Development of Samatha
Samatha, or tranquil meditation, is not developed merely by concentration, samādhi. Samādhi is the dhamma that focuses on an object, it is ekaggatā cetasika accompanying each citta. When the citta is absorbed in an object for a long time, the characteristic of ekaggatā cetasika manifests itself as samādhi, concentration. It is firmly fixed on only one object. Ekaggatā cetasika that accompanies akusala citta is wrong concentration, micchā-samādhi, and ekaggatā cetasika that accompanies kusala citta is right concentration, sammā-samādhi.
If one tries to concentrate by focusing the citta for a long time on one object, and the citta is not accompanied by paññā, there is wrong concentration, micchā-samādhi. At such moments, one is attached to having the citta firmly fixed on one object. If there is no paññā, one cannot know the difference between lobha-mūla-citta, citta rooted in attachment, and kusala citta. Lobha-mūla-citta and kāmāvacara kusala citta (of the sense sphere) can be accompanied by the same types of feeling. Of the eight types of lobha-mūla-citta, four are accompanied by indifferent feeling and four by pleasant feeling. As to kāmāvacara kusala citta, four types are accompanied by indifferent feeling and four by pleasant feeling. In the case of indifferent feeling, the citta is neither happy nor unhappy, it is undisturbed, and in the case of pleasant feeling the citta is happy and delighted. When indifferent feeling or pleasant feeling arises, it is difficult to know whether there is lobha-mūla-citta or kusala citta.
Lobha-mūla-citta and mahā-kusala citta are entirely different types of citta: the eight types of lobha-mūla-citta are accompanied by akusala cetasikas whereas the eight types of mahā-kusala citta (kāmāvacara kusala citta) are accompanied by sobhana cetasikas. The akusala cetasika that is wrong view, micchā-diṭṭhi, can accompany lobha-mūla-citta; it accompanies four of the eight types of lobha-mūla-citta. The sobhana cetasika that is right view, sammā-diṭṭhi or paññā, can accompany mahā-kusala citta; it accompanies four of the eight types of mahā-kusala citta. When the characteristic of wrong view appears, it is evident that there is lobha-mūla-citta, not mahā-kusala citta, and when the characteristic of paññā appears, it is evident that there is mahā-kusala citta, not lobha-mūla-citta. Thus, the characteristic of wrong view and the characteristic of paññā show the distinction between lobha-mūla-citta and mahā-kusala citta. Someone who wants to develop samatha should know the difference between lobha-mūla-citta and kusala citta, otherwise he could be attached to having concentration. In that case, there would be micchā-samādhi, wrong concentration, which is without paññā.
Generally, people who try to concentrate on an object want the citta to be without disturbance, anxiety or worry about different matters and events in their daily life. They are satisfied if the citta can be firmly fixed on an object and they do not realize that at the moments they wish to concentrate on a specific subject, there is no mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā.
The development of samatha is actually the development of mahā-kusala accompanied by paññā. Someone who wants to develop samatha must have paññā that sees the danger of akusala, of lobha and dosa, aversion. He should not merely see the disadvantage of dosa, arising when there is worry or anxiety. If one does not know one’s defilements and one does not see the danger of lobha, one will not be able to develop samatha. The person who develops samatha should be truthful, he should have paññā that sees the danger of lobha; he should have sati-sampajañña; he should know the difference between lobha-mūla-citta and mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā. Then he can develop mahā-kusala accompanied by paññā, so that there are no longer akusala cittas arising in between the moments of developing calm, and he can reach the degree of samādhi which is access concentration, upacāra samādhi, and attainment concentration, appanā samādhi, arising at the moment of jhāna, absorption. The kusala jhānacitta of the first stage of jhāna is accompanied by the five jhāna factors of vitakka, applied thinking, vicāra, sustained thinking, pīti, rapture, sukha, happy feeling and ekaggatā, concentration.
It is not easy to develop mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā to such degree that it can be the foundation of kusala jhānacitta of the first stage, which is rūpāvacara kusala citta. Someone who wants to attain jhāna should not have the impediments that cause him to be unable to do so. Such a person cannot attain jhāna or enlightenment, even if he cultivates samatha or vipassanā. For the person who can develop samatha and attain jhāna or develop vipassanā and attain enlightenment, there are the following requirements:
He should not have vipāka that is an impediment, that is, he should be born with rebirth-consciousness accompanied by paññā, thus, tihetuka, accompanied by three sobhana hetus.
