CUTTING OFF THE STREAM *
Concentration Development is a Universal Practice
Concentration (samadhi) or meditation had existed even before the Lord Buddha was born. At the time the Lord Buddha sought monkhood, before he became Buddha, there were Uddakatapasa and Alartapasa who had mastered concentration practice and could skillfully get in and out of the state of full concentration, called appanasamadhi. They could reach the states of the Fine-material Sphere (rupajhana) and the Formless Sphere (anipajhana) in their meditation. The Lord had heard about their reputation and became their student. He practised meditation and very quickly learned to reach those absorbed states just like his teachers. But then he reflected on those and came to the conclusion that calmness of the mind itself was not the way to discover the Truth. The meditating mind experienced happiness, but as it withdrew from that state, it drifted along sensual thoughts again, just as before. This shows that the two teachers and the Lord Buddha's full concentration alone could not lead to Enlightenment.
Not only these examples, there are many others in the past lives of the Lord Buddha and the Noble Ones who had been hermits and practised meditation before. They too did not become enlightened by doing so.
Nowadays there are still many who have practised concentration on its fullness, just like those in the past, in Buddhism as well as in other religions. Even those who do not have any religion at all can do it. Therefore concentration or meditation is actually a universal practice, regardless of race, religion or social status. Even though methods of practice may differ, they all aim at reaching a calm state of mind.
Nowadays there are still many who have practised concentration on its fullness, just like those in the past, in Buddhism as well as in other religions. Even those who do not have any religion at all can do it. Therefore concentration or meditation is actually a universal practice, regardless of race, religion or social status. Even though methods of practice may differ, they all aim at reaching a calm state of mind.
CONSEQUENCE OF CONCENTRATION PRACTICE ALONE
The target of concentration practice is to keep the mind from straying elsewhere, into the past, present or future. Once the mind does so, it is incapable of concentrating on one thing. To practise concentration, one must try to focus the mind in the state of one-pointedness. One must be mindful and conscious all the time to guard the mind against straying thoughts until it can concentrate and be calm. The degree of calmness depends on individual skill. After one withdraws from that state of calmness, one has experienced happiness of body and mind and wants that kind of happiness to last forever. So, one keeps practising it over and over again. Some can get only little calmness, some can be very absorbed, and others can only get close to calmness. Those who have had full concentration become attached to the happiness they have experienced and want to be in that state of mind all the time.
This is the result of concentration practice. People long for happiness in the calm state of mind and are trapped in it with no way out.
This is the result of concentration practice. People long for happiness in the calm state of mind and are trapped in it with no way out.
RESULT OF MISUNDERSTANDING CONCENTRATION PRACTICE
them. Others may be able to read people's minds. Nowadays those who have one or two of those abilities are respected as outstanding in Dharma practice. Many may believe that they have reached the Noble states. In fact this is only the result of concentration practice.
Phra Acariya Thoon Khippapanno
