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Four Cultivations of Concentration
This concept comes from the Discourses {Pali Suttas} themselves; not the commentaries. I have only seen this in a few translations; with little or no explanation. As such, I do not know the Pali originals for all of the key terms used; I can only make partially educated guesses. Translations include 'Four Developments of Samadhi' and 'Four Developments of Concentration.' I am guessing that 'developments' is a rendering of a form of the noun 'bhavana.' If so, I much prefer 'cultivations' as a translation.
The Buddha talks about various attainments and the respective method of cultivation for each. I am clear enough on the first and third; a bit lost on the second and fourth.
Thoughts or corrections?
The Buddha talks about various attainments and the respective method of cultivation for each. I am clear enough on the first and third; a bit lost on the second and fourth.
- The method of cultivation is the Fine Material or Form Absorption Meditations; Rupajhana / rupa-dhyana; the first four levels of the Calm Abiding Meditations; Samatha / Shamatha 止 {zhi / chih / shi}. The result is: Diṭṭha-dhamma-sukha-vihara / drishta-dharma-sukha-viharata 現法樂住 {xianfa lezhu / genpo rakuji}: blissful abiding in the here and now.
- The Method: a meditative practice in which one concentrates on the 'perception of light;' and the sutta seems to indicate that an adept at this demonstrates a radiance that transcends night and day. I am guessing, from the context, he was talking about the 5th - 8th levels of Calm Abiding Meditations, the Immaterial or Formless Absorptions; Arupa-jhana / dhyana. That is just a guess, with very little foundation. The result: athabhuta-nana-dassana / yathabhuta-jnana-darshana 如實知見 {rushi zhijian / jojitsu chiken}: knowledge & vision of reality as it is.
- The method here is the Four Frameworks of Mindfulness; Cattaro satipaṭṭhana / catur smrti-upasthana<wbr> 四念処 {si nanchu / shi-nenjo}, 四念處 {si nanchu / shi nansho}, or 四念住 {si nanzhu / shi-nenju}. Mindfulness of body, of feelings, of mentality, and of mental formations. The result: Sati-sampajanna / smrti-samprajanya 正念慧 {zheng nianhul / sho nen'e}: Mindfulness with complete and correct discerning awareness {alertness, attentiveness}.
- The method appears to be a kind of insight meditation {vipassana} in which one observes the rising and falling of each of one's Five [Clinging] Aggregates/ Pancha khanda / skandha 五陰 {wu yin /go on} -- form, feeling, mental perceptions, conditioning, and [sensory] consciousness. The result is a destruction / ending / cessation of inflows-outflows {asavas, ashravas -- taints, effluents, cankers, leaks, fermentations}.
Thoughts or corrections?
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