user471: In the paper "Multiple Buddhist Modernisms: Jhāna in Convert Theravāda", Natalie Quli compares what the following teachers have taught about jhana: Ayya Khema, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Pa-Auk Sayadaw, Ajahn Brahmavamso, Bhante Vimalaramsi, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Leigh Brasington and Shaila Catherine.
There seems to be roughly two camps of teachers. The first that depend on Visuddhimagga, Abhidhamma, commentaries and suttas for the teaching on jhanas. The second depends either primarily or solely on the suttas, and not the other sources.
Another way to divide them is those who consider ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration important, or those who don't.
Questions:

What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?
Is ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?
Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta? Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?

The paper discussed Ajahn Brahm's view:

Brahmavaṃso  argues  for  a  very  deep  level  of
concentration—ekaggatā—that  other  teachers  often  criticize.  He
states  that  in  jhāna the  body  disappears,  so  that  one  can  no
longer  see  or  hear.  He  also  states  bluntly  that  jhāna  is
not  possible  during  walking  meditation,  perhaps a statement made
in reference to Vimalaramsi’s light, sutta-based jhānas, discussed
below. Finally, he argues that “some teachers today present a level
of meditation and call it jhāna when it is clearly less  than  the
real  thing.” Among the sources Brahmavaṃso reveres and cites
throughout his work are the Vinaya, the Visuddhimagga, and even the
jātakas — which are very rarely mentioned by Western Insight Meditation
teachers.

The paper discussed Bhante Vimalaramsi's view:

Part  of  this  effort  to  return  to  the  origin  of  Buddhism  has
led  Vimalaramsi to revere the suttas and Vinaya but reject the later
commentaries and the Abhidhamma. He is particularly critical of the
Visuddhimagga. For example, he notes:

So  you  have  the  Visuddhimagga  teaching  one  kind  of
meditation,  that doesn’t lead to nibbāna, and you have the sutta,
that teaches an-other kind of meditation, and it leads directly to
nibbāna. And now, because we’re so far away from the time of the
Buddha, there’s a lot of monks that take the Visuddhimagga as the same
as the teaching of the Buddha, and then there’s other monks that don’t
take that as the teaching of the Buddha, they take the suttas as the
true teaching.

Though Vimalaramsi initially studied in the vipassanā centers in
Burma, he became convinced that this style of meditation was not
authentic because it was based on commentaries rather than the
suttas. In fact, this sutta-based interpretation of meditation has
led him to teaching what he calls “tranquil-wisdom meditation,” a
joint samatha/vipassanā  meditation.  He  teaches  mainly  from  the
Anapanasati-sutta and the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta, and maintains that jhāna
should not be considered ecstatic or one-pointed (ekaggatā). Rather,
it is a light, relaxed state  in  which  various  Buddhist  insights
are  examined.  He  maintains  that (1) those who follow the
commentaries’ descriptions of jhāna are practicing  a  non-Buddhist
meditation  that  does  not  lead  to  nirvana  and  (2)  those  who
follow  the  commentaries  in  practicing  a  separate  vipassanā
practice are mistaken in following a non-canonical authority.

The paper discussed Thanissaro Bhikkhu's view:

Thanissaro Bhikkhu teaches jhāna exclusively from the suttas and not
from  the  commentaries.  After  noting  that  the  jhānas  as  taught
in  the  Visuddhimagga  include  elements  not  mentioned  in  the
suttas,  Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes, “Some Theravadins insist that
questioning the commentaries is a sign of disrespect for the
tradition, but it seems to be a sign of greater disrespect for the
Buddha—or the compilers of the Canon—to assume that he or they would
have left out something absolutely  essential  to  the  practice.”  He
concludes  that  jhāna  in  the  commentaries is “something quite
different” than jhāna in the canon.
Unlike  others  who  advocate  the  “deeper”  states  described  in
the  Visuddhimagga, Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that extremely deep
states of  meditation  are  “wrong  concentration.”  One  must  be
fully  aware  of the body; powerful ekaggatā, as discussed in the
Visuddhimagga, can lead to one losing a sense of sounds, thoughts, or
perceptions, which is not ideal for insight in his opinion. People who
advocate such deep meditation are, according to Thanissaro Bhikkhu,
blocking out certain areas of awareness and are “psychologically adept
at dissociation and denial.”

