Arrow River website:

https://arrowriver.ca/book/cosmoBook.php

[karl_lew]

@Chevita

Ajahn Sona and Punnadhammo Mahāthero

Thank you. This was a very informative talk. I learned some new stories to help explain “perception and non-perception” (i.e., the puddle is water and not-water to fill a jug).