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Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c17: Chapter XIV: The Buddhist Meditation

Early Monastic Buddhism v1.c17

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Chapter XIV: The Buddhist Meditation

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The second course of spiritual exercises prescribed for a monk is for attaining complete control over the mind (*citta*). In verse after verse in the *Dhammapada* and in passages after passages in the Nikāyas the difficulty of controlling the fickle *citta* has been dilated upon, and at the same time it has been emphasised that the only means of attaining *Nibbāna* is by curbing the *citta*, i.e., withdrawing it from all that is attractive in the world and directing it to the highest goal. There are endless *upakkilesas* like *rāga*, *dosa*, *moha* which never permit the *citta* to rest at peace, and the various meditational practices prescribed in the Buddhist texts have for their first object the steadying of the mind so as not to be affected by the weal and woes of the world. It is only with a steady mind that one is capable of comprehending the essential oneness or sameness and vastness of the beings of the universe—the *Nirvāṇa* of the Mahāyānic schools of Buddhist philosophy.

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It is almost an axiomatic truth that control over mind is attained through meditational exercises.¹

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¹ Buddhaghosa has often used the two words *citta* and *samādhi* synonymously. He gives the etymological meaning of *samādhi* thus “Samādhānatthena *samādhi*, ekārammaṇe citta-cetasikānaṃ samaṃ sammā ca ādhāraṃ ṭhapanan ti vuttaṃ hoti.” (*Vism.*, p. 84.) *Samādhi* means firmly placing; the act of putting or placing the mind and mental functions evenly and properly on one object is *samādhi*.

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There is a graduated course in these meditational exercises, and this course ranges from the most elementary form of samādhi, i.e. simple fixation of mind on a black or white circular spot to the most subtle when the meditator loses wholly his consciousness and sensation and reaches a state which is almost akin to the state of death (saññāvedayitanirodha).¹

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¹ See Aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism, pp. 158-61.

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Buddhaghosa, in order to bring out the various characteristic features of a samādhi, adopted the anguttara method of numerical classification, which is as follows:—

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(A) Samādhis of two kinds:

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1. upacāra-samādhi and appanā-samādhi. While atempting concentration of mind, upacāra is said to be that mental state which immediately precedes the fixation of the mind on a certain point; the fixation is appanā (Sans. arpaṇa). It may be described also as the preparatory attempts for developing complete concentration of mind, i.e., appanā;

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2. (a) lokiya (when the samādhi is with kusalacitta) and lokuttara (when the samādhi is with ariyamagga);
(b) sappītika (with joy) and nippītika (without joy);
(c) sukhasahagata (associated with a happy state of mind) and upekkhāsahagata (associated with an equable state of mind).

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(B) Samādhis of three kinds:

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3. (a) hīna (lower), majjhima (middle), and paṇīta (higher);
(b) savitakka-savicāra (with discursive and discriminatory thoughts), avitakka-vicāramatta (without discursive thoughts but with discrimination), and *avitakka-avicāra* (without discursive and discriminatory thoughts);
(c) *pīti-sahagata* (with joy), *sukha-sahagata* (with happy state of mind), and *upekkhā-sahagata* (with equanimity of mind);
(d) *paritta* (small) (while in *upacāra-bhūmi*), *mahaggata* (large) (while in *rūpāvacara-kusala* and *arūpāvacara-kusala bhūmis*) and *appamāṇa* (measureless) (while *ariyamagga-sampayutta*).

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(C) Samādhis of four kinds:
4. (a) *dukkhāpaṭipado dandhābhiñño*, *dukkhāpaṭipado khippābhiñño*, *sukhāpaṭipado dandhābhiñño*, and *sukhāpaṭipado khippābhiñño*. [*Paṭipada* is that part of mental exercise which is necessary for collecting one’s thoughts and reaching the *upacāra* stage, and *abhiññā* refers to the next course of exercises which lead to *appanā* (i.e. fixing mind upon one point). *Dukkhā* here means ‘with difficulty’ as opposed to *sukhā* ‘with ease’; similarly *dandhā* means ‘slow’ as opposed to *khippā* ‘quick’.]
(b) *paritto parittārammaṇo* (not of a high order with limited basis of meditation), *paritto appamāṇārammaṇo* (not of a high order but with unlimited basis of meditation), *appamāṇo parittārammaṇo* (unlimited but with a limited basis of meditation), *appamāṇo appamāṇārammaṇo* (unlimited with unlimited basis of meditation);
(c) *vitakka* (discursive thoughts), *vicāra* (discriminatory thoughts), *pīti* (joy), and *sukha* (happy state of mind)—four combinations of any two or more of these;

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(d) *hānabhāgīya* (belonging to a lower category), *ṭhiti-bhāgīyo* (belonging to steadying category), *visesa-bhāgīyo* (belonging to a higher category), and *nibbedhabhāgīyo* (belonging to the highest);

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(e) *kāmāvacaro* (belonging to the sensous sphere), *rūpāvacaro* (belonging to the sphere of material forms), *arūpāvacaro* (belonging to the sphere of non-material forms), and *apariyāpanno* (belonging to the highest);

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(f) *chanda-samādhi* i.e. concentration (by means of strong will), *viriya-samādhi* (by means of energy), *citta-samādhi* (by means of mind-control) and *vīmaṃsā-samādhi* (by means of examination).¹

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¹ See also *Majjhima*, II, p. 11.

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The above classification helps us only to comprehend the various mental states accompanying the different kinds of meditation but it does not tell us anything about the graduated course to be followed by an adept for passing from the lowest to the highest *samādhi*. So Buddhaghosa goes into minute details of the processes which induce *samādhi* and it will now be our object to consider them in due order as follows:

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(i) ten *Palibodhas* or hindrances to the practice of *samādhis*,

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(ii) forty *kammaṭṭhānas* or the objects of meditation,

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(iii) *kalyāṇamitta kammaṭṭhānadāyaka* or the spiritual preceptor,

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(iv) the candidate, and

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(v) the successive steps in meditation.

(i) The Ten Palibodhas

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The obstructions to one practising meditation may be of a varied nature.¹ Buddhaghosa puts them in a nutshell thus: *Āvāso ca kulaṃ lābho gaṇo kammañ ca pañcamam* *addhānaṃ ñāti ābādho gantho iddhi ti te dasā ti.*

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¹ See *Milindapañha*, pp. 365-399. Cf. Pātañjala, I, 30: व्याधिस्त्यानसंशयप्रमादालस्याविरतिभ्रान्तिदर्शनालब्धभूमिकत्वानवस्थितत्वानि चित्तविक्षेपास्तेऽन्-तरायाः।

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These ten, Buddhaghosa explains, act as hindrances not to all but only to those who has got mental weaknesses as pointed out below:

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(i) *Āvāsa* or dwelling places of monks. This affects those monks who take interest in the construction of monasteries, stūpas, and so forth.

