<p>Samadhi is a general term for concentration. Jhanas are stages you achieve in Samatha meditation when your concentration reaches a certain level. </p>

<p>To give an analogy, Samadhi is like the temperature of ice. When the temperature reaches a certain level, it becomes water. That's like reaching the first Jhana. If you keep heating, it will become steam. That is like reaching the second Jhana and so on.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-04T11:07:00.310Z
What are you saying is Samadhi is like the temperature and the Jhan is like the measuring unit of the temperature? How can you explain this by reading Samadhi sutta? According to Samadhi sutta, Jhana is only one aspect of the four described there.
SarathW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-05T00:34:59.050Z
It appears Jhana is  a lower level of Samadhi.https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/what-is-the-difference-between-jhana-and-samadhi/6627
SarathW
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-05T01:55:21.480Z
No, the Jhana is like the state of H2O. In this case water, steam. Try to find the Sinhala version of the Sutta here: [pitaka.lk](http://pitaka.lk) It's usually clearer than the English
Sankha Kulathantille
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-04T05:59:11.240Z
2017-10-04T05:59:11.240Z
Sankha Kulathantille
<p>In tipitaka, buddha and sāvaka often use them as a synonym for each other.</p>

<p>Because when mind has just one focusing (jhayatiti jhāna) <strong>is</strong> when mind has concentration (samadahatiti samādhi).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-10-04T02:38:12.853Z
2017-10-04T10:35:37.327Z
2017-10-04T10:35:37.327Z
Bonn
<p>In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
 What is the difference?</p>

<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html</a></p>

<p><a href="http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html</a></p>

<theravada>
What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?
# What is the difference between Jhana and Samadhi?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-10-04)

In Sutta pitaka we find two Suttas namely Jhana sutta and Samadhi sutta.
What is the difference?

<http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an04/an04.041.than.html>

<http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.036.than.html>

**Tags:** theravada


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## 2 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-10-04. Score: 3

Samadhi is a general term for concentration. Jhanas are stages you achieve in Samatha meditation when your concentration reaches a certain level.

To give an analogy, Samadhi is like the temperature of ice. When the temperature reaches a certain level, it becomes water. That's like reaching the first Jhana. If you keep heating, it will become steam. That is like reaching the second Jhana and so on.

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: What are you saying is Samadhi is like the temperature and the Jhan is like the measuring unit of the temperature? How can you explain this by reading Samadhi sutta? According to Samadhi sutta, Jhana is only one aspect of the four described there.  
> **username_0**: It appears Jhana is  a lower level of Samadhi.https://discourse.suttacentral.net/t/what-is-the-difference-between-jhana-and-samadhi/6627  
> **username_1**: No, the Jhana is like the state of H2O. In this case water, steam. Try to find the Sinhala version of the Sutta here: [pitaka.lk](http://pitaka.lk) It's usually clearer than the English  

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### Answer by username_2 on 2017-10-04. Score: 1

In tipitaka, buddha and sāvaka often use them as a synonym for each other.

Because when mind has just one focusing (jhayatiti jhāna) **is** when mind has concentration (samadahatiti samādhi).


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