Leigh Brasington, student of Ayya Khema, described sutta jhana vs. visuddhimagga jhana:

Leigh Brasington is an American student of Ayya Khema who now teaches
regularly on the jhānas across the United States, mainly to students
at Insight Meditation centers. Like his teacher, Brasington suggests
that  the  jhānas are not difficult to learn or practice.  He  notes
that “The jhānas as discussed in the suttas are accessible to many
people” but maintains that the jhānas presented in the Visuddhimagga
are actually qualitatively different from those described in the
suttas; he speculates that the Visuddhimagga jhānas were developed
during a later period and are more difficult to achieve. In fact,
Brasington has suggested that we distinguish between “sutta jhānas”
and “Visuddhimagga jhānas,” which he considers quite different from
one another. Brasington favors the lighter sutta jhānas.

A further comment by the paper's author:

Likewise, Thai-trained Thanissaro Bhikkhu completely rejects the
authority of the commentaries in terms of jhāna practice. Both of
these teachers agree that the jhānas are a light state of meditation
because ekaggatā, deep one-pointedness, is mentioned only in the
commentaries. Thanissaro argues that the deep state of meditation
advocated by some Buddhist teachers is “wrong concentration,” while
Vimalaramsi suggests  that  the  jhāna  practices  endorsed  by
Visuddhimagga  followers  is  “hypnosis,”  not  jhāna.


user8157: 
Another way to divide them is those who consider ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration important or those who don't.

"Ekaggatā" does not mean "very deep concentration". "Ekaggatā" is stability. Even though the 1st jhana includes ekaggata, the 1st jhana is an expansive luminous exalted heaven. 

What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?

The sutta jhana is taught by the Buddha, who taught jhana is reached by making "letting go" ("vossagga") the meditation object (SN 48.10; MN 118). "Visuddhimagga jhana" is Hindu yoga taught by the Brahmin Buddhaghosa; who taught "seclusion by suppression" (page 134). "Letting go" ("vossagga") is not "suppression". This is probably the primary difference between Buddha-jhana and Vissudhimagga-jhana. Buddha-jhana is consistent with the Noble Truths, namely, abandoning craving. Vissudhimagga-jhana is Hindu yogic craving. 

Is ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?

"Ekaggatā" does not mean "very deep one-pointed". Of course "ekaggatā" is required for jhana; as written in the suttas & taught by the Buddha. How can each jhana not include ekaggata when all of the sutta say the 1st jhana includes ekaggata? 

Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta?

Jhana includes vedanupassana & cittanupassana, i.e., observing feelings & the mind with the mindfulness of non-clinging. Satipatthana is for developing jhana. Jhana is not for developing satipatthana. The suttas say jhana is used for vipassana. 

Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?

Overcoming hindrances is a requirement for jhana. Jhana is not a requirement for overcoming hindrances. 
Ayya Khema, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Pa-Auk Sayadaw, Bhante Vimalaramsi, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Leigh Brasington and Shaila Catherine = imaginary jhana for children building ego sand castles. Ajahn Brahmavamso = real jhana for adults.

