Passages from the Pali Canon
§ 148. Visakha: Now what is concentration, what qualities are its themes,
what qualities are its requisites, and what is its development?
Sister Dhammadinna: Singleness of mind is concentration; the four frames of
reference are its themes; the four right exertions are its requisites; and any
cultivation, development, & pursuit of these qualities is its development.
-- M.44
§ 149. These are the four developments of concentration. Which four? There
is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads
to a pleasant abiding in the here & now. There is the development of concentration
that... leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision. There is the development
of concentration that... leads to mindfulness & alertness. There is the
development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the
ending of the effluents.
And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued,
leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now? There is the case where a
monk -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities
-- enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from
withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling
of directed thought & evaluation, he enters & remains in the second
jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free
from directed thought & evaluation -- internal assurance. With the fading
of rapture he remains in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive
to pleasure. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble
Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' With
the abandoning of pleasure & pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of
elation & distress -- he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity
of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is the development
of concentration that... leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now.
And what is the development of concentration that... leads to the attainment
of knowledge & vision? There is the case where a monk attends to the perception
of light and is resolved on the perception of daytime [at any hour of the day].
Day [for him] is the same as night, night is the same as day. By means of an
awareness open & unhampered, he develops a brightened mind. This is the
development of concentration that... leads to the attainment of knowledge &
vision. [§§64; 66]
And what is the development of concentration that... leads to mindfulness &
alertness? There is the case where feelings are known to the monk as they arise,
known as they persist, known as they subside. Perceptions are known to him as
they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. Thoughts are known
to him as they arise, known as they persist, known as they subside. This is
the development of concentration that... leads to mindfulness & alertness.
[§30]
And what is the development of concentration that... leads to the ending of
the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on arising &
falling away with reference to the five clinging-aggregates: 'Such is form,
such its origination, such its disappearance. Such is feeling... Such is perception...
Such are fabrications... Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its
disappearance.' This is the development of concentration that... leads to the
ending of the effluents. [§173]
These are the four developments of concentration.
-- A.IV.41
§ 150. Noble Right Concentration. Now what, monks, is five-factored noble
right concentration? There is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn from
sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities -- enters & remains in the
first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed
thought & evaluation. He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills
this very body with the rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal. There is
nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal.
Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder
into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again & again with
water, so that his ball of bath powder -- saturated, moisture-laden, permeated
within & without -- would nevertheless not drip; even so, the monk permeates...
this very body with the rapture & pleasure born of withdrawal. There is
nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal.
This is the first development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
Furthermore, with the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, he enters
& remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure,
unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation -- internal
assurance. He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills this very body
with the rapture & pleasure born of composure. There is nothing of his entire
body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born of composure.
Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from within, having no inflow
from east, west, north, or south, and with the skies periodically supplying
abundant showers, so that the cool fount of water welling up from within the
lake would permeate & pervade, suffuse & fill it with cool waters, there
being no part of the lake unpervaded by the cool waters; even so, the monk permeates...
this very body with the rapture & pleasure born of composure. There is nothing
of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born of composure. This
is the second development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
And furthermore, with the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful
& alert, and physically sensitive to pleasure. He enters & remains in
the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful,
he has a pleasurable abiding.' He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills
this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is nothing
of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture.
Just as in a blue-, white-, or red-lotus pond, there may be some of the blue,
white, or red lotuses which, born & growing in the water, stay immersed
in the water and flourish without standing up out of the water, so that they
are permeated & pervaded, suffused & filled with cool water from their
roots to their tips, and nothing of those blue, white, or red lotuses would
be unpervaded with cool water; even so, the monk permeates... this very body
with the pleasure divested of rapture. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded
with pleasure divested of rapture. This is the third development of the five-factored
noble right concentration.
And furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress -- as with the
earlier disappearance of elation & distress -- he enters & remains in
the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain.
He sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness, so that there is
nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness.
Just as if a man were sitting wrapped from head to foot with a white cloth so
that there would be no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend;
even so, the monk sits, permeating his body with a pure, bright awareness. There
is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness. This is
the fourth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
And furthermore, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand, well attended
to, well pondered, well tuned (well-penetrated) by means of discernment.
