illustrated: sound is a thorn in 4 jhānas

Image result for picture of bubble with pin

That blue pushpin is the thorn.

The bubble represents the physical body of the meditator in any of the Buddha's EBT 4 jhānas.

The pin (thorn) may just annoy and cause pain but leave the body intact, causing the jhāna to be impure with micro moments of distraction.

Or the pin (sound thorn) may be strong enough to pop the bubble - meditator is agitated with annoyance is no longer in 4 jhānas.

This is VRJ and BRJ, Vism. and Ajahn Brahm redefinition of "jhāna" as a disembodied mental paralysis.

Since the mind is disconnected from the 5 senses and hearing,

the pushpin (sound as a thorn) can not enter the awareness of the meditator inside the VRJ "jhāna".

The meditator in this state can not feel leg pain, mosquito bites either.

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