Understanding of Samma Samadhi

Lord Buddha left the details of practicing Samma Samadhi open ended, which enabled it to continuously evolve. 

Samadhi is the culminating state of Dhyana, which means absorption practicing concentration and contemplation.  When concentration and contemplation are prolonged and sustained, it culminates in Samadhi.

Samadhi is a state of total absorption into the object of concentration and contemplation.  At that state the attachment to Samsara no longer exists and a state of bliss is experienced. 

In Pali, the term Dhyana is pronounced as Jnana.  In Chinese and Japanese languages the term Jnana is pronounced as Chan and Zen respectively. 

Lord Buddha learnt eight Dhyanas from two teachers: Alara Kamala and Uddaka Ramaputta.  First teacher Alara Kamala taught first seven Dhyanas.  The second teacher Uddaka Ramaputta, taught eighth Dhyana.  Both teachers told Lord Buddha that they taught him all there was to learn. 

Lord Buddha perfected all the eight Dhyanas but suffering was still there.  When Lord Buddha went from Dhyana to Samadhi, suffering did not exist.  But when Lord Buddha came out from Samadhi, suffering still existed. 

Lord Buddha realized that the eight Dhyanas are within the purview of mind and matter.

Lord Buddha continued his endeavoured for permanent solution to suffering beyond eight Dhyanas without the support of teachers. 

Lord Buddha struggled with super human feat for six years until he was enlightened and became Samyak Sam Buddha.

On the night of enlightenment when his mind was fully concentrated, purified, rid of imperfection, steady and imperturbable, Lord Buddha directed his mind beyond eight Dhyanas, and went beyond the horizon of mind and matter, to the world of divine. 

Lord Buddha went beyond mind and matter where no one had ever been before. 

When Lord Buddha transcended mind and matter and went to the world of divine, he experienced Anuttara Samyak Samboddhi, an incredible breakthrough in his consciousness, where he found permanent solution to suffering.  Having realized Anuttara Samyak Samboddhi, Lord Buddha was fully and perfectly enlightened with the vision and knowledge of destroying primordial defilements that sustains the round of rebirths.

Upon enlightenment, when Lord Buddha looked at the world with his pure mind, he saw the correct view of existence.  Wherever he turned his eyes, he saw three characteristics of existence: (i) Anicca -transiency, the impermanence, (ii) Dukkha –Suffering, the un-satisfactoriness, and (iii) Anatta -mortal soul, which is not eternal.

From what he saw beyond mind and matter, Lord Buddha comprehended that life is constantly changing and all conditioned things are transient.  Lord Buddha comprehended that every form of pleasure is a prelude to pain.  What is transient is painful and where there is change, sorrow prevails, and there cannot be eternal happiness. 

Of the eight Dhyanas Lord Buddha perfected, four are Rupa Dhyanas, the Dyanas with form, and four are Arupa Dhyanas, the Dhyanas without form. 

Rupa Dhyana- Meditation with Form

Step-1

First Rupa Dhyana has five features: (i) applied thought, (ii) sustained thought, (iii) bliss in body, (iv) happiness in mind, and (v) equanimity.

Begin the process by sitting on floor with cross legs, back straight, mouth and eyes slightly open, and hands resting on knees. 

Bring the attention to the tip of the nose and hold it there, and just feel the breadth going in and coming out. 

With deliberate effort, withdraw senses from sense objects and mind from sense desire and unwholesome state. 

Direct mind to the object of concentration, and enter into deep concentration and remain there as long as possible. 

As the applied thought is sustained, it leads to bliss in body, happiness in mind, and a sense of equanimity.  It normally happens with concentrated state of mind at any instance. 

Step-2

Second Rupa Dhyana has three characteristics: (i) bliss in body, (ii) happiness in mind and (iii) equanimity. 

Still and sustain the initial concentration, and deepen it further with greater effort then initially applied in first step.

Rest the mind on the object of concentration, and remain in it leaving behind the applied and sustained thought.