user12022: From the first translation - AN 4.123 PTS: A ii 126
Jhana Sutta: Mental Absorption (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2006 - we can read the differences between Jhana 1,2,3, & 4 which are critical to this arguement.
NOTES: In chemistry pH is measured with each whole number being more acid or more alkaline by a multiple of 10. The differences between these first 4 (rupa) jhanas is greater than the difference in pH. I will attach these translations here - but please note the DIFFERENCES between J 1-4!
"There is the case where an individual, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the devas of Brahma's retinue. The devas of Brahma's retinue, monks, have a life-span of an eon. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Abhassara[1] devas.[2] The Abhassara devas, monks, have a life-span of two eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakinha[3] devas. The Subhakinha devas, monks, have a life-span of four eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.
"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala[4] devas. The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a life-span of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.
NOTES:
AGAIN!
first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation
second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance
Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana
Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain
From J1 to J4 we go from 'bliss and ecstasy' all the way to 'equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain'
QUESTION #1 - What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?
As you can see below, there is NOT a substantial difference between this Jhana Sutta AN 4.123 from the commentaries or the Visuddhimagga, in regards to the identification of the definitions of jhana according to the five factors they possess - vitakka, vicara, sukha, piti, ekkagata - see definitions at : http://www.buddhanet.net/mettab3.htm) 
Here is the language used in the Visuddhimagga: https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf
- pages 133-161:
[FIRST JHANA]
“Quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from
unprofitable things he enters upon and dwells in the first jhána, which is
accompanied by applied and sustained thought with happiness and bliss born
of seclusion” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained the first jhána"
[THE SECOND JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the stilling of applied and sustained thought he
enters upon and dwells in the second jhána, which has internal confidence and
singleness of mind without applied thought, without sustained thought, with
happiness and bliss born of concentration” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained
the second jhána
[THE THIRD JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the fading away of happiness as well he dwells
in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, he feels bliss with his body; he
enters upon and dwells in the third jhána, on account of which the Noble Ones
announce: ‘He dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful’ (Vibh 245),
and so he has attained the third jhána"
[THE FOURTH JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the abandoning of pleasure and pain and with
the previous disappearance of joy and grief he enters upon and dwells in the
fourth jhána, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of mindfulness
due to equanimity” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained the fourth jhána"
NOTE: As you can see, the primary frame work of the Jhanas is for the most part identical in both Sutta and The Path of Purification, the Visuddhimagga
From J1 to J4 we go from 'bliss and ecstasy' all the way to 'equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain'
It confirms a consistency of Deep-End vs. Shallow End of the Pool. The beginning of the deep end is J4 and beyond, because the discrimination mind of pleasure/pain, like/dislike, ceases to operate in a judgmental fashion, it is even beyond the fashionable "bliss-consciousness' of the spiritual marketplace.
QUESTION # 2 - Is ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?
BOTH THE Sutta and the Visuddhimagga state that Ekaggata (Equinimity) is necessary for J3 and J4 the distinction being bliss is not yet fully transcended in J3. "very deep one-pointed" is not very adequate language to express J4, but the answer is still Yes.
QUESTION #3 - Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta? Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?
Entering into J1-2 is recommended for this, yes. *citation needed
Thought and Feeling, Perception and Consciousness are already fully stilled & utilized by the J3-J4 - it's the culmination of the 4 Bases. Direct experience surpasses "reflection"
Conclusion: Concerning the Jhanas and jhana factors, the ancient texts display remarkable consistency. The disputations that arise are not well-founded textually.