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(ii) *Kula* or family. It affects those who care more for the welfare of his relatives or of the families of his lay-devotees than that of his own spiritual gain.

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(iii) *Lābha* or gain of food and clothes. It sometimes becomes a source of distraction to the monks of repute, for greater demand is made upon their time by people for the privilege of giving them food and clothes, and not unoften these demands are created by his fellow-brethren who take advantage of his company and receive gifts along with him.

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(iv) *Gaṇa* or members of the congregation. There are some monks whose time is taken up in teaching the texts of the Sutta or Abhidhamma piṭakas and hardly find time to be alone and practise meditations.

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(v) *Kamma* or works. Buddhaghosa takes it to mean *navakamma* (construction or repair of buildings). He says that much of a monk's time who supervises the building works is taken up in calculating wages of labourers or the works done or to be done.

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(vi) *Addhāna* or wayfaring. There are occasions when a monk has got to go to a place to give ordination to a person or to procure any requisite. By leaving it undone, he tries to gain concentration of mind but fails to do so.

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(vii) *Ñāti* or relatives including in this case the teachers, disciples or fellow-brethren of the church. Sickness of any of the *ñātis* is a source of distraction to some monks.

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(viii) *Ābādha* or one's own sickness which requires medicine to be cured.

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(ix) *Gantha* or scriptures. Some are so absorbed in studying the scriptures that they do not find time or feel inclined to practise meditation.

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(x) *Iddhi* or miraculous powers. These are attained as one advances in meditation but their use causes hindrance to the development of insight (*vipassanā*) and so these also are treated as one of the palibodhas.¹

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¹ *Vism.*, p. 122.

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There are some other palibodhas enumerated by Buddhaghosa, for instance, long hairs and nails which should be trimmed off; old robes which should be repaired; discoloured robes which should be dyed; unclean bowls which should be cleansed and weak beds which should be strengthened.

(ii) The Forty Kammatthānas

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The subjects of meditation are hardly possible of enumeration though traditionally they are said to be forty in number.

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The selection of the subject, as has been shown above, was left to the Kalyāṇamitta who was to choose a subject which, he thought, would be the most suitable for his disciple, no matter whether it was included in the traditional list or not. As, for instance, one of the very common subjects of meditation found in the Nikāya is aniccasaññā to destroy the sense of I-ness (asmimāna),¹ but it is not included in the traditional list.

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¹ See Infra. p. 237, fn. 3.

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The forty subjects are:—
1. Ten Kasiṇas
2. Ten Asubhas
3. Ten Anussatis
4. Four Brahmavihāras
5. Four Āruppas
6. One Saññā and
7. One Vavatthāna.

Ten Kasiṇas

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The word ‘Kasiṇa’ is very probably a Prākṛt form of the Sanskrit word ‘Kṛtsna’ meaning ‘entire’. In the Buddhist meditational practices the term is applied to those subjects of meditation, which occupy the ‘entire’ mind, and as such does not give scope to the rising of any other thought.²

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² Cf. Childers, sv. Kasiṇa. Rhys Davids translates it by the words ‘Predominant Ideas’ (see Yogāvacāra’s Manual, p. viii) and Maung Tin by ‘Devise’ (see Path of Purity, II, p. 138).

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I. The first of the Kasiṇas in the list is Paṭhavīkasiṇa, i.e. when earth is taken as an object of meditation. To induce concentration of mind, a beginner is generally asked to fix his attention on a piece of earth which may or may not be specially prepared for him (*kata* or *akata*), i.e. he may choose a circular-shaped or square-shaped piece of earth when it is called *kata* (prepared) or he may choose, say, a ploughed field when it is called *akata* (unprepared). In the former case particular attention should be given to the fact that the earth must be without any colour as it is likely to divert attention from the earth to its *lakkhaṇas*, e.g. colour. It is, however, recommended that the earth should be of reddish-brown colour like that of dawn, and taken, if possible, from the bed of the Ganges. In a secluded place the adept is to take his seat and try to concentrate his mind on the *pathavī-kasiṇa*, cogitating all the while the evils of *kāma*, the solace in overcoming it and the fact that great saints had obtained emancipation by means of such *dhyānas*, repeating constantly the term *pathavī* or any of its synonyms, *mahī*, *medinī*, *bhūmi*, *vasudhā*, or *vasundharā*. The adept is to try to see with his eyes shut the image of the *pathavī* inwardly with as vividness and distinctness as he was doing with his eyes open. As soon as this is accomplished, the *uggahanimittam* is said to have come to stay (*jātam*).¹ He can now go back to his usual place of residence, and cogitate on the *nimitta* acquired by him.² By doing so, he gradually gets rid of the five *nīvaraṇas* (or hindrances to religious life),³ and the impurities (*kilesas*).⁴ By this first attempt at concentration (*upacārasamādhi*), his mind becomes concentrated, and there appears in the mind the *paṭibhāganimitta*, i.e. the image of the object of meditation (*uggahanimitta*) but now it is much clearer and brighter than the *uggahanimitta* and without the *kasiṇadosa* which remains in *uggahanimitta*. Then commences really the course of meditational practices commencing with *upacāra*, *appanā* and ending with *catukka* or *pañcaka-jhāna*.¹

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¹ *Vism.*, p. 125.

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² He is now advised to use shoes to avoid wasting time in washing his feet and also a walking stick. *Vism.*, p. 125.

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³ Viz., *kāmacchanda* (strong desire), *vyāpāda* (hatred), *thinamiddha* (idleness), *uddhaccakukkucca* (arrogance) and *vicikicchā* (doubts).

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⁴ The *kilesas* are ten in number, viz., *lobha*, *dosa*, *moha*, *māna*, *diṭṭhi*, *vicikicchā*, *thinam*, *uddhaccam*, *ahirīkā*, *anottapam*. The first four and *uddhaccam* are enumerated when the *kilesas* are calculated to be five in number.

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¹ See for details *Infra*, pp. 243 ff.; cf. *Comp. of Phil.*, pp. 54-5.