He should be without the impediment of kamma, that is, he should not have committed one of the five ānantariya kammas, weighty kammas. These kammas prevent rebirth in heaven and the arising of magga-citta and phala-citta. These five kinds of kamma are: patricide, matricide, killing of an arahat, wounding a Buddha and creating a schism in the Order of monks, by not living in harmony with the Order.
He should be without the impediment of the kinds of wrong view classified as “wrong views with fixed destiny” (niyata micchādiṭṭhi). These are the wrong views of natthika-diṭṭhi (denial of the result of kamma), of ahetuka-diṭṭhi (denial of both kamma and result) and of akiriya-diṭṭhi (denial of the efficacy of kamma).
Someone may be born with a paṭisandhi-citta, rebirth-consciousness, which is tihetuka, thus, accompanied by paññā, but he may be attached to visible object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object and he may not see the danger of these sense objects. Then he will not be inclined to eliminate his infatuation with sense objects by observing sīla and developing samatha. Thus, the development of samatha to the degree of access concentration, upacāra samādhi and attainment concentration, appanā samādhi, is not at all easy. If someone takes lobha-mūla-citta for mahā-kusala citta, he may erroneously believe, when the citta conditions visions of hell, heaven, different places and events, that he has attained upacāra samādhi and appanā samādhi of the different stages of jhāna.
The development of samatha is a most intricate matter that should be studied carefully, so that there can be right understanding of it.
When we in our daily life are seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, experiencing tangible objects or thinking, we should realize that akusala cittas are likely to arise more often than kusala cittas. In a day or in a month there are only very few moments of kusala cittas that have as objective dāna or sīla. Someone who sees the danger of akusala will be inclined to develop kusala citta. When there is no opportunity for dāna or sīla, one can develop the calm that is freedom from akusala in one’s daily life, and that is kusala of the degree of samatha. It is beneficial to develop calm in daily life, even if one cannot attain access concentration or attainment concentration. However, if one wants to subdue defilements, so that the citta is calm, free from akusala, one needs to have paññā that knows how the citta can become calm, free from defilements, when one experiences sense objects or thinks. If that is not the case, kusala citta cannot arise.
For the development of samatha, the development of kusala citta with calm, which is freedom from akusala, there are forty specific subjects that can condition calm. These subjects are: ten kasinas, ten meditations on foulness (asubha), ten recollections (anussati), the meditation on the repulsiveness of food (āhāre paṭikkūla saññā), defining of the four elements (catudhātu vavatthāna), the four divine abidings (brahmavihāras) and the four subjects of arūpa-jhāna.
The Ten Kasinas
The ten kasinas are the following:
Earth kasina (paṭhavī kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates
only on earth;
Water kasina (āpo kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only on
water;
Fire kasina (tejo kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only on
fire;
Air kasina (vāyo kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only on
air or wind;
Blue kasina (nīla kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only on
the colour blue;
Yellow kasina (pīta kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only
on the colour yellow;
Red kasina (lohita kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only
on the colour red;
White kasina (odāta kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only
on the colour white;
Light kasina (āloka kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only
on light;
.Space kasina (ākāsa kasiṇa), by means of which one meditates only
on space.
Is the citta that pays attention to only earth kusala or akusala? If paññā does not arise while paying attention to earth, there is akusala citta that desires to think of earth or to focus on earth.
When paññā arises, the citta that meditates on earth is kusala. It can be realized that all material phenomena that appear cannot be without the element of earth and that all the things one is attached to or desires are only earth. When one realizes that all the things in the world one used to be attached to are in essence only earth, it is a condition for subduing attachment to them.
It is difficult to have kusala citta that meditates on only earth, because when an object impinges on one of the senses or the mind-door, one is immediately taken in by that object. Therefore, if someone wants to develop samatha so that kusala citta becomes more and more established in calm, in freedom from akusala, he needs to be in a quiet place, where he is not disturbed by the noise of people. One should make the earth kasina of smooth clay in the form of a circle, without flaws and imperfections, so that it is suitable for meditation. Otherwise, the citta would be inclined to delight in and have attachment to the outward appearance of it. When the person who develops the earth kasina looks at it and contemplates it with right understanding, there is kusala citta accompanied by paññā, and there is true calm. He should look at the earth kasina in order to remind himself to pay attention to only earth, all the time, and not to other objects.
