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There are actually many different ways and levels
to talk about the 8-Fold Path which is the most important facet of
the Buddha's Teachings, when seen in Dependent Origination. The way
we need to discuss this is through the applied aspects of doing the
meditation and using a much deeper but still a very practical
approach to understanding how the 8-Fold Path works.
The normal ways of thinking about the 8-Fold Path are:
Right View
Right Thought
Right Speech
Right Action
Right Livelihood
Right Effort
Right Mindfulness
Right Concentration.
They are commonly put into three categories Wisdom (Pan~n~a),
Morality (Sila) and Concentration (Samadhi). But actually all of
this is only the surface way of looking at this. The explanation
about this path that will be discussed here is a much deeper way
that relates directly to one's observations of Dependent
Origination.
In order to present a little different way of looking at this,
things have been changed a bit, so it will become easier to
understand. The reason is, when this Path is broken into three
categories, the middle category (sila) is most often forgotten
about. This is because morality (sila) when looked at this way
doesn't really seem to have anything to do with one's meditation
practice. This kind of dividing up of the 8-Fold Path can
effectively change it to a 5-fold Path. This kind of surface
interpretation doesn't tend to help or deepen one's own personal
investigation and understanding of the Dhamma!
When the changes in both words and meaning are shown and
explained it will become clearer. The reason that this is done is
because this 8-Fold Path is so important that the Buddha included it
in the very first discourse that he gave, The Dhammacakkappattana
Sutta (The Turning of the Wheel of Dhamma). He was teaching the
first 5 ascetics about the correct way to practice meditation, and
was showing how his understanding of the Dhamma was different from
other teachings. As it says in many suttas The Dhamma is well
expounded by the Buddha, it is immediately effective, has the
invitation to come and see, which leads to final liberation here and
now.
What this says is that this Path to the cessation of suffering,
is still an experience that can happen for us today, when one
practices the original teachings of the Buddha closely. This
wonderful Path to the cessation of suffering has 8 parts and they
must all be practiced at the same time while one is doing their
meditation. So every part of the 8-Fold Path has a practical aspect
to it and teaches us about understanding how to let go of the
suffering talked about in the Noble Truths.
With that said, Let us take a look at the 8-Fold Path in a little
different way. For one thing the word Right seems to be a little
hard for our purposes of understanding. So the author chooses to use
the word "Harmonious", instead of "Right". This tends to put a
softer approach to the actual practice of meditation. If one uses
the word "Right", it automatically brings to mind the opposite which
is wrong! This tends to make one's mind see things in black or white
and nothing in between. And the word "Harmonious" doesn't seem to do
this, it gives a more fluid kind of feeling to all of these
different aspects of the 8-fold Path. A question that the truth
seeker can ask oneself as they live their life is, "Am I really
being in harmony with what is happening in the present moment right
now?" This kind of question can help one to remember to stay of the
Path that leads to the cessation of all suffering (The 8-Fold
Path).They are:
Harmonious Perspective or Right View
(Understanding)
Harmonious Imaging or Right Thought
Harmonious Communication or Right Speech
Harmonious Movement or Right Action
Harmonious Life Style or Right
Livelihood
Harmonious Practice or Right Effort
Harmonious Observation or Right Mindfulness
Harmonious Collectedness or Right
Concentration
NOTE: I will put the standard way of "Right _____" behind most of
these as we go along.
"SAMMA DITTHI" - Harmonious Perspective (Right View):
The reason
that this is at the beginning of the 8-Fold Path, is because it sets
the tone of the impersonal aspects of the entire Path. This
Harmonious Perspective (Right View) is talking about the perspective
of everything that arises as being an impersonal process (anatta) to
be observed. When one is out of harmony with the present moment
(Dhamma or Truth), we are taking whatever arises personally (atta)
and then there is the personal want to control all thoughts and
sensations when they arise. This is where the craving begins to
arise, and craving always shows itself as being a tightness or
tension in both mind and body (please remember that the tightness or
tension in one's head is a part of body and needs to be relaxed
also).
At that time, one tries to make these phenomena be the way we
want them to be. Anytime one tries to fight or control the Dhamma
(Truth) of the present moment , anytime one tries to change the
Dhamma (Truth) of the present moment, anytime one tries to make the
Dhamma (Truth) of the present moment be any way other than it
actually is, it is the cause of great pain and suffering! This is
the "First Noble Truth, Suffering" or being out of harmony with our
perspective of the present moment, then we are taking everything
that arises as being the part of an "I", "Me", "Mine" (atta)
perspective.
