Categories: Third Eye: Practical Meditation
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Welcome. In this spiritual exploration, we delve into a profound and subtle topic: the thirteenth practical meditation on the Third Eye, which culminates in the state known as Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana.
This is a deep and advanced stage of meditation, which we can understand as the sphere of ‘neither perception nor non-perception.‘ It represents the final and highest of the meditative absorptions, or jhānas, in this system of practice. Many of you may have heard about the jhānas and wondered about their number and nature. I have promised to provide detailed teachings on them, and I will certainly fulfill that promise in future articles.
Today, our focus is squarely on the practical steps to reach this ultimate state of Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. This article will guide you on how to approach this profound level of consciousness.
Prerequisites: Are You Ready for This Journey?
Before we proceed, it is crucial to understand who is ready for this practice. This journey into Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana is not for a beginner. It is a natural culmination of a specific path. As we have explored in this series, this practice is accessible only to those whose Third Eye has been awakened. But even that is not enough. You must have successfully cultivated the three-preceding formless jhānas:
- Practical Meditation 10: Ākāsānañcāyatana (The Sphere of Infinite Space)
- Practical Meditation 11: Viññāṇañcāyatana (The Sphere of Infinite Consciousness)
- Practical Meditation 12: Ākiñcaññāyatana (The Sphere of Nothingness)
Only those who have naturally and sequentially progressed through these states can enter the sphere of Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. I have seen many people confuse these stages, so I wish to clarify the path to avoid any misunderstanding. This article is for everyone, regardless of your current level, whether your Third Eye is awakened or not, whether you experience light signals or not. I hope to offer a clear roadmap for all who are on this path.
The Sequential Path: A Review of the Formless Realms
This advanced practice is built upon a foundation. It is the pinnacle of a method we have been developing. Because this method is so direct, especially for those with an awakened Third Eye, it can be the easiest way to access these formless realms, known as the arūpāvacara jhānas. This is a condensed path based on direct, practical experience.
Let’s briefly review the steps, so the sequence is clear for everyone:
The Sphere of Infinite Space (Ākāsānañcāyatana): As taught in meditation 10, this begins when you can clearly perceive the vast, open sky with your Third Eye. You hold the perception ‘space is infinite.‘ While those with light signals can practice this, it truly unfolds for one whose Third Eye is open and can see this inner sky.
The Sphere of Infinite Consciousness (Viññāṇañcāyatana): From the boundless sky, the mind naturally shifts. As explained in meditation 11, you begin to perceive beings known as Brahmas, higher celestial beings. They appear in meditative postures, some sitting, some reclining in the ‘lion’s pose,’ some standing still like stone pillars.
Here, it is vital not to confuse them with Devas (gods). Devas belong to the sensory desire realms (kāma loka), often appearing with golden ornaments and colorful clothes, indulging in celestial pleasures. Brahmas, however, are simple and serene. Observing these infinite beings, you contemplate, ‘consciousness is infinite‘ or ‘all beings are infinite.‘
The Sphere of Nothingness (Ākiñcaññāyatana): After dwelling on infinite consciousness, the mind naturally lets go and moves to the next stage, the perception that ‘all of this is empty’ or ‘there is nothing.’ The mind enters a state of profound emptiness.
This progression must be natural. You cannot force it or ‘jump‘ ahead with intellectual understanding. You must be honest with your experience.
If you are unsure, it is better to revisit these teachings and practice with patience. The goal is not memorization, but to recognize these states when they arise organically, and to face them without fear.
Entering Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana: The Sphere of Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception
It is from this deep state of nothingness, or Ākiñcaññāyatana, that the final step is taken. As you continue to cultivate the perception ‘there is nothing‘ (natthi), you will, at an unexpected moment, transition into Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. You cannot plan this moment; it arrives when the conditions are perfect.
Suddenly, your mind becomes completely blank. It feels like falling into a strange, deep sleep and then waking up, a cycle that can repeat from moment to moment. It is essential to understand: this is not sleep.
It is the profound bliss and rest of the eighth and final jhāna. In this state, there are no thoughts. Not even the whisper of a thought coming and going. Nothing is remembered. It is a state of unimaginable physical and mental peace.
The name Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana means ‘the sphere where there is neither perception nor non-perception.‘ The scriptures of the Abhidhamma describe it this way: a state so subtle that perception is not absent yet not present enough to be identified. This is the experience you are cultivating.
The Experience Within: A Glimpse of Absolute Stillness
What does it feel like to be in the state of Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana?
The experience is so profound it can become addictive. You may feel you could stay there for a lifetime. Let’s explore the characteristics:
Physical Sensation: The body becomes almost entirely inactive. You may only be aware of the functioning of your heart or your brain, sometimes both, sometimes just one. For some of our students, only the heartbeat is perceptible. For others, a sense of activity in the brain remains. It is possible to experience either or both. The rest of the body feels non-existent.
Mental State: It is a state of absolute quiet. There are no problems, no worries, no memories. It is like being reborn. When you are reborn into a new life, do you remember your children or your past? No, everything is forgotten. This state is similar. For the duration you are in it, the world and its concerns cease to exist. This is why the bliss is so compelling.
Sensory Perception: External sounds are barely registered. If someone were to shout right next to your ear, it would sound as if it were happening miles away. The mind is withdrawn from the external world.
The books suggest that upon reaching this state, you can contemplate, ‘How peaceful this is, how sublime.‘ However, in reality, the bliss is so overwhelming that even this thought may not arise. An independent, effortless recognition of the peace emerges on its own: ‘What an incredible lightness this is.‘ It is a state that very few in this world have experienced, aside from the great sages and dedicated meditators.
