Noble Eightfold Path

Morality
Wisdom
right speech, right
right view and
action, and right
right intention
livelihood

Concentration
right effort,
right mindfulness, and
right concentration
RIGHT CONCENTRATION
SAMMÃ SAMÃDHI

SAMÃDHIKKHANDA
- SAMMÃ VÃYÃMA (VIRIYA)
- SAMMÃ SATI (SATI)
- SAMMÃ SAMÃDHI (EKAGGATÃ)
Noble Eightfold Path : 8th Factor
Ekaggatã or One-pointedness of Mind

Unification of the mind (consciousness+associated

mental concomitants) on its object (field of experience)

Functions to focus or fix the mind on its object and
prevents its associated constituents from dissipating

Like water that binds its substances into a solid mass

An ethically variable mental factor, present in
wholesome or unwholesome mind

Ekaggatã as jhana factor=samãdhi in wholesome mind
collects and centres the mind and its concomitants
evenly on the object
 Mind &Samãdhi

Mind untrained in concentration is deluded,

subject to influences of hindrances; scattered and
restless; worries; not easily controlled

Mind trained in concentration (samãdhi)

Shows unbroken focus or attention on the object

Shows tranquil mental functions

Free from hindrances or distractions

mind with samãdhi is clear, soft or malleable and

tranquil or serene, suitable instrument for
penetration
1. Samatha bhãvanã (Tranquility meditation)
2. Vipassana bhãvanã (Insight meditation)

Prerequites
1. Moral discipline purified
2. Impediments dispensed with
3. Meditation instruction/instructor
 Samathayanika
path of serenity or
tranquility meditation

1. Samatha bhāvanā
 Kamma55hãna
 Kamma55hãna = place of work = working
samatha meditation

(meditation) ground = subjects of

meditation
 Object of meditation = an object for the
mind to be trained on or to focus its
concentration on
 40 meditation subjects to choose from
• Subject assigned by teacher according to
personal one’s temperament; or
• Select one that suits one in the absence
of a teacher
 Kamma55hãna
10: ten
1-10: kasi7as
samath meditation

11-
11-20:
20: ten unattractive objects (dasa asubh
asubhãã)
21-
21-30:
30: ten recollections (dasa anussatiyo
anussatiyo))
31-
31-34:
34: four sublime states (catt
cattããro
brahmavihãrã
brahmavih ãrã))
35-
35-38:
38: four immaterial states (catt
cattãro
ãro ãrupp
ruppã
ã)
39:
39: one perception (ekãekã saññ
saññãã)
40:
40: one analysis (eka vava55hãna) –
contemplation of the four primary elements.
 Ten Kasi7as
10 kasinas of solid objects representing
primordial qualities
 1-4: primary elements – pathavĩ (earth),
ãpo (water), tejo (heat), and vãyo (wind)
 5-8: four colours - blue, yellow, red, and
white kasinas
kasinas;; circular disks placed on wall
 9: light (light projected onto the wall
through a circular wall)
 10:
10: space (looking at the sky through
circular hole in wall)
 Kasi7as
 kasina = whole, complete; to be observed
in whole in meditation
 Kasinas are generally circular and about a
foot in diameter
 Earth kasina = circular disk made or filled
with clay
 In meditating with the earth kasina as
subject to develop concentration, the
meditator fixes the gaze on the earth
kasina that is placed in front, and
contemplates, ‘earth, earth’
Ten Asubhas (Unattractive Objects)
 Corpses in different stages of
decomposition (color change; bloating;
gnawed by animals, rotting, etc)
 In developing one-
one-pointed concentration
on the corpse as subject, the technique is
one--pointed mental fixation on the corpse
one
without reflective thinking (cf
(cf::
mindfulness cultivation stresses on
reflective thought – impermanence of
body)
Ten Recollections (dasa
(dasa anussatiyo
anussatiyo))
1-3: devotional meditations on the qualities of the
Triple Gem — the Buddha, the Dhamma
Dhamma,, and the
Sangha;;
Sangha
4-6: on morality, generosity, and the potential for
divine--like qualities (wisdom, etc) in oneself.
divine
7. mindfulness of death, ((egeg ‘my death is certain;
my continuing to be alive is uncertain’.)
8. contemplation of the unattractive nature of the
body (32
(32 parts of the body),
9. mindfulness of breathing,
10. recollection of peace, Nibbãna
 Four Sublime States
outwardly directed social attitudes —
1. loving
loving--kindness,
2. compassion,
(cattãro brahmavihãrã)

3. sympathetic joy, and

4. equanimity
— developed into universal radiations which
are gradually extended in range until they
encompass all living beings.
 Four Immaterial States
Immaterial states, objective bases of
absorption for those already trained in
concentration
(cattãro brahmavihãrã)

1. base of infinite space,

2. the base of infinite consciousness,
3. the base of nothingness, and
4. the base of neither-
neither-perception
perception--nor
nor--non
non--
perception.
‘One Perception (ek
(ekãã saññã
saññã)’
= ãhãre
ãhãre--pa
pa55ikūla saññ
saññã
ã = perception of the
repulsiveness of food,
 intended to reduce attachment to the
pleasures of the palate.
 Contemplate the actions involved in
preparing, chewing, digesting and the
body’s processing of the food to wastes
(excreta, etc)
 Choice of Meditation Subject
personality types & the subject of meditation:
 Lustful types: parts of body or unattractive
parts as subject of meditation
 Hateful type: metta meditation
 Devotional types: qualities or virtues pf Triple
Gem
 For practical purposes, start with a simple or
neutral subject that helps reduce discursive
thinking
 Ãnãpãnasati is suitable for both beginners and
experienced meditators
 Choice of Meditation Subject
 Use a simple method like Ãnãpãnasati to help
settle and still the mind or thought process
 With a settled mind, the meditator may change the
subject of meditation to counter specific problems,
 Asubha meditation to counter sensual lust
 Metta meditation to counter anger
 Recollection of Triple Gem to strengthen faith
 Meditation on death to arouse a sense of urgency
(to arouse right effort)
 Skill needed for choosing subject appropriate to
situation
 Stages of Concentration

by way of Samatha
Path of Tranquility/Serenity Meditaion
Concentration develops in stages
 1st Stage: Preliminary Concentration