user43: There is definitely a lot of confusion about Jhanas. In general, Buddhism has always been infamous for its lack of trust to teachers, texts, and interpretations - hence traditional obsession with "that one guy in the mountains who actually got it". The last two centuries' increased interest to Pali Canon apparently comes from the same doubts that give rise to an obsessive quest to seek ever more "authoritative sources" - i.e. the suttas, secret "root texts" in Tibetan Buddhism etc.
Despite all that, Dharma is and remains a rather straightforward and logical system, with its practice and teachings naturally following from a very small number of rather simple key principles. To any one who clearly understands these principles, interpretation of teaching and practice is no longer a mystery - the meaning of texts and the point of practice becomes clear as daylight.
Luckily for all of us the essence of Buddhism has not been lost, there are in fact many schools and teachers who get the gist and pass it on to next generation. At the same time, over the centuries of transmission, the Dharma as taught by Buddha has been unnecessarily burdened by a heavy load of superstitions and misunderstandings that get mindlessly passed from generation to generation. These "monkey practices" and "parrot teachings" do not help a new student, but only make their quest harder and their path longer and twisted.
When it comes to Jhanas, it is very clear to me that both their original context (how they fit with the Teaching at large), and their essence (how exactly they look in practice) has been largely lost in all traditions. Yes, most schools retained some of the right elements and teach them as their meditation - but the idea of progression, what this progression means and how it is achieved has largely been lost.
I agree with that article, that most modern interpretations can be divided into two groups: the ones that see Jhanas as trance-like states, and the ones that try to challenge that notion. I won't say that the trance-like Jhana camp is limited to Theravada only; there are plenty of Tibetan Buddhism teachers who teach a similar theory of meditation (not sure whether they actually practice it).
As for my own opinion, I am definitely in the "sutta-jhana" camp, and probably even more so than the others. In my mind, the connection of Jhanas to Four Noble Truths is crystal-clear, and the way Jhanas lead to Liberation is as obvious to me as 2+2.
Jhanas are milestones (not actual fixed states!) on the progressive path of removing the coarse-medium-fine instances of non-suchness towards the gradually more refined suchness, culminating in non-conditional suchness of the Unbinding. The practice of Jhanas is based on the key principle that the conflict between "is" and "should" (=non-suchness) is dukkha, and agreement between "is" and "should" (=suchness) is peace. This principle is then utilized to remove coarse sources of conflict, and to find, generate, and contrive coarse sources of the agreement - and the practice is repeated recursively with progressively more refined conflict and suchness.
Jhanas are clearly not states that one "enters" as a  byproduct of concentration. Nothing could be furthest from truth. Jhanas are milestones of one's mastery of emotional intelligence, one's ability to let go of unwholesome mindstates, and to generate and/or maintain wholesome mindstates.
First Jhana is when the student learns to let go of pretty much all regular sources of non-suchness (such as craving for entertainment, worldly success, lust for sensory pleasure, craving of informational stimulation, concerns about real-life problems, aversion to people and society and so on and so forth) and draws coarse suchness from congratulating oneself on one's luck of encountering True Dharma, one's flawless ethics, one's lack of involvement with the worldly drama, one's clear understanding of Dharmic principles, and one's progress on the Path. Feeling thus happy is the basic skill that one has to master, without which nothing else can follow. This skill is cultivated until one can recall good thoughts and make oneself feel happy at will, whenever one wishes.
Second Jhana is when the student has mastered and enjoyed First Jhana for long enough time that he or she has had enough of it. He then stops generating coarse suchness (happiness) through self-suggestion, and learns to draw a subtler kind of happiness from the sense of confidence, rightness, lack of inner conflict, and a sense of inner integration. This is more of a psychosomatic practice than a mental one. This state is cultivated until one gets stable in it and can stay in it pretty much all the time.
Third Jhana is when the student has had enough of the second Jhana to the point when being emotionally uplifted starts getting a slightly bit weary. This is when the student allows oneself to relax their sense of control over one's thoughts and emotions, and enter a state which can be explained as being emotionally sober. This state is then cultivated until one gets completely comfortable in it - without falling back to emotionally negative states, but without having to put any effort in staying emotionally uplifted either. Emotionally sober is a very good name for this Jhana.
Finally, Fourth Jhana signifies a phase when one's detachment, dispassion, non-identification, wisdom, seeing the emptiness (all these are different names that point to the same quality of mind) reaches the level when one can basically drop all control over one's thoughts and emotions, because one's suchness is no longer conditional on circumstances. Indeed, the very worry about "suchness" vs "conflict" is now seen as a source of non-suchness and is outgrown.
This is my interpretation of Jhanas based on what I learned from my teachers, books, and personal practices. As everything in Buddhism after Buddha's parinirvana, it remains subject to doubt and scepticism. What makes me confident that my interpretation is right, is the fact that it fits both with the sutta descriptions of jhanas, as well as with Noble Truths and with numerous other teachings in different traditions of Buddhism, from Theravada to Zen to Dzogchen. Most importantly, this teaching actually "works" for me in the most direct and personal way.
This doctrine of "suchness" is the kind of Buddhism I practice myself and am trying to share with others as much as I can. If someone wants to verify it for themselves, it is only too easy. All you need to do is separate all your thoughts and activities into two classes: ones that are sources of suchness vs. ones that are sources of conflict between "is" and "should". Then, cultivate the first and let go of the second. Start with the coarsest and gradually go to subtler, and see for yourself how it works.