It is most difficult to pay attention all the time to only earth with kusala citta that is calm, free from akusala. As the “Visuddhimagga” states, the kasina should not be too small, nor too large, it should not be too far away nor too near, it should not be placed too high nor too low. Vitakka cetasika, applied thinking, is one of the jhāna factors that is indispensable. Vitakka cetasika arising with mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā should “touch” or “strike at” the earth kasina. The citta should be free from akusala when one’s eyes are closed as well as when they are open, so that a visualized image (uggaha-nimitta or acquired image) of the earth kasina can appear through the mind-door. This mental image is just as clear as when the person who develops the earth kasina was looking at it with his eyes open. Even if people are born with three hetus, thus, with paññā, they may not be able to acquire this mental image. It can appear when mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā is firmly established in calm with the earth kasina. When this mental image appears, one has not yet attained access concentration, upacāra samādhi.
It is not at all easy to guard this mental image and thereby have calm increased, while developing mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā. According to the “Visuddhimagga” (IV, 31), when the “hindrances”(nīvaraṇa dhammas, akusala dhammas which disturb and oppress the citta) have been successively suppressed, the citta is more established in calm and then a counter-image (paṭibhāga-nimitta) of the earth kasina appears. This image is clearer and more purified than the “acquired image” which appeared before. At that moment, the mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā has become more established in calm so that access concentration, upacāra samādhi, is reached. This kind of concentration is called access concentration, because it is close to attainment-concentration, which is firmly fixed on the object, at the moment the jhānacitta of the first stage arises.
The meditator should guard the counter-image by developing the mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā that has attained the degree of access concentration, so that calm increases all the time. In that way calm to the degree of attainment-concentration, appanā samādhi, can be reached, and the jhānacitta of the first stage can arise, which is of the level of rūpāvacara citta. However, in order to reach this stage, he should guard the counter-image as if it were the unborn child of a “Wheel-Turning Monarch.” He should avoid conditions not beneficial for the development of calm and these are the following:
He should avoid a dwelling where the mental image that has not yet
arisen does not arise, and the mental image that has arisen is lost.
He should not be too far from an alms-resort or too near, and he
should not be in a place where it is difficult to obtain almsfood or
where almsfood is not plentiful.
He should avoid unsuitable speech, speech included in the kinds of
“animal talk.” Such speech is not beneficial for the development of
paññā, and it leads to the disappearance of the mental image that
has arisen.
He should avoid people who are full of defilements, who are
engaged with what is unwholesome, because that causes him to be
disturbed by impure cittas.
He should avoid unsuitable food, because that would make him ill.
He should avoid an unsuitable climate, because that would make him
ill.
He should avoid postures that are unsuitable for his
concentration.
If he avoids what is unsuitable and cultivates what is suitable, but appanā samādhi does not yet arise, he should have recourse to ten kinds of skill in absorption, dhammas beneficial for the arising of jhānacitta:
He should make the basis (vatthu) clean, that is the internal
basis, which is his body, and the external basis, which are his
clothing and his dwelling. Otherwise, the citta will not be
purified.
He should balance the faculties, indriyas. For
example, confidence and understanding should be balanced, energy and
concentration should be balanced. They are balanced through
mindfulness.
He needs to have skill in protecting the mental image.
He should exert the citta when it should be exerted.
He should restrain the citta when it should be restrained.
He should encourage the citta when it should be encouraged.
He should regard the citta with equanimity when it should be
regarded with equanimity.
He should avoid unconcentrated persons.
He should cultivate concentrated persons.
.He should be inclined to and resolute upon those things that lead
to concentration.
If he does not have those ten skills in absorption, mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā cannot become more firmly established in calm to the degree of being the foundation for appanā-samādhi, for the arising of rūpāvacara citta that is the jhānacitta of the first stage. But if he is equipped with these skills, jhānacitta can arise.
The jhānacitta is of a higher level of citta, it is of a plane of citta that is free from the sense sphere (kāmāvacara citta). In the mind-door process during which jhāna is attained, there are the following cittas arising in succession:
bhavanga-citta, which is mahā-vipāka
ñāṇa-sampayutta;
bhavanga calana (vibrating bhavanga), which is mahā-vipāka,
ñāṇa-sampayutta;
bhavangupaccheda (arrest bhavanga), which is mahā-vipāka,
ñāṇa-sampayutta;
manodvārāvajjana-citta, which is ahetuka kiriyacitta;
parikamma (preparatory citta) which is mahā-kusala citta,
ñāṇa-sampayutta;
upacāra (access) which is mahā-kusala citta, ñāṇa-sampayutta (of
the same type as parikamma);
anuloma (adaptation) which is mahā-kusala citta, ñāṇa-sampayutta
(of the same type as parikamma);
gotrabhū (change of lineage) which is mahā-kusala citta,
ñāṇa-sampayutta (of the same type as parikamma);
kusala citta of the first stage of jhāna, which is rūpāvacara
kusala citta;
bhavanga-citta, which is mahā-vipākacitta, ñāṇa sampayutta.