Navigating the Gateway: Overcoming Fear at the Threshold
The transition into Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana can be physically startling for some. As you deepen the perception of ‘nothingness,’ you might feel a sensation of your breath stopping or your chest constricting. Many people become frightened at this point, thinking they are about to die. Please do not be afraid. You are not dying.
This is simply your body adjusting as it prepares to enter a more subtle state of existence. The feeling is not an intense, life-threatening pain like a heart attack, but rather a mild sensation of pressure or blockage.
If you remain calm and keep your mind steady on the meditation object, you will pass through this gateway automatically and effortlessly. And frankly, even if one were to pass away in this state, it would not be a cause for concern, as the mind would be reborn in a high celestial realm, a Brahma world. But this does not happen.
So, face this transition with courage. Once you cross this threshold, an incredibly light and blissful experience awaits.
Profound Benefits: Healing the Mind and Awakening Energy
This meditative state is not just a temporary escape; it has profound and lasting benefits. This is the highest pleasure and peace that can be attained through mental development by someone who has not yet realized Nibbāna (liberation). This is the very state achieved by the great teachers Ālāra Kālāma and Uddaka Rāmaputta over 2,500 years ago, even before the time of Prince Siddhartha.
The benefits are immense:
Mental and Physical Healing: For those suffering from mental afflictions caused by stress, such as migraines or depression, I can say with 100% certainty that reaching this jhāna brings complete healing. It can eliminate the need for medication. I say this based on direct observation of practitioners who have recovered this way. Your entire nervous system undergoes a process of purification and resetting. Even a person with severe mental disturbance could find their sanity restored if they could be guided to this state.
Spiritual Energy: This is the ultimate jhāna for powerfully awakening and strengthening what is known as Kundalini or universal life-force energy.
Development of Higher Abilities: By stabilizing the mind in Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana, you create the foundation for developing psychic powers, known in Buddhism as the pañca-abhiññā (five higher knowledges). Abilities like reading minds or seeing past lives become clearer and more refined.
This state offers a ‘bonus’ for your lay life, providing deep rest and healing that permeates your daily existence.
Practical Guidance: Entering, Exiting, and Living with the Jhana
Mastering Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana involves learning to enter, sustain, and exit the state with intention.
Entering and Sustaining: Initially, you might stay for an hour or so. But you will find your capacity grows. Someone who could only meditate for 45 minutes might suddenly sit for three hours. You can use a conscious intention, an adhiṭṭhāna, to set your duration. You can resolve, ‘May I remain in this state for one hour,‘ and you will. It is possible to stay for hours, or even all night. With deep practice, one can remain for several days, just as the ancient sages of India were said to do.
Exiting the State: When your intended time is complete, or your meditative energy wanes, you will feel a sensation of descending, as if coming down from a great height in an elevator. At this moment, it is crucial to make another intention: ‘May my mind return to the human world.‘ Repeat this a few times.
You will feel your mind and body begin to reconnect. Do not open your eyes immediately. Your body has been inactive. If you try to stand up right away, you will find you cannot move; it will feel paralyzed. Wait patiently until you feel your body fully, or at least from your waist down or waist up. Only then, with full mindfulness, should you slowly open your eyes.
After-Effects: Upon returning, you will feel an incredible joy and lightness, as if your body is floating. This is because your mind has touched the subtle existence of the Brahma realms. You will likely lose your appetite. Someone who used to eat five times a day might only manage one small meal.
However, it is your duty to mindfully provide your body with nourishment. We need this physical body to practice. So, you must resolve to eat at least two meals a day, even if you don’t feel hungry.
Mastering the State and the Trap of Attachment
Once you become proficient in reaching Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana, a wonderful thing happens. You no longer need to methodically work your way up through the lower jhānas each time. Your mind knows the way. Whether you are at a sacred site like the Ruwanwelisaya, in your own shrine room, or even sitting on a bus, all you need to do is close your eyes.
You will feel a natural pull, a lightness as if your body were a balloon, drawing you directly into that profound state. This can even happen as you are falling asleep.
However, this mastery comes with a subtle trap: attachment. If you become too eager to experience the bliss rushing home from work, for example, desperate to sit and enter the jhāna, you will find the door is closed. Your craving (taṇhā) becomes an obstacle.
The key is to approach each meditation session with a beginner’s mind. Come home, go about your evening, and sit down to meditate without expectation, as if it were your very first time. If you do this, you may find yourself entering the state within a minute or two. If you are attached, you might sit for half an hour in frustration. The less you crave it, the faster it comes.
You have tamed your mind to a remarkable degree. This is what it means to bring the mind under your control. The ultimate mastery, of course, is Nibbāna, but this is a powerful step on the path.
Conclusion: A Path to Lifelong Peace and Wisdom
This practice is not an escape from life, but a way to transform it.
For students, it greatly enhances memory and concentration. For anyone dealing with stress, it is a direct path to freedom from that pressure. The key condition for this entire path, from awakening the Third Eye to reaching Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana, is the gradual reduction of sensual desire and attachment. By understanding your mind and loosening its grip on worldly pleasures, you open the door to these profound states.
The life you can live from this place is one of unimaginable happiness. It is a state of being that brings psychic abilities, enhances spiritual energy, and clears the path towards the ultimate purity of mind. Remember to practice consistently, but with balance.
Do not engage in short, fragmented sessions. If you meditate in the morning, give your body a few hours to rest before sitting again. A continuous, long session is better than many short, interrupted ones. This is for the well-being of your physical body.
All the information you need to begin this journey and progress has been shared. The only remaining factor is your own effort, dedication, and sincere aspiration. I wish for all of you the ability to walk this path and experience this profound peace for yourselves.
With this, we conclude this teaching on the thirteenth practical meditation, Nevasaññānāsaññāyatana. May the power and blessings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha grant you the strength and opportunity to realize this state.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