471: <p>In the paper &quot;<a href="http://www.leighb.com/Jhana_in_Theravada_Quli.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Multiple Buddhist Modernisms: Jhāna in Convert Theravāda</a>&quot;, Natalie Quli compares what the following teachers have taught about jhana: Ayya Khema, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Pa-Auk Sayadaw, Ajahn Brahmavamso, Bhante Vimalaramsi, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Leigh Brasington and Shaila Catherine.</p>
<p>There seems to be roughly two camps of teachers. The first that depend on Visuddhimagga, Abhidhamma, commentaries and suttas for the teaching on jhanas. The second depends either primarily or solely on the suttas, and not the other sources.</p>
<p>Another way to divide them is those who consider <em>ekaggatā</em> or very deep one-pointed concentration important, or those who don't.</p>
<p>Questions:</p>
<ol>
<li>What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?</li>
<li>Is <em>ekaggatā</em> or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?</li>
<li>Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta? Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?</li>
</ol>
<p>The paper discussed Ajahn Brahm's view:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Brahmavaṃso  argues  for  a  very  deep  level  of
concentration—<em>ekaggatā</em>—that  other  teachers  often  criticize.  He
states  that  in  jhāna the  body  disappears,  so  that  one  can  no
longer  see  or  hear.  He  also  states  bluntly  that  jhāna  is
not  possible  during  walking  meditation,  perhaps a statement made
in reference to Vimalaramsi’s light, sutta-based jhānas, discussed
below. Finally, he argues that “some teachers today present a level
of meditation and call it jhāna when it is clearly less  than  the
real  thing.” Among the sources Brahmavaṃso reveres and cites
throughout his work are the Vinaya, the Visuddhimagga, and even the
jātakas — which are very rarely mentioned by Western Insight Meditation
teachers.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The paper discussed Bhante Vimalaramsi's view:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Part  of  this  effort  to  return  to  the  origin  of  Buddhism  has
led  Vimalaramsi to revere the suttas and Vinaya but reject the later
commentaries and the Abhidhamma. He is particularly critical of the
Visuddhimagga. For example, he notes:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>So  you  have  the  Visuddhimagga  teaching  one  kind  of
meditation,  that doesn’t lead to nibbāna, and you have the sutta,
that teaches an-other kind of meditation, and it leads directly to
nibbāna. And now, because we’re so far away from the time of the
Buddha, there’s a lot of monks that take the Visuddhimagga as the same
as the teaching of the Buddha, and then there’s other monks that don’t
take that as the teaching of the Buddha, they take the suttas as the
true teaching.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Though Vimalaramsi initially studied in the vipassanā centers in
Burma, he became convinced that this style of meditation was not
authentic because it was based on commentaries rather than the
suttas. In fact, this sutta-based interpretation of meditation has
led him to teaching what he calls “tranquil-wisdom meditation,” a
joint samatha/vipassanā  meditation.  He  teaches  mainly  from  the
Anapanasati-sutta and the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta, and maintains that jhāna
should not be considered ecstatic or one-pointed (<em>ekaggatā</em>). Rather,
it is a light, relaxed state  in  which  various  Buddhist  insights
are  examined.  He  maintains  that (1) those who follow the
commentaries’ descriptions of jhāna are practicing  a  non-Buddhist
meditation  that  does  not  lead  to  nirvana  and  (2)  those  who
follow  the  commentaries  in  practicing  a  separate  vipassanā
practice are mistaken in following a non-canonical authority.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>The paper discussed Thanissaro Bhikkhu's view:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Thanissaro Bhikkhu teaches jhāna exclusively from the suttas and not
from  the  commentaries.  After  noting  that  the  jhānas  as  taught
in  the  Visuddhimagga  include  elements  not  mentioned  in  the
suttas,  Thanissaro Bhikkhu notes, “Some Theravadins insist that
questioning the commentaries is a sign of disrespect for the
tradition, but it seems to be a sign of greater disrespect for the
Buddha—or the compilers of the Canon—to assume that he or they would
have left out something absolutely  essential  to  the  practice.”  He
concludes  that  jhāna  in  the  commentaries is “something quite
different” than jhāna in the canon.</p>
<p>Unlike  others  who  advocate  the  “deeper”  states  described  in
the  Visuddhimagga, <strong>Thanissaro Bhikkhu argues that extremely deep
states of  meditation  are  “wrong  concentration.”</strong>  One  must  be
fully  aware  of the body; powerful <em>ekaggatā</em>, as discussed in the
Visuddhimagga, can lead to one losing a sense of sounds, thoughts, or
perceptions, which is not ideal for insight in his opinion. People who
advocate such deep meditation are, according to Thanissaro Bhikkhu,
blocking out certain areas of awareness and are “psychologically adept
at dissociation and denial.”</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Leigh Brasington, student of Ayya Khema, described sutta jhana vs. visuddhimagga jhana:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Leigh Brasington is an American student of Ayya Khema who now teaches
regularly on the jhānas across the United States, mainly to students
at Insight Meditation centers. Like his teacher, Brasington suggests
that  the  jhānas are not difficult to learn or practice.  He  notes
that “The jhānas as discussed in the suttas are accessible to many
people” but maintains that the jhānas presented in the Visuddhimagga
are actually qualitatively different from those described in the
suttas; he speculates that the Visuddhimagga jhānas were developed
during a later period and are more difficult to achieve. In fact,
<strong>Brasington has suggested that we distinguish between “sutta jhānas”
and “Visuddhimagga jhānas,” which he considers quite different from
one another.</strong> Brasington favors the lighter sutta jhānas.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>A further comment by the paper's author:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>Likewise, Thai-trained Thanissaro Bhikkhu completely rejects the
authority of the commentaries in terms of jhāna practice. Both of
these teachers agree that the jhānas are a light state of meditation
because ekaggatā, deep one-pointedness, is mentioned only in the
commentaries. Thanissaro argues that the deep state of meditation
advocated by some Buddhist teachers is “wrong concentration,” while
<strong>Vimalaramsi suggests  that  the  jhāna  practices  endorsed  by
Visuddhimagga  followers  is  “hypnosis,”  not  jhāna.</strong></p>
</blockquote>
 8157: <blockquote>
  <p><strong>Another way to divide them is those who consider ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration important or those who don't.</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>"Ekaggatā" does not mean "very deep concentration". "Ekaggatā" is stability. Even though the 1st jhana includes ekaggata, the 1st jhana is an expansive luminous exalted heaven. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>The sutta jhana is taught by the Buddha, who taught jhana is reached by making "letting go" ("vossagga") the meditation object (SN 48.10; MN 118). "Visuddhimagga jhana" is Hindu yoga taught by the Brahmin Buddhaghosa; who taught "<em>seclusion by suppression</em>" (<a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">page 134</a>). "Letting go" ("vossagga") is not "suppression". This is probably the primary difference between Buddha-jhana and Vissudhimagga-jhana. Buddha-jhana is consistent with the Noble Truths, namely, abandoning craving. Vissudhimagga-jhana is Hindu yogic craving. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Is ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>"Ekaggatā" does not mean "very deep one-pointed". Of course "ekaggatā" is required for jhana; as written in the suttas &amp; taught by the Buddha. How can each jhana not include ekaggata when all of the sutta say the 1st jhana includes ekaggata? </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Jhana includes vedanupassana &amp; cittanupassana, i.e., observing feelings &amp; the mind with the mindfulness of non-clinging. Satipatthana is for developing jhana. Jhana is not for developing satipatthana. The suttas say jhana is used for vipassana. </p>