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II. The second is *Āpo-kasiṇa*, i.e. when the object of meditation is water. It may be any natural or existing expanse of water as that of a tank or a lake or even of the sea, or clear rain water collected in a vessel before it has reached the earth. The vessel must be full and placed in a quiet secluded corner of the monastery. As in the case of *pathavī*, the colour-question must be avoided. i.e. the *lakkhaṇa* of water must not divert the attention of the adept, and the concentration should be induced in the same way as has been explained in the case of *pathavī*, uttering in this case the word ‘āpo’ or its synonyms *ambu*, *udakam*, *vāri*, *salilam*, etc.² Gradually the *uggaha* and *paṭibhāga nimittas* appear and the adept proceeds along the course of meditation.

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² *Vism.*, p. 170.

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III. The third is *Tejokasiṇa*, i.e. when the object of meditation is fire. It may be the flame of a lamp, fire in an oven, or a jungle-fire. The fire may also be specially prepared; in that case, some faggots are to be collected and a pile made of them near a tree and then it should be set on fire. A suitable screen with a hole about four fingers wide is to be placed between the fire and the adept. The adept now is to look at the fire without minding the faggots or the smoke or its colour, even its heat. He should utter the word ‘tejo’ or any of its synonyms and acquire the uggaha and paṭibhāga nimittas as detailed above.

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IV. The fourth is Vāyokasiṇa, i.e. when the object of meditation is wind. It may be seen or felt. In the former case, the adept observes the swaying or shaking of the sugarcane tops or bamboo tops or hair-tips, and in the latter he feels by his body the rush of wind through a hole in a wall or through a window. He realises that it is wind which is moving the tops of sugarcane, etc. or striking his body, and then as described above he is to utter the word ‘vāyu’ or its synonyms and gradually develop the two nimittas and induce the jhānas.

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V. The fifth is Nīlakasiṇa, i.e., when the object of meditation is blue colour. It may be of flowers, a piece of cloth or a blue gem. It may be specially prepared by filling a basket up to the brim with blue flowers in such a way that the pollens or stalk may not be seen. The basket should be covered by a piece of blue cloth in such a way that the mouth of the basket is to appear like the surface of a drum. It should be surrounded by a band of a different colour. Then he is to concentrate his mind on the blue colour avoiding the other lakkhaṇas of the flowers and develop the uggaha and paṭibhāga nimittas.

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VI-VIII. The sixth, seventh and eighth are Pītakasiṇa, Lohitakasiṇa and Odātakasiṇa, i.e. when the objects of meditation are yellow, red and white respectively. The kasiṇas are to be prepared as detailed above like the Nīlakasiṇa and the process is the same for developing the nimittas and jhānas.

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IX. The ninth is Āloka-kasiṇa, i.e. when the object of meditation is a spot of light. The sun’s or the moon’s rays, if received through a chink in the walls, or windows or through an opening in a thick foliage, form a circular spot of light on the earth. The adept fixes his attention on it and utters ‘obhāso obhāso’, ‘āloko āloko’. The spot of light may also be obtained artificially by putting a lamp within a jar having a hole in its side. As said before, the adept by concentrating his mind on the spot of light develops the nimittas and jhānas.¹

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¹ Vism., pp. 174-5

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X. The tenth is Paricchinnākāsa-kasiṇa, i.e. when the object of meditation is limited space. The openings in a wall or a window may well be selected as paricchinna-ākāsa, or an opening may be made, say, four fingers wide in a well-covered pavilion or in a sheet of leather. The adept is to fix his attention on the opening and utter ‘ākāso ākāso’ and develop gradually the nimittas and jhānas.²

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² Ibid., pp. 175-7.

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In conclusion, Buddhaghosa speaks of the various miraculous powers acquired by an adept successfully practising the above ten kasiṇas.³

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³ Ibid., p. 175.

Ten Asubhas

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The ten asubha (unpleasant) objects of meditation refer to the ten states through which an uncared for corpse passes before it is completely destroyed. They are,—

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(i) uddhumātakam or swollen corpse;

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(ii) vinīlakam, i.e., when the colour of the corpse has become blue;

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(iii) vipubbakam or the corpse full of pus;

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(iv) vicchiddakam or the corpse with limbs torn asunder (e.g. dead bodies of thieves);

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(v) vikkhāyitam, i.e., when the corpse has been mangled by dogs and jackles;

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(vi) vikkhittam or the corpse with dismembered limbs;

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(vii) hatavikkhittam or the corpse with its limbs partly destroyed and partly scattered;

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(viii) *lohitakam* or the corpse covered here and there with blood (e.g. of a soldier in a battle field);
(ix) *puḷuvakam* or the corpse full of worms;
(x) *aṭṭhikam* or the skeleton.

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After enumerating these ten unpleasant objects of meditation, Buddhaghosa deals with the following:
(i) safety of the place where a corpse is found;
(ii) how he should behave or what he should ponder over while going to or coming from the place of meditation;
(iii) sex of the corpse and its suitability;
(iv) advantages of leaving instructions with the teacher and fellow-brethren about the place selected by him for meditation;
(v) the path and direction to be chosen;
(vi) the nature of the noticeable objects around the place where the corpse is found;
(vii) the six characteristics of the corpse to be observed by him, viz., colour, sex, position, direction and size of the corpse, as also joints, apertures, depth of eye sockets etc., thickness, and a general view of the corpse.

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The meditator, as in the case of *paṭhavī*, tries to convert the corpse into a concept (*paṭibhāga*), and then as usual gets rid of the five *nīvaraṇas*,¹ and induce the ecstacies by gradually doing away with *vitakka* and *vicāra*, *pīti* and *sukha*.²

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¹ See above, p. 219, fn 3

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² Vism., p. 189.

Six Anussatis

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The two previous lists of Kammaṭṭhānas speak of actual objects upon which the adept concentrates his mind, gradually converting them into concepts. The present list speaks of pure cogitation of the merits (guṇas)¹ of (i) Buddha, (ii) Dhamma and (iii) Saṅgha, as also of (iv) sīlas (observance of precepts), (v) cāga (making gifts) and (vi) devatā (ways and means by which one is reborn in the realm of the gods). Such cogitation leads to

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1 In the Visuddhimagga, the merits (guṇas) of each of these have been quoted from the Piṭaka. These are as follows:

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(i) Buddhānussati—Iti pi so Bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjācaraṇasampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisadamma-sārathi satthā devamanussānaṃ Buddho Bhagavā ti.

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(ii) Dhammānussati—svākkhāto Bhagavatā dhammo sandiṭṭhiko akāliko ehipassiko opanayiko paccattaṃ veditabbo viññūhi ti.

