”concentration”; lit.”the (mental) state of being firmly fixed” (sam+a^+? ha^), is the fixing of the mind on a single object."One-pointedness of mind (cittass” ekaggata^), Brother Visakha, this is called concentration" (M. 44). Concentration - though often very weak - is one of the 7 mental concomitants inseparably associated with all consciousness. Cf. na^ma, cetana^.
Right concentration (samma^-sama^dhi), as the last link of the 8-fold Path (s. magga), is defined as the 4 meditative absorptions (jha^na, q.v.). In a wider sense, comprising also much weaker states of concentration, it is associated with all karmically wholesome (kusala) consciousness. Wrong concentration (miccha^-sama^dhi) is concentration associated with all karmically unwholesome (akusala, q.v.) consciousness. Wherever in the texts this term is not differentiated by ”right” or ”wrong”, there ”right” concentration is meant .
In concentration one distinguishes 3 grades of intensity:
(1) ”Preparatory concentration” (parikamma-sama^dhi) existing at the beginning of the mental exercise.
(2) ”Neighbourhood concentration” (upaca^ra-sama^dhi), i.e. concentration ”approaching” but not yet attaining the 1st absorption (jha^na, q.v.), which in certain mental exercises is marked by the appearance of the so-called ”counter-image” (patibha^ga-nimitta).
(3) ”Attainment concentration” (appana^-sama^dhi), i.e. that concentration which is present during the absorptions. (App.)
Further details, s. bha^vana, Vis.M. III and Fund. IV.
Concentration connected with the 4 noble path-moments (magga), and fruition-moments (phala), is called supermundane (lokuttara), having Nibba^na as object. Any other concentration, even that of the sublimest absorptions is merely mundane (lokiya, q.v.).
According to D. 33, the development of concentration (sama^dhi-bha^vana^) may procure a 4-fold blessing: (1) present happiness through the 4 absorptions; (2) knowledge and vision (n~a^na-dassana) - here probably identical with the ”divine eye” (s. abhin~n~a^) through perception of light (kasina); (3) mindfulness and clear comprehension through the clear knowledge of the arising, persisting and vanishing of feelings, perceptions and thoughts; (4) extinction of all cankers (a^savakkhaya) through understanding the arising and passing away of the 5 groups forming the objects of clinging (s. khandha).
Concentration is one of the 7 factors of enlightenment (bojjhanga, q.v.), one of the 5 spiritual faculties and powers (s. bala), and the last link of the 8-fold Path. In the 3-fold division of the 8-fold Path (morality, concentration and wisdom), it is a collective name for the three last links of the path (s. sikkha^).
parikamma-, upaca^ra-, and appana^-s.: are found only in the Com.
= bodhi (q.v.).
the ”state of rightness”, are the 8 links of the 8-fold Path (D. 33). Cf. miccha^tta.
”attainment, blessing”. The 5 blessings are said to be faith, morality, learning, liberality, wisdom (A. V, 91). Further: morality, concentration, wisdom, deliverance, the eye of knowledge connected with deliverance (A. V, 92).
”round of rebirth”, lit. perpetual wandering”, is a name by which is designated the sca of life ever restlessly heaving up and down, the symbol of this continuous process of ever again and again being born, growing old, suffering and dying. More precisely put, samsa^ra is the unbroken chain of the five-fold khandha-combinations, which, constantly changing from moment to moment follow continuously one upon the other through inconceivable periods of time. Of this samsa^ra, a single lifetime constitutes only a tiny and fleeting fraction; hence to be able to comprehend the first noble truth of universal suffering, one must let one”s gaze rest upon the samsa^ra, upon this frightful chain of rebirths, and not merely upon one single life-time, which, of course, may be sometimes less painful. - Cf. tilakkhana, anatta^, paramattha, patisandhi.
Samskara == 行
see Volition or Five Skandhas.
vedayita nirodha = nirodha-sama^patti (q.v.).
1.”perception”, is one of the 5 groups of existence (khandha, q.v.), and one of the 7 mental factors (cetasika) that are inseparably bound up with all consciousness (s. cetana^). It is sixfold as perception of the 5 physical sense-objects and of mental objects. It is the awareness of an object”s distinctive marks ("one perceives blue, yellow, etc.," S. XXII, 79). If, in repeated perception of an object, these marks are recognized, san~n~a^ functions as ”memory” (s. Abh. St., p. 68f.).
2. san~n~a^ stands sometimes for consciousness in its entirety, e.g. in n”eva-san~n~a^-n”a^san~n~a^yatana, ”the realm of neither-perception-nor- non-perception”; further, in asan~n~a^-satta, ”unconscious beings”. In both cases reference is not to ”perception” alone, but also to all other constituents of consciousness. Cf. D. 9.
3. san~n~a^ may also refer to the ”ideas”, which are objects of meditation, e.g. in a group of 7 ideas, of impermanence (anicca-s. ), etc. (A. VII, 46); of 10: impurity (asubha-s.), etc. (A. X, 56), and another set of 10 in A. X. 60; or to wrong notions, as in nicca-, subha-s. (the notion of permanence, beauty), etc.
”thought”, is a synonym of vitakka (q.v.). For samma^-s., or right thought, s. magga (2).
the ”formed”, i.e. anything originated or conditioned, comprises all phenomena of existence. Cf. sankha^ra I, 4; asankhata.
= santati: ”continuity”, may refer to the continuity of consciousness (citta-s.), of the groups of existence (khandha-s.), of sub-consciousness (bhavanga-s.), of corporeality (rúpa-s.), to the uninterrupted continuity of the paticcasamuppa^da (q.v.), etc. (App.).
kukkucca (q.v.).
sphere (-world): s. avacara, loka.
s. samatha.
(animitta): s. ceto-vimutti, vimokkha, vipassana^.
”good conduct”, is 3-fold, in body, speech and mind, and comprises the 10 wholesome courses of action (s. kammapatha). According to A. X, 61, it has sense-control as its condition. See D. 33, A. II, 17; III, 2.
tathata^ (q.v.).