the 4 bodily: iriya^patha (q.v.).
of the disciple, Gradual development of the Eightfold Path in the: In many suttas occurs an identical passage that outlines the gradual course of development in the progress of the disciple. There it is shown how this development takes place gradually, and in conformity with laws, from the very first hearing of the doctrine, and from germinating faith and dim comprehension, up to the final realization of deliverance.
"After hearing the law, he is filled with confidence, and he thinks: ”Full of hindrances is household life, a refuse heap; but the homeless life (of a monk) is like the open air. Not easy is it, when one lives at home, to fulfill in all points the rules of the holy life. How if now I were to cut off hair and beard, put on the yellow robe, and go forth from home to the homeless life?” And after a short time, having given up his possessions, great or little, having forsaken a circle of relations, small or large, he cuts off hair and beard, puts on the yellow robe, and goes forth from home to the homeless life.
Having thus left the world, he fulfills the rules of the monks. He avoids the killing of living beings and abstains from it; without stick or sword, conscientious, full of sympathy, he is desirous of the welfare of all living beings. He avoids stealing ... avoids unchastity ... avoids lying ... tale-bearing ... harsh language ... vain talk.
"He abstains from destroying vegetal germs and plants; eats only at one time of the day; keeps aloof from dance, song, music and the visiting of shows; rejects floral adornment, perfumes, ointment, as well as any other kind of adornment and embellishment. High and gorgeous beds he does not use. Gold and silver he does not accept ... keeps aloof from buying and selling things ....
"He contents himself with the robe that protects his body, and with the alms-bowl with which he keeps himself alive. Wherever he goes, he is provided with these two things, just as a winged bird in flying carries its wings along with him.
"By fulfilling this noble domain of morality (si^la) he feels in his heart an irreproachable happiness."
In what follows thereafter it is shown how the disciple watches over his 5 senses and his mind, and by this noble restraint of the senses (indriya-samvara) feels in his heart an unblemished happiness; how in all his actions he is ever mindful and clearly conscious; and how, being equipped with this lofty morality (si^la), and with this noble restraint of the senses (indriya-samvara), and with mindfulness and clear consciousness (sati-sampajan~n~a), he choses a secluded dwelling, and freeing his mind from the 5 hindrances (ni^varana, q.v.) he reaches full concentration (sama^dhi, q.v.); and how thereafter, by developing insight (vipassana^ q.v.) with regard to the impermanency (anicca), misery (dukkha) and impersonality (anatta^, q.v.) of all phenomena of existence, he finally realizes deliverance from all cankers and defilements, and thus the assurance arises in him:
"For ever am I liberated,
This is the last time I am born,
No new existence waits for me."
Cf. D.1, 2f; M. 27, 38, 51, 60, 76; A. IV, 198; X, 99: Pug. 239, etc.
s. patipada^, abhabbagamana - p. in morality, etc., s. ha^nabha^giya, etc. - Purification by knowledge and vision of path-progress, s. visuddhi (VI). - p. of the disciple, s. foll.
”existing group”.”this word is usually translated by ”personality”, but according to the commentaries it corresponds to sat-ka^ya, ”existing group”, hence not to Sanskrit sva-ka^ya, ”own group” or ”own body”. In the suttas (e.g. M. 44) it is said to be a name for the 5 groups of existence (khandha): "Sakka^ya, o Brother Visa^kha, is said by the Blessed One to be a name for the 5 ”groups as objects of clinging” (upa^da^na-kkhandha), to wit: corporeality, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness." - See foll.
”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.
sama^patti kusalata^, -thiti-kusalata^, -uttha^nakusalata^: skilfulness in entering into concentration, in remaining in it, and in rising from it. Cf. S.XXXIV, llff.
= 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.
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.
vedayita nirodha = nirodha-sama^patti (q.v.).
”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.).