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(iii) Saṅghānussati—supaṭipanno Bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho ujup. b. s., ñāyap. b. s., sāmicip. b. s., yad-idam cattāri purisa-yugāni aṭṭhapurisapuggalā esa bhagavato sāvakasaṅgho āhuneyyo pāhuneyyo dakkhiṇeyyo, añjalikaraṇīyo anuttaraṃ puñña-khettaṃ lokassā ti.

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(iv) Sīlānussati—aho vata me sīlāni akhaṇḍāni acchiddāni asabalāni akammāsāni bhujissāni viññūpasatthāni aparāmaṭṭhāni samādhisamvattanikāni ti.

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(v) Cāgānussati—Lābhā vata me, suladdham vata me, yo'haṃ maccheramalapariyuṭṭhitāya pajāya vigatamalamaccherena cetasā viharāmi, muttacāgo payatapāṇi vossaggarato yācayogo dānasamvibhāgarato ti.

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(vi) Devatānussati—Santi devā Cātumahārājikā, santi devā Tāvatiṃsā, Yāmā, Tusitā, Nimmānaratino, Paranimittavasavattino, santi devā Brahmakāyikā, santi devā tat'uttariṃ; yathārūpāya saddhāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha uppannā mayhaṃ pi tathārūpā saddhā saṃvijjati; yathārūpena silena........ yathārūpena sutena. .......yathārūpena cāgena.........yathārūpena paññāya samannāgatā tā devatā ito cutā tattha uppannā mayhaṃ pi tathārūpā paññā saṃvijjati ti.

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quietude of the mind (*cittam pasīdati*) and destroys the five *nīvaraṇas*,¹ produces great joy and ultimately induces *vipassanā* (insight) leading to arhathood.

Other Anussatis

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Besides the six *anussatis* mentioned above, there are three other *anussatis* called (i) *maraṇa-sati*, (ii) *ānāpāna-sati*, and (iii) *upasamānussati*. Unlike the first twenty *kammaṭṭhānas*, these are matters of cogitation and not external objects to be converted into concepts.

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The practice of *maraṇa-sati* implies that the adept after having seen a corpse is to ponder over the fact that he is also subject to that inevitable death and by doing so he rouses his mindfulness of death, mental agitation and also knowledge relating to it. This leads to the destruction of the *nīvaraṇas*¹ and induction of the *jhānas*. Buddhaghosa gives detailed direction about the instances of death to be selected by the meditator.²

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¹ See above, p. 219, fn. 3.

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² *Vism.*, pp. 230 ff.

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The practice of *kāyagatā-sati* means that the adept is to ponder over the fact that this body from head to foot is full of many impure things and that there are in it hair, nails, spleen, intestines, etc. The most popular way of taking up this *kammaṭṭhāna* is to repeat the list of things contained in the body hundreds or thousands of times either loudly or mentally and thereby induce concentration of mind. Buddhaghosa then gives many other directions about the best way of practising *kāyagatā-sati*, and treats in detail the various contents of the body,—a treatment which may well bear comparison to a modern anatomical study.³

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³ *Ibid.*, pp. 243 ff.; 250 ff.

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The second is *Ānāpānasati*. Inducing meditation by the process of controlling breath is very widely known and is, in fact, adopted by all religions which advocates concentration of mind. It corresponds partly to the *Prāṇāyāma* as described in the Brāhmaṇic Tantras and Purāṇas and the *Yogaśāstras*, in which *pūraka* (inhaling), *kumbhaka* (stoppage of breath) and *recaka* (exhaling) form the three essential factors.¹ In the Buddhist meditational practices it is given an important place and forms one of the chief subject-matters of discourse under the heading *Satipaṭṭhāna*. In the *Yogāvacara’s Manual*, it is given the first place among the various meditational exercises.

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¹ Cf. *Majjhima*, I, p. 243-4; *Pātañjala*, I, 34, 49.

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Those, who choose breath-control as their *Kammaṭṭhāna*, are required to go to a forest or to a secluded spot, sever his thoughts from the outside world and direct his attention to his own inhalation and exhalation and thus gradually develop *upacāra* and *appanā*.² He should sit cross-legged, keeping his body erect. Then he is to exhale (*assāso*) and inhale (*passāso*), observing the time it takes for full inhalation and full exhalation, watching also when exhalation or inhalation starts (*ādi*), reaches the middle (*majjha*) and the end (*pariyosāna*). In exhalation the breath starts from naval (*nābhi*), passes through heart (*hadaya*) and reaches the nosetip (*nāsikaggam*),³ and in inhalation the process is just in the reverse direction. The mind follows the course of the breath consciously. It is only by long practice that an adept is able to keep himself aware of all the three stages of in-breathing and out-breathing.¹ Such observation and control of the breath lead to stoppage of all bodily movements (*passambhayaṃ kāyasaṅkhāraṃ*).²

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² *Vism.*, p. 269.

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³ Not *nābhikaggam*. See *Vism.*, p. 280. In the *Sandhyā-upāsanā* of the Brāhmaṇas, the three points are nābhi, hṛdaya and lalāṭa, the first being the seat of Brahmā, the second of Keśava and the third of Śambhu. Cf. *Pātañjalabhāṣya*, I, 34: कौष्यस्य वायोर्नसिकापुटाभ्यां प्रयत्नविशेषात् वमन प्रच्छर्दनम्, विधारणं प्राणायामः, ताभ्यां वा मनसः स्थितिं सम्पादयेत् ।

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¹ Cf. Paṭisambhidā-magga, I, p. 177.

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² Vism. pp. 274-7.

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The artificial aids³ taken by an adept for ānāpānasati are mainly (i) *gaṇanā*, i.e. counting, which is not to exceed ten; (ii) *anubandhanā*, i.e. following the course in its three stages, viz., beginning, middle and end; and (iii) *phusanā* i.e. watching the points of contact, nābhi, hadaya and nāsikaggam.⁴ By these aids the adept soon acquires the *paṭibhāga-nimitta* (concept) and develops *appanā* (or *ṭhapanā*, fixation of the mind) and in some cases the body of the adept becomes so light as to rise up in the air.⁵ At this stage the external inhalation and exhalation cease but there are internal inhalation and exhalation, to which then the adept's mind is directed. The subject of meditation may be either assāsa or passāsa, or nimitta (after-image) of either.⁶

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³ Cf. Pātañjalabhāṣya, I, 50.

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⁴ Vism, p. 278.

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⁵ Ibid., pp. 282-3. Cf. Pātañjalabhāṣya, I, 34.