There will be greater sense of bliss, a greater sense of happiness and equanimity -the experience of oneness with the object of concentration.  But the bliss and happiness can easily get distorted. 

Step-3

Third Rupa Dhyana has two characteristics: (i) happiness in mind, and (ii) equanimity.  

Go to third Rupa Dhyana with even more effort, at which the sense of happiness in mind and equanimity is experienced.  There is no longer bliss in the body.

With renewed effort, reflect on happiness, the subtle happiness of mind. 

As we reflect on happiness, we know that happiness can distort the way we perceive the world, because there is attachment to it.

Having realised this truth, think; “If I could get rid of happiness, I could see the world exactly the way it is, not through the sense of judgement and preferences, attachment and repulsion.” 

Step-4

Fourth Rupa Dhyana has only one characteristic, the equanimity.  The happiness in mind is no longer there.

Having abandoned happiness of mind constituted of pleasure and pain, purity in equanimity and mindfulness is realised.  

When pleasure and pain are abandoned, the attachment and aversion no longer exist.  The only characteristic left is equanimity with perfect balance in mind.  There is no joy, no sorrow, no bliss or rapture, and no pain. 

At that state mind is centered, focussed, and clear.  There is a profound level of acceptance and there is no suffering. 

With successive progression the Ego becomes weaker and things are seen from a much less egocentric perspective. 

The body and mind are purified, and there is a sense of presence of divinity.  There is a feeling of love, compassion and equanimity.  At that state goodness, being free from all negative thoughts and deeds by body, mind and speech, is experienced.  Even when we are hurt or harmed, we see goodness in it for it gives reason for us to understand, an opportunity to change and extend loving kindness and compassion, and guide to the right path of life.

Arupa Dhyana -Meditation without Form

Step-5

Enter into Arupa Dhyana from Rupa Dhyana by pushing the boundaries of the object of concentration outward to infinity void of boundaries.  As the boundaries of object of concentration are expanded to infinity, it is still within the domain of our consciousness. 

With continued expansion of the boundaries, the appearance of form disappears from our mind, and all thoughts of the form realm are eliminated as we perceive everything as limitless space. 

Step-6

Gaze at the sphere of infinite space of existence.  As consciousness is expanded into infinity, know that the nature of consciousness is infinity. 

In that infinite nature of consciousness, the world of consciousness, one will find infinite possibilities and potentials, both negative and positive, anything and everything, good and bad karma of the past, and the potential to sprout anything and everything in the future.  In that infinite world of consciousness there exists Buddha Nature, the potential for enlightenment.

Knowing the infinite world of consciousness is not enough and it is not the end.  Acknowledge that it needs to be purified by being aware and mindful, and completely transform whole of it into wisdom. 

Step-7

Shift the attention from the infinite consciousness per se to the contents of it. 

Focus on the content of infinite world of consciousness, which encompass infinite potential. 

Realize a state of being simply aware of infinite potentials and mind in a state of no-thought but mindful.  

One can remain in this realm for a long time without making any real progress at all towards spiritual liberation. 

In this step a state of complete non-attachment is realised.  The space is not the object of absorption, and consciousness is not an object either. 

Step-8

In this step, the infinite world of consciousness with infinite potential is pierced and eternally purified and transformed into all positive potential, and the wisdom filled with equanimity, loving kindness and compassion. 

The mind is fully and eternally purified.  Neither the sphere of perception nor of non-perception is experienced.  It is a peaceful, restful state. 

Lord Buddha says; “At the highest state of Dhyana, he thinks any thought he wants to think, and does not think any thought he does not want to think.  He wills any resolve he wants to will, and does not will any resolve he does not want to will.  He has mastered his mind which does not flicker anymore.”

The Rupa Dhyana and Arupa Dhyana Lord Buddha perfected construe Samatha Bhavana -tranquillity meditation, and Vipassana Bhavana -contemplative meditation being universally practiced.