Education of Meditation-Concentration
Buddhism is the path of the transformation of suffering. The tenets of Buddhism that are the tenets of the transformation of suffering aim to lead human beings to peacefulness and liberation of suffering. It is thus that the spirit of education of Meditation-Concentration also does not go beyond the above meanings. During the forty-five years of preaching Dhamma and saving human beings, World-Honoured One only states the two main matters, that is, “suffering” and “the path of transforming suffering.”[1]
Hereafter, the writer, in turn, goes into defining, analyzing and learning about the contents of the spirit of education of Meditation-Cconcentration and tries to consider this educational spirit is the spirit of perfect education or not? and it actually leads human beings to authentic happiness and freedom of suffering or not? It is the key point that he needs to mention in the following part.
Meditation-concentration is a compound noun of the Pāli word Jhāyana-Samādhi or the Sanskrit word Dhyāna-Samādhi.[2]
V.1. a. What is Meditation?
Meditation,[3]which is transliterated from the Sanskrit word Dhyāna, is transcribed phonetically from the Chinese word chán-nà (禪那) (abiding calm), and is translated literally from the Chinese word Jìng lǜ (quietness). Jìng lǜ (靜 慮) means selecting a thing like earth or colour, practitioner identifies and contemplates it, his mind gets clear and lucid, and concentration in his mind arises. He keeps on contemplating it deeply and long, five Jhānas[4]and insight in his mind arise, and he can gradually burn down five coverings[5]and afflictions and conduce to peacefulness and freedom. Meditation consists of two kinds: Samatha meditation, and Vipassāna meditation.
V. 1. a. 1 Samatha meditation[6]
Samatha, which refers to concentration (Samādhi), is a mode of training reserved for the specific purpose of cultivating one-pointed mind. The word "Samatha” is almost interchangeable with the word "Samādhi” and it originates from the same root as Sam in Samādhi. Samatha means stopping, tranquility and calm. Stopping is a method of very important practice of Samatha meditation.
When we are sitting in meditation, there is a sound happening around us. We are very clearly aware of that sound we stop and turn back our in-and out-breath consciously. Breathing in, we know we are breathing in. Breathing out, we know we are breathing out. Breathing in, we know sound in us is not any longer; breathing out, we know sound in us disappears. Practicing like that many times, sound we hear disappears gradually. That is Samatha meditation. The next is Vipassāna.
1. a. 2. Vipassāna meditation[7]
Vipassāna is derived from two roots: “Vi” and “Passāna.” “Vi” which is a prefix means to divide or separate. "Vi" means "observing oneself in a special way." “Passāna” means to see or to perceive. Thus, Vipassāna means to look deeply at all things and see them be impermanence, dependent origination and no self.
Vipassāna, which is the process of cultivating to purify body and mind, leads us to a happy and peaceful life. Further, Vipassāna, which is a special method of practice, can relieve tensions of people. Vipassāna, which is a very effective means of propagation of the Dhamma, can create the relationships between people and people, between nation and nation very closely and easily. Vipassāna, which can tighten brotherhood, friendship, harmony, unity and solidarity between nations and international, can go beyond the barriers of castes, sects, races, nations, etc. and can bring authentic peacefulness and happiness to everyone.
Thus, Vipassāna meditation means the development of insight after seeing the reality of suffering; we can purify our impure mind and transform suffering. It is the method of very scientific practice. Depending on this method, we practice and contemplate our inner mind and outer scenery; we can take control of our body, speech, mind and surroundings easily.
We know Samatha and Vipassāna[8] are two different terminologies of the achievable goals in the present life. The former is connected with one-pointed mind and tranquillity, whereas the latter aims at increasing awareness, wisdom, right understanding, insight, purification of the mind and the realization of Nibbāna. The former and the latter relate to each other very closely.
Practicing Samatha meditation, we can stop when our body and mind are shaken by outside conditions, we stop to dwell steadily in our conscious breath, and we stop to direct our mind to our concentration and to one-pointed mind. Practicing Vipassāna meditation, we can look deeply at all things, and see them be dependent origination, impermanence and no self. Practicing Vipassāna meditation, we look deeply at our body, we know it is formed by four great elements: earth, water, fire, wind, and five aggregates: form, feelings, perception, mental formations and consciousness. We know this factor is formed by all those factors, and vice versa.
Practicing Vipassāna meditation, we know cells of our parents are present in every cell of our body, and vice versa. Our happiness is mainly our parents’ happiness, and vice versa. Our unhappiness is mainly our parents’ unhappiness, and vice versa. All have correlations and interrelations with one another very closely. Practicing Vipassāna meditation, we can transform suffering into happiness and can gather flowers and fruits of peacefulness and happiness right in the present moments. Practicing Vipassāna meditation, we can bring grandparents, parents, teachers, the Buddhadhamma to go about the future beautifully.