When jhāna is attained for the first time, there is only one moment of rūpāvacara kusala citta, whereas, later on, when one’s skill has increased, there can be more jhānacittas arising in succession without the arising of bhavanga-cittas in between. Such a process of jhānacittas is called “jhāna-samāpatti,” jhāna attainment. It is the attainment to the citta that is calm and firmly concentrated on the object of jhāna. Then jhānacittas arise successively during the length of time determined upon by the meditator.
Before jhāna vīthi-cittas arise there must be mahā-kusala cittas accompanied by paññā each time. The first mahā-kusala javana-citta is parikamma, preparatory citta; it prepares appanā-samādhi, it is the condition for the attainment of absorption, appanā. If the mahā-kusala citta that is parikamma does not arise, the following cittas and appanā-samādhi that accompanies jhānacitta cannot arise.
The second mahā-kusala javana-citta is upacāra, access, because it is close to appanā-samādhi.
The third mahā-kusala javana-citta is anuloma, adaptation, because it is favourable (anukūla) to appanā-samādhi.
The fourth mahā-kusala javana-citta is gotrabhū, change of lineage, because it transcends the sensuous plane (kamāvacara bhūmi) so that the fine-material plane (rupāvacara bhūmi) can be reached.
When the fourth mahā-kusala javana-citta has fallen away, the following javana-citta is rūpāvacara kusala citta of the first stage of jhāna.
The development of five cetasikas that are the jhāna-factors condition the arising of rūpāvacara kusala citta of the first stage of jhāna. These factors accompanying the jhānacitta are:
applied thinking (vitakka);
sustained thinking (vicāra);
rapture (pīti);
happy feeling (sukha);
concentration (ekaggatā).
Among the sobhana cetasikas accompanying the jhāna-citta these five factors are specifically counteractive to the “hindrances,” the nīvaraṇa dhammas. The five hindrances are akusala dhammas that disturb the citta and prevent it from the development of calm. They are the following:
kāmacchanda, sensuous desire, which is attachment to visible
objects, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object;
vyāpāda, ill-will or displeasure;
thīna-middha, sloth and torpor, which are listlessness and
dejectedness, inertness and drowsiness;
uddhacca-kukkucca, restlessness and worry;
vicikicchā, doubt about realities, doubt about cause and result.
The five jhāna-factors are opposed to the five hindrances. Vitakka cetasika applies itself to the object, it “touches” it, so that the citta is calm. Vicāra cetasika continually occupies itself with the object vitakka touches, so that the citta does not become restless and takes another object. Pīti cetasika is satisfied with and takes delight in the meditation subject and sukha vedanā, happy feeling, increases this satisfaction. Ekaggatā cetasika that supports the other jhāna-factors is firmly concentrated on the object of the jhāna-citta of the first stage.
The five jhāna-factors are opposed to, counteractive to the five hindrances in the following way (“Visuddhimagga” IV, 86):
Vitakka cetasika is opposed to thīna-middha, sloth and torpor.
When vitakka “thinks” only of the meditation subject, touches it
time and again, dejectedness, listlessness and drowsiness cannot
arise.
Vicāra cetasika is opposed to vicikicchā, doubt. When vicāra
cetasika is continually occupied with the object which vitakka
touches, doubt about realities and doubt about cause and result
cannot arise.
Pīti cetasika is opposed to vyāpāda, ill-will. When calm with the
meditation subject increases, there will also be more rapture and
delight with the subject of calm and then ill-will and displeasure
cannot arise in between.
Sukha, happy feeling, is opposed to uddhacca-kukkucca,
restlessness and worry. When there is happy feeling about the
meditation subject, restlessness and worry that could turn to
another object cannot arise.
Ekaggatā cetasika is opposed to kāmacchanda, sensuous desire. When
samādhi is firmly concentrated on the meditation subject, there
cannot be attachment to sense objects.
