Dear Nina.

Thanks very much for your answer...
Any way, I had some felling about the categorization and classification of
Samadhi,dhyana, shamata and vipassana...

I find something about four types of Samadhi:

(1) the concentration issuing in the attainment of the jhanas (absorptions).
(2) the concentration issuing in the attainment of nana dassana
(extra-sensory perception).
(3) the concentration issuing in the attainment of satisampajanna (intent
awareness).
(4) the concentration issuing in the attainment of vipassana nana
(penetrative insight).

(1 ) The jhanas (absorptions) derived from concentrated tranquillity of body
and mind are highly conducive to states of equanimity and bliss. In view of
this, these concentrated- absorptions are only too susceptible of being
grasped as ends in themselves, when in reality they are to be only regarded
as a means to an end, and as such merit a primary and distinguished place.

(2) Nana dassana (extra-sensory perception) is that faculty of perceiving
things astral. Devoid of this kind of supernormal vision the human horizon
is inevitably constrained within the limitations of the five sense-organs,
to say the least. However, the attainment of supernormal vision, too, is
only too easily grasped as an end in itself, when in fact it is only a
means.

(3) Satisampajanna (intent awareness) is that faculty of mindfulness and
awareness so necessary for keeping the mind in harness and under restrained
control. Without this incessant control over formations, feelings,
perceptions, and concepts, consciousness is only too gamely led astray from
cyclic second to second, the victim of every incident that upsprings.
However, mind-control in itself is insufficient as to be regarded as an end,
for although it keeps a constant vigil over random effervencies it does not
annihi-late them at the source. At best, it serves as a preventative and
defensive device.

(4) Vipassana nana (penetrative insight) is that faculty which penetrates to
the source. As long as this faculty is not attained the mind is not in a
position to comprehend or understand the scheme in which all things in the
visible and invisible universe have their relative span. Without this
objective vision, consciousness is dominated by its own limited subjectivity
and personal prejudice. It is,finally, only through this faculty that the
unrealized potential be-comes the actualized reality. That is, the ultimate
integration of personality and its unrestricted release.

These four categories of concentration - attainments, however, may be
resolved under the collective term of Samatha - Vipassana (tranquillized -
penetrative insight), and shall be dealt with as such.

As for jhanna...

Meditation on these subjects is designed so as to winnow the mind from all
distractions and attachments (amongst which it is incessantly scattered and
diffused from second to second) and by focusing the attention upon a
specific subject to attain to tranquility. And not only tranquility but to
mental equipoise (samatha) and that one-pointed (ekaggata) potential of
concentrated-absorption called jhana. In this way, jhanna would be a product
of samatha.

the goal of samatha is to attain jhana, of which there are eight: 4
Rupajhanas, 4 Arupajhanas.

The 4 Rupajhanas are as follows:
Pathama jhana : a state of mental ease and buoyancy, wherein reason
and reflection are still effective.
Dutiya jhana : a state pervasive of bliss, wherein reason and reflection
have ceased to be effective.
Tatiya jhana : a state of equanimity, mindful and intent, undisturbed by
all comings and goings, beings and becomings.
Catuttha jhana : a state beyond pleasure and pain, wherein the limbs
become numb and even breathing stops. The mind, however, being translucent
and keen.

The 4 Arupajhanas are 'formless' attainments (samapatti):
Akasananca ayatana jhana : a state wherein only the infinity of space
is experienced.
Vinnanananca ayatana jhana : a state wherein only the infinity of
consciousness is experienced.
Akincanna ayatana jhana : a state wherein only voidness is
experienced.
Nevasanna nasanna ayatana jhana : a state wherein neither perception
nor non-perception can be said to be effective.

So could we say that jhanna in their eight levels is the first type of
samaddhi?
And the attainment of that is reached by the development of shamata?

Also, could we say that the attainment of the third and forth Samadhi is
reached by the development of vipassana practice?
Could we categorize in this way?

Thanks again, sincerely
Gabriel


-----Original Message-----
From: Pali@yahoogroups.com [mailto:Pali@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Nina
van Gorkom
Sent: 29 June 2007 19:45
To: Pali@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [Pali] Abhidhammattha Sangho - Citta Summary

Dear Gabriel,
-------
Op 24-jun-2007, om 9:49 heeft Lotsawanet het volgende geschreven:

> Jhaana and Samadhi are different aspects or focus inside the
> practices of
> samatha and vipassanaa...is that right?
>
> So they would be a kind of different instruments with different
> qualities
> that offers the support to see things in different ways using
> either the
> samatha or vipassanaa method, am right?