Practicing Samatha meditation and Vipassāna meditation firmly, we can take command of our body and mind easily and we can gather some following advantages:
1. Meditation increases awareness of inner potentialities and helps us to be more positive in life.
2. Meditation helps us increase self-confidence.
3. Meditation provides mental calm and tranquility and frees the mind from restlessness, agitation, fear and worry.
4.Because meditation promotes mental health, it can positively influence physical health. People who are free from worry and mental turmoil, whose minds are calm and serene, usually enjoy comparatively good health.
5. Meditation can help us increase efficiency in day-to-day work and in the performance of duties and responsibilities.
6. Meditation promotes virtuous qualities like compassion, good will, confidence, wisdom, energy, perseverance, determination, etc.
7. Meditation helps us purify the mind of defilements (kilesa) such as greed, selfishness, hatred and jealousy, and free it from the preconceptions and delusions that normally prevent proper insight into reality. A meditator is therefore capable seeing things the way they really are and can better deal with the life experience.[9]
Indeed, Meditation, which is a very active and living activity, leads us to the calm of our body and mind, to mindfulness and awareness, and to realization of what is happening right in the present moments very really like blue sky, white cloud, birdsong, the sound of pine, the bloom of flowers, etc. Meditation leads us to the mind of freedom and wisdom of freedom right in now and here in the present life. Defilements of desire, anger and delusion cannot dominate our body and mind.
Thus, Meditation is the method of very effective practice we apply in our daily life such as walking meditation, standing, lying down, sitting down, talking, keeping silent, sleeping, getting up, etc. so that we can gather flowers and fruits of authentic peacefulness and happiness for everyone. Next, we research and learn about the following concentration.
1. b. What is concentration?[10]
Concentration,[11]which is transliterated from the Pāli or Sanskrit word Samādhi, is transcribed phonetically from the Chinese word sān-mè (三 昧) and is translated literally from the word one-pointed mind.
“Concentration means maintenance of awareness from moment to moment for as long as possible. The more sustained and more prolonged the awareness of the object of awareness, the better the concentration.”[12]
Thus, Samādhi,[13]which means Concentration, one-pointed mind, unity of the mind, derives from the prefixed verbal root Samadha, meaning to collect the mind, to gather it up, to bring it together, etc. Practicing Concentration, practitioner cultivates one-pointed mind and concentrates his mind on a single object such as a flower, a colour, or a flame in sustained and uninterrupted state, his mind gets concentrated and lucid and identifies the object very clearly. Practicing Samādhi steadily, we can gather the following benefits:
“As concentration strengthens, the meditator feels relaxed, happy and full of energy. Little by little, the breath changes, becoming soft, regular, light.… Actually, as the mind becomes tranquil, the body also becomes calm and the metabolism slows down, so that less exigent is required.”[14]
Gradually, the mind becomes more concentrated and the breath becomes finer. The meditator thus continues to tone up the mind, to sharpen the concentration and to make the mind a tool with which to penetrate beyond apparent reality in order to observe the subtlest reality within. The mind becomes a refined and sharpened instrument of experiencing the realities.”[15]
Thus, practicing Meditation-Concentration, practitioner can destroy desires, defilements, outflows and his mind gets fully awake. Meditation-Concentration,[16]which is a nuance of education, contains many specific meanings of Buddhist education. It was due to his own experience of cultivation and efforts that World-Honoured One discovered Meditation-Concentration which there was no a contemporary teacher showed him. Thanks to Meditation-Concentration, World Honoured One, who had attained the perfect enlightenment, illuminated all living things and living beings in universe wonderfully, and penetrated deeply into three Dhamma gates of leaklessness: the Precepts (Sīla), Concentration (Samādhi) and Wisdom (Paññā). In this point, the spirit of education of Meditation-Concentration is mainly the path of education of the precept, that of Concentration and that of Wisdom. However, both Meditation-Concentration and Three Training Subjects of leaklessness lead practitioner to super-wisdom, enlightenment, liberation and supreme happiness (Nibbāna).