<blockquote>
  <p><strong>Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?</strong></p>
</blockquote>

<p>Overcoming hindrances is a requirement for jhana. Jhana is not a requirement for overcoming hindrances. </p>

<p>Ayya Khema, Bhante Henepola Gunaratana, Pa-Auk Sayadaw, Bhante Vimalaramsi, Thanissaro Bhikkhu, Leigh Brasington and Shaila Catherine = imaginary jhana for children building ego sand castles. Ajahn Brahmavamso = real jhana for adults.</p>
 12022: <p>From the first translation - AN 4.123 PTS: A ii 126
Jhana Sutta: Mental Absorption (1)
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 2006 - we can read the differences between Jhana 1,2,3, &amp; 4 which are critical to this arguement.</p>

<p>NOTES: In chemistry pH is measured with each whole number being more acid or more alkaline by a multiple of 10. The differences between these first 4 (rupa) jhanas is greater than the difference in pH. I will attach these translations here - but please note the DIFFERENCES between J 1-4!</p>

<p>"There is the case where an individual, withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities, enters &amp; remains in the first jhana: rapture &amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought &amp; evaluation. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the devas of Brahma's retinue. The devas of Brahma's retinue, monks, have a life-span of an eon. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.</p>

<p>"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the stilling of directed thoughts &amp; evaluations, enters &amp; remains in the second jhana: rapture &amp; pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought &amp; evaluation — internal assurance. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Abhassara[1] devas.[2] The Abhassara devas, monks, have a life-span of two eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.</p>

<p>"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, &amp; alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters &amp; remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous &amp; mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.' He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Subhakinha[3] devas. The Subhakinha devas, monks, have a life-span of four eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.</p>

<p>"Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure &amp; stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation &amp; distress — enters &amp; remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp; mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He savors that, longs for that, finds satisfaction through that. Staying there — fixed on that, dwelling there often, not falling away from that — then when he dies he reappears in conjunction with the Vehapphala[4] devas. The Vehapphala devas, monks, have a life-span of 500 eons. A run-of-the-mill person having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, goes to hell, to the animal womb, to the state of the hungry shades. But a disciple of the Blessed One, having stayed there, having used up all the life-span of those devas, is unbound right in that state of being. This, monks, is the difference, this the distinction, this the distinguishing factor, between an educated disciple of the noble ones and an uneducated run-of-the-mill person, when there is a destination, a reappearing.</p>

<p>NOTES:
AGAIN!
first jhana: rapture &amp; pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought &amp; evaluation</p>

<p>second jhana: rapture &amp; pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought &amp; evaluation — internal assurance</p>

<p>Again, there is the case where an individual, with the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, &amp; alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters &amp; remains in the third jhana</p>

<p>Again, there is the case where an individual, with the abandoning of pleasure &amp; stress — as with the earlier disappearance of elation &amp; distress — enters &amp; remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity &amp; mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain</p>

<p>From J1 to J4 we go from 'bliss and ecstasy' all the way to 'equanimity &amp; mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain'</p>

<p>QUESTION #1 - What's the actual difference between sutta jhana and visuddhimagga jhana?</p>

