In
recent years, there have been many expositions of the
Buddha’s teachings in English and other languages.
However, a great number of them lack authenticity and do
not accurately represent the Buddha’s words. Many are
written in such a freelance way that it is difficult to
even recognise these writings as Buddha-Dhamma. Thus,
the purpose of this article is to draw attention to the
far reaching significance of the Buddha’s Dhamma, which
includes the meditation instructions, and the initial
guidance to an understanding of his teachings and their
practical applications. This is an attempt to give an
accurate description of meditation based on the
Anapanasati Sutta (which instructions are exactly the
same, letter for letter and word for word, as the
Satipatthana Sutta and the Maharahulavada Sutta, sutta
number 62. Both are from the Majjhima Nikaya.), with
only a limited use of standard commentaries. It is
selected from the Middle Length Sayings translated from
Pali by the Ven. Nanamoli and Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi.
We will first start with redefining some words which are
regularly misunderstood (or badly used to suit some
commentaries), misused and are causing a lot of
confusion to the practice of the Buddha’s method of
meditation. Firstly, let us look at the word jhana. In
Pali, jhana has many types of meaning. It can mean
meditation stages or illumination. However, when the
common translation of the word jhana as being merely
“concentration” is used, misunderstanding takes place!
Thus, I will explain its meaning whenever it occurs in
this article. The word jhana was never defined as “fixed
concentration, access concentration or momentary
concentration” in the suttas. These definitions are only
mentioned in some commentaries.
The Buddha invariably includes the word jhanas (meaning
‘meditation stages’, not fixed absorption of mind) in
the full gradual training. According to the suttas,
these meditation stages are not mystical or magical
experiences. They are simply stages to be recognised by
the meditator. These meditation stages (jhanas)
contribute to the built-in perfection of the path which
emphasises deep tranquillity, wisdom, stillness and
opening of mind. These qualities provide a solid base
for the realisation of both calmness of mind and the
development of wisdom. While they are still mundane, the
jhanas (meditation stages) are the very ‘footsteps of
the Tathagata’ that forms the gradual training which
leads to nibbana.
Tranquillity
Next is the Pali word samatha. The more accurate
meanings of samatha are peacefulness, calmness,
tranquillity, serenity or stillness and not as the
commonly translated terms like absorption or fixed
concentration. Thus, I prefer to use the word
tranquillity.
The Pali word samadhi is equally important too, as it
has many different meanings such as calmness, unified
mind, tranquillity, peacefulness, stillness, composure
of mind, quiet mind serenity, and one of the lesser
meanings, ‘concentration’. Thus, the true meaning is not
merely fixed absorption concentration or access
concentration, but calmness or stillness in different
degrees. Interestingly, Rhys Davids found through his
studies, that the word samadhi was never used before the
time of the Buddha. Even though as a Bodhisatta, he
practised ‘concentration meditation’, this word has a
different meaning other than concentration. The Buddha
“popularised” the word samadhi to express calm wisdom,
tranquillity, openness, awareness, along with developing
a mind which has clarity and wisdom in it. Later, the
Hindus changed the meaning to ‘concentration’. Hence I
will use either stillness, or composure of mind, or
unified mind. According to the Pali-English dictionary
written by Buddhadatta, the prefix sama means “calmness
or tranquillity” and dhi means “wisdom”. When these two
meanings are added together, the word samadhi can
actually mean “tranquil wisdom”. If one chooses to use
the word concentration’, they must know that it means
stillness of mind or composure of mind, or a unified
mind and not absorption, fixed (appana), or access (upacara)
concentration or even momentary (Khanika) concentration.
This article is written with a deep conviction that the
systematic cultivation of ‘Tranquil Wisdom Meditation’
brings both insight into the seeing of the true nature
of this psycho/physical (mind/body) process and serenity
of mind at the same time! Furthermore, there is the
seeing and realising the cause and effect relationships
of all dependent conditions. This means seeing dependent
origination which is the development of penetrative
wisdom that leads to dispassion, emancipation and
enlightenment. As a matter of fact, the Buddha
discovered that ‘concentration practices’ of any kind
did not lead him to Nibbana.
Teachers
After becoming a homeless one, the Bodhisatta went to
two different teachers of ‘concentration meditation’.
His first teacher was Alara Kalama. After learning the
Dhamma and discipline, he practised until he attained a
very high and distinguished stage of meditation called
the “realm of nothingness”. The Bodhisatta then went to
his teacher and asked whether he could proceed any
further with that meditation. Alara Kalama replied that
it was the highest stage.
anyone could attain. The Bodhisatta was dissatisfied and
went to another teacher by the name of Uddaka Ramaputta.
He learned the Dhamma and discipline, then practised it
and attained the “realm of neither-perception nor
non-perception”. The Bodhisatta again went to his
teacher and asked a similar question about there being
more to attain. Again, the Bodhisatta was told that this
was absolutely the highest attainment anyone could
achieve. The future Buddha was disappointed because he
saw that there were still many more things to let go of.
He observed that these “concentration techniques”, which
focused intensely on the object of meditation, caused
tightening in mind.
He reasoned that there was still attachment whenever
there was tension in mind. He also noticed that if any
part of the experiences were suppressed or not allowed
to arise, (This occurs with every form of
‘concentration’—that is, fixed absorption concentration,
or access concentration.) there was still some kind of
holding on or attachment to an ego belief. Thus, after
six long years of trying all of the various spiritual
and ascetic practices from body mortifications like
starving the body, to holding the breath, he realized
that these practices did not lead him to a calm and open
mind which was free from attachment and suffering.
On the night of the Bodhisatta’s realization of the
Supreme Nibbana, he recalled an incident at a ploughing
festival while he was just a young boy of one or two
years old. When his attendants left him alone under a
rose-apple tree, he sat in “tranquil wisdom meditation”
and experienced a mind that was expanded and open! He
saw that this form of meditation would lead him to the
experience of “tranquillity jhanas” (as opposed to
‘concentration jhanas’). As a result of the “tranquil
wisdom meditation”, his mind was filled with joy; his
body became light and happy. When the joy faded away, he
then experienced strong calmness and peacefulness. His
mind and body became very comfortable. His mind was very
still, composed, with sharp mindfulness and full
awareness of what was happening around him i.e., he
could still hear sounds and feel sensations with his
body, etc., at that time.
Supreme Nibbana
When the Bodhisatta sat under the Bodhi tree to meditate
on the full moon night of May and made his great effort
to attain the Supreme Nibbana, he recalled that not all
forms of pleasure are unwholesome. He realized that
there could be pleasurable feelings arising in mind and
body although there was not any attachment to anything.
That very night, the Bodhisatta practised “Tranquil
Wisdom Meditation” through the method of opening and
expanding mind. In short, he practised the “Anapanasati”
or Mindfulness of Breathing”, And as we all know, he
became the Buddha or the supremely enlightened one.
The Anapanasati Sutta taught by the Buddha 2500 years
ago still provides the most simple, direct, thorough,
and effective method for training and developing mind
for its daily tasks and problems as well as for its
highest aim-mind’s own unshakable deliverance from
greed, hatred and delusion. The method described here is
taken directly from the sutta itself and its results can
be seen clearly and easily when one practises according
to the instructions on the sutta. I would like to
emphasize that the instructions in this article are not
his “own opinion”, but is actually the Buddha’s own
instruction given in a clear and precise way. It can be
called the “Undiluted Dhamma”, because it comes directly
from the suttas themselves, without a lot of additions
or freelance ideas.
අමාවක
පුර
අටවක
පසෙලාස්වක
අව
අටවක