Some comments on Cessations of consciousness in meditation: Advancing a scientific understanding of nirodha samapatti (https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Ruben-Laukkonen/publication/370230097_Cessations_of_consciousness_in_meditation_Advancing_a_scientific_understanding_of_nirodha_samapatti/links/64486723017bc07902db1fa1/Cessations-of-consciousness-in-meditation-Advancing-a-scientific-understanding-of-nirodha-samapatti.pdf):

From the chapters prior to Chapter 5: they do not distinguish between the various understandings of the jhanas, so they conflate sutta jhanas and Vsm jhanas. It's not a big deal, but definitely a minor flaw.

pg 14: "from an evolutionary point of view, it seems unlikely that one can induce an entirely novel state that the body did not evolve to occupy in the past."
NO! evolved states can be hijacked to produce novels states (e.g. jhanas). My fingers did not evolve to produce a Snap - it's just a novel use of what did evolve. This is a big mistake actually that the authors make!  Perhaps NS builds on the evolved ability to enter deep dreamless sleep? They hint at this further down in the paper.

pg 15: "Moreover, some work has associated g-tummo meditation with a hypometabolic physiological state, as shown by reductions in oxygen consumption and metabolic rate (Benson et al., 1990)."
Since g-tummo is a form of piti, it's not surprising that reductions in oxygen consumption are found - since a deep breath (increasing oxygen) takes one away from piti when trying to enter J1.

Chapter 7: Very interesting! But I think they failed to recognize the importance of the stopping of self-constructing. To me this seems to be the lynch-pin of all the rest they discuss.

pg 18: "short “nirodha” cessations is thought to occur as a result of insight/vipassana practice which is characterized by non-judgmental and equanimous observation of experience through the lenses of anicca (impermanence), anatta (non-self ) and dukkha (dissatisfaction). In this context, cessations occur in deep stages of practice as a culmination of the Stages of Insight, and are experienced as a momentary cut, or absence, in consciousness (Sayadaw, 1994, 2016)."
They missed the role of "letting go" that is so necessary for these "momentary cuts". The role of "the lenses of anicca (impermanence), anatta (non-self ) and dukkha (dissatisfaction)" are to bring one to the point of being willing & able to let go.

pg 18: "NS is thought to be a consequence of mastering both insight and jhana practices." I suspect NS can be induced solely via concentration practices. Pa Auk teaches his Vsm J1 access solely via concentration - and his J1 is an instance of NS. See Bucknell, Roderick S. "Reinterpreting the Jhanas," Journal of the International Association of Buddhist Studies, Volume 16 • Number 2 • Winter 1993

pg 18: "If priors undergo a precision-reset—the extent of which may be determined by the depth of the cessation—this would manifest as greater confidence in, and attention to, present moment sensory experience, or phenomenologically a sense of clarity and freshness, as if everything is new or as if “seen for the first time.” Or put simply, cessation would result in an experience of the present moment that is less conditioned by past beliefs."
You can also get this - to some extent - via just plain ol' concentration at the sutta jhana level. No NS required - tho NS may yield a deeper experience of this.

pg 20: "Hence, the most radical changes to processes like breathing, heart rate, or neural
responses may only occur after the meditator has remained in NS for an extended
period, e.g., 1 or 2 days, or longer."
I don't think time in NS will be the determining factor. I think depth in NS is the determining factor.

The authors don't seem to realize that NS states can arise at varying depths from
unconscious, no passage of time, no body sensation, yet aroused by sound or touch
    to
unconscious, no passage of time, no body sensation, not easily aroused by sound or touch
    to
unconscious, no passage of time, no body sensation, not ever aroused by sound or touch

Nor did they distinguish between
NS with a nimitta visible during the whole experience (and still not subjective passage of time)
    and
NS without a nimitta visible

pg 20: "As to a research agenda, as noted above, very few scientific studies have so far examined the mental and (neuro)physiological changes that accompany nirodha and NS"
:-(  This is what I was hoping this paper would produce! Disappointed - but it's certainly a start in that direction.

Overall, I think it is a valuable paper.


Leigh Brasington
2023/05/18