Part One
The Precept, Concentration and Wisdom are the first three-Dhamma gates of leaklessness and Meditation-Concentration is the second two-Dhamma gates of leaklessness. After achieving the Precept, practitioner who goes to a quiet place sits down, keeps his back straight, and puts mindfulness in front of his face. He dwells steadily in awareness, inwardness, one-pointed mind dominates covetousness and melancholy in the world, he eliminates the five hindrances or coverings,[17]and achieves the Five Links in Meditation.[18]
Thanks to achieving so, his body and mind, which are very joyful and light, really lead to Meditation-Concentration and single-pointed mind. In Dīgha Nikāya, Sutta No. 2, the Buddha teaches:
“When practitioner has given up the five hindrances, gladness springs up; owing to gladness, joy springs up; owing to joy, body of ease springs up; owing to body of ease, feeling of pleasure springs up; owing to feeling of pleasure, concentrated mind springs up.”[19]
Or we can rewrite the above paragraph as follows:
“Concentrated mind which springs up is owing to feeling of pleasure; feeling of pleasure which springs up is owing to body of ease; body of ease which springs up is owing to joy; joy which springs up is owing to gladness; gladness which springs up is owing to the five hindrances destroyed by practitioner.”
Gladness, joy and feeling of pleasure play a very important role in developing Meditation-Concentration. In other words, states of gladness, joy and pleasure are states of freshness leading to Meditation-Concentration. In Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta No. 30, the Buddha teaches:
“Meditation is a feeling, a state of joy and pleasure born by detachment of desire, with applied thought with sustained thought shown for the first meditation. A state of joy and pleasure born by concentration, without applied thought without sustained thought, inner tranquillization and single-pointed mind are shown for the second meditation. A state of joyfully abided equanimity and mindfulness are shown for the third meditation. And a state of neither-anguish-nor pleasure, entirely-purified equanimity and mindfulness is shown for the fourth meditation.”[20]
In Dīgha Nikāya, Sutta No. 2 records as follows:
‘And when he knows that these five hindrances have left him, gladness arises in him, from gladness comes delight, from the delight in his mind his body is tranquillized, with a tranquil body he feels joy, and with joy his mind is concentrated. Being thus detached from sense-desires, detached from unwholesome states, he enters and remains in the first Jhāna, which is with thinking and pondering, born of detachment, filled with delight and joy. And with this delight and joy born of detachment, he so suffuses, drenches, fills and irradiates his body that there is no spot in his entire body that is untouched by this delight and joy born of detachment….’
‘Again, a monk, with the subsiding of thinking and pondering, by gaining inner tranquility and oneness of mind, enters and remains in the second Jhāna, which is without thinking and pondering, born of concentration, filled with delight and joy. And with this delight and joy born of concentration he so suffuses his body that no spot remains untouched…’
‘Again, a monk with the fading away of delight remains imperturbable, mindful and clearly aware, and experiences in himself that joy of which the Noble Ones say: “Happy is he who dwells with equanimity and mindfulness”, and he enters and remains in the third Jhāna. And with this joy devoid of delight he so suffuses his body that no spot remains untouched…’
‘Again, a monk, having given up pleasure and pain, and with the disappearance of former gladness and sadness, enters and remains in the fourth Jhāna which is beyond pleasure and pain, and purified by equanimity and mindfulness. And he sits suffusing his body with that mental purity and clarification so that no part of his body is touched by it.”[21]
Thus, entering in the first Jhāna, practitioner is filled with delight and joy born of detachment (離 生 喜 樂). Entering in the second Jhāna, he is filled with delight and joy born of Concentration (定 生 喜 樂). Entering in the third Jhāna, he is filled with joy devoid of delight (離 喜 妙 樂) and he dwells in equanimity and mindfulness. Entering in the fourth Jhāna, he who obtains a state of mental purity and clarification is beyond pleasure and pain (非 苦 非 樂) purified by equanimity and mindfulness. From the first meditation to the fourth meditation is called four meditations of the form realm (S. Catur-Dhyāna - 四 禪) consisting of four subtle stages of meditation leading him to rebirth in the four meditation heavens in the form realm. The next are the Four Formless Concentrations (四 無 色 定):[22]
1. Concentration on the abode of infinite space (S.Akāśa-anantya-āyatana, 空 無 邊 處 定)
2. Concentration on the abode of infinite consciousness (S. Vijñāna-anantya-āyatana, 識 無 邊 處 定 )
3. Concentration on the abode where nothing exists at all (S. Akiñcanya-āyatana, 無 所 有 處 定)
4. Concentration on neither perception nor non-perception (S. Naivasaṃjñāna-asaṃjña-āyatana, 非 想 非 非 想 處)
1.a. The First Concentration is the Abode of Infinite Space (S. Akāśa-anantya-āyatana - 空 無 邊 處 定). The object of this concentration is space without the frontier. Space is one of the six greatnesses: earth, water, fire, air, space and the sixth consciousness. We take space to do the object, but we must contemplate seeing relations between space and the remaining five elements: earth, water, fire, air and consciousness.