Why does suffering occur? Because of the unharmonious perspective
of " `I want' things to be, the way `I want' them to be, when `I
want' them this way!" This "I", "Me", "Mine" concept or perspective
(atta) is the very problem to be seen, let go of, and relaxed - in
all movements or shifts of mind's attention from one thing to
another. As one begins to understand that all phenomena
(Mentality/Materiality, Nama-Rupa) that arise (anicca), are a part
of an impersonal (anatta) process to be observed, let go of and
relaxed. Then one will be more able to see the slight tightnesses or
tensions (or movement of mind's attention) caused by taking things
personally.
The relaxing talked about when one is doing the breath meditation
and the understanding that this same tightness is how one recognizes
all six kinds of craving (Tanha, the craving at each sense door).
This is where the very first part of the unharmonious perspective
(Wrong View) or being out of harmony with the true nature of the
impersonal perspective in all movements and even vibrations that arise in mind's attention moment-to-moment occurs. When one develops
a Harmonious Perspective (Right View) they let go of this kind of
personal attitude, by seeing through the eyes of the impersonal
nature of everything that arises in the present moment.
When the meditator takes anything as being "I", "Me", "Mine"
personally, at that time, we are not able to see or understand any
of the Noble Truths. Why? Because the craving (I like it
I don't
like it, mind) and clinging (the stories that go along with the
opinions, concepts, and the false idea of a personal self, papan~ca)
have clouded our perspective. This is the way mind pushes us around
and makes us think that every "problem" that arises through our
daily lives is an emergency and such a big problem that it seems
unsurmountable.
This deluded mind brings up all kinds of dissatisfaction and even
depression. The way modern society works these days is, if one can't
see exactly how mind works. One takes everything that arises as
being "mine" personally and then suffers a lot because, "I want to
control this feeling with `my' thoughts" and when one finds out this
approach doesn't work one takes drugs and/or alcohol to get relief
from these pains and sufferings. Instead of looking at the deeper
aspects of HOW mind's attention occurs and how to change one's
perspective from "I am this" (the false personal belief) to "It's
only this" (the impersonal observation which is easy to let go of
and relax).
The first step of the 8-fold path is really the key that unlocks
the suffering! That is the deep realization that everything that
arises is simply a part of an impersonal process which can be seen most clearly through the letting go of craving (by relaxing) and
seeing all movements or shifts of mind as being a part of the
Dukkha! The rest of this path shows us how to do this, also.
"SAMMA SANKHAPPA" - Harmonious Imaging (or Right Thought):
This is
the part of mind that works in images. These images can be thoughts,
feelings, or pictures. Harmonious Imaging (Right Thought) is the
consciously taking of an idea or feeling then making it recognizable
and easily translated by mind. For example, when a meditator is
practicing "Loving-Kindness Meditation" the instructions are to
bring up a feeling of happiness, joy, calmness, etc. and feel that
image. This is consciously replacing an unwholesome image (Wrong
Thought) such as fear, anxiety, depression, sadness etc. that is
currently present. Then one substitutes that unwholesome image
(Wrong Thought) with a wholesome image like happiness, joy,
calmness, peace, total acceptance or any other uplifting image that
one can think of. Now one is purposefully feeling that wholesome,
uplifting image.
If one consciously brings up a wholesome thought or image like
happiness or joy - they are training themselves to develop
Harmonious Imaging (Right Thought). In the Majjhima Nikaya Sutta #
19 it says "Whatever one frequently thinks and ponders on, this is
the inclination of their mind!"
It is necessary to develop the skill of consciously manifesting a
wholesome image of happiness and peace in one form or another so
happiness, joy and relief will be present in all of our activities.
When one is practicing the breathing and relaxing meditation any
distraction that pulls one's attention away from the object of
meditation, like lust, aversion, restlessness, etc. is considered to
be a type of unwholesome image. The letting go of that unharmonious
image (Wrong Thought) and relaxing, then redirecting mind back to
the breath and relaxing is considered to be developing Harmonious
Imaging (Right Thought) with a wholesome object of meditation. Why?