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⁶ Vism., p. 285.

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By meditating upon the nimitta without vaṇṇa and lakkhaṇa (characteristics) one destroys the five nīvaraṇas and develops the jhāna.⁷

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⁷ Ibid., p. 286.

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The last of this anussatis is Upasamānussati or cogitation of Nibbāna. The adept as usual is to retire to a lonely place and think of the fact that the absence of attachment (virāga) is the best of all dhammas constituted and unconstituted. He thereby develops concentration of mind and the jhāna.

Four Brahmavihāras

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The four Brahmavihāras are mettā, karuṇā, muditā and upekkhā.¹ These are so called because they make the minds of the adepts pure like those of Brahma-kāyikā gods and after death they are reborn in the highest plane.²

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¹ Cf. Pātañjala, III, 23, and Bhāṣya, I, 33: तत्र सर्वप्राणिषु सुखसभोगापन्नेषु मैत्रीं भावयेत, दुःखितेषु करुणां, पुण्यात्मकेषु मुदितां, अपुण्यात्मकेषु उपेक्षाम् । एवमस्य भावयतः शुक्लो धर्म उपजायते । ततश्च चित्तं प्रसीदति, प्रसन्नमेकाग्रं स्थितिपदं लभते ॥

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² Vism, p. 320.

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i. The adept desirous of practising mettā-bhāvanā should take his seat in a secluded place after he has finished his meal and realise the evils of dosa-citta (mind full of hatred) and merits of khanti (forbearance), for, by mettā-bhāvanā dosa is removed and khanti developed.

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The first step in mettā-bhāvanā is to select the person upon whom the adept is to cast a friendly eye but at the same time keeping his mind free from rāga and such other feelings. After pointing out the various difficulties in selecting the person, it is suggested that mettā-feeling should be first exercised in connection with one’s own self, i.e. wish for one’s own good and then in connection with his spiritual preceptor and so forth wishing him all happiness. In this way he is first to develop appanā and then gradually extend his range, including ultimately his enemies, after having completely destroyed his paṭigha, if any. He is to extend his range from the inmates of his own āvāsa to those of another and so on, to nine or ten āvāsas, and then to the inhabitants of a village, town and so forth up to a cakka-vāḷa.³ The next step for him is to break down the line of demarcation (sīmāsambheda) between any two persons, i.e. his feeling of love towards himself, his friends, his enemies or neutrals should be absolutely without any distinction. As for instance, if a man wants to kill his enemy, he must not say that the life of his enemy be spared and his be taken instead; it will not then be sīmā-asambheda. To him there should be no distinction between himself and his enemy and it is this state of mind that mettā-bhāvanā is expected to create. As soon as sīmā-asambheda is developed, he has the necessary nimitta, upacāra and appanā and soon acquires the four jhāna.s¹

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³ Ibid.

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¹ Vism. p 307.

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In the Nikāyas, the usual statement is that the adept exercises the mettā-feelings towards all beings in all the directions one after another. This is possible only after the adept has gone through the procedure described above.

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ii. In karuṇā-bhāvanā also the adept is to choose a suitable object of compassion, e.g., an indigent person begging for alms or a criminal when being taken to the place of punishment and so forth. In this way he is to extend his range for compassion, including ultimately his enemies, after removing paṭigha, if any. Like mettā-bhāvanā, he is to practise sīmā-asambheda and gradually develop nimitta, upacāra, appanā and the jhāna.s.

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iii. In muditā-bhāvanā the adept is to have a feeling of joy at another's happiness (muditā). The best to start with is a close friend (atippiyasahāyako) of the adept and then other persons may be selected and ultimately his enemey. The remaining process is the same as that of mettā-bhāvanā.

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iv. Upekkhā-bhāvanā is generally taken up by an adept who has practised the previous three bhāvanās and acquired the jhāna.s. In the jhāna.s too, there are the feelings of pīti and virāga, which, being akin to anunaya (fondness) and paṭigha (hatred), have to be eschewed in upekkhā-bhāvanā.

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In practising upekkhā-bhāvanā it is suggested that the person to be selected for the exercise of the feeling of equanimity should be a neutral one and then a friend and then an enemy. Like mettā-bhāvanā, in upekkhā too, the sīmā-asambheda is to be practised, developing ultimately the jhāna.

Four Āruppas or Samāpattis

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The Kammaṭṭhānas that we have so far dealt with were meant to induce the jhānas up to the fourth, which keep the mind of the adept within the limits of Rūpaloka. The subjects of meditation that we propose to treat now induce the higher jhānas from the fifth to the eighth, usually called Samāpattis, and carry the mind of the adept to the region of Arūpaloka.

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1. The first subject of meditation of the Āruppas is ākāsānañcāyatana (=ananta-ākāsāyatana). It starts with ākāsa-kasiṇa as dealt with above¹ with the difference that ākāsa in this case is unlimited extending over the whole cakkavāḷa. So long the conception of ākāsa is associated with cakkavāḷa, though it is unlimited, the adept does not go beyond the Rūpaloka. The adept is to think constantly of ananta-ākāsa, but without any kasiṇa, i.e. without any reference to the ākāsa as extending over a cakkavāḷa or so forth. In short, his mind is to be severed from all conceptions of objects (sabbaso rūpasaññānaṃ samatikkamā),² and hence without the possibility of nānatta-saññā (sense of distinction). By constantly meditating over this nimitta, he destroys the nīvaraṇas,³ develops mindfulness (sati) and concentrates his mind through upacāra,⁴ and attains the fifth jhāna.

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¹ See above, p. 222.

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² Rūpasaññā = Paṭigha-saññā, because by the paṭighāta (contract) of object and eye arises the rūpasaññā. Sec Vism., p. 329.

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³ See above, p. 219, fn. 3.

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⁴ Vism., p. 328.

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2. The second subject of meditation of the Āruppas is viññāṇānañcāyatana (= ananta-viññāṇāyatana). This is closely connected with the previous subject of meditation and at the same time a step in advance. In the ākāsānañcāyatana meditation, the adept's mind is not without some notion of sphere (desa). This is considered as faulty and the adept seeks to withdraw his mind from the sense of sphere and confines his attention to viññāṇa (consciousness)¹ of ananta-ākāsa and cogitates of ananta-viññāṇa only and develops as usual the jhāna, reaching the sixth.

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¹ Pavatta-viññāṇa=the consciousness that has arisen in the adept's mind by concentrating his mind on ananta-ākāsa.

