How do you quantify how difficult the mundane path is? I would say less than 1% of us are capable of achieving the 8th jhana, if sufficient application across the lifespan exists. I base this on the idea that one in a million of us have solitary buddha seed, so can achieve the jhanas without formal practice. It's a wild and absurd guess, and if you want to know how long it would take, I'd talk with your local zen (etc.) monks about their meditation regime.

Think I met a solitary buddha, though not at that time free. A very dismissive person, but interesting.

How do you quantify how difficult the mundane path is? I would say about than 0.1% of us are capable of achieving the 8th jhana, if sufficient application across the lifespan exists. I base this on the idea that one in a million of us have solitary buddha seed, so can achieve the jhanas without formal practice. It's a wild and absurd guess, and if you want to know how long it would take, I'd talk with your local zen (etc.) monks about their meditation regime.

Think I met a solitary buddha, though not at that time free. A very dismissive person, but interesting.

There are 300,000 monks in Japan, only some of whom will take meditation seriously enough to achieve the 8th jhana, though there's bound to be a (imperfect) link between proficiency at meditation (nb I do not mean enlightened skill) and joining the Buddhist church. Around 300 sounds about right...