2.a. The Second Concentration is the Abode of Infinite Consciousness (S.Vijñāna-anantya-āyatana - 識 無 邊 處 定). The object of this concentration is consciousness, but this consciousness relates to those five elements: earth, water, fire, air and space.
3. The Third Concentration is the Abode in which Nothing Exists at all (S.Akiñcanā-āyatana - 無 所 有 處 定). It is nothing at all, but it is no space. Our perception realizes all things depend on one another. The object of perception is sign. Entering deeply into the correlations and interrelationships of the things, we see a thing contains all things, and vice versa. Looking at a mass of cloud, we see there are rain, water, dew, smoke, etc. in it, and vice versa. Looking at a rose, we see there are rubbish, worker, sunlight, air, water, etc. in it, and vice versa. “This is because that is, this is not because that is not, this appears because that appears and this disappears because that disappears.”[23]Therefore, we go beyond sign and we see there is nothing existing separately.
4. The Fourth Concentration is the Abode of Neither Thought Nor Non-Thought (S.Naivasaajñāna-asaajña-āyatana, 非 想 非 非 想 處). This thought is perception. All phenomena are discovered through our thought and perception, but perception we know does not reflect the fact. Wanting to be beyond wrong perception in order to be able to get in touch with reality, we no longer depend on perception. However, if taking off perception, we become lifeless thing like wood or rock in the state of non-perception. Therefore, neither depending on perception nor depending on non-perception is called neither perception nor non-perception. In the level of the Eighth Meditation, the practitioner eliminates all perception that has the effect of dividing it into small parts. Due to the reason, signs of birth, death, many, few, being, non-being, etc. do not deceive us. Going beyond perception is called non-perception. However, we know that it is not the lifeless state, so we call it neither perception nor non-perception.
Finally, practitioner gains the state of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling Concentration[24](滅壽想定), that is to say, the Cessation of the Annihilation of Concentration (滅盡定). The cessation is synonymous with the cessation of Four Noble Truth. The cessation that means the cessation of suffering is the absence of suffering, viz. the presence of peacefulness and happiness. Reaching this stage, feeling and perception still remain, but they are not created by ignorance. The feeling and perception are completely illuminated by the Four Wisdoms according to the meaning of the Consciousness-Only (S.Vijñapti-mātratā). Four Wisdoms (S. Catvāri-jñāni - 四 智) consist of:
a. Wisdom of Fulfillment of Deeds (S. Anusthānam-nispatti, krtya-anusthāna-jñāna, 成 所 作 智) is wisdom which practitioner uses to depend on Five External Sense-Bases[25](五 塵), but he is not involved in them. Having reached this stage, he could transform the First Five Consciousnesses[26]into wisdom and could save human beings.
b. Wondrous Observing Wisdom (S.Pratyavekṣa-jñāna - 妙 觀 察 智) is wisdom which practitioner uses to survey all phenomena marvelously, but he is not involved in ignorance. Having reached this stage, he could transform the Sixth Consciousness (S.Mano-vijñānamano-vijñāna 意 識) into wisdom and could turn the Wheel of the Dhamma to save human beings without restriction and obstacle.
c. Wisdom of the Equality in Nature (S.Samatā-jñāna 平 等 性 智) is wisdom which practitioner uses to contemplate the correlations and interrelationships of all things non-existing independently and separately, he sees self and no self be one. Having reached this stage, he knows the nature, equality and emptiness of all things, and can transform the defiled seventh consciousness 末 那 識 into wisdom. Depending on this wisdom, he can extinguish the four defilements: self-delusion 我 癡, self-arrogance 我 慢, self-love 我 愛, and self-view 我 見.[27]
d. Great Perfectly Round Mirror Wisdom 大 圓 鏡 智 is perfectly round and bright wisdom as a great mirror can illuminate all living things and living beings in the universe. Through this wisdom, practitioner who reflects all things exactly as they really are knows they are impermanence, non-self and dependent origination. This wisdom, which is maturely pure, is like the Buddha’s wisdom. Having reached this stage, he could transform the eighth consciousness 第八識 into wisdom, and could transform the defiled mind into the undefiled mind.
