Dhyana (Meditation) — The Fifth Paramita

Dhyana is the sustained practice of non-distraction — not trance, not bliss, but the capacity to remain with what is. The jhana states map a progression from coarse to subtle absorption, each stage releasing a grosser form of mental activity. Hex 52 (Keeping Still) is mountain over mountain: 'He keeps his back still so that he no longer feels his body.' This is precisely the experience meditators report — the dissolution of body-sensation as concentration deepens. But the I-Ching adds a crucial instruction: 'When it is time to stop, he stops. When it is time to move, he moves.' Dhyana is not permanent withdrawal. The meditator returns to the world. The mountain stays still so that the valley can be active.

Cross-Tradition Resonances