Right Concentration is a practice for meditation and introspection. It takes place in four phases in both forms of material and nonmaterial sphere. Here are the categorical levels of material or existence plane.
The first absorption or Pathama Jhana, is the phase, which ses our powers of conceptualization and discursive thinking to let go of unwholesome desires, leaving us in a state of joyful well being.
The second phases of absorption or Tutiya Jhana involves allowing these mental activities to come to rest until we find ourselves in the centered and focused state of concentration upon the object of our meditation during our sense of joyful well being continues.
The third phase of absorption or Tatiya Jhana, is the phase, where we move beyond joyful well being and experience into a simple alertness and awareness of our surrondings instead.
In the fourth phase, Cathuta Jhana, we lose any sense of boundary where we end and the world beings. At this point, our intelligent understanding of the Eightfold Path evolves into an experiential one. Having overcome the obstacles to the comprehension of life as it really is, we manifest spontaneous, unmotivated action completely appropriate to the present moment.
In the nonexistence or the formless plane, there are also four planes of absorption as follows : Realm of infinite space, Realm of infinite consciousness, Realm of nothingness and Realm of neither perception nor non - perception.
Nevertheless, both of material and non - material planes are classified in the mundane levels of consciousness. With the attainment of the fourth stage of formless sphere [ the realm of neither perception nor non - perception ], consciousness becomes immensely pure and subtle. All the major defilling factors are rendered functionless, expect the ten fetters existing as the seeds of defilements.
Having attained full concentration, consciousness is ready to develop insight into the true nature of things by means of insight meditation. By this insight, the ten fetter, namely; false view in personality belief [ sakkaya - dhiti ], doubt, uncertainty [ vicikiccha ], clinging to merely rules and rituals [ silabataramasa ], sensous desire [ kamaraga ], repulsion [ patika ], desire for material existence [ rupa - raga ], desire for immaterial existence [ arupa - raga ], conceit [ mana ], restlessness [ udhacca ], and ignorance [ avijja ], are gradually cut off step by step in supra mundane plane. Their destruction varies in four stages of sainthood, namely : Stream winner [ sotapanna ], Once returner [ sakadagami ], Never returner [ anagami ] and arahant. When the total destruction of these fetters, which are the last reside of defiling factors, liberates consciousness from all motives, thus the consciousness of the liberated person [ arahant ] obtains absolute freedom, called Nibbana.
Please observe that the Threefold Training in Sila, Samadhi and Panna, under the middle way of Eightfold Path mentioned above, is the right way of life, recommended under the Buddha's teachings. Sila or Morality is needed as the first step of practice by refrain from unwholesome bodily and verbal actions, at least under the five precepts. There are : to abstain from sexual misconduct, to abstain from false speech and to abstain from intoxicant causing heedlessness.
The second training is Samadhi or Meditation, which means to clarify the state of mind into a joyful well being. Phra Dhammapitaka states that, the developed, qualified states of mind is characterized by joyful. bliss, tranquil, clear and calm. After having attained some level of concentration in Samadhibhavana, the meditator will be able to practice Insight meditation.
Please observe that, while most of Theravada Buddhists stress on Sila and Samadhi, Mahayana gives " wisdom " as a priority. Mahayana Buddhists maintain that, wisdom is regarded as the training before Sila and Samadhi. They believe that once the view and the thought we wrong, one could never attain the goal of " clear, clean and calm " state of the mind, as the Buddha's word,
" Concrete foundation keeps upright steeple "
By THE BUDDHA'S Core Teachings
No comments:
Post a Comment