This is another way to clearly verify attainment of Fourth Jhāna, because as Brother Alpha says, ‘Psychic abilities are a natural consequence of Fourth Jhāna in the Form Realm’. Brother Alpha guided me on how to open the inner eye Brother Alpha guided me on how to open the inner eye (third eye) as follows: When the mind has reached the level of Fourth Jhāna—that is, when it naturally settles into stillness and Bliss arises—then one can form an intention to know something that is about to happen. After a while, images or symbols (icons) will begin to appear[1]. Depending on our own mental framework, we tend to classify these symbols into dual categories: yes/no, wholesome/unwholesome, positive/negative. When an image appears (e.g., a hammer, a mountain) and we don’t yet understand what it means, we continue staying in absorption and keep asking (e.g., “What does the hammer mean?”). Then another image appears. If still unclear, we ask again—until the meaning becomes apparent. In this way, a sequence of images appears, from which we come to understand the situation we’re asking about.
Important notes:
(1) The answer is only valid when the absorption is deep, and the mind is objective and impartial. You must not insert personal biases, likes or dislikes, or expectations into the question—otherwise the answer will be completely wrong.
(2) ‘Psychic abilities have nothing to do with karma’. Even if you know what will happen, you still can’t change it. Brother Alpha has experienced many such cases in life and even shared an example of being scammed by a vendor selling fake goods.
My own experiences:
+ Case 1: A friend of mine was about to give a presentation. I entered absorption and asked how it would go. After a while, a conceptual image (that fleeted within awareness—not imagined, but perceived) of a hammer appeared. My vague interpretation was “under the hammer,” but I wasn’t sure. The next day, when the friend presented, the panel wasn’t satisfied and debated whether to pass or fail them. If passed, they insisted on including certain warnings. Later, Brother Alpha explained that this was indeed an example of the third eye opening—and that this was the first time I had actively opened it 😊.
+ Case 2: I entered samādhi and asked about a certain task I wanted to pursue. The conceptual images that appeared (after repeated inquiry) were: a mountain, the Nike logo (check mark), and a pizza. Brother Alpha helped interpret them based on my personal symbolic associations: The mountain represented something large and stable (though to him it symbolized something obstructive or unwholesome); the Nike check mark suggested something doable or already completed; and the pizza was pleasant, since I enjoy eating it. Altogether, the message seemed to be: The task will be achievable, solid, and enjoyable. This hasn’t yet been confirmed, since it concerns the future. But according to Brother Alpha, if life continues as it is and no unwholesome karma is created, that is the likely trajectory.
+ Case 3: One Monday morning, while lying down to practice before a meeting with someone I’d just met to discuss a new project, I asked whether the meeting would happen and what it might be like. The conceptual image that arose was a perfectly round number zero. I wasn’t sure what it meant. After the session, I checked my email and saw a message from the person apologizing that they couldn’t meet due to illness. Ah—that’s what the zero meant. A week later, I again asked about this topic. The sequence of conceptual images that appeared was: a block of butter, the word “smooth”, and a reddish-brown brick. After the meeting, I reflected and understood: The conversation went smoothly, and the brick symbolized a foundation—a first stone laid for this collaboration. This also remains to be fully verified, depending on how things unfold.
+ Case 4: Before a meeting about workplace reform proposals, I asked how it would go. The conceptual images that appeared were: a hammer, the phrase “heated debate”, and then the word “enemy.” I was a bit surprised—was I going to be attacked? I’m not one to make enemies! But during the meeting, it turned out that someone else had their proposal challenged. There was some debate, but it wasn’t hostile. After a while, that person mostly stopped contributing, and the chair didn’t invite them to speak again—it was as if they were quietly sidelined.
+ Case 5: I asked whether my child would do well on a test. The conceptual symbols that appeared were: a jar of Nutella and a pancake, appearing at the same time but not together (i.e., not Nutella spread on the pancake). I asked again, and the phrase “piece of cake” appeared. But that afternoon, I learned that my child had asked to skip school. So the answer was not accurate☹. I’m not sure whether the answer was wrong because my mind wasn’t objective, or for some other reason. There were one or two other experiences I’ve forgotten or haven’t yet had the chance to verify. Besides, I don’t want to engage in this type of inquiry too frequently because: (i) there isn’t much that needs asking anyway, and (ii) I feel that Bliss tends to weaken during the questioning process.
(End of Part 5/7)
Notes:
[1] Brother Alpha also added that because psychic abilities are a natural consequence of Fourth Jhāna in the Form Realm, there are times when we don’t consciously ask anything, yet images or symbols still appear. In truth, these are the very answers to our underlying concerns and uncertainties in life. These unresolved knots lie deep within our subconscious, and during meditation, the inner seeing within this dimension of awareness reveals the answers to us.