Just as if one person were to reflect on another, or a standing person were
to reflect on a sitting person, or a sitting person were to reflect on a person
lying down; even so, monks, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand,
well attended to, well pondered, well tuned by means of discernment. This is
the fifth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.
When a monk has developed & pursued the five-factored noble right concentration
in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to
know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
[§64]
Suppose that there were a water jar, set on a stand, brimful of water so that
a crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to tip it in any way at all,
would water spill out?
Yes, lord.
In the same way, when a monk has developed & pursued the five-factored noble
right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges
he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever
there is an opening.
Suppose there were a rectangular water tank -- set on level ground, bounded
by dikes -- brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong
man were to loosen the dikes anywhere at all, would water spill out?
Yes, lord...
Suppose there were a chariot on level ground at four crossroads, harnessed to
thoroughbreds, waiting with whips lying ready, so that a skilled driver, a trainer
of tamable horses, might mount and -- taking the reins with his left hand and
the whip with his right -- drive out & back, to whatever place and by whichever
road he liked; in the same way, when a monk has developed & pursued the
five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six
higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them
for himself whenever there is an opening.
-- A.V.28
§ 151. Breath Meditation. Now how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing
developed & pursued so that it bears great fruit & great benefits?
There is the case where a monk, having gone to the wilderness, to the shade
of a tree, or to an empty building, sits down folding his legs crosswise, holding
his body erect, and setting mindfulness to the fore. Always mindful, he breathes
in; mindful he breathes out.
[1] Breathing in long, he discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing
out long, he discerns that he is breathing out long. [2] Or breathing in short,
he discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, he discerns
that he is breathing out short. [3] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive
to the entire body, and to breathe out sensitive to the entire body. [4] He
trains himself to breathe in calming bodily fabrication, and to breathe out
calming bodily fabrication.
[5] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to rapture, and to breathe out
sensitive to rapture. [6] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to pleasure,
and to breathe out sensitive to pleasure. [7] He trains himself to breathe in
sensitive to mental fabrications, and to breathe out sensitive to mental fabrications.
[8] He trains himself to breathe in calming mental fabrication, and to breathe
out calming mental fabrication.
[9] He trains himself to breathe in sensitive to the mind, and to breathe out
sensitive to the mind. [10] He trains himself to breathe in satisfying the mind,
and to breathe out satisfying the mind. [11] He trains himself to breathe in
steadying the mind, and to breathe out steadying the mind. [12] He trains himself
to breathe in releasing the mind, and to breathe out releasing the mind.
[13] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on inconstancy, and to breathe
out focusing on inconstancy. [14] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on
dispassion (literally, fading), and to breathe out focusing on dispassion. [15]
He trains himself to breathe in focusing on cessation, and to breathe out focusing
on cessation. [16] He trains himself to breathe in focusing on relinquishment,
and to breathe out focusing on relinquishment.
This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued
so as to bear great fruit & great benefits.
-- S.LIV.1
§ 152. Vassakara: Once, Ven. Ananda, Ven. Gotama was living at Vesali in
the Hall with the peaked roof in the Great Forest. I went to where he was staying
in the Great Forest... and there he spoke in a variety of ways on jhana. Ven.
Gotama was both endowed with jhana and made jhana his habit. In fact, he praised
all sorts of jhana.
Ananda: It was not the case that the Blessed One praised all sorts of jhana,
nor did he criticize all sorts of jhana. And what sort of jhana did he not praise?
There is the case where a certain person dwells with his awareness overcome
by sensual passion, obsessed with sensual passion. He does not discern the escape,
as it actually is present, from sensual passion once it has arisen. Making that
sensual passion the focal point, he absorbs himself with it, besorbs, resorbs,
& supersorbs himself with it.
He dwells with his awareness overcome by ill will... sloth & drowsiness...
restlessness & anxiety... uncertainty, obsessed with uncertainty. He does
not discern the escape, as it actually is present, from uncertainty once it
has arisen. Making that uncertainty the focal point, he absorbs himself with
it, besorbs, resorbs, & supersorbs himself with it. This is the sort of
jhana that the Blessed One did not praise.
And what sort of jhana did he praise? There is the case where a monk -- quite
withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities -- enters &
remains in the first jhana... the second jhana... the third jhana... the fourth
jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This
is the sort of jhana that the Blessed One praised.