Because they are seen and acted on, in an impersonal way (Harmonious
Perspective Right View, Anatta).
On the other hand, if one unconsciously has the image of
dissatisfaction, sadness, anxiety, frustration, worry, criticism,
pride, fear, or anger etc. they are indulging in the Unharmonious
Imaging (Wrong Thought) which leads to suffering and pain. Being out
of harmony with an image that one holds on to causes us to want to
control and to fight with what is in the present moment. This pulls
us away from the present moment and we begin to think of all of the
reasons that we don't like that image. This is how craving and
clinging to the false idea of a self or atta identification (unharmonious perspective) arises. These images lead us to lots of
suffering and dissatisfaction, in the present moment.
As stated earlier anytime one takes an image, of what arises in
the present moment to be "I", "Me", "Mine" personally, they will try
to control it, fight with it, and force the present moment to be
anything other than it is, this is the cause of our pain and
dissatisfaction (Dukkha). When a meditator notices this habit of
indulging in unharmonious images (wrong thought - feelings,
opinions, thoughts, emotions, etc. that are identified with as being
mine personally - atta) and they are able to gently relax and let go
of that image and then softly replace it with a harmonious image (right thought), they are following the path that leads to the
cessation of suffering. Again, this can be a way of thinking,
feeling or conceptual opinions. Letting go of those things that we
take personally, then relaxing and substituting them with an
uplifting image leads one to a clear perspective (Harmonious
Perspective) of how mind works it is being in harmony with the
present moment that has no suffering in it. This is how the first
two parts of the 8-fold path interact with each other.
"SAMMA VACA" - Harmonious Communication (Right Speech): This has to
do with the gentle communication with ourselves (internal dialogue)
as well as with other people too. This helps us to easily let go of
and relax into any type of disturbing thoughts, feelings, or
emotions that can pull mind's attention away from the meditation
object (which for practical purposes we can say is the breath,
relaxing and smiling or metta, relaxing and smiling). Any kind of
self-criticism, or any kind of anger, dislike, worry, anxiety,
dissatisfaction, condemnation, or a want to "make things be the
way `I' want them to be" in our communication with ourselves (our
internal dialogue, for example, anger with oneself, criticism with
oneself, dislike of our own actions and thoughts) and others is
being out of harmony (Wrong Speech) with the present moment.
This leads to a personal belief that all thoughts, opinions and
concepts are "I", "Me", "Mine" (atta Wrong View) and leads to
excessive clinging or thinking about. Being out of harmony with our
own communications leads us to a hard mind toward ourselves and
everyone around us. This definitely leads us to being out of harmony
with any external communication with other people. The practice of
mental development is learning how to lovingly-accept whatever
arises in the present moment and communicating this acceptance to
ourselves and others. Or we could say that one of the things we need
to practice is loving the person we are with and speaking with that
love. But who do we spend most of our time with? That's right, we
spend more time with ourselves than we do with any other person, so
we really need to practice being loving and kind to ourselves, as
much as possible. The Buddha said, "anyone who truly loves
themselves will never harm another person". This is how we can carry
a smile around with us all of the time. So smile and be happy then
cultivate those thoughts and communicate this happiness with
yourself internally as well as externally to other people!
Especially, with the love and acceptance of ourselves about
ourselves.
"SAMMA KAMMANTA" - Harmonious Movement (or Right Action):
This is
very important when one is learning how to meditate! Seeing the
movements of how mind's attention goes from one thing to another is
what meditation is all about! Why? Because when one trains their
observation powers (Right Mindfulness) they begin to see clearly
exactly how mind's attention goes from being on the breath and
relaxing to a sound, sight, taste, smell, touch or thought. This is
clearly observing exactly how the movements of mind's attention is
seeing the process of Dependent Origination and how it occurs. Being
in harmony with this, is the way of seeing the impersonal nature of
all of these slight movements and processes. The more interest one
puts into watching how mind's attention occurs the more precise
one's understanding becomes. This observation of how mind's
attention works is especially helpful in letting go and relaxing
when one has a hindrance (nivarana) arise.