When rūpāvacara kusala citta of the first stage of jhāna accompanied by five jhāna-factors arises, attainment-concentration, appanā-samādhi, is firmly concentrated on the object. This jhānacitta that arises for the first time is not succeeded by other jhāna-cittas; it arises only once. After several bhavanga-cittas have arisen and fallen away in between, there is a mind-door process of cittas. The mind-door adverting-consciousness adverts to the jhānacitta and after it has fallen away it is succeeded by seven mahā-kusala cittas accompanied by paññā which considers the jhāna-factors; and then there will be bhavanga-cittas arising in between, to be followed by other mind-door processes. Only one of the jhāna-factors at a time is considered during one process of cittas. The mind-door processes of cittas which consider the jhāna-factors one at a time are called the processes of reviewing, paccavekkhaṇa vīthi, and these have to arise each time after jhāna has been attained.
The paññā of the person who attains rūpa-jhāna has to know the different characteristics of the five jhāna-factors. Thus, paññā must know the difference between vitakka cetasika, applied thinking, and vicāra cetasika, sustained thinking, it must know the difference between pīti, rapture, and sukha, happy feeling, and it must also know the characteristic of ekaggatā cetasika which is of the degree of appanā samādhi.
The person who develops samatha should have sati-sampajañña in his daily life, he should have right understanding of the characteristic of kusala citta and of akusala citta that may follow one upon the other very rapidly. If this is not known, he may erroneously believe that lobha-mūla-citta accompanied by pleasant feeling is calm which is kusala.
The person who develops samatha does not have extraordinary experiences. The development of samatha is the development of kusala through the mind-door. When the citta has become calm only the mental image of the meditation subject appears and this is the condition for the citta to become more firmly established in kusala. The person who, for example, develops the meditation subject of the water kasina has the mental image of this kasina as object, and he does not have visions of hell, of heaven or of different happenings. If someone tries to concentrate and believes to have all kinds of visions, he does not develop samatha.
In the development of samatha there must be mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā that attains calm by meditation on one of the forty meditation subjects of samatha. Lobha-mūla-citta or mahā-kusala citta which is unaccompanied by paññā may have as object one of these forty meditation subjects, but then there is no development of samatha. A child, or even a grown up, may recite the word “Buddha,” without pondering on his virtues, but then there is no mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā, and thus no development of true calm by means of the recollection of the Buddha. Someone who sees a corpse may be frightened and then there is dosa-mūla-citta, not mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā. If a person tries to concentrate on his breathing without knowing in which way there can be true calm, freedom from defilements, there is no mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā. All meditation subjects of samatha should be developed by mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā, which has right understanding of the way to become calm. They should be developed in the same way as the earth kasina, as explained above.
The person who has attained the first stage of jhāna may see the disadvantage of vitakka cetasika, the cetasika that touches or “strikes” at the object. Vitakka which usually touches the sense objects that are visible object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object is gross since on account of these objects akusala dhammas could easily arise. The jhānacitta could become calmer and more refined if it would be without vitakka and only accompanied by vicāra, pīti, sukha and ekaggatā. Therefore, he makes an effort to meditate on the object of the first stage of jhāna he attained and to develop more calm with that object without vitakka having to touch it. He can accomplish this if he acquires five “masteries” or skills, vasī, in jhāna. These are the following:
Mastery in adverting (āvajjana vasī), skill in adverting to the
first jhāna wherever and whenever he wishes to.
Mastery in attaining (samāpacchana vasī), skill in entering into
jhāna, that is causing the arising of jhānacitta, wherever and
whenever he wishes to.
Mastery in resolving (adiṭṭhāna vasī), skill in resolving the
duration of the series of jhānacittas that arise and fall away in
succession, wherever and whenever he wishes to.
Mastery in emerging (vuṭṭhāna vasī), skill in emerging from jhāna,
wherever and whenever he wishes to.
Mastery in reviewing (pacchavekkhaṇa vasī), skill in reviewing
each of the jhāna-factors, one at a time, wherever and whenever he
wishes to.
If someone wishes to attain higher stages of jhāna, he should see the disadvantages of the jhāna-factors of the lower stages and he should abandon those successively. The jhāna-factors are abandoned at different stages in the following way:
When the jhānacitta of the second stage (dutiya jhāna) arises,
vitakka (applied thinking) has been abandoned, and, thus, it is
without vitakka and accompanied by the four factors of vicāra
(sustained thinking), pīti (rapture), sukha (happy feeling) and
ekaggatā (concentration).