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3. The third subject of meditation of the Āruppas is ākiñcaññāyatana (= n'atthi kiñci iti āyatana or nā'ssa kiñcanan ti akiñcanam. Akiñcanassa bhāvo ākiñcaññam). In this case the adept withdraws his mind from the consciousness (viññāṇa) of ananta-ākāsa, and cogitates on voidness or absence of viññāṇa and everything else (n'atthi n'atthi ti vā suññaṃ suññan ti vā vivittaṃ vivittan ti vā). By such cogitation, his mind realises the non-existence of viññāṇa and thus gradually develops the seventh jhāna, the jhāna of nothingness.

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4. The fourth subject of meditation of the Āruppas is said to be n'evasaññā-nāsaññāyatana, but in fact, the mental state of n'evasaññā-nāsaññā is derived by cogitation of ākiñcaññāyatana, i.e. abhāva of viññāṇa as explained above. In the seventh jhāna, the meditator gradually gets rid of saññā (perception) of the four khandhas (rūpa, vedanā, saṅkhārā and viññāṇa), but retains a saññā (perception) of extreme subtlety—the residuum of saṅkhārā. He cannot perceive ordinary things but he is not absolutely without perception. Hence the mental state of the meditator in the eighth jhāna is without perception of ordinary things (*n'evasaññā*) but not without the subtlest perception (*na + asaññā*).

The last two Kammaṭṭhānas

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The last two Kammaṭṭhānas are (i) *āhāre paṭikūlasaññā-bhāvanā* and (ii) *catudhātu-vavatthānassa bhāvanā*.

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1. *Āhāre paṭikūla-saññā* or disgust for food. The adept is to ponder over the evils connected with food. The evils may be of many kinds, e.g., botheration of going out for alms and seeking for it; performing the preliminaries when taking food; the unclean stomach which receives the food, undigestibility of food and so forth. By meditating over these evils, he gets rid of desire for food and gradually of all desires (*taṇhā*). He feels no attachment for his body, and thus attains the summum bonum in this life.¹

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¹ *Vism.*, pp. 341-7.

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2. *Catudhātu-vavatthāna*, or determination of the four elements of the body. The adept, taking up this Kammaṭṭhāna, examines the contents of his body under the four heads: *paṭhavī*, *āpo*, *tejo* and *vāyu*. He takes into consideration one by one his skin, flesh, sinews, marrow, kidneys, bones etc.,² and examines their functions and then looks upon them as nothing but one of the four elements, and as such they are mere material objects (*acetana*), indeterminable (*avyākata*), substanceless (*suñña*), non-sentient (*nissatto*) and so forth. Such examination and cogitation make the adept realise the voidness (*suññatam*) of his self and so of the world. He can no longer perceive the existence of different beings. As soon as he develops this mental state, he attains the highest knowledge.³

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² For details, see *Vism.*, pp. 358-67.

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³ *Ibid.*, pp. 347-70.

(iii) Kalyāṇamitta

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A monk, anxious to take up a subject for meditation, must, at the first place, choose a competent spiritual preceptor (*kalyāṇa-mitta*). He should try to find out one who has mastered the fourth and fifth *jhānas* and has thereby developed insight (*vipassanā*) into the truths of the universe, and has, in fact, become an Arhat, by destroying all the impurities (*āsavas*). Failing to get hold of such persons, he should seek for the next best in the descending scale,¹ thus:

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¹ *Vism.*, pp. 98 ff.

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(i) an anāgāmi;
(ii) a sakadāgāmi;
(iii) a sotāpanna;
(iv) a puthujjana who practises the jhānas; (v-vii) a master of three or two or one piṭaka; (viii) a master of one nikāya with its aṭṭhakathā, and lastly, (ix) a lajjī (a man of self-restraint).

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If the candidate finds a suitable preceptor in the monastery where he lives, so far so good; if not, he should proceed to the place where he may find his preceptor. On his way to, as also on his arrival at, his destination he must not be failing in the duties prescribed in the *Vinaya* (ii. 223) for an antevāsika, and he should reverentially and discreetly approach his preceptor, and apprise him of his intention of taking up a subject of meditation.

(iv) The Candidate

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The candidate should offer himself to his spiritual preceptor, saying that he is resolved to carry out his commands, and even, if necessary, he would not hesitate to throw himself down a cliff or stop his respiration to death if his kalyāṇamitta wanted him to do so. A candidate with such resolution is not afraid of fearful lonely forests and readily listens to the admonitions of his preceptor.¹

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¹ *Vism.*, pp. 115-6.

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He must possess the requisite *ajjhāsaya* (intention), viz., aversion to *lobha*, *dosa* and *moha* as well as to *gharāvāsa* (household life), *saṅganikā* (society) and *sabbabhavagati* (all forms of existence in the world).² He should have *adhimutti* i.e. ardent desire for *samādhi* and ultimately for Nibbāna.

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² The opposites of these respectively are alobha, adosa, amoha, nekkhamma, paviveka, and nissaraṇa. See *Vism.*, p. 116.

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When he approaches his preceptor for a Kammaṭṭhāna, he is to answer the questions, which will be put by his preceptor in order to ascertain the Kammaṭṭhāna that would suit him best. He is to receive his instructions and then ponder over them carefully.³

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³ *Vism.*, p. 117.

Anurūpa-Vihāra

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The suitability of the place of meditation should also be taken into consideration. The candidate preferably should dwell with his preceptor in the same monastery. Failing same, he should find out a suitable place not far from the abode of his preceptor, for he is to see him occasionally in order to correct himself about the practice of a Kammaṭṭhāna. Buddhaghosa enumerates eighteen kinds of places⁴ unsuitable for meditational purposes. The suitable place for meditation must fulfil the following conditions:

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⁴ *Vism.*, pp. 118-122. The eighteen places are: Mahāvāsaṃ navāvāsaṃ jarāvāsañ ca panthanim, Soṇḍim paṇṇañ ca, phalaṃ patthitaṃ eva ca Nagaram dāruṇā khettaṃ, visabhāgena paṭṭanaṃ Paccantasimāsappāyaṃ, yattha mitto na labhati.

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(a) not far nor too close,
(b) easy of access,¹
(c) not crowded by day,
(d) quiet at night, and
(e) not exposed to mosquitoes, or serpents, wind or sun. About the suitability of the time for meditation, it is recommended that it should be after the monk has returned from his begging round and taken his mid-day meal.²

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¹ Vism., p. 122.

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² Ibid., p. 123.

