{"id":574,"date":"2016-04-13T12:25:51","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T02:25:51","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/walking-towards-right-concentration"},"modified":"2019-08-05T03:39:46","modified_gmt":"2019-08-05T03:39:46","slug":"walking-towards-right-concentration","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/04\/13\/walking-towards-right-concentration\/","title":{"rendered":"Walking towards right concentration"},"content":{"rendered":"

Samma samadhi<\/span> is the last of the listed eightfold path. It is the nurturing of a mental state already present in every state of consciousness. It aims at the development of citt’ekagatta<\/span> one pointedness of mind, when the mind centres its acts of consciousness around an object.<\/p>\n

Samadhi can be recognized by two salient features:<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Unbroken attentiveness to an object<\/li>\n
  2. A consequent tranquillity<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Samadhi is trained by use of the 40 kammatthana<\/span> objects of meditation. The differences between the training of sati<\/span> mindfulness and samadhi are exemplified in the use of the cemetery meditations: when training sati, the focus is on the corpses and reflecting on the corpses; when training samadhi thoughts are unhelpful.<\/p>\n

    Stages of samadhi development<\/h3>\n

    At all times khanika-samadhi<\/span>\u00a0momentary concentration may be developed. This is the concentration that watches whatever appears, and also leads to one-pointedness.<\/p>\n

    (1) First one is repeatedly returning to the object. Here is developed parikkamma-sammadhi<\/span> preliminary concentration and the parikkamma nimitta<\/span> premiliminary sign.<\/p>\n

    (2) Once the initial excitement subsides the hindrances bubble up and the meditator must know when to return to the primary object and when to take up an opposing object.<\/p>\n

    (3) In time the 5 indriya<\/span> spiritual faculties link up and steer the mind towards a state wherein samadhi governs the jhananga<\/span> factors of absorption. They are:<\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Vitakka<\/span> initial application of mind – this drives the mind into an object like a nail into wood, or like the striking of a bell – it counters the hinderance dulness<\/li>\n
    2. Vicara<\/span> sustained application of mind – this anchors the mind, like the reverberations of the bell which continue on after it is struck – it counters doubt<\/li>\n
    3. Piti<\/span> rapture – this accompanies the favourable interest in an object; it is like a traveller seeing an oasis from afar – it counters ill-will<\/li>\n
    4. Sukha<\/span> happiness – this feeling accompanies succesful concentration; it is like a traveller resting in the shade at an oasis – it counters restlessness<\/li>\n
    5. Ekagatta<\/span> one pointedness – this is the pivotal function – it counters sensual desire<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      The word jhana<\/span> (Skt. dhyana) is traced by the Buddhagosa to the verb\u00a0jh\u0101yati<\/em> “to think, to meditate.” He also plays with the derivative\u00a0jh\u0101peti<\/em> “to burn up” because the states of jhana burn up the opposing states.<\/p>\n

      (4) With the strengthening of concentration appears uggaha-nimitta<\/span> the learning sign.<\/p>\n

      (5) Later appears the patibhaga-nimitta<\/span> the counterpart sign, which indicates the achievement of upacara-samadhi<\/span> access concentration.<\/p>\n

      (6) Later appana samadhi<\/span> absorption is achieved. And from this the 4 stages of jhana and then the 4 stages of aruppa are developed.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

      Samma samadhi is the last of the listed eightfold path. It is the nurturing of a mental state already present in every state of consciousness. It aims at the development of citt’ekagatta one pointedness of mind, when the mind centres its acts of consciousness around an object. Samadhi can be recognized by two salient features: […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[159,90,169,113,106],"tags":[117,107],"metadata":[],"class_list":["post-574","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-all-posts","category-blog-posts","category-buddhism","category-searching","category-the-traveller-is-the-journey","tag-buddhism","tag-meditation"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":804,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/03\/24\/seeking-the-present-in-the-midst-of-action\/","url_meta":{"origin":574,"position":0},"title":"Seeking the present in the midst of action","author":"Pala","date":"March 24, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"I may lose myself and be lost in the tangles of associations and prompts and distractions and imaginations and judgements and intuitions of the mindless mind. Sati\u00a0(bare attention, mindfulness) is an exercise in the moment, and a propensity developed with training. The arising and leaving and intending-towards sati increase and\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":480,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/03\/09\/walking-towards-right-effort\/","url_meta":{"origin":574,"position":1},"title":"Walking towards right effort","author":"Pala","date":"March 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Samma vayama right effort is the 6th of the eightfold path. I shall not give up my efforts until I have attained whatever is attainable by perseverance, energy, and endeavour. We share in four great endeavours: Prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states Abandon the unwholesome states that have already\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"atlas___curse_by_jujubajulia-d5e57xw","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/03\/atlas___curse_by_jujubajulia-d5e57xw.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":807,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/03\/26\/learning-meditation-from-thera\/","url_meta":{"origin":574,"position":2},"title":"Learning meditation from Thera","author":"Pala","date":"March 26, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Bhikku\u00a0Nyanaponika Thera wrote a short book entitled\u00a0The Power of Mindfulness, in which he describes four principles\u00a0which\u00a0may assist understanding the benefits, aims, and strategies of meditations. These he lists as: The functions of tidying and naming The non-coercive procedure Stopping and slowing-down Directness of vision Thera describes unofficial four powers for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":805,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/04\/09\/walking-towards-right-mindfulness\/","url_meta":{"origin":574,"position":3},"title":"Walking towards right mindfulness","author":"Pala","date":"April 9, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"Samma sati is right mindfulness. Sati is also translated as \"bare attention\". It contrasts with the familiar mode of consciousness, which uses impressions as inspiration\u00a0for its experiential confabulations. Those are the papa\u00f1ca elaborations, or embellishments, which are used as springs for the expression of latent defilements. 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Having previously dedicated substantial research effort to reviewing and documenting the great philosophical minds of the West, he now commences his exploration of the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]},{"id":810,"url":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/2016\/04\/23\/five-ascetics-waiting-for-buddha\/","url_meta":{"origin":574,"position":5},"title":"Five ascetics waiting for Buddha","author":"Pala","date":"April 23, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"The Pali cannon (MN 36) tells the story of the Buddha's enlightenment. Before his liberation, the to-be Buddha tortured himself by emaciating himself and restricting his breathing, in his search for ultimate liberation. Past masters had failed him in his ultimate quest, and so he strived to find his own\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "All Posts"","block_context":{"text":"All Posts","link":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/all-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"","width":0,"height":0},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/padotI-9g","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=574"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/574\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=574"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=574"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=574"},{"taxonomy":"metadata","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thetravellerslastjourney.com\/shai\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/metadata?post=574"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}