The jhānacitta of the third stage (tatiya jhāna) is without vicāra
and accompanied by the three factors of pīti, sukha and ekaggatā.
The jhānacitta of the fourth stage (catuta jhāna) is without pīti
and accompanied by the two factors of sukha and ekaggatā.
The jhānacitta of the fifth stage (pañcama jhāna) is without sukha
and accompanied by the two factors of upekkhā and ekaggatā.
As explained above, the jhāna-factors are abandoned in accordance with the fivefold system of jhāna. For some people paññā can abandon both vitakka and vicāra at the same time, and then the second stage of jhāna is without vitakka and vicāra. In that case, the stages of jhāna are reckoned according to the fourfold system and that means that the second, third and fourth stage of jhāna of the fourfold system are respectively like the third, fourth and fifth stage of the fivefold system.
If someone lacks the skills that are the “masteries,” vasīs, it is impossible for him to abandon jhāna-factors of a lower stage so that he could attain higher stages of jhāna.
Whenever the jhānacittas have fallen away there have to be processes of cittas that review the jhāna-factors.
By the development of samatha defilements are subdued, they are not eradicated completely. Therefore, it may happen that jhānacitta declines, that it does not arise quickly, that one loses the skill one used to have, or even that jhānacitta does not arise again. If one wants to maintain one’s skill in jhāna, one should apply oneself to the “masteries” each time one of the stages of jhāna has been attained.
With regard to the forty meditation subjects of samatha, some objects condition the citta to be calm, but not to the degree of upacāra samādhi, access concentration, and some objects condition calm to the degree of upacāra samādhi. Some objects condition calm only to the degree of the first jhāna, some to the degree of the fourth stage of jhāna according to the fivefold system, and some to the degree of the fifth jhāna. Some meditation subjects can exclusively be the object of the fifth jhāna.
There are six recollections (anussati) which can condition calm, but if one is not an ariyan, they cannot condition calm to the degree of upacāra samādhi. These recollections are: recollection of the Buddha (Buddhānussati), recollection of the Dhamma (Dhammānussati), recollection of the Sangha (Sanghānussati), recollection of generosity (cāgānussati), recollection of morality (sīlānussati), and recollection of devas (devatānussati). For those who are ariyans, these recollections can condition calm to the degree of upacāra samādhi, but not to the degree of appanā samādhi, attainment concentration.
The recollection of death (maraṇānussati) can condition calm only to the degree of upacāra samādhi. The recollection of peace (upasamānussati) is the meditation on nibbāna, which can be developed exclusively by ariyans, and this subject can condition calm only to the degree of upacāra samādhi.
The perception of repulsiveness in food (āhāre paṭikkūla saññā) is a meditation subject that can condition calm to the degree of upacāra samādhi.
The analysis of the four Elements (catu dhātu vavatthāna), a meditation subject on the Elements of Earth, Water, Fire and Wind, which are present in the body, can condition calm to the degree of upacāra samādhi.
The ten impurities (asubhā) are ten cemetery contemplations that can condition calm to the degree of the first jhāna.
Mindfulness of the body, kāyagatāsati, is a meditation on the loathsomeness of the body. It is a reflection on each of the thirty-two parts of the body, such as hair of the head, hair of the body, nails, teeth and skin. This meditation subject can condition calm to the degree of the first jhāna.
Mindfulness of breathing, ānāpāna sati, can condition calm to the degree of the fifth stage of jhāna.
The ten kasinas can condition calm to the degree of the fifth jhāna.
Three brahmavihāras (divine abidings), namely, loving-kindness, mettā, compassion, karuṇā, and sympathetic joy, muditā, can condition calm to the degree of the fourth jhāna of the fivefold system (and the third jhāna of the fourfold system).
The fourth brahmavihāra is equanimity, upekkhā. When someone has attained calm with the other three brahmavihāras to the degree of the fourth stage of jhāna, he can develop the brahmavihāra of upekkhā and this is exclusively the object of the jhāna of the fifth stage.