The Candidate's Mental States

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The first and foremost duty of the Kalyāṇamitta (spiritual preceptor) is to study the mental leanings of the candidate before he can prescribe his subject of meditation. It may be incidentally remarked that unless the Kalyāṇamitta is an Arhat or at least an Anāgāmi or Sakadāgāmi, he cannot be expected to have acquired the higher powers (abhiññā) of knowing others' minds (paracittañāṇa) or one's previous births (pubbenivāsānussatiñāṇa) which are indispensable for ascertaining properly the mental leanings of the candidate. For practical purposes, it is suggested that the spiritual preceptor should ascertain the leanings of the candidate by asking him what he likes and dislikes.³ A person's leanings should be ascertained by observing closely his movements (iriyāpatha), actions (kicca), food (bhojana), ways of looking at things (dassana),⁴ and lastly the qualities peculiar to him. Buddhaghosa⁵ classifies the mental leanings of individuals under six heads, viz., (i) rāga (attachment), (ii) dosa (hatred), (iii) moha (delusion), (iv) saddhā (faith), (v) buddhi (intelligence) and (vi) vitakka (discursive thoughts).

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³ Ibid., p. 107.

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⁴ For details, see Vism., pp. 104 ff.

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⁵ Vism., pp. 101 ff.

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Class (i) has for its characteristics more of deceitfulness, pride, evil desires, ambition, discontentedness, lasciviousness, fickleness etc.; class (ii) has more of anger, hypocrisy, envy, and miserliness etc.; class (iii) has more of idleness, doubts, obstinacy, etc.; class (iv) i.e. those with *saddhā* have the characteristics of being given more to charity, desire of seeing holy persons and hearing religious discourses, has joy, solitude, credulousness etc.; class (v) has amiability, friendship, moderation in food, mindfulness, watchfulness, emotion and exertion etc.; and class (vi) has propensity for discussion, love for frequenting societies, lack of keenness in application for good objects, unsteadiness, fondness for moving about etc.

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The above is only a very general classification, for Buddhaghosa points out the possibility of further analysis of mental leanings, e.g., those with *rāga* like evil deeds while those with *saddhā* like moral precepts and so forth; hence there is a commonness between these two classes, i.e. both have a strong feeling or earnestness for evil in one case and for good in the other.

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In this way, all the six classes admit of further analysis and a closer discrimination should be made for the prescription of the subjects of meditation.

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Another interesting explanation is offered by Buddhaghosa regarding the first three classes. He says that a person's nature may be ascertained by knowing his previous lives, e.g., those who performed good deeds through *rāga* and were as a result born in *sagga* have in their present life proneness to *rāga*, while those who in their previous lives injured others in various ways and were as a result born in the hells or *nāga* worlds develop in this existence a leaning towards *dosa*; similarly those, who were in their previous lives given to drinking and did not care for learning have more of *moha* (delusion). Buddhaghosa gives another interesting explanation of these three classes of persons.¹ He says that those with *moha* have in their body more of the two elements, earth and water, while those with *dosa* have more of fire and air, and those with *rāga* have all the four elements in due proportion.

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¹ *Vism.*, p. 103.

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Further information is furnished by him about the kind of spot to be chosen for a candidate with a particular leaning, what should be the nature of his dress, bowl, begging places, food-givers, food, postures (*iriyāpathas*), and the colour of his subjects of meditation.²

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² See for details *Vism.*, pp. 108 ff.

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A selection is suggested from among the forty *kammaṭṭhānas* (subjects of meditation) according to the different mental leanings thus:³

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³ *Vism.*, p. 114, *Abhidhammattha-saṅgaha*, pp. 41-2. Cf. *Udāna*, iv. 1:

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| MENTAL LEANINGS | KAMMAṬṬHĀNAS |
| For *rāgacarita*, | the ten *asubhas* (unpleasant objects) and *kāyagatā sati* (mindfulness about body); |
| ,, *dosacarita*, | the four *brahmavihāras* and four colours (*vaṇṇakasiṇāni*); |
| ,, *mohacarita* and *vitakkacarita*, | only *ānāpāna-sati* (mindfulness about inhaling and exhaling); |
| ,, *saddhācarita*, | the six kinds of *anussati* (see above, p. 224); |
| ,, *buddhicarita*, | *maraṇasati*, *upasamānussati*, *catudhātu-vavatthāna* and *āhāre paṭikūlasaññā*. |

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*asubhā* bhāvetabbā *rāgassa* pahānāya *mettā* ,, vyāpādassa ,, *ānāpānasati* ,, vitakka-upacchedāya *aniccasaññā* ,, asmimānassa samugghātāya.

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It is not possible to deal comprehensively with all the mental states in any treatise, but the above exposition makes it clear that the choice of the subjects of meditation was given a very important place in the code of Buddhist meditational practices. Buddhaghosa, however, admits that there is neither any original treatise (Pāli) nor any commentary (aṭṭhakathā) which deals with the mental leanings of a candidate and what has been said above is gleaned by him from the oral instructions of teachers.¹

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¹ *Vism.*, p. 107.

The Preliminaries

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In the *Visuddhimagga*, a few details are lacking about the preliminaries that a candidate has to go through before he commences his meditational exercises. These are to be found in the *Yogāvacāra's Manual* (edited by Dr. Rhys Davids in P.T.S. Series).

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The candidate first salutes the Buddha, Dhamma and Saṅgha by uttering the usual formulæ with the belief that this not only makes him meritorious but also removes many of the hindrances to meditation.²

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² Iccevam accanta namassaneyyaṃ, Namassamāno ratanattayaṃ yaṃ Puññābhisandaṃ vipulaṃ aladdhaṃ Tassānubhāvena hatantarāyo. *Yogāvacāra's Manual*, p. 3.

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Then he prays for happiness for all beings including his friends and relatives and at the same time wishes that Māra be kept away from him so that he may succeed in his mission.

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He then utters the formulæ of confession, praying that he may be absolved of all sins that he may have committed knowingly or unknowingly.

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He now promises to abide by the teachings of the omniscient Gotama and prays for *uggaha-nimitta*, *paṭibhāga-nimitta*, *upacāra-vidhi*, and *appanā-samādhi*.¹ To infuse confidence into his mind he thinks of those of Buddha's disciples, who had before him followed this path and succeeded in attaining their object, and resolves that he will likewise with the help of his teacher, succeed in reaching the goal, Nibbāna.

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¹ See *Infra*.

