Dear Frank,
Op 23-feb-2011, om 1:19 heeft frank het volgende geschreven:

> I'm interested in the meaning of Samādhi in the last line of the
> quoted
> paragraph from the Upanisa sutta [SN 12.23]...

The knowledge and vision of things as they really are, monks, also has
a supporting condition, I say, it does not lack a supporting condition.
And what is the supporting condition for the knowledge and vision of
things as they really are? 'Concentration' should be the reply.

"Concentration, monks, also has a supporting condition, I say, it does
not lack a supporting condition. And what is the supporting condition
for concentration? 'Happiness' should be the reply.
---------------------------------------------------

Frank: From the point of view of what makes sense to me in how I
interpret the
Buddha's instruction in this sutta of the conditioned steps that lead to
full liberation, I would think samādhi would probably refer to samādhi
the group (sammā samādhi + sammā sati + sammā vāyāmo) rather
than just
the 4 jhānas (sammā samādhi), as the former is more integrated and
comprehensive. But that's just a guess. When we read suttas in the
tipitaka, how do we know which Samādhi is being referred to?
--------
N:The commentaries help and you can also make a cross reference of
texts so that you see that in different contexts different aspects
and levels of samaadhi that have been referred to.
There are many kinds and levels of samaadhi or ekaggata cetasika.
This cetasika arises with each citta and hence it can be kusala,
akusala, vipaaka or kiriya. It is conditioned by the citta it
accompanies. Its function is to focus on one object, the object citta
experiences.
It is one of the jhaanafactors which are developed in samatha in
order to suppress the hindrances and attain jhaana.
Samma-samadhi is one of the factors of the eightfold Path. When panna
knows, for example, the visible object which presents itself as only
a rupa appearing through the eyes or the seeing which presents itself
as only a nama which experiences visible object, there is also right
concentration at that moment: samma samadhi focuses on the object in
the right way. When samma-samadhi accompanies lokuttara citta, samma-
samadhi is also lokuttara and it focuses on nibbana. Then samma-
samadhi is a factor of the supramundane eightfold Path (lokuttara
magga).

Some people have accumulated skill and inclinations to develop jhaana
and some do not. See A II, 157, Yuganaddhasutta, for four ways of
development.
Also those who do not develop jhaana and attain enlightenment with
'dry insight' have sammaasamaadhi accompanying lokuttara citta that
has the same strength of concentration as that arising with the first
jhaana. There is absorption in nibbaana.
The Upanisa sutta ends with the attainment of arahatship. This can
only be attained by developing insight stage by stage, no matter one
also develops jhaana or not. This sutta refers to the development of
jhaana and vipassanaa.
I consulted the commentary in Thai, this is easier for me. But I
could not read all. The commentary mentions different stages of
insight and it calls these stages weak insight. Insight has to be
accumulated until it is strong. <Weak insight is the condition for
strong insight>.
As to samaadhi: this is samaadhi that has jhaana as foundation. This
samaadhi is a condition for weak insight.The disciple has to listen
to the Dhamma so that he sees the dukkha of va.t.ta, the cycle. Birth
is the condition for the dukkha of the cycle. He is harmed by the
cycle. The dukkha of the cycle is the condition of saddhaa
(confidence) in a following life. He becomes a monk and he develops
kammathaanas to begin with the earth kasina. Then arises pitti which
is weak. Then arises gladness and this is a condition for strong
pitti. This conditions calm. Calm conditions samaadhi that has jhaana
as foundation. Sukha arises with samaadhi that is appanasamaadhi
(accompanying jhaana) . Samaadhi that has jhaana as foundation is a
condition for weak vipassanaa. Vipassanaa that is weak is a condition
for strong insight and this again for magga (N: lokuttara magga).
Magga is the condiiton for phalavimutti and this again for reviewing
insight, pacchavekkha ~naa.na (arising after the lokuttara cittas and
reviewing the previous attainment, nibbaana, defilements that have
been eradicated and as demands the case, not yet eradicated).

Thus, as regards samaadhi, we have to take into account the context,
in this or that sutta.
--------
Nina.









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