There are four stages of arūpa-jhāna, immaterial jhāna. The jhānacitta of these stages is of the same type as the jhānacitta of the fifth stage of rūpa-jhāna, but it does not have an object connected with rūpa. Someone who wants to develop arūpa-jhāna should first attain the fifth stage of rūpa-jhāna. Then he may see the disadvantage of this stage. Although it is the highest stage of rūpa-jhāna, the jhānacitta still has an object connected with rūpa, and therefore, he sees the danger of easily becoming infatuated with sense objects. Thus, he withdraws from rūpa as object and inclines to objects that are not rūpa, which are more subtle and more refined. If he abandons rūpa and takes as object arūpa that is boundless until appanā samādhi arises, he attains arūpa-jhāna kusala citta. Then the cittas arise and fall away in succession in a mind-door process, just as in the case of the attainment of rūpa-jhāna. He has to be equipped with the five “masteries,” vasīs, so that he can attain higher stages of arūpa-jhāna.
There are four stages of arūpa-jhāna, and the jhānacitta of all four stages is of the same type as the jhānacitta of the fifth stage of rūpa-jhāna, but the objects are different and they become successively more subtle.
The first stage of arūpa-jhāna is the jhānacitta that has as object infinity of space, it is ākāsanañcāyatana jhānacitta.
The second stage of arūpa-jhāna is the jhānacitta that has as object infinity of consciousness, it is viññāṇañcāyatana jhānacitta. This citta has as object the jhānacitta of the first stage of arūpa-jhāna that experiences infinity of space. The person who cultivates this stage of arūpa-jhāna sees that the object of infinity of space is not as subtle as the object that is the jhānacitta experiencing infinity of space. Therefore, he transcends the object of infinity of space and takes as object the jhānacitta which experiences infinity of space, until appanā samādhi arises and he attains the second stage of arūpa-jhāna, of infinity of consciousness.
The third stage of arūpa-jhāna is the jhānacitta that has as object “there is nothing,” it is ākiñcaññāyatana jhānacitta. When the person who cultivates this stage sees that the object of the second stage, the infinity of consciousness, is not as subtle and refined as the object of nothingness, he transcends the object of the second stage and turns to the object of nothingness, which conditions more calm. He cultivates the object of nothingness until appanā samādhi arises and he attains the third stage of arūpa jhāna. The jhānacitta of this stage has nothingness as object, because it has no longer as object the jhānacitta experiencing infinity of space, which citta is the object of the second stage.
The fourth stage of arūpa jhāna is “neither-perception-nor-non-perception,” the n’evasaññā-n’āsaññāyatana jhānacitta. This is the jhānacitta that has as object the jhānacitta of the third stage experiencing nothingness. The person who cultivates this stage sees that the jhānacitta which experiences nothingness is of a most subtle nature. Therefore, he takes this jhānacitta as object, so that appanā-samādhi arises, and he attains the fourth stage of arūpa-jhāna. Saññā and the accompanying dhammas at this stage of jhāna are so subtle that it cannot be said that they are present nor that they are not present; they are present in a residual way and cannot effectively perform their functions. The arūpa-jhāna of the fourth stage, the “sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception” is so called, because it cannot be said that there is perception, saññā, nor can it be said that there is not.
The development of samatha, the calm that is freedom from defilements, up to the degree of arūpa-jhāna, can only be accomplished by a powerful citta. When someone has achieved this, he can train himself to reach the benefit of the special supernatural powers he has set as his goal. These are, for example, recollection of one’s former lives, the resolution to have the “divine eye” by which one sees things that are far off, or that are obstructed, the resolution to have the “divine ear” by which one hears sounds far or near, the resolution to perform magical powers (iddhi pāṭihāriya) such as walking on water, diving into the earth, floating through the air, or the creation of different forms. However, if someone wants to train himself to have such special qualities he must have the highest skill in all kasinas and in the eight attainments that are the four stages of rūpa-jhāna and the four stages of arūpa-jhāna.
The “Visuddhimagga” describes fourteen ways of training to achieve supernatural powers (XII, 3-8). Someone who wishes to train himself to reach this goal should, for example, be able to attain jhāna with the kasinas in conformity with the order of the kasinas, that is, first with the earth kasina, after that with the water kasina, and so on. Or he should be able to attain jhāna with the kasinas in reverse order, or to skip jhānas of the different stages without skipping the successive kasinas, or to skip kasinas without skipping the successive stages of jhāna. Thus, he should know the right conditions for perfect control of his attainments.
