Someone asked: what is transcendent jhāna (lokuttara-jhāna), and what benefit comes from drawing the Buddha-image into the center of the body together with transcendent jhāna?

Transcendent jhāna is the jhāna of the Buddha — the jhāna of the Dhammakāya, the jhāna-plane of the Dhammakāya. When we draw the Buddha-image into the center of the body along with transcendent jhāna, the jhāna-plane becomes clearer than the body itself. Once that plane is clearer than the body, whenever we want purity, we focus on that jhāna-plane and hold our attention steadily upon it — this makes both body and mind grow clearer. We then use this jhāna-plane to continue the work of purification. Attaining the jhāna absorptions relies on this plane to bring about purity; the four jhānas and the eight jhānas all depend on this jhāna-plane to develop clarity, cleanliness, and purity.