When a meditator doesn't like or doesn't see the way mind moves and
tries to control how this movement occurs they are experiencing
unharmonious movement (or wrong action). For instance, when a
hindrance (nivarana) arises like restlessness, when the meditator
tries to push the hindrance away or to stop the hindrance from being
in the present moment, this trying to stop mind's movements is what
we can call Unharmonious Movement (Wrong action). Or if a meditator
tries to stop or suppress mind's natural movements by practicing
one-pointed concentration (this includes moment-to-moment concentration
Khanika Samadhi, access concentration Upacara Samadhi, and full
absorption or ecstatic concentration Appana Samadhi all of these
types of concentration are considered to be different forms of one-pointed concentration), the force of that concentration will
temporarily stop mind's moving for a short period of time. But when
the one-pointed concentration meditator loses their strong
concentration, then the movements of mind's attention tends to
become stronger. This is how unharmonious perspectives (Wrong View),
unharmonious images (Wrong Thoughts), and unharmonious
communications (Wrong Speech), in one's daily activities arises
which can cause huge amounts of suffering and dissatisfaction
(Dukkha). This is where true self-responsibility for our own actions
can really be seen! Seeing exactly how mind's attention moves from
one object to another takes interest, and precision. Watching these
slight movements of mind's attention is the thing that makes
meditation so incredibly interesting and fun to observe.
"SAMMA AJIVA" - Harmonious Lifestyle (or Right Livelihood):
This has
always been a curious part of the 8-Fold Path. The standard way of
describing this has been not to kill living beings on purpose, not
to sell poisons or weapons, and not to deal in slavery and selling
human beings. But how does this relate directly to one's meditation
practice? If it is important enough to be put in the 8-Fold Path,
then there must be more to it that leads to the cessation of
suffering. Don't you agree? These above things do give us this idea
of Right Livelihood (Harmonious Lifestyle)- in a general way, but
just how does Harmonious Lifestyle ("Right Livelihood") relate to
our true understanding and practice? An interesting question, isn't
it? And it becomes even more interesting when we consider that the
Buddha gave these instructions with the very first discourse that he
gave to the Five Ascetics and he was showing them about the direct
experience of meditation practice. These ascetics surely did not
kill living beings, they didn't sell poisons or weapons, or sell
slaves so what was the Buddha actually talking about when he
mentioned Harmonious Lifestyle (Right Livelihood)?
When we take a look at mental development through the eyes of
Harmonious Lifestyle (Right Livelihood), it may make a little more
sense. For instance, Harmonious Lifestyle (Right Livelihood) means
how we practice our observation (Harmonious Observation Right
Mindfulness) and meditation of the present moment during all of the
times that we are not doing our sitting meditation (in other words
our daily activities). We are practicing being in harmony with a
mind that is alert, calm, joyful and uplifted (Harmonious Movement
and Harmonious Communication or Right Action and Right speech with
ourselves -a short note this is why I encourage students to smile
whether doing their sitting meditation or their daily activities).
The trick is seeing how, when things are not going the "way I want
them to" and mind becomes heavy with emotional issues (Unharmonious
Movement or Wrong Action) how the observation of how minds
attention becomes weak and the subtle "I like it, I don't like it"
and thinking unwholesome thoughts (craving and clinging
unharmonious Communication or wrong speech) causes us even more
suffering.
In other words, having a Harmonious Lifestyle (Right Livelihood)
means that we learn to carry the meditation (Harmonious Observation,
Harmonious Communication, Harmonious Imaging, Harmonious
Perspective, Harmonious Practice, Harmonious Collectedness and
Harmonious Movement in other words the entire 8-Fold Path) with us
all of the time, in our daily activities. In this way, we then truly
begin to understand that the impersonal process of Dependent
Origination (Harmonious Perspective) is in everything that arises.
Having a Harmonious Lifestyle (Right Livelihood) is having an
uplifted happy mind that is smiling, joyful, alert and free from
unwholesome thoughts, or feelings.
The emotions that are heavy and tend to pull mind away from the
present moment, are the cause of suffering. Why? Because the
meditator tends to take these thoughts and feelings personally, with
the wrong perspective of "I am That" attitude. This personal
perspective (wrong life style) in our daily lives is the reason that
so many people suffer so much! Also, too many times when someone
does a meditation retreat, the meditator gets very serious and heavy
in mind without really recognizing it. The heavy distracted
Unharmonious Lifestyle (wrong Livelihood) is the mind that is being
caught by the personal (atta) belief (Unharmonious Perspective).