Nina: The matter is more complex.
In the Pa.t.thaana, the Book of the Abhidhamma on Conditional
Relations, jhaana-paccaya is one of the conditioning factors that
conditions citta and cetasika. I shall quote parts of what I wrote in
my "Conditions':
< In the case of jhåna-condition, jhåna-paccaya, the cetasikas which
are jhåna-factors are the conditioning dhammas which cause the citta
and accompaying cetasikas, the conditioned dhammas, to fix themselves
firmly on the object which is experienced. In the “Visuddhimagga”, in
the section on the development of samatha, tranquil meditation (Ch
4), five jhåna-factors are summed up, sobhana cetasikas which should
be developed in order to reach jhåna, absorption. These factors
assist the citta to be absorbed in the meditation subject. When
jhånacitta arises there are no longer sense impressions and there is
temporary freedom from defilements. Jhånacitta is of a higher level
of citta than kåmåvara citta, citta of the sense sphere. The word
jhåna has been explained as being derived from “jhåyati”, to
contemplate, or to think closely of an object. Or else “jhåyati” can
mean to burn (Vis. IV, 119), since the jhåna-factors which are
developed burn the “hindrances” (akusala cetasikas) away. >
Jhaayati in the sense of burning is from another stem.

< The jhåna-factors which are developed in samatha are sobhana
cetasikas, they have to be developed together with paññå which knows
the way to develop calm, so that absorption can be attained. However,
jhåna-factors can also be taken in a wider sense, they can even be
akusala. That is why the “Dhammasangaùi” mentions in the “Summary”
jhåna-factors arising not only with the mahå-kusala cittas which are
accompanied by paññå, but also with those which are unaccompanied by
paññå, ñå.na-vippayutta, as well as with each of the akusala cittas.
Not only kusala citta but also akusala citta needs jhåna-factors
which assist the citta to be firmly fixed on an object. >
< The “Visuddhimagga” (Ch IV) mentions five of the seven jhåna-
factors, in that case sobhana cetasikas, which have to be developed
in samatha with the purpose of attaining jhåna. However, there must
be paññå which knows the characteristics of those particular jhåna-
factors and which knows the way to develop calm with a suitable
meditation subject. One will not attain true calm merely by sitting
and trying to concentrate on one object. There are forty meditation
subjects of samatha and it depends on the individual which subject is
suitable as a means to develop calm (Vis. Ch IV-Ch X). For the
development of samatha it is essential that there is paññå which
knows exactly when there is akusala citta and when there is kusala
citta with calm. The sobhana jhåna-factors have each their own
function in inhibiting the hindrances so that calm can be developed. >
< Samådhi, concentration, developed in samatha, is sammå-samådhi,
which is right concentration on the meditation subject. It inhibits
the hindrance which is sensuous desire (kåma-cchandha). As calm grows
samådhi also develops. There is miccha-samådhi, wrong concentration,
and sammå-samådhi, right concentration. If there is no paññå which
knows precisely when there is kusala citta and when akusala citta,
wrong concentration can be taken for right concentration. Someone may
mistakenly believe that there is calm when he just sits and for
example looks for a long time at a kasina (disk) which is among the
meditation subjects of samatha. Instead of true calm which is
wholesome there is clinging to quietness.

Not merely intellectual understanding of the jhåna-factors is needed
for the development of calm but there must also be right
understanding which discerns precisely their different
characteristics. When one underestimates the difficulty of the
development of jhåna there is bound to be wrong concentration. >

< Jhåna-factors which are sobhana condition each kusala citta, and
thus they also condition the kusala citta which develops vipassanå by
way of jhåna-condition. In vipassanå the aim is not the suppression
of the hindrances by the development of the sobhana jhåna-factors, as
is the case in samatha. Some people think that the hindrances have to
be suppressed first before there can be right understanding of nåma
and rúpa. In vipassanå, however, right understanding is developed of
whatever reality appears, also when that reality is a “hindrance”.
When it appears it does so because it is conditioned. All conditioned
realities have to be known as they are, as non-self. At the moment of
right understanding of the characteristic of a hindrance such as
desire or ill will, the citta is kusala citta and there is no
hindrance.>

< Those who are proficient in jhåna and also develop insight can take
jhånacitta as object of insight; jhåna is then the basis of insight.
In that way they can become detached from the idea that jhånacitta is
self. >

Gabriel, does this answer your questions? Do not hesitate to ask again.
Nina.




[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]



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