New Type of Saint
A new version of 'The Path to Nibbana' will be available on Christmas. More editing and refining of the text has been done, but, more importantly, new sections are now added that follow in the book after the descriptions of the four stages of sainthood.
The new section describes a new "Saint" type. Evidently, based on the Anguttara Nikaya, if you attain the noble paths through JHANA practice you will never return to this world and will attain Nibbana in your birth - and that will be a brahma loka or a very high heavenly realm. You can become a Sotapanna through hearing a phrase or by the Jhana practice, but if you attain through Jhana practice you earn a special dispensation.
No Need to be in Jhana Upon Your Death
Also, I found references where the idea that you had to be in a jhana state when you died to be able to be reborn in that jhana realm, show that this is not true. All that is required is that you can get back to that state relatively easily. That means if you can sit and get back to the jhanas then you qualify. As long as you have kept your precepts and you haven't backslid in your morality and lifestyle your jhanic attainment earns you a place in the brahma lokas in your next life.
Now, that's great news! Read more in the updated book (12/2017) If you synch your current version on your kindle you should get the update.
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