The teachings of Ajahn Suchart.
3 June 2023
“Nimittas (visions) are optional.”
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Question: I achieve calmness and pleasure when I meditate, but there is no light nimittas.
How do I progress in my meditation from here?
Tan Ajahn: Nimittas (visions) are optional. For some, nimittas occur just as by-products of meditation. For others, there might not be any nimittas at all.
But this is not important.
The real goals of your meditation are emptiness, peace of mind, (upekkhā), and knowing. That is all you want.
That is the fourth jhāna.
Before entering that state, some people might see, hear, or feel something. Sometimes you feel you have goose bumps; sometimes you might have tears flowing because you experience some feeling that you have never experienced before. But these things are aniccaṁ, dukkhaṁ, and anattā. Aniccaṁ means that they only happen temporarily, and they will disappear. Dukkhaṁ arises if you are attached to them, if you want them to be there all the time, and when they are not there, you will not be happy.
You don’t want to be attached to nimitta. You just want to know them for what they are.
They come and go. They are not the real thing for you. The real thing is attaining emptiness, peacefulness, calm and knowingness; these are all you want.
“Dhamma for the Asking, Dec 2, 2014”
By Ajahn Suchart Abhijāto
www.phrasuchart.com
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