The Five Jhāna Factors & Ānāpānasati
The second tetrad of ānāpānasati (Mindfulness of Breathing) starts with cultivating rapture (pīti) and happiness (sukha). You may have noticed that those are two of the "jhāna factors," qualities we cultivate in the course of developing meditative absorption. They are the third and fourth factors in that list, preceded by connecting and sustaining attention (vitakka and vicāra), and followed by one-pointedness (ekaggatā).
This is a list that develops more or less in order as we practice, so we should expect to see connecting and sustaining already established by the time we get to the second tetrad. Tonight we'll explore how the first steps imply the necessary steps of vitakka and vicāra as a preparation for the deeper somatic blisses of the later steps.
This process is a training in becoming attuned to subtle pleasure, and distinguishing the pleasures of stillness, inner solitude, and disengagement, from the more punchy pleasures of sensual stimulation, mental entertainment, and distraction.