Vassakara: It would seem, Ven. Ananda, that the Ven. Gotama criticized the jhana
that deserves criticism, and praised that which deserves praise.
-- M.108
§ 153. A monk endowed with these five qualities is incapable of entering
& remaining in right concentration. Which five? He cannot withstand [the
impact of] sights, he cannot withstand sounds... aromas... tastes... tactile
sensations. A monk endowed with these five qualities is not capable of entering
& remaining in right concentration.
A monk endowed with these five qualities is capable of entering & remaining
in right concentration. Which five? He can withstand [the impact of] sights...
sounds... aromas... tastes... tactile sensations. A monk endowed with these
five qualities is capable of entering & remaining in right concentration.
-- A.V.113
§ 154. A monk who has not abandoned these six qualities is incapable of
entering & remaining in the first jhana. Which six? Sensual desire, ill
will, sloth & drowsiness, restlessness & anxiety, uncertainty, and not
seeing well with right discernment, as they actually are present, the drawbacks
of sensual pleasures...
A monk who has not abandoned these six qualities is incapable of entering &
remaining in the first jhana. Which six? Thoughts of sensuality, thoughts of
ill will, thoughts of harmfulness, perceptions of sensuality, perceptions of
ill will, perceptions of harmfulness.
-- A.VI.73-74
§ 155. A monk endowed with these six qualities is capable of mastering
strength in concentration. Which six?
There is the case where a monk is skilled in the attaining of concentration,
in the maintenance of concentration, & in the exit from concentration. He
is deliberate in doing it, persevering in doing it, and amenable to doing it.
A monk endowed with these six qualities is capable of mastering strength in
concentration.
-- A.VI.72
§ 156. A monk endowed with these six qualities could break through the
Himalayas, king of mountains, to say nothing of miserable ignorance. Which six?
There is the case where a monk is skilled in the attaining of concentration,
in the maintenance of concentration, in the exit from concentration, in the
[mind's] preparedness for concentration, in the range of concentration, &
in the application of concentration.
A monk endowed with these six qualities could break through the Himalayas, king
of mountains, to say nothing of miserable ignorance.
-- A.VI.24
§ 157. Imagine a great pool of water to which there comes a great bull
elephant, seven or seven and a half cubits tall. The thought occurs to him,
'What if I were to plunge into this pool of water, to amuse myself by squirting
water into my ears and along my back, and then to bathe & drink & come
back out & go off as I please.' So he plunges into the pool of water, amuses
himself by squirting water into his ears and along his back, and then bathes
& drinks & comes back out & goes off as he pleases. Why is that?
Because his large body finds a footing in the depth.
Now suppose a rabbit or a cat were to come along & think, 'What's the difference
between me & a bull elephant? What if I were to plunge into this pool of
water, to amuse myself by squirting water into my ears and along my back, and
then to bathe & drink & come back out & go off as I please.' So
he plunges rashly into the pool of water without reflecting, and of him it can
be expected that he will either sink to the bottom or float away on the surface.
Why is that? Because his small body doesn't find a footing in the depth.
In the same way, whoever says, 'Without having attained concentration, I will
go live in solitude, in isolated wilderness places,' of him it can be expected
that he will either sink to the bottom or float away on the surface.
-- A.X.99
§ 158. These are the five rewards for one who practices walking meditation.
Which five? He can endure traveling by foot; he can endure exertion; he becomes
free from disease; whatever he has eaten & drunk, chewed & savored,
becomes well-digested; the concentration he wins while doing walking meditation
lasts for a long time.
-- A.V.29
§ 159. Distracting Thoughts. When a monk is intent on the heightened mind,
there are five themes he should attend to at the appropriate times. Which five?