<p>As you can see below, there is NOT a substantial difference between this Jhana Sutta AN 4.123 from the commentaries or the Visuddhimagga, in regards to the identification of the definitions of jhana according to the five factors they possess - vitakka, vicara, sukha, piti, ekkagata - see definitions at : <a href="http://www.buddhanet.net/mettab3.htm" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.buddhanet.net/mettab3.htm</a>) </p>

<p>Here is the language used in the Visuddhimagga: <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/nanamoli/PathofPurification2011.pdf</a>
- pages 133-161:</p>

<p>[FIRST JHANA]
“Quite secluded from sense desires, secluded from
unprofitable things he enters upon and dwells in the first jhána, which is
accompanied by applied and sustained thought with happiness and bliss born
of seclusion” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained the first jhána"</p>

<p>[THE SECOND JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the stilling of applied and sustained thought he
enters upon and dwells in the second jhána, which has internal confidence and
singleness of mind without applied thought, without sustained thought, with
happiness and bliss born of concentration” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained
the second jhána</p>

<p>[THE THIRD JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the fading away of happiness as well he dwells
in equanimity, and mindful and fully aware, he feels bliss with his body; he
enters upon and dwells in the third jhána, on account of which the Noble Ones
announce: ‘He dwells in bliss who has equanimity and is mindful’ (Vibh 245),
and so he has attained the third jhána"</p>

<p>[THE FOURTH JHÁNA]
And at this point, “With the abandoning of pleasure and pain and with
the previous disappearance of joy and grief he enters upon and dwells in the
fourth jhána, which has neither-pain-nor-pleasure and has purity of mindfulness
due to equanimity” (Vibh 245), and so he has attained the fourth jhána"</p>

<p>NOTE: As you can see, the primary frame work of the Jhanas is for the most part identical in both Sutta and The Path of Purification, the Visuddhimagga</p>

<p>From J1 to J4 we go from 'bliss and ecstasy' all the way to 'equanimity &amp; mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain'</p>

<p>It confirms a consistency of Deep-End vs. Shallow End of the Pool. The beginning of the deep end is J4 and beyond, because the discrimination mind of pleasure/pain, like/dislike, ceases to operate in a judgmental fashion, it is even beyond the fashionable "bliss-consciousness' of the spiritual marketplace.</p>

<p>QUESTION # 2 - Is ekaggatā or very deep one-pointed concentration required for jhana?
BOTH THE Sutta and the Visuddhimagga state that Ekaggata (Equinimity) is necessary for J3 and J4 the distinction being bliss is not yet fully transcended in J3. "very deep one-pointed" is not very adequate language to express J4, but the answer is still Yes.</p>

<p>QUESTION #3 - Would a jhana attainer be able to use his jhana state to reflect on the four foundations of mindfulness as found in the Satipatthana Sutta? Or is jhana simply used to overcome the five hindrances, which aids the four foundations of mindfulness meditation?</p>

<p>Entering into J1-2 is recommended for this, yes. *citation needed</p>

<p>Thought and Feeling, Perception and Consciousness are already fully stilled &amp; utilized by the J3-J4 - it's the culmination of the 4 Bases. Direct experience surpasses "reflection"</p>

<p>Conclusion: Concerning the Jhanas and jhana factors, the ancient texts display remarkable consistency. The disputations that arise are not well-founded textually.</p>
 43: <p>There is definitely a lot of confusion about Jhanas. In general, Buddhism has always been infamous for its lack of trust to teachers, texts, and interpretations - hence traditional obsession with "that one guy in the mountains who actually got it". The last two centuries' increased interest to Pali Canon apparently comes from the same doubts that give rise to an obsessive quest to seek ever more "authoritative sources" - i.e. the suttas, secret "root texts" in Tibetan Buddhism etc.</p>

<p>Despite all that, Dharma is and remains a rather straightforward and logical system, with its practice and teachings naturally following from a very small number of rather simple key principles. To any one who clearly understands these principles, interpretation of teaching and practice is no longer a mystery - the meaning of texts and the point of practice becomes clear as daylight.</p>

<p>Luckily for all of us the essence of Buddhism has <em>not</em> been lost, there are in fact many schools and teachers who get the gist and pass it on to next generation. At the same time, over the centuries of transmission, the Dharma as taught by Buddha has been unnecessarily burdened by a heavy load of superstitions and misunderstandings that get mindlessly passed from generation to generation. These "monkey practices" and "parrot teachings" do not help a new student, but only make their quest harder and their path longer and twisted.</p>

