Abhidhamma View : Purification of Mind

Discussion of Abhidhamma and related Commentaries
Post Reply
User avatar
yawares
Posts: 1531
Joined: Fri Mar 09, 2012 3:23 pm

Abhidhamma View : Purification of Mind

Post by yawares »

Dear Members,

:candle: Abhidhamma View : Purification of Mind :candle:
[Presented by Dr.Tep Sastri @SariputtaDhamma/JTN/Mult]


CMA IX, p. 348-349:

Purification of mind consists of two kinds of concentration, namely: access concentration [upacaarasamaadhi] and absorption concentration [appanaasamaadhi].

The Pali Buddhist tradition recognizes two different approaches to the development of insight. One approach, called the vehicle of calm[samathayaana], involves the prior development of calm meditation to the level of access concentration or absorption concentration as a basis for developing insight. One who adopts this approach, the samathayaanika meditator, first attains access concentration or one of the fine-material or immaterial-sphere jhaanas. Then he turns to the development of insight by defining the mental and physical phenomena occurring in the jhaana as mentality-materiality and seeking their conditions, after which he contemplates these factors in terms of the three characteristics. For this meditator, his prior attainment of access or absorption concentration is reckoned as his purification of mind.

The other approach, called the vehicle of pure insight [suddhavipassanaayaana], does not employ the development of calm as a foundation for developing insight. Instead the meditator, after purifying his morality, enters directly into the mindful contemplation of the changing mental and material processes in his own experience. As this contemplation gains in strength and precision, the mind becomes naturally concentrated upon the ever-changing stream of experience with a degree of concentration equal to that of access concentration. This moment-by-moment fixing of the mind on the material and mental processes in their present immediacy is known as momentary concentration [kha.nikasamaadhi]. Because it involves a degree of mental stabilization equal to that of access concentration, this momentary concentration is reckoned as purification of mind for the vipassanaayaanika meditator, the meditator who adopts the vehicle of pure insight. Such a meditator is also called a "dry insight worker" [sukkhavipassaka] because he develops insight without the "moisture" of the jhaanas.

**********
:heart: Love Buddha's dhamma,
yawares/sirikanya
:heart:
Post Reply