There is the case where evil, unskillful thoughts -- connected with desire,
aversion, or delusion -- arise in a monk while he is referring to & attending
to a particular theme. He should attend to another theme, apart from that one,
connected with what is skillful. When he is attending to this other theme...
those evil, unskillful thoughts... are abandoned & subside. With their abandoning,
he steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates
it. Just as a skilled carpenter or his apprentice would use a small peg to knock
out, drive out, & pull out a large one; in the same way... he steadies his
mind right within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
If evil, unskillful thoughts -- connected with desire, aversion, or delusion
-- still arise in the monk while he is attending to this other theme, connected
with what is skillful, he should scrutinize the drawbacks of those thoughts:
'Truly, these thoughts of mine are unskillful... blameworthy... these thoughts
of mine result in stress.' As he is scrutinizing their drawbacks... those evil,
unskillful thoughts... are abandoned & subside. With their abandoning, he
steadies his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
Just as a young woman -- or man -- fond of adornment, would be horrified, humiliated,
& disgusted if the carcass of a snake or a dog or a human being were hung
from her neck; in the same way... the monk steadies his mind right within, settles
it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
If evil, unskillful thoughts -- connected with desire, aversion or delusion
-- still arise in the monk while he is scrutinizing the drawbacks of those thoughts,
he should pay no mind & pay no attention to those thoughts. As he is paying
no mind & paying no attention to them... those evil, unskillful thoughts
are abandoned & subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right
within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it. Just as a man with good
eyes, not wanting to see forms that had come into range, would close his eyes
or look away; in the same way... the monk steadies his mind right within, settles
it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
If evil, unskillful thoughts -- connected with desire, aversion or delusion
-- still arise in the monk while he is paying no mind & paying no attention
to those thoughts, he should attend to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with
regard to those thoughts. As he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication
with regard to those thoughts... those evil, unskillful thoughts are abandoned
& subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within, settles
it, unifies it, & concentrates it. Just as the thought would occur to a
man walking quickly, 'Why am I walking quickly? Why don't I walk slowly?' So
he walks slowly. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I walking slowly? Why don't
I stand?' So he stands. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I standing? Why don't
I sit down?' So he sits down. The thought occurs to him, 'Why am I sitting?
Why don't I lie down?' So he lies down. In this way, giving up the grosser posture,
he takes up the more refined one. In the same way... the monk steadies his mind
right within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
If evil, unskillful thoughts -- connected with desire, aversion or delusion
-- still arise in the monk while he is attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication
with regard to those thoughts, then -- with his teeth clenched & his tongue
pressed against the roof of his mouth -- he should beat down, constrain, &
crush his mind with his awareness. As -- with his teeth clenched & his tongue
pressed against the roof of his mouth -- he is beating down, constraining, &
crushing his mind with his awareness... those evil, unskillful thoughts are
abandoned & subside. With their abandoning, he steadies his mind right within,
settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it. Just as a strong man, seizing
a weaker man by the head or the throat or the shoulders, would beat him down,
constrain, & crush him; in the same way... the monk steadies his mind right
within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it.
Now when a monk... attending to another theme... scrutinizing the drawbacks
of those thoughts... paying no mind & paying no attention to those thoughts...
attending to the relaxing of thought-fabrication with regard to those thoughts...
beating down, constraining & crushing his mind with his awareness... steadies
his mind right within, settles it, unifies it, & concentrates it: He is
then called a monk with mastery over the ways of thought sequences. He thinks
whatever thought he wants to, and doesn't think whatever thought he doesn't.
He has severed craving, thrown off the fetters, and -- through the right penetration
of conceit -- has made an end of suffering & stress.
-- M.20
§ 160. There are these gross impurities in gold: dirty sand, gravel, &
grit. The dirt-washer or his apprentice, having placed [the gold] in a vat,
washes it again & again until he has washed them away.
When he is rid of them, there remain the moderate impurities in the gold: coarse
sand & fine grit. He washes the gold again & again until he has washed
them away.
When he is rid of them, there remain the fine impurities in the gold: fine sand
& black dust. The dirt-washer or his apprentice washes the gold again &
again until he has washed them away.
When he is rid of them, there remains just the gold dust. The goldsmith or his
apprentice, having placed it in a crucible, blows on it again & again to
blow away the dross. The gold, as long as it has not been blown on again &
again to the point where the impurities are blown away, as long as it is not
refined & free from dross, is not pliant, malleable, or luminous. It is
brittle and not ready to be worked. But there comes a time when the goldsmith
or his apprentice has blown on the gold again & again until the dross is
blown away. The gold... is then refined, free from dross, plaint, malleable,
& luminous. It is not brittle, and is ready to be worked. Then whatever
sort of ornament he has in mind -- whether a belt, an earring, a necklace, or
a gold chain -- the gold would serve his purpose.
