By Bhikkhu SiriDhamma
Courtesy : VESAK LIPI
The Buddha himself says that the mind of him who suffers is not
concentrated (dukkhino cittam na samadhiyati).
This means that Samadhi is first gained only with the arising
of joy (piti) and the other factors as pointed out in the following
passage: "To him who comprehends the truth and the law, gladness
is born; with that joy arises; owing to joy his body becomes tranquil;
and in the
comfort he feels with his tranquil body, his mind becomes concentrated.
(Tassa atthapatisamvedino dhamma patisamvedino pamujjam jayati,
pamuditassa piti jayati, pitimanassa kayo passambhati, passaddhakayo
sukham vedeti, sukhino cittam samadhyai).
The Buddha has also said" I shall teach you purity and the
road to purity. What is purity? The destruction of lust, hate
and delusion. What is the road to purity? Tranquility (samatha)
is called the road to purity. Again He has said, "I shall
teach you purity and the road to purity. What is purity? The destruction
of lust, hate and delusion. What is the road to purity? Insight
(Vipassana) is called the road to purity."
It is clear that there is no way of evading the cultivation of
these two aspects of mental development. Every one has to master
them in order to free the mind of the defilements of lust, hate
and ignorance. Samadhi bhavana occupies a place of great importance
in the Buddhist life. The Samatha trained mind is better equipped
for critical examination of results.
What is done in the way of meditation now will make our work easier
in the future, and will bring about a peace, a calm and a restfulness
of spirit in the vortex of worldly activity.
INTRODUCING THE WRITER
Bhikkhu Siridhamma Maha Thera
(87) born in November 1919, hails from the Gampaha District Lay
name - Cyril Randunu. Educated at Nalanda College Colombo. Later
he became a lawyer and served as a junior to the Late H. Siri
Nissanka K. C the well known criminal lawyer.
Resided for long years at the Mrs. F. R. Senanayake Forest Hermitage
Udawattekelle, Kandy. During the great world war 1939-45 he resided
at the Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa along with the Most Ven Gnanathiloka
Maha Thera (the founder of the Island Hermitage, Dodanduwa) and
other well known senior scholarly monks, Kotahene Soma Thera and
Lunugala Kheminda Maha Thera. Bhikkhu Siridhamma now resides at
the Vajiraramaya Bambalapitiya. <<Back
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