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By Bhikkhu Siri Dhamma
Courtesy : VESAK LIPI
Meditation in the Buddha Dhamma is for attaining the four stages
of realization by which greed, hatred
and delusion are completely
abandoned. Tranquility (Samatha)
and insight into actuality (Vipassana)
are essential for suchi realization. The Buddha says, "Two
things partake of knowledge, that is, tranquility and insight;
When Tranquility is developed, the mind is developed and lust
is abandoned; the mind defile with lust is not liberated; When
there is defilement through ingnorance; right understanding is
not developed; liberation of mind comes to be through the un taining
of it from lust; and there is the liberation of right understanding
when the mind is unstained of ignorance."(Anguttara
Nikaya).
Samatha is a sine quo non for
the development of right understanding of the supramundane states,
Samadhi being one of the factors of the Noble Eightfold Path.
Under no circumstances can it be dispensed with. And Samma Samadhi
of the Path is defined in the Suttas as Jhana. Samadhi is cittavisuddi
the purity of mind comes into being through the elimination of
hindrances. (Nivarana).
Samma ditthi as the first
Path factor can never arise separate from Samma Samadhi. From
the passage cited above and from what follows it is clear that,
the belief that Samadhi can be bypassed in the journey to Arahantship
is clearly against the teaching of the Suttas, since the Noble
Path cannot be completed without the Samadhikkhandha.
When the Buddha urges His disciples to action, He says that those
who follow the path and practice clear concentrative calm (Jhana)
are released from suffering (Patipanna pomokkanti jhayino marabandhana).
Further it is said, "If a monk should wish 'Let me be dear
to my fellow disciples, well-pleasing in their eyes, let me stand
high in their esteem, then let him practice in their fullness
the precepts of good, give himself to the quietening of his own
mind, resist not the on-coming of ecstasy, aim at possession of
insight, devote himself o the solitary life." Again, "Him
I call a Brahmin who practices clear concentrative thought (Jhayim
brumi brahmannm") "Develop concentration, O Bhikkhus,
the Bhikku who has gained concentration sees things as they really
are (Samadhim Bhikkhave bhavetha,
samahito Bhikkhu yathabhutam pajanati) "There is no
possibility of abandoning the fetters without completing Samma
samadhim (Samma samadhim aparipuretva
samyojanani pajahissatiti n' etam thanam vijjati).
Thus, it is obvious that Samadhi and Panna (wisdom)
are absolutely necessary for Path attainment, and so it is said,
"There is no clear concentrative thought in one who lacks
wisdom, no wisdom in one who lacks clear concentrative thought;
but he in whom there are clear concentrative thought and wisdom
is truly near Nibbana.
Natthi Jhanam apannaesa panna n' atthii ajjhayato Yamhi Jhanam
ca panna ca sa ve nibbanasantike.
Jhana is not a state of auto-hypnosis, where no memory remains
after emergence, nor is it unconsciousness. It is only in a state
of clear consciousness that mental purification can be reached,
for the meditator must have clear ideas of the object of meditation.
Jhana is an exercise of clear and intense unification of the mind,
that is, with an unremitting mindfulness at the time and clear
recollection afterwards. Next>> |