In the same way, there are these gross impurities in a monk intent on heightened
mind: misconduct in body, speech, & mind. These the monk -- aware &
able by nature -- abandons, destroys, dispels, wipes out of existence. When
he is rid of them, there remain in him the moderate impurities: thoughts of
sensuality, ill will, & harmfulness. These he... wipes out of existence.
When he is rid of them there remain in him the fine impurities: thoughts of
his caste, thoughts of his home district, thoughts related to not wanting to
be despised. These he... wipes out of existence.
When he is rid of them, there remain only thoughts of the Dhamma. His concentration
is neither calm nor refined, it has not yet attained serenity or unity, and
is kept in place by the fabrication of forceful restraint. But there comes a
time when his mind grows steady inwardly, settles down, grows unified &
concentrated. His concentration is calm & refined, has attained serenity
& unity, and is no longer kept in place by the fabrication of forceful restraint.
Then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know &
realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening... [§64;
182]
-- A.III.100
§ 161. Ven. Anuruddha: It has happened that, as we were remaining heedful,
ardent, & resolute, we perceived light & the vision of forms. But soon
after that the light disappeared, together with the vision of forms, and we
can't become attuned to that theme.
The Buddha: You should become attuned to that theme. Before my Awakening, while
I was still only an unawakened Bodhisatta, I too perceived light & the vision
of forms, and soon after that the light disappeared, together with the vision
of forms. The thought occurred to me, 'What is the cause, what is the reason,
why the light disappeared, together with the vision of forms?' Then it occurred
to me, 'Uncertainty arose in me, and because of the uncertainty my concentration
fell away; when my concentration fell away, the light disappeared together with
the vision of forms. I will act in such a way that uncertainty will not arise
in me again.'
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute, I perceived light &
the vision of forms. But soon after that the light disappeared, together with
the vision of forms. The thought occurred to me, 'What is the cause, what is
the reason, why the light disappeared, together with the vision of forms?' Then
it occurred to me, 'Inattention... sloth & drowsiness... fear... elation...
inertia arose in me, and because of the inattention... inertia my concentration
fell away; when my concentration fell away, the light disappeared together with
the vision of forms. I will act in such a way that uncertainty, inattention,
sloth & drowsiness, fear, elation, & inertia will not arise in me again.'
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute... it occurred to me, 'Excessive
persistence [§66] arose in me, and because of the excessive persistence
my concentration fell away; when my concentration fell away, the light disappeared
together with the vision of forms. Just as if a man might hold a quail tightly
with both hands; it would die then & there. In the same way, excessive persistence
arose in me... I will act in such a way that uncertainty... & excessive
persistence will not arise in me again.'
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute... it occurred to me, 'Sluggish
persistence [§66] arose in me, and because of the sluggish persistence
my concentration fell away; when my concentration fell away, the light disappeared
together with the vision of forms. Just as if a man might hold a quail loosely;
it would fly out of his hand. In the same way, sluggish persistence arose in
me... I will act in such a way that uncertainty... excessive & sluggish
persistence will not arise in me again.'
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute... it occurred to me, 'Longing...
the perception of multiplicity... excessive absorption in forms arose in me,
and because of the excessive absorption in forms my concentration fell away;
when my concentration fell away, the light disappeared together with the vision
of forms... I will act in such a way that uncertainty... longing, the perception
of multiplicity, excessive absorption in forms will not arise in me again.'
When I knew, 'Uncertainty is a defilement of the mind,' I abandoned the uncertainty
that was a defilement of the mind. (Similarly with inattention, sloth &
drowsiness, fear, elation, inertia, excessive persistence, sluggish persistence,
longing, the perception of multiplicity, & excessive absorption in forms.)
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute, I perceived light without
seeing forms, or saw forms without perceiving light for a whole day, a whole
night, a whole day & night. The thought occurred to me, 'What is the cause,
what is the reason...?' Then it occurred to me, 'When I attend to the theme
of light without attending to the theme of forms, I perceive light without seeing
forms. When I attend to the theme of forms without attending to the theme of
light, I see forms without seeing light for a whole day, a whole night, a whole
day & night.'