They become distracted by opinions, concepts, thoughts, daydreaming
and the general dissatisfactions of life. Or we can say that
whenever mind has heavy emotional states in it, this is considered
to be Unharmonious Lifestyle (Wrong Livelihood). This is the mind
that is out of balance and gravitates toward unhappiness and
suffering. When one is practicing the Harmonious Lifestyle (Right
Livelihood) it makes all meditation and life a continuous flow of
happiness that leads us toward the cessation of suffering. In this
way, "Meditation is Life, Life is Meditation"!
"SAMMA VAYAMA" - Harmonious Practice (Right Effort):
Now we come to
another aspect of the 8-Fold Path that is quite important. One of
the best descriptions of Harmonious Practice (Right Effort) is:
When a person recognizes that their mind's attention has become
distracted, by a thought, feeling, or sensation - this is the first
part of Harmonious Practice (Right Effort).
Next one lets go of the distraction and relaxes the tightness or
tension in both their mind and body, then they smile! The diversion
away from one's meditation object is a movement of mind's attention
toward a distraction (Nivarana) and away from one's breath and
relaxing or metta. This is the cause of the tightness or tension
(Craving) to arise. This happens every time mind's attention gets
pulled away and this causes craving (Tanha), clinging (Upadana) and
our habitual tendency (Bhava) to arise. (These are three very
important parts of Dependent Origination to be recognized and
observed closely) The Habitual Tendency (Bhava) always re-acts in
the same way when this sort of distraction arises. The more one sees
clearly how these different aspects of Dependent Origination occurs
the easier it is to let them go. This is a part of the way that
leads to the cessation of suffering!
The letting go, relaxing, and smiling is the second part of the
Harmonious Practice (Right Effort). The term letting go means that
the person no longer keeps their mind's attention on that
distraction, so to be even more precise we can say letting the
distraction be there without giving it any more of mind's attention.
Next, the person gently redirects mind's smiling attention back
to the object of meditation (the Breath and relaxing or Metta and
relaxing) - this is the third part of Harmonious Practice (Right
Effort).
Then the person stays on the meditation object and smiles for as
long as they can, naturally, which is the last part of the
Harmonious Practice (Right Effort).
Over the years, I have developed a very effective way of
remembering how to do this practice - it is called the "6R's" that
is:
To Recognize that mind has become distracted away from the
object of meditation:
To Release - or let go of, or let distraction be without keeping
mind's attention on it:
To Relax - the tightness or tension caused by that distraction,
this means to let go of the craving caused by that distraction:
To RE-SMILE - to bring a light mind that is very alert, and calm
to the meditation object:
To RETURN - mind's joyful attention back to the meditation object
(the breath and relaxing or Metta and relaxing ):
To REPEAT - the task of staying with the meditation object,
relaxing, and smiling. The smile is actually a very good tool to
help mind stay uplifted and with the enlightenment factor of joy in
one's mind, every movement of mind's attention is seen very quickly
and clearly.
That is to:
RECOGNIZE;
RELEASE;
RELAX;
RE-SMILE;
RETURN;
REPEAT.
These words do not have to be said internally to oneself. They are
just a reminder to let go of any distraction that pulls mind's
attention away from the object of meditation and it tells how to
come back to the meditation object with a happy mind that has no
craving or clinging in it. In other words how to purify one's mind
of all kind's of troubles, cravings, and fetters.
SAMMA SATI Harmonious Observation (Right Mindfulness):
This part
of the 8-Fold Path has been spoken about in very general terms. The
definition of Mindfulness (Sati) has never been very clear! This is
one of those words that everyone is supposed to know, but few people
actually do. Many teachers today will give the definition of
Mindfulness by saying "Just be mindful". Another definition that has
been used is to "remember, to remember, to remember", which sounds
great but has very little meaning. Now what is all of this supposed
to mean? We really need to understand that this important word must
have a clear and understandable definition.
So the author will attempt to give a working definition that works
all of the time in every situation. Harmonious Observation (Right
Mindfulness) means: "To remember to recognize and release any
distraction that pulls one's attention away from their meditation
object, in the present moment". This means to remember to observe
whatever arises in the present moment, let it be and to see the
impersonal nature in all of these phenomena (Harmonious Perspective
Right View). This is remembering to clearly observe how mind's
attention moves (Harmonious Movement) from one thing to another,
then remembering to let go and let the Harmonious Practice (Right
Effort) do its work.
