To practice vipassana, a certain concentration is required. There are three levels of concentration for mental development according to Buddhism.
1. Khanika samadhi or momentary concentration is a quality of mind that is inherently common in all sentient beings which is an essential faculty that we all need in our everyday activities.
2. Upacara samadhi, or access or approximate or neighborhood concentration, is a more developed form of concentration attainable through the process of mental development. At this stage, the mind is elevated beyond the ordinary level of consciousness but it is not as yet well established in deep concentration. The stage of non - pointednes of mind is still subject to some degree of instability and fluctuation, although it can be better controlled than in the first type of concentration. Concentration at this particular level provides the necessary basis for the practice of insight meditation.
3. Attainment concentration [ Appana samadhi, jhana 8, absorption or trance ], Three are 2 main levels of jhana, called rupajhana and arupajhana. Each rupajhana and arupajhana are subdivided in to 8 levels of attainments.
These trance are mental state beyond the reach of the fivefold sense - activity; no visual or audible impressions arise at such time, no bodily feeling is felt. In trances, the mind is so absorbed in it object that it can not reflect upon concrete psychic factors like feelings, emotions, etc. thus the concentration is necessary for arising insight. This means that neighborhood concentration leads to vipassana while attainment concentration leads to the mystic states of Yoga. This show how vipassana, as a method, differs form Yoga. The former is based on the empirical, concrete facts of experience, by concentrating on the void, concentrating on the signless and concentrating on the desireless while the latter goes beyond them to attain what is called mokhasa in Uppanisadic theory.
In this third level of attainment or Appana samadhi, the meditator's mind become well established in one - pointedness and is completely under control. In this stage, the level of mind is in the position to retain concentration for as long as the meditator wishes. In this level, the of mind is in the position to retain concentration for as long as the meditator wishes. In this level, the concentration is so profound and in deep which can not be disturbed by any external elements. It is total mastery over oneself, a mastery that is potentially capable of defying even the know laws of nature as the three common characteristics. This kind of attainment concentration is the foundation of jhana or absorption. There are two levels of jhana in this mental state of Appana samadhi, there are as follows :
The first four absorptions result from meditation on ten concrete forms [ kasin ] such as earth, fire, water, or colored objects. A state of absorption achieved in this way of practice is called absorption of the form [ rupajhana ] as mentioned above in this chapter of right concentration.
The other four absorptions are the formless sphere [ arupajhana ], because rather than focusing the mind on any concrete form but employing abstract concepts as object of concentration. These conceptual objects are the sphere of infinity of space [ akasananca ayatana ], the sphere of infinity of consciousness [ vinnananca ayatana ], the sphere of nothingness [ akincanna ayatana ] and the sphere of neither perception nor non perception. [ nevasannanasannayatana ]. To practise the absorption of the formless sphere, one has to be first thoroughly accomplished in the first four - absorption form or rupajhana.
Although concentration in this kind of Appanasamadhi increases the power of mind, it can be brought to such a high level that psychic wonders, or what one may call " miracles " can be perform through it. These psychic powers of miracle are neither the purpose nor the goal of Buddhist meditation. In fact, the Buddha even laid down rules for the monks against the display of such feats, for they are likely to distract the uniformed and mislead them from the path of enlightenment and deliverance from Samsara, which is the true goal of Buddhism.
According to Buddhist concept, all of four absorptions in both levels of rupajhana and arupajhana are considered just to be in the mundane plane. Right effort to cultivate any levels of meditation as high as to the eight level of Nevasannanasannayatana is considered to attain merely " samsadha ". Only liberated persons who practise samadhi and vipassana can lead to attain the ninth level of " cessation of ideation and feeling " which regarded as the ultimate goal of Buddhism.
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
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