<p>When it comes to Jhanas, it is very clear to me that both their original <em>context</em> (how they fit with the Teaching at large), and their essence (how exactly they look in practice) has been largely lost in all traditions. Yes, most schools retained some of the right elements and teach them as their meditation - but the idea of <em>progression</em>, what this progression <em>means</em> and how it is achieved has largely been lost.</p>

<p>I agree with that article, that most modern interpretations can be divided into two groups: the ones that see Jhanas as trance-like states, and the ones that try to challenge that notion. I won't say that the trance-like Jhana camp is limited to Theravada only; there are plenty of Tibetan Buddhism teachers who teach a similar theory of meditation (not sure whether they actually practice it).</p>

<p>As for my own opinion, I am definitely in the "sutta-jhana" camp, and probably even more so than the others. In my mind, the connection of Jhanas to Four Noble Truths is crystal-clear, and the way Jhanas lead to Liberation is as obvious to me as 2+2.</p>

<p>Jhanas are milestones (not actual fixed states!) on the progressive path of removing the coarse-medium-fine instances of non-suchness towards the gradually more refined suchness, culminating in non-conditional suchness of the Unbinding. The practice of Jhanas is based on the key principle that the conflict between "is" and "should" (=non-suchness) is dukkha, and agreement between "is" and "should" (=suchness) is peace. This principle is then utilized to remove coarse sources of conflict, and to <em>find, generate, and contrive</em> coarse sources of the agreement - and the practice is repeated recursively with progressively more refined conflict and suchness.</p>

<p>Jhanas are clearly <em>not</em> states that one "enters" as a  byproduct of concentration. Nothing could be furthest from truth. Jhanas are milestones of one's mastery of emotional intelligence, one's ability to let go of unwholesome mindstates, and to generate and/or maintain wholesome mindstates.</p>

<p>First Jhana is when the student learns to let go of pretty much all regular sources of non-suchness (such as craving for entertainment, worldly success, lust for sensory pleasure, craving of informational stimulation, concerns about real-life problems, aversion to people and society and so on and so forth) and draws coarse suchness from congratulating oneself on one's luck of encountering True Dharma, one's flawless ethics, one's lack of involvement with the worldly drama, one's clear understanding of Dharmic principles, and one's progress on the Path. Feeling thus happy is the basic skill that one has to master, without which nothing else can follow. This skill is cultivated until one can recall good thoughts and make oneself feel happy at will, whenever one wishes.</p>

<p>Second Jhana is when the student has mastered and enjoyed First Jhana for long enough time that he or she has had enough of it. He then stops generating coarse suchness (happiness) through self-suggestion, and learns to draw a subtler kind of happiness from the sense of confidence, rightness, lack of inner conflict, and a sense of inner integration. This is more of a psychosomatic practice than a mental one. This state is cultivated until one gets stable in it and can stay in it pretty much all the time.</p>

<p>Third Jhana is when the student has had enough of the second Jhana to the point when being emotionally uplifted starts getting a slightly bit weary. This is when the student allows oneself to relax their sense of control over one's thoughts and emotions, and enter a state which can be explained as being emotionally sober. This state is then cultivated until one gets completely comfortable in it - without falling back to emotionally negative states, but without having to put any effort in staying emotionally uplifted either. Emotionally sober is a very good name for this Jhana.</p>

<p>Finally, Fourth Jhana signifies a phase when one's detachment, dispassion, non-identification, wisdom, seeing the emptiness (all these are different names that point to the same quality of mind) reaches the level when one can basically drop all control over one's thoughts and emotions, because one's suchness is no longer conditional on circumstances. Indeed, the very worry about "suchness" vs "conflict" is now seen as a source of non-suchness and is outgrown.</p>

<p>This is my interpretation of Jhanas based on what I learned from my teachers, books, and personal practices. As everything in Buddhism after Buddha's parinirvana, it remains subject to doubt and scepticism. What makes me confident that my interpretation is right, is the fact that it fits both with the sutta descriptions of jhanas, as well as with Noble Truths and with numerous other teachings in different traditions of Buddhism, from Theravada to Zen to Dzogchen. Most importantly, this teaching actually "works" for me in the most direct and personal way.</p>

<p>This doctrine of "suchness" is the kind of Buddhism I practice myself and am trying to share with others as much as I can. If someone wants to verify it for themselves, it is only too easy. All you need to do is separate all your thoughts and activities into two classes: ones that are sources of suchness vs. ones that are sources of conflict between "is" and "should". Then, cultivate the first and let go of the second. Start with the coarsest and gradually go to subtler, and see for yourself how it works.</p>