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He now sits cross-legged keeping his body erect and fixes his mind on the subject of meditation (*Kammaṭṭhāna*).²

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² The *Yogāvacāra's Manual* does not treat the subject systematically as has been wrongly supposed by Dr. Rhys Davids. It contains just an enumeration, like all other Buddhist texts, of the different mental states and objects of meditation, connected with the four jhāna.

(v) The Successive Steps in Meditation

I. Upacāra

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We have spoken of the various objects of meditation on which the adept fixes his attention, trying all the while to convert it into a concept as clear and distinct as the object he sees with open eyes. The first attempts that he makes at fixation of his mind on the *nimitta* (i.e. *parikkamma-nimitta*) are called *parikamma-bhāvanā*.³ When the adept has been able to see the object in his own mind as vividly as he has been doing with eyes open, he is said to have acquired the *uggaha-nimitta*.⁴ The attempts that are now being made by the adept to make the concept not only clearer and brighter than the actual object as seen by his physical eyes but free from the *lakkhaṇas* (characteristics) of colour, form, size, etc., which are regarded as *Kasiṇa-dosas* are known as *upacāra-bhāvanā*.¹ Even at this stage the mind of the adept cannot be steady in concentration; it is like a child unable to stand though making attempts to stand on his legs. The brighter concept, which he now possesses though intermittently, is called *paṭibhāga-nimitta*.² It is exceedingly difficult to make the *paṭibhāga-nimitta* steady and this is not possible for an adept so long he is in the *upacāra* stage. He will now have to exert to pass from *upacāra* to *appanā*. He has got to be very particular about the selection of his *āvāsa* (dwelling place), *gocara* (places from which to collect alms), *bhassa* (improper talks), *puggala* (associates), *bhojana* (food), *utu* (seasonal food), and *iriyāpathas* (postures in which he should pass his time).³

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³ *Abhidhammattha-saṅgaha*, p. 42.

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⁴ *Vism.*, p. 125.

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¹ *Abhidhammattha-sangaha*, p. 42.

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² *Vism.*, p. 125.

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³ *Ibid.*, pp. 127-8.

II. Appanā

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The stage next to *upacāra* is *appanā* in which the adept's power of concentration becomes strong and steady; and the mind is likened to a grown up man able to stand on his legs as long as he likes. In the *appanā* stage, the adept can fix his attention on the subject of meditation one whole day or one whole night.⁴ It is not possible to maintain the *paṭibhāga-nimitta* for any length of time unless the adept reaches the *appanā* stage. It sometimes happens that the adept becomes over-energetic and thereby gets excited and fails to attain the firmness of *appanā* state. As a reaction to it, sometimes it so happens that he gets dejected, his energy slackens and his mind drifts to slothfulness. It is therefore advised that the adept should neither be over-energetic nor slack in directing his mind towards the *nimitta*. It is by maintaining the balance of mental energy that an adept easily obtains *appanā*.¹

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⁴ *Ibid.*, p. 126.

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¹ See *Vism.*, p. 137. The ten ways and means for passing from the *upacāra* to the *appanā* stage are enumerated as follows:

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1. Cleanliness in regard to body and clothing.
2. Equipose (*samabhāva*) of the faculties of confidence (*saddhā*), energy (*viriya*), memory (*sati*), concentration (*samādhi*) and intellect (*paññā*).
3. Proficiency in acquiring the *nimitta* (object of meditation) and in maintaining it.
4. Avoidance of mental slackness. This is to be done not by *passadhi*, *samādhi* and *upekkhā sambojjhangas*, but by *dhammavicaya*, *viriya* and *piti-sambojjhangas*. The *dhammavicaya sambojjhanga* helps the adept to choose those *dhammas* which put in him more and more of energy (i.e. *ārambha*, *nikkama* and *parakkama*). He develops *viriya sambojjhanga* by remembering the fact that it is by being energetic persons have became great and that he can also be like them if he applies his energy and dismisses his slothfulness. The third is *piti sambojjhanga* which the adept can develop by practising the *anussatis* (see p. 224) and by associating with gentle persons to the exclusion of the vulgar and by reflecting on Suttantas which produce serene pleasure (*pasāda*). These three *sambojjhangas* help the adept to make his mind strong and energetic when necessary and protect his mind from becoming weak. Buddhaghosa enumerates the various ways and means by which these *sambojjhangas* are to be developed.
5. Not allowing the mind to get excited (*uddhata*). This is done not by the *dhammavicaya*, *viriya* and *piti sambojjhangas* but by *passadhi* (tranquility), *samādhi* (calm) and *upekkhā* (equanimity) *sambojjhangas*. Buddhaghosa enumerates the various ways and means, by which these three *sambojjhangas* are developed (*Vism.*, p. 134).
6. Toning the mind. Sometimes the adept gets disheartened by failing to acquire the desired object viz., knowledge or For the attainment of *appanā* state the adept stops his *bhavaṅga* thoughts and concentrates his mind on the object of meditation, which then becomes an object of mental reflection (*manodvārāvajjanaṃ*). It is followed by the seven thought-moments (*sattakkhattuṃ javanaṃ javati*). It is in the fourth or the fifth moment that the *appanā* state of mind is developed.¹ It happens in a moment (*ekacittakkhaṇika*). Immediately after *appanā*, i.e. in the sixth or seventh moment, reappear the usual currents of thought (*bhavaṅgacitta*). The *appanā* state therefore refers to a certain mental development which the adept acquires in course of meditational practices. One who has developed that state is able to keep up the *paṭibhāga-nimitta* for a certain length of time and becomes fit for practising the *jhānas*. He is a *gotrabhū*.² By repeatedly meditating over the *paṭibhāga-nimitta*, he can induce the *paṭhamajjhāna*.³

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¹ *Vism.*, pp. 137-8; *Abhi. S.*, p. 17-18.

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² *Vism.*, pp. 138-139; *Aṭṭhasālini*, pp. 164 ff.

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³ *Abhi. S.*, pp. 42-43: Tato paraṃ tam eva paṭibhāgamittaṃ upacārasamādhinā samasevantassa rūpāvacara-paṭhamajjhānam appeti.

III. The First Trance

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The conditions precedent to the attainment of the first trance are:

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1. Dissociation from *vatthukāma*⁴ and *kilesakāma*,⁵ the former referring to attractive things of the world and quietude. To get over such depression of mind, he is advised to remember things which would move his mind (*saṃvegavatthūni*), for enumeration, see *Vism.*, p. 135.
7. Looking upon the mind with equanimity.
8. & 9. Avoidance of persons not engaged in meditation and association with persons engaged in meditation; and
10. Strong desire for concentration of mind.

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