SAMMA SAMADHI Harmonious Collectedness (Right Concentration)
:
Now we come to the part of the 8-Fold Path that has many different
interpretations and many different ideas attached to it. The
confusion starts when one takes what some of the commentaries say
and then place so much emphasis on them. Again, some commentaries
are good and very useful and some don't agree so well with the
original teachings of the Buddha. The way to know for yourself
whether a commentary is good to use or not is by comparing what is
said with the suttas (discourses) and vinaya (rules of discipline).
If they agree with the suttas and vinaya then one can be reasonably
sure that these commentaries are reliable. But when a commentary
that divides up the practice into many separate pieces and tends to
make things very difficult to understand and practice, then it may
be a good idea to let that kind of commentary stay on the book shelf
and be used as a reference book, instead of a main book to follow.
(note* it is a good idea to use more than one sutta for comparing,
in that way when many suttas seem to agree then you can be
reasonably sure that this is the Buddha's Teachings).
Here is something very interesting about the words insight and
serenity (Vipassana/Samatha). When we go to the Majjhima Nikaya (The
second edition of Bhikkhu Bodhi's translation from Wisdom
Publications) and look up in the "index of subjects" the
words "insight and serenity" we will see a striking similarity that
shows that both of these words are used together, almost ALWAYS!!!
On page 1397 the word "insight" is mentioned and has many suttas to
go to for reference, here are a few suttas so you can compare them-6.3, 32.5, 43.14, 73.18, 77.29, 149.10, 151.19. Then we go to the
word "serenity" on page 1404 and these sutta references are 6.3,
32.5, 43.14, 73.18, 77.29, 149.10, 151.19. Do you see the
similarities in the numbers of the suttas and even the sections that
they are being used in? The point being that serenity and insight
are almost always mentioned together and this gives us a clue that
they are (as it says in sutta 149.10) yoked together. This means
that the Buddha was talking about one type of meditation practice
that includes both serenity and insight (Samatha/Vipassana)
together, at the same time! Also, this means that the jhana which is
so often mentioned in the suttas, is a very specific type of
meditation level. Why? Because the kind of jhana that the Buddha
taught us is a Samatha/Vipassana jhana. It is not to be confused
with the ecstatic, or absorption type of one-pointed concentration
jhana, which is mostly being taught today.
The dividing up of "Samatha" and "Vipassana" into two separate
types of meditation tends to make the meditations quite complicated
and one's progress seems to take a very long time. Which goes
against one of the things that describes the brilliance of the
Dhamma. That is, the explanation that the Buddha's Teachings
are "immediately effective". When a meditator adds that one extra
step of relaxing and letting go of the craving, their progress in
understanding and personality development and one's entire attitude
toward all life seems to improve greatly and reasonably quickly! In
the Dhammapada the Buddha said: "We are the Happy Ones!" and this is
what happens when the meditator follows the instruction in
meditation precisely and they relax then smile, often.
Now, the importance of practicing Samatha/Vipassana meditation in
exactly the same way as the suttas tells us to do, can't be
overstated! Why? Because if we don't add the extra step of relaxing
(letting go of craving) one's mind and body on the in-breath and
relaxing on the out-breath ones meditation changes from being a
Samatha/Vipassana type of meditation to a one-pointed type of
concentration. And because they are not exactly the same practice
they tend to have different end results. The one-pointed
concentration when used suppresses the Hindrances (Nivarana) by the
force of the concentration (This includes access concentration
Upacara Samadhi, as well as absorption concentration Appana
Samadhi). The hindrances (nivarana) are where our attachments to a
personal self are stored. When one practices one-pointedness concentration and the force of one's concentration pushes down a
hindrance, it is not considered to be purifying one's mind in the
same way as the Buddha taught us to practice. Anything that is
suppressed is not let go of, but is stopped from arising while the
strong concentration is present. And the suppressed hindrance has a
real tendency to arise, even more strongly, when one's one-pointed
concentration weakens. With the practice Samatha/Vipassana or the
letting go and then relaxing, over time the hindrance (nivarana)
will fade away never to arise again. The Samatha/Vipassana is the
way to actually purify one's mind.