It may seem that a person has such perfect control and that he can perform miracles, but, if he has not cultivated the right cause leading to the right effect, he does not really have the special qualities that are supernatural powers. The “Visuddhimagga” (IV, 8) explains that the development of the different stages of jhāna and the acquirement of supernatural powers is most difficult:
“It is not possible for a meditator to begin to accomplish transformation by supernormal powers unless he has previously completed his development by controlling his mind in these fourteen ways. Now the kasina preliminary work is difficult for a beginner and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The arousing of the (acquired) mental image is difficult for one who has done the preliminary work and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To extend the sign when it has arisen and to reach absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. To tame one’s mind in fourteen ways after reaching absorption is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. The transformation by supernatural power after training one’s mind in the fourteen ways is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it. Rapid response after attaining transformation is difficult and only one in a hundred or a thousand can do it...”
It is the same in the case of remembering one’s former lives, it is most difficult. Who could attain upacāra samādhi, access concentration, if the citta is not mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā? Who could claim to have attained appanā samādhi that arises at the moment of the first stage of jhāna? Who could claim to have attained the second, third, fourth and fifth stage of jhāna, or arūpa-jhāna? Who could claim to remember his past lives if he cannot revert in memory from now to this morning? Can he remember each moment? Can he revert to yesterday evening, to yesterday morning, or can he, with a citta firmly established in calm, remember each moment reverting to the rebirth-consciousness, or even to the last moment of the last day of his past life and revert successively to past lives? This can only be achieved if the jhānacitta has become powerful, and if one has trained oneself in all the skills necessary for supernatural powers. If that is the case, one can cause mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā to arise and remembrance of past lives can be accomplished while reverting from a specific moment on to the past.
If one studies in detail and understands the right conditions for the special qualities which are the supernatural powers, one will know whether a certain achievement is truly due to those special qualities or not.
By the development of samatha defilements are not eradicated. In samatha the paññā is not developed which penetrates the characteristics of impermanence, dukkha and anattā, which knows the true nature of realities. Only this kind of paññā can eradicate defilements. If jhāna does not decline and jhānacitta can arise in the process just before the dying-consciousness, the jhānacitta is kamma-condition for the arising of jhāna vipākacitta that is the rebirth-consciousness in one of the brahma planes. However, when that person’s lifespan has come to an end in such a plane, he will again revert to life in this world with clinging to self, to visible object, sound, odour, flavour and tangible object.
The development of samatha in past lives can be accumulated in the cycle of birth and death. It can be a condition for some people to have a presentiment of events that may take place. Someone who has developed concentration may be able to see omens and have a presentiment of events in the future. However, it should be remembered that for the accomplishment of supernatural powers samatha must be developed by mahā-kusala citta accompanied by paññā, so that calm grows and concentration on the meditation subject becomes firmly established, to the degree that the stages of jhāna can successively arise. It should be noted that all this is most difficult. A person who has developed concentration may have visions of future events, and some of his presentiments may come true whereas some may be wrong. His visions may be a result of his development of concentration, but they are not supernatural powers, the special qualities that are the result of the development of samatha.
If one develops samatha, it is already most difficult to attain even upacāra samādhi, access concentration. The reason is that when an object impinges on one of the senses or the mind-door, we usually turn to such an object with lobha, dosa or moha. Kusala citta of the level of dāna, sīla or mental development arises very rarely in our daily life. The moments of kusala citta are very rare when compared to the moments of akusala cittas that usually arise very rapidly, on account of the objects impinging on the senses and the mind-door. Defilements cannot be eradicated by the development of samatha. When defilements arise and overwhelm the citta, even samatha that has been developed to the degree of miraculous powers can decline.
Before the Buddha’s enlightenment, there were people who accomplished the development of samatha to the highest degree of arūpa-jhāna, the sphere of neither-perception-nor-non-perception, and who could train themselves to attain supernatural powers, such as the divine eye, the divine ear, the remembrance of former lives and miraculous powers. However, in spite of this, they could not penetrate the four noble Truths, since they had not cultivated the right cause for this result. The right cause is the development of vipassanā, insight, to the degree that it becomes the right condition for the realization of the four noble Truths. Some people at that time had wrong understanding of the way leading to the realization of the four noble Truths; they followed the wrong practice. After the Buddha had attained enlightenment and taught the Dhamma, some of the ariyan disciples who had realized the four noble Truths had cultivated jhāna and some had not cultivated jhāna. The ariyans who had become enlightened without having attained jhāna were greater in number than those who had attained enlightenment with lokuttara cittas accompanied by jhāna-factors of different stages. This shows us again that the development of samatha in the right way is extremely difficult and most intricate.
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