Concentration is the heart of the path

A discussion on all aspects of Theravāda Buddhism
Post Reply
User avatar
Benjamin
Posts: 260
Joined: Fri Dec 28, 2012 9:41 am
Location: Taiwan

Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by Benjamin »

Hey everyone,

I was listening to this talk by Thanissaro Bhikkhu today and wondered if anyone had the sutta reference for this bit:
"And as he (the Buddha) later said, all the other factors of the path are handmaidens or requisites of concentration, in other words they help concentration along. So concentration is the heart of the path, because when the mind gets really still the mind can see things, and can understand what's going on inside."
Thanks,
Ben
:candle: :buddha1: :candle:
santa100
Posts: 6811
Joined: Fri Jun 10, 2011 10:55 pm

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by santa100 »

Probably MN 117 which the Buddha explains the nature of noble right concentration and its interdependence with the other factors of the 8NP
User avatar
Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by Mkoll »

The heart of the path is the goal, Nibbana. In the end, everything boils down as a means to that end. Of course, that doesn't detract from the absolute necessity, importance, and benefit of those means.
This was said by the Blessed One, said by the Arahant, so I have heard: "There is, monks, an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated. If there were not that unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, there would not be the case that emancipation from the born — become — made — fabricated would be discerned. But precisely because there is an unborn — unbecome — unmade — unfabricated, emancipation from the born — become — made — fabricated is thus discerned."

-Iti 43
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
User avatar
lyndon taylor
Posts: 1835
Joined: Mon May 02, 2011 11:41 pm
Location: Redlands, US occupied Northern Mexico
Contact:

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by lyndon taylor »

Sorry, but I have to disagree, i think the heart of the path is living a good life, a reasonable goal, if you get to nibbana living a good life well then that's good too, setting a goal than only .1% of practitioners can reach is not realistic.
18 years ago I made one of the most important decisions of my life and entered a local Cambodian Buddhist Temple as a temple boy and, for only 3 weeks, an actual Therevada Buddhist monk. I am not a scholar, great meditator, or authority on Buddhism, but Buddhism is something I love from the Bottom of my heart. It has taught me sobriety, morality, peace, and very importantly that my suffering is optional, and doesn't have to run my life. I hope to give back what little I can to the Buddhist community, sincerely former monk John

http://trickleupeconomictheory.blogspot.com/
User avatar
Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by Mkoll »

You may be right. "Heart of the path" is not the right phrase for Nibbana, "goal of the path" is. Sorry for the confusion.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
vinasp
Posts: 1675
Joined: Tue Aug 18, 2009 7:49 pm
Location: Bristol. United Kingdom.

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by vinasp »

Hi everyone,

There are two paths. Wrong view leads to wrong concentration, this is the wrong eightfold path.
Right view leads to right concentration, this is the noble eightfold path.

As the Buddha said "Right view comes first" (MN 117) , and right view is the result of penetrating the
four noble truths (not something easily achieved).

Regards, Vincent.
SarathW
Posts: 21227
Joined: Mon Sep 10, 2012 2:49 am

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by SarathW »

I think Sila (virtues), Samadhi (concentration), Panna(right view etc) are all integrated and support each other.
So all three can be considered as the heart of the path.
:thinking:
“As the lamp consumes oil, the path realises Nibbana”
User avatar
Mkoll
Posts: 6594
Joined: Wed Dec 05, 2012 6:55 pm
Location: USA

Re: Concentration is the heart of the path

Post by Mkoll »

Haha, I will amend my statement yet again. This is what I really meant, for real this time, seriously guys. :tongue:

Nibbana is the heartwood of the path.
"In the same way, monks, there is the case where a certain son of good family, out of conviction, goes forth from the home life into homelessness, [thinking,] 'I am beset by birth, by aging-&-death, by sorrows, lamentations, pains, distresses, & despairs, beset by stress, overcome with stress. Perhaps the end of this entire mass of stress might be discerned!' Having thus gone forth, he encounters gain, offerings, & fame. He is not gratified with that gain, offerings, & fame, his resolve not fulfilled. He is not intoxicated with that gain, offerings, & fame, not heedless about it, and does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in virtue. He is gratified with that consummation in virtue, but his resolve is not fulfilled. Because of that consummation in virtue he does not exalt himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with that consummation in virtue, not heedless about it, and does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves consummation in concentration. He is gratified with that consummation in concentration, but his resolve is not fulfilled. Because of that consummation in concentration he does not exalt himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with that consummation in concentration, not heedless about it, and does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves knowledge & vision. He is gratified with that knowledge & vision, but his resolve is not fulfilled. Because of that knowledge & vision he does not exalt himself or disparage others. He is not intoxicated with that knowledge & vision, not heedless about it, and does not fall into heedlessness. Being heedful, he achieves a non-occasional liberation. And it is impossible, monks, there is no opportunity, for that monk to fall from that non-occasional release.

"Monks, this holy life doesn't have as its reward gain, offerings, & fame, doesn't have as its reward consummation of virtue, doesn't have as its reward consummation of concentration, doesn't have as its reward knowledge & vision, but the unprovoked [2]awareness-release: That is the purpose of this holy life, that is its heartwood, that its final end."

-MN 29
Also see MN 30.
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Namo tassa bhagavato arahato samma sambuddhassa
Post Reply