As I was remaining heedful, ardent, & resolute, I perceived limited light
& saw limited forms; I perceived unlimited light & saw unlimited forms
for a whole day, a whole night, a whole day & night. The thought occurred
to me, 'What is the cause, what is the reason...?' Then it occurred to me, 'When
my concentration is limited, my sense of [inner] vision is limited. When my
concentration is unlimited, my sense of [inner] vision is unlimited. With an
unlimited sense of vision I perceive unlimited light & see unlimited forms
for a whole day, a whole night, a whole day & night'...
'I have abandoned those defilements of the mind. Let me develop concentration
in three ways.' So [1] I developed concentration with directed thought &
evaluation. I developed concentration without directed thought but with a modicum
of evaluation. I developed concentration without directed thought or evaluation.
[2] I developed concentration with rapture... without rapture... [3] I developed
concentration accompanied by enjoyment... accompanied by equanimity.
When my concentration with directed thought & evaluation was developed,
when my concentration without directed thought but with a modicum of evaluation...
without directed thought or evaluation... with rapture... without rapture...
accompanied by enjoyment... accompanied by equanimity was developed, then the
knowledge & vision arose in me: 'My release is unprovoked. This is my last
birth. There is no further becoming.'
That was what the Blessed One said. Satisfied, Ven. Anuruddha delighted in the
Blessed One's words.
-- M.128
§ 162. Skill in concentration. Suppose there was a mountain cow -- foolish,
inexperienced, unfamiliar with her pasture, unskilled in roaming on rugged mountains
-- and she were to think, 'What if I were to go in a direction I have never
gone before, to eat grass I have never eaten before, to drink water I have never
drunk before!' She would lift her hind hoof without having placed her front
hoof firmly and [as a result] would not get to go in a direction she had never
gone before, to eat grass she had never eaten before, or to drink water she
had never drunk before. And as for the place where she was standing when the
thought occurred to her, 'What if I were to go where I have never been before...
to drink water I have never drunk before,' she would not return there safely.
Why is that? Because she is a foolish, inexperienced mountain cow, unfamiliar
with her pasture, unskilled in roaming on rugged mountains.
In the same way, there are cases where a monk -- foolish, inexperienced, unfamiliar
with his pasture, unskilled in... entering & remaining in the first jhana:
rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought
& evaluation -- doesn't stick with that theme, doesn't develop it, pursue
it, or establish himself firmly in it. The thought occurs to him, 'What if I,
with the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, were to enter &
remain in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification
of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation -- internal assurance.'
He is not able... to enter & remain in the second jhana... The thought occurs
to him, 'What if I... were to enter & remain in the first jhana... He is
not able... to enter & remain in the first jhana. This is called a monk
who has slipped & fallen from both sides, like the mountain cow, foolish,
inexperienced, unfamiliar with her pasture, unskilled in roaming on rugged mountains.
But suppose there was a mountain cow -- wise, experienced, familiar with her
pasture, skilled in roaming on rugged mountains -- and she were to think, 'What
if I were to go in a direction I have never gone before, to eat grass I have
never eaten before, to drink water I have never drunk before!' She would lift
her hind hoof only after having placed her front hoof firmly and [as a result]
would get to go in a direction she had never gone before... to drink water she
had never drunk before. And as for the place where she was standing when the
thought occurred to her, 'What if I were to go in a direction I have never gone
before... to drink water I have never drunk before,' she would return there
safely. Why is that? Because she is a wise, experienced mountain cow, familiar
with her pasture, skilled in roaming on rugged mountains.
In the same way, there are some cases where a monk -- wise, experienced, familiar
with his pasture, skilled in... entering & remaining in the first jhana...
sticks with that theme, develops it, pursues it, & establishes himself firmly
in it. The thought occurs to him, 'What if I... were to enter & remain in
the second jhana...' Without jumping at the second jhana, he -- with the stilling
of directed thought & evaluation -- enters & remains in the second jhana.
He sticks with that theme, develops it, pursues it, & establishes himself
firmly in it. The thought occurs to him, 'What if I... were to enter & remain
in the third jhana'... Without jumping at the third jhana, he... enters &
remains in the third jhana. He sticks with that theme, develops it, pursues
it, & establishes himself firmly in it. The thought occurs to him, 'What
if I... were to enter & remain in the fourth jhana'... Without jumping at
the fourth jhana, he... enters & remains in the fourth jhana. He sticks
with that theme, develops it, pursues it, & establishes himself firmly in
it.