Thus, the Four Wisdoms (S.Catvāri-jñāni - 四 智) have the ability to extinguish defilements and suffering. Achieving the state of the Cessation of Perception and Feeling Concentration, practitioner takes the Four Wisdoms to do the basic factor. On this stage, eight consciousnesses[28]remain feeling and perception, but these feeling and perception that are not governed by ignorance no longer remain wrong feeling and wrong perception, for all the blocks of ignorance in the Manas consciousness 末 那 識 and store consciousness 阿 頼 耶 識 are cleared out, practitioner’s mind becomes enlightened and liberated:
“When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the recollection of past lives. I recollected my manifold past lives, that is, one birth, two births, ten births, a hundred births, a thousand births, a hundred thousand births, many aeons of world-contraction, many aeons of world-expansion, many eons of world-contraction and expansion: 'There I was so name, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away from there, I re-appeared elsewhere; and there too I was so name, of such a clan, with such an appearance, such was my nutriment, such my experience of pleasure and pain, such my life-term; and passing away from there, I re-appeared here.' Thus with their aspects and particulars I recollected my manifold past lives.”
"This was the first true knowledge attained by me in the first watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose, as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
“When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the passing away and reappearance of beings. With the divine eyes, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate. I understood how beings pass on according to their actions thus: 'These worthy beings who were ill conducted in body, speech and mind, revilers of noble ones, wrong in their views, giving effect to wrong view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared in a state of deprivation, in a bad destination, in perdition, even in hell; but these worthy beings who were well conducted in body, speech, and mind, not reviler of noble ones, right in their views, giving effect to right view in their actions, on the dissolution of the body, after death, have reappeared in a good destination, even in the heavenly world.' Thus with the divine eye, which is purified and surpasses the human, I saw beings passing away and reappearing, inferior and superior, fair and ugly, fortunate and unfortunate, and I understood how beings pass on according to their actions.”
“This was the second true knowledge attained by me in the middle watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose, as happens in one who abides diligent, ardent, and resolute.”
“When my concentrated mind was thus purified, bright, unblemished, rid of imperfection, malleable, wieldy, steady, and attained to imperturbability, I directed it to knowledge of the destruction of the taints, I directly knew as it actually is: 'This is suffering’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of suffering’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of suffering’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of suffering.’ I directly knew as it actually is: ‘These are taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the origin of taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the cessation of taints’; I directly knew as it actually is: ‘This is the way leading to the cessation of taints.”
“When I knew and saw thus, my mind was liberated from the taint of sensual desire, from the taint of being, and from the taint of ignorance. When it was liberated, there came the knowledge: ‘It is liberated.’ I directly knew: ‘Birth is destroyed, the holy life has been lived, what had to be done has been done, there is no more coming to any state of being.”
“This was the third true knowledge attained by me in the last watch of the night. Ignorance was banished and true knowledge arose, darkness was banished and light arose as happens in one who abides, diligent, ardent, and resolute.”[29]
Through the above quotations, we can write briefly as follows: “When his mind was concentrated, quite purified, supernatural, without blemish, without defilement, practitioner who directed his mind to Knowledge and Recollection of past lives 足 命 明 saw and recollected his many lives in the past clearly. Directing his mind to Knowledge of the purified Divine eye 天 眼 明, he saw and knew births and deaths of human beings. And directing his mind to Knowledge of the Destruction of leaks 漏 盡 明, he knew as it really was: “This is suffering, this is the origin of suffering, this is the cessation of suffering, and this is the path leading to the cessation of suffering.”[30]Thanks to knowing and seeing so, his mind is completely free from leaks of sense-pleasures 欲 漏, leaks of becoming 有 漏 and leaks of ignorance 無 明 漏.
Towards his own self, he was freed and uttered: “Destroyed is birth, the holy life has been achieved, what is done has been done, there is no more for this state of being.”[31]He attained supreme happiness (Nibbāna) and was fully free from suffering.
Part Two
Through the foregoing meanings, we know the spirit of education of Meditation-Concentration is the educational spirit of sentiment, that of feeling, and that of psychology.
As regards sentiment, Meditation-Concentration helps practitioner get comfortable, joyful, heartened, cherished and freed.
As regards feeling, Meditation-Concentration helps him bring up good feelings like joy, pleasure, equanimity, and eliminate no good feelings like pain and grief. In this stage, happiness penetrates his body and mind.
As regards psychology, Meditation-Concentration helps him transform kinds of bad psychology into those of good psychology like the five hindrances (restlessness, dullness, desire, anger and doubt) into the five links in meditation (applied thought, sustained thought, joy, pleasure and one-pointed mind); and greed, anger, delusion into non-greed, non-anger and non-delusion.
And finally, Meditation-Concentration helps him eradicate defilements, outflows, desire, anger, delusion, pride, doubt, wrong view, etc. lead his mind to peacefulness and happiness according to the path of the Precept 戒, Concentration 定, Wisdom 慧, Liberation 解 脱 and Liberated Insight, 解 脱 知 見.[32