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Book Reflection
Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English: An Introductory guide to Deeper States of Meditation by Bhante Gunaratana
The Stillness Beyond Thought: Deeper States of Meditation
The Stillness Beyond Thought
On Bhante Gunaratana’s Invitation to Deeper Meditation
by Rebecca Fox
Most modern practitioners meet meditation through mindfulness. The breath is watched, sensations noted, thoughts observed. This practice of sati brings steadiness to a restless mind. But in the early texts, mindfulness is not the final step. It leads on—into stillness, into unity, into the deep silence of samādhi.
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana’s teachings trace this arc. In Beyond Mindfulness, he offers not a new technique, but a deepening. The mind, once gathered and clear, becomes capable of true concentration. Not a narrow forcing, but a natural settling—where thought quiets, joy arises, and awareness becomes whole.
What follows is often overlooked in contemporary circles: the unfolding of jhāna, the meditative absorptions. Bhante describes them simply. The mind takes a single object—often the breath—and stays. At first, effort is needed. Thought returns. But over time, attention deepens, thought softens, and the body is filled with rapture, then calm, then peace. Even this peace is eventually left behind, giving way to luminous equanimity.
This progression isn’t offered as escape, but as training. The absorptions cultivate a mind that doesn’t chase pleasure or recoil from pain. A mind that can stay. Without this inner pliancy, insight struggles to take root. As Bhante reminds, the still mind sees more clearly—not less.
Central to this unfolding is a quiet force often forgotten: passaddhi, tranquility. Not just the absence of noise, but a deep inner gentleness. A composure that makes joy possible. A calm that prepares the mind for the clarity of concentration. In the early teachings, this sequence is precise: tranquility leads to happiness, and happiness supports unification.
Bhante’s tone throughout is steady and undramatic. He does not exalt these states as special attainments. He simply affirms that they are possible. Available. Trained. Not only for monastics or mystics, but for anyone who is willing to stay with one object, to let go of hurry, and to meet the mind as it is—again and again.
There is no shortcut. No secret. Just a patient, repeated return to simplicity. And within that simplicity: depth. Stillness. And the first clear taste of freedom.
Reflections and Possible Practices
Daily Practice You Might Establish
- Increase sitting time to allow the mind to settle beyond initial distraction.
- Work with one object (e.g., breath ) with gentleness and persistence.
Foundational Shifts to Deepen Practice
- Shift from observing experience to entering it fully, with unified attention.
- Let go of variety and novelty in meditation; train in simplicity and depth.
- View tranquility not as passivity, but as the gateway to joy and insight.
Questions for Contemplation
- What do I fear losing in silence?
- How do I subtly resist one-pointedness?
- Can I rest in stillness without seeking progress?
Challenges to Practice (With Reflections)
Are you avoiding deep stillness by clinging to mental movement?Even subtle thinking can serve craving. Stillness reveals what thinking covers.
Have you mistaken insight for restlessness?Some forms of clarity are just refined distraction.
Are you resisting jhāna because it demands letting go?Absorption is not achieved. It is allowed.
Do you associate effort only with striving?Wise effort is quiet, continuous, and without aggression.
Have you assumed jhāna is beyond your reach?The Buddha taught it to householders and monastics alike (AN 5.179). It is not elite—it is disciplined.
Key Terms & Pāli
- Samādhi – Collectedness or unification of mind; deep mental stillness, cultivated through sustained attention and ethical training.
- Jhāna – Absorption; a series of deep meditative states characterized by increasing internal stability and withdrawal from sensory activity.
- Vitakka/Vicāra – Initial and sustained attention; mental factors present in early jhāna, which later fade as concentration deepens.
- Pīti and Sukha – Rapture and bliss; energetic and joyful qualities that arise as the mind becomes secluded and unified.
- Passaddhi – Tranquility; the calming of bodily and mental formations, often preceding deeper states of absorption.
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