The thought occurs to him, 'What if I, with the complete transcending of perceptions
of [physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and
not heeding perceptions of diversity, thinking, "Infinite space,"
were to enter & remain in the dimension of the infinitude of space.' Without
jumping at the dimension of the infinitude of space, he... enters & remains
in dimension of the infinitude of space. He sticks with that theme, develops
it, pursues it, & establishes himself firmly in it.
The thought occurs to him, 'What if I, with the complete transcending of the
dimension of the infinitude of space, thinking, "Infinite consciousness,"
were to enter & remain in the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness.'
Without jumping at the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, he... enters
& remains in dimension of the infinitude of consciousness. He sticks with
that theme, develops it, pursues it, & establishes himself firmly in it.
The thought occurs to him, 'What if I, with the complete transcending of the
dimension of the infinitude of consciousness, thinking, "There is nothing,"
were to enter & remain in the dimension of nothingness.' Without jumping
at the dimension of nothingness, he... enters & remains in dimension of
nothingness. He sticks with that theme, develops it, pursues, it & establishes
himself firmly in it.
The thought occurs to him, 'What if I, with the complete transcending of the
dimension of nothingness, were to enter & remain in the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception.' Without jumping at the dimension of neither
perception nor non-perception, he... enters & remains in the dimension of
neither perception nor non-perception. He sticks with that theme, develops it,
pursues it, & establishes himself firmly in it.
The thought occurs to him, 'What if I, with the complete transcending of the
dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, were to enter & remain
in the cessation of perception & feeling.' Without jumping at the cessation
of perception & feeling, he... enters & remains in the cessation of
perception & feeling.
When a monk enters & emerges from that very attainment, his mind is pliant
& malleable. With his pliant, malleable mind, limitless concentration is
well developed. With his well developed, limitless concentration, then whichever
of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can
witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.
-- A.IX.35
§ 163. Guided by the elephant trainer, the elephant to be tamed goes only
in one direction: east, west, north, or south... Guided by the Tathagata...
the person to be tamed goes in eight directions. Possessed of form, he sees
forms. This is the first direction. Not percipient of form internally, he sees
forms externally. This is the second direction. He is intent only on the beautiful.
This is the third direction. With the complete transcending of perceptions of
[physical] form, with the disappearance of perceptions of resistance, and not
heeding perceptions of diversity, thinking, 'Infinite space,' he enters &
remains in the dimension of the infinitude of space. This is the fourth direction.
With the complete transcending of the dimension of the infinitude of space,
thinking, 'Infinite consciousness,' he enters & remains in the dimension
of the infinitude of consciousness. This is the fifth direction. He... enters
& remains in the dimension of nothingness. This is the sixth direction.
He... enters & remains in the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception.
This is the seventh direction. With the complete transcending of the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception, he enters & remains in the cessation
of perception & feeling. This is the eighth direction.
-- M.137
§ 164. 'There are these seven properties. Which seven? The property of
light, the property of beauty, the property of the dimension of the infinitude
of space, the property of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness,
the property of the dimension of nothingness, the property of the dimension
of neither perception nor non-perception, the property of the dimension of the
cessation of feeling & perception. These are the seven properties.'
When this was said, a certain monk addressed the Blessed One: '...In dependence
on what are these properties discerned?'
'The property of light is discerned in dependence on darkness. The property
of beauty is discerned in dependence on the unattractive. The property of the
dimension of the infinitude of space is discerned in dependence on form. The
property of the dimension of the infinitude of consciousness is discerned in
dependence on the dimension of the infinitude of space. The property of the
dimension of nothingness is discerned in dependence on the dimension of the
infinitude of consciousness. The property of the dimension of neither perception
nor non-perception is discerned in dependence on the dimension of nothingness.
The property of the dimension of the cessation of feeling & perception is
discerned in dependence on cessation.'
'...And how, lord, is the attainment of these properties to be reached?'
'The property of light, the property of beauty, the property of the dimension
of the infinitude of space, the property of the dimension of the infinitude
of consciousness, the property of the dimension of nothingness: These properties
are to be reached as perception attainments. The property of the dimension of
neither perception nor non-perception is to be reached as a what-remains-of
fabrications attainment. The property of the dimension of the cessation of feeling
& perception is to be reached as a cessation attainment.'
-- S.XIII.11