Feeding the Concentration Link to
Awakening!
The Blessed Buddha once said:
Bhikkhus, just as
this body, is sustained by feeding, exists in dependence
on feeding & cannot survive without food, so are the
7 Links to Awakening
also sustained by feeding, they can
also only exist in dependence on feeding
and they cannot remain without feeding... And what, bhikkhus, is
the feeding
of the emergence of any yet unarisen concentration link to
awakening and
also feeding of the completion by condensation of any
arisen concentration
link to awakening? There are two signs: The sign of calm,
serenity & silence
and the sign of non-distraction and non-scatter!
Frequently
giving
careful and rational attention
to them, is feeding arising
of any yet unarisen concentration link to awakening & also
feeding of the
gradual fulfillment of any already arisen concentration link to
awakening...
And what, Bhikkhus, is the starving that obstructs all emergence
of a yet
unarisen concentration link to awakening & which also hinders
any already
arisen Concentration Link from reaching fulfillment by
development?
The sign of calm serene silence & the sign of
non-distraction & non-scatter!
Not giving frequent, careful
and rational attention to them; not considering
them much and often; is the starving that prevents an unarisen
concentration
link to awakening from arising & also blocks any already arisen
concentration
link to awakening from reaching any complete fulfillment by
mental training
and progressive development by meditation...
Comments from the classical
commentaries:
Focus is the characteristic of the concentration
link to awakening
(Samādhi-Sambojjhanga).
Ceasing of all distraction, disturbance, diversion,
agitation, mental instability and wavering is the purpose of the
quality of
Concentration (Samādhi). Penetration is the manifestation
of concentration.
This stability produces breakthrough to understanding! Some
Concentration
is present in all consciousness. This focus can be trained by
fixing attention.
Further conditions helpful for the emergence of the concentration are:
1: Keeping own body, behaviour,
belongings and surroundings fully clean...
2: Routine in
recognizing the sign of calm and the sign of non-distraction...
3: Ballancing the
abilities of energetic striving vs. concentration evenly...
4: Controlling, confining and restraining the mind, whenever
necessary...
5: Pushing, prodding and exerting the mind,
whenever needed...
6: Gladdening, encouraging and easing the
mind, whenever suitable...
7: Looking on, just overseeing the mind in equanimity, when
appropriate...
8: Avoiding unconcentrated, agitated, diffuse
and scatter-minded people...
9: Friendship with concentrated
people with experience in absorption...
10: Frequent
reviewing of the absorptions (jhānas)
and the liberations...
11: Commitment to focus mind into
one-pointed absorbed concentration!
There is concentration
while thinking and concentration without thinking!
Mental
absorption (Jhāna) is the higher being's exquisite state!
On how
to attain the Jhāna absorptions:
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Details_of_the_Jhana_Absorptions.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Requisites_for_Jhana_Absorption.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/The_Concentration_Ability.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/What_is_Right_Concentration.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Feeding_Concentration.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/III/Concentration_Samadhi.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/library/DPPN/wtb/g_m/jhaana.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/IV/Jhana_Absorption.htm
https://What-Buddha-Said.net/drops/Samma-Samadhi.htm
Sources (edited extracts):
The Grouped Sayings of the Buddha. Samyutta Nikāya.
Book [V: 65-6+102-8] 46: Links. 2+51: Group & Nutriments....