1. Obtain a suitable subject of meditation; retire to

a quiet place; correct meditation posture
2. Breathe naturally through nostrils
3. Focus or fix the mind on the object, stay alert.
4. If the mind strays, note and bring it back to the
object, keep and sustain the focus on it.
= preparatory stage with the object as the
parikkamma-nimitta to develop the preliminary
concentration, parikkamma-samãdhi
 Hindrances (bumps on the road)

As excitement subsides, hindrances will arise causing

the mind to be unsettled, wandering and scattered
• Images, thoughts, emotions , etc may surge – anger,
sadness, dullness of mind, agitation, doubt etc
• Hindrances can be overcome – skillful/adroit
• Keep bringing the mind back to the object of
concentration again and again
• When a particular hindrance becomes too strong,
adopt another subject of meditation to counter it
 Jhãna∫ga - Jhãna Factors (aids)
Five jhã
jhãna factors
activated during
meditation , link up &
steer the mind towards
sam
samãdhi
ãdhi::
1. Vitakka – initial mind
into the object
2. Vicãra – sustained
application, anchors
the mind on the object,
examining it
3. Pīti – rapture, delight or
enthusiasm (cf
(cf:: sighting of
water in a desert)
4. Sukha – happiness
(concentrated mind) (cf (cf::
drinking the water)
5. Ek
Ekapplication, directs and
drives the aggatã – one
one--
pointedness of mind, unifies
the mind (consciousness &
mental factors) on the object
 Jhãna Factors Suppress Hindrances

When concentration is 3. Pīti,

Pīti, rapture counters ill
ill--will
developed, the five jh jhããna 4. Sukha
Sukha,, counters restlessness
factors counteract the five and worry
hindrances::
hindrances 5. Ekaggatã
Ekaggatã,, one-
one-pointedness
1. Vitakka
Vitakka,, in lifting the of mind, counters sensual
mind up to the object, desire
drives sloth & torpor jhãna factors suppress the
(dullness & drowsiness) hindrances and enable the
2. Vicãra
Vicãra,, in examining concentration to continue
the object, drives out developing
doubt..
doubt
Progress in Absorption concentration (stable)
Samatha (appanã-samãdhi)
Meditation pa†ibhãga-nimitta

Jhãna factors strengthening

Clear, bright & Access
unblemished pa†ibhãga-nimitta concentration
Hindrances suppressed

image of the counterpart sign (still unsteady)

object upacãra-
samãdhi
Gross reflective Uggaha-nimitta
image of the
object learning sign

Parikamma- Preliminary
nimitta concentration
Object of preliminary or
meditation parikkamma-
preparatory sign samãdhi
Levels of meditative absorption attained
progressively
1. Rūpa jhãna (material): 4 levels (according to
Suttanta; 5 levels according to Abhidhamma),
attained by working on mental factors
2. Arūpa jhãna: 4 levels , attained by
surmounting objects.
 what, monks, is right concentration?
Herein, secluded from sense pleasures,
secluded from unwholesome states, a
monk enters and dwells in the first
jhãna, …… second jhãna……….third
jhãna …… fourth jhãna…….. This,
monks, is right concentration.
 Fourth Jhãna Purity of mindfulness
Ekaggatã, uppekha

Third Jhãna Sati, clear comprehension

sukha, ekaggatã and equanimity strengthened

Second Jhãna Saddhã (faith/confidence)

pīti, sukha, ekaggatã strengthened
The grosser jhãna factors are
First Jhãna progressively abandoned to get
Vitakka, vicãra, pīti, into higher jhãna as mastery
sukha, ekaggatã over each lower jhãna is gained
 Fourth Jhãna sukha is abandoned as
Ekaggatã, uppekha mastery over 3rd jhana is
gained
Third Jhãna Pīti is abandoned as mastery
sukha, ekaggatã over 2nd jhana is gained

Vitakka, vicãra considered

Second Jhãna
gross, abandoned as mastery
pīti, sukha, ekaggatã
over 1st jhana is gained
The grosser jhãna factors are
First Jhãna progressively overcome and
Vitakka, vicãra, pīti, abandoned as mastery over
sukha, ekaggatã each lower jhãna is gained
 base of neither- Absolute maximum unification
perception-nor-non- of the mind (still lack wisdom)
perception.

base of nothingness,
Level of concentration is
increasing finer and subtler
base of infinite as each object is surmounted
consciousness,
Immaterial states are attained
by refining the object of
base of infinite space meditation, replacing the gross
ones with subtler ones
developed in vipassanã meditation
 KhaÙika (Momentary) Concentration

No fixed subject of meditation

Subject of meditation = the multiplicity of phenomena that arise
moment by moment.

simply direct mindfulness and note the changing in states of mind and
body, any phenomenon that presents itself;

maintain a continuous awareness of whatever enters the range of
perception, clinging to nothing.

concentration becomes stronger moment after moment until it becomes
established one-pointedly on the constantly changing stream of event

mental unification remains steady, and in time develops to a level
equal to that of access concentration  khanika samādhi/momentary
concentration, sufficient to suppress hindrances.

Cultivate through practice of satipaţţhãnã, by way of vipassana, lead
to arising of wisdom