The Brahmins during the time of the Buddha and after his death were
continually working to change the meditation so it agreed with their
philosophies and concepts. They took up using the word Jhana and
gave it their own definitions which basically meant one-pointed
concentration and they conveniently left out the one step that
changes the entire meditation from one-pointed concentration to
Serenity/Insight (Samatha/Vipassana) meditation. Also, they took
some of the most popular words and gave them different meanings just
to confuse the issues. For example the word "Samadhi" was never used
before the time of the Buddha, he made this word up to describe
Samatha/Vipassana meditation which when practiced in the way he
describes it in the instructions lead directly to Nibbana! Of course
during the time of the Buddha there were many words in Sanskrit to
describe one-pointed concentration and this type of meditation went
along very nicely with the Brahmin ways of practice.
This extra step of relaxing when added to one's meditation practice
is the way to recognize and let go of Craving (Tanha). This is why
it is so important and is specifically mentioned in so many suttas.
When we see that all of the Noble Truths are about letting go of
Craving and relaxing of the tightness or tension in one's body and
mind, it only makes sense to relax or tranquilize often, don't you
agree? It does seem to make sense to let go of craving as much as
possible because it is the origin of suffering!
When the Buddha came along and chose a different word to use to
describe Samatha/Vipassana (Samma Samadhi or Harmonious
Collectedness), the Brahmins began to use this word "Samadhi" with
their own definition of one-pointed concentration which effectively
divided the meditation of Samatha/Vipassana and made it into two
separate meditation practices, that is Samatha meditation and
Vipassana meditation. Because this was taken to be the way of
meditation about 1,000 years after the Buddha's death (in some
commentaries) the success in meditation and experiencing Nibbana
began to fade away. Many different schools of thought began to
philosophically argue about what was the correct way of practice
but as you know philosophy is the use of words without any action,
and this began to change the whole way of looking at the Buddha's
Teachings.
With that said, let us take a look at Harmonious Collectedness
(Right Concentration), in the texts it mentions often that this part
of the 8-Fold Path is the experiencing at least one if not all of
the (Samatha/Vipassana) jhanas. I am going to add the type of Jhana
one experiences to each of these Jhanas. The reason that I include
the type of Jhana is so that there is no confusion about just what
the Buddha taught as far as the jhana is concerned.
The first (Samatha/Vipassana) Jhana
The second (Samatha/Vipassana) Jhana
The third (Samatha/Vipassana) Jhana
The fourth (Samatha/Vipassana) Jhana.
The immaterial Jhanas (Arupa Jhana) are included in the fourth Jhana
as they are different aspects of the deep equanimity found in the
fourth Jhana.
Nowhere in the suttas does it say anything about the practice of
Upacara Samadhi Access or Neighborhood Concentration or Moment-to-moment concentration or Khanika Samadhi. These are only mentioned in
the Theravada commentaries. And don't seem to agree with what the
Suttas and vinaya say about the way to attain the full understanding
of how dependent Origination or the 4 Noble Truths actually occurs.
As you can see as we go along the 8-Fold Path these different
factors are interwoven and are not separate parts to be taken apart
and used. The entire 8-Fold Path works together as an interconnected
whole process of seeing understanding and letting go of all personal
beliefs in a self. In a way, you could see the different parts of
the 8-Fold Path like they were separate pieces of a motor. The motor
won't run unless all of these parts are put together correctly. When
one uses all of the different aspects of the 8-Fold Path, at the
same time it is the way of making this Path a good working tool. Separately these parts may work to a limited degree but when they
are all incorporated into the 8-Fold Path at the same time it works
so well that Nibbana can arise, even today! The letting go of
craving (the weak link in this process, as stated earlier that this
is done by relaxing the tightness or tension in mind and body) is
the starting point to the cessation of suffering and this Path shows
us exactly how to do this. The simple explanation given in the
Satipatthana Sutta tells us to relax on the in-breath and to relax
on the out-breath, this simple act of relaxing both mind and body is
following the entire 8-Fold Path all at exactly the same time and
this is the key to unlocking the door to the deathless.
Every time mind has even the slightest movement in it the craving is
the cause of this. So whenever the meditator relaxes and lets go of
the tightness caused by this slight movement they are purifying
their mind and this leads directly to the final cessation of all
suffering! In other words, the Path that leads to the Cessation of
suffering is none other than this very 8-Fold Path when it is used
and practiced often!
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