Blurb:

Chapter 5 focuses on the problem of the absence of detailed instructions regarding the methods needed for the attainment of altered states of mind in early Chan and Nikāya texts. It discusses the possibility of methodless forms of meditation and considers the psychological plausibility of such a hypothesis. It argues that in such a case, the emphasis would need to shift from the method in the strict sense to some other crucial elements of the Buddhist path. It points out the existence of fundamental differences between the Visuddhimagga and the Nikāyas regarding the mechanism of attainment of the jhānas. The final part of the chapter offers a hypothesis regarding the roles of pleasure, relaxation and motionlessness in attaining states of concentration.