..续本文上一页te, there is just bare awareness. It has gone beyond the breath. The knowledge that the breath has disappeared becomes established. What will we take as our object of meditation now

　　 We take just this knowledge as our object, that is, the awareness that there”s no breath.

　　Unexpected things may happen at this time; some people experience them, some don”t. If they do arise, we should be firm and have strong mindfulness. Some people see that the breath has disappeared and get a fright, they”re afraid they might die. Here we should know the situation just as it is. We simply notice that there”s no breath and take that as our object of awareness. This, we can say, is the firmest, surest type of samadhi. There is only one firm, unmoving state of mind. Perhaps the body will become so light it”s as if there is no body at all. We feel like we”re sitting in empty space, all seems empty. Although this may seem very unusual, you should understand that there”s nothing to worry about. Firmly establish your mind like this.

　　When the mind is firmly unified, having no sense impressions to disturb it, one can remain in that state for any length of time. There will be no painful feelings to disturb us. When samadhi has reached this level, we can leave it when we choose, but if we come out of this samadhi we do so comfortably, not because we”ve become bored with it or tired. We come out because we”ve had enough for now, we feel at ease, we have no problems at all.

　　If we can develop this type of samadhi, then if we sit, say, thirty minutes or an hour, the mind will be cool and calm for many days. When the mind is cool and calm like this, it is clean. Whatever we experience, the mind will take up and investigate. This is a fruit of samadhi.

　　Morality has one function, concentration has another function and Wisdom another. These factors are like a cycle. We can see them all within the peaceful mind. When the mind is calm it has collectedness and restraint because of wisdom and the energy of concentration. As it becomes more collected it becomes more refined, which in turn gives morality the strength to increase in purity. As our morality becomes purer, this will help in the development of concentration. When concentration is firmly established it helps in the arising of wisdom. Morality, concentration and wisdom help each other, they are inter-related like this. In the end the Path becomes one and functions at all times. We should look after the strength which arises from the path, because it is the strength which leads to Insight and Wisdom.

《A Taste Of Freedom - The Path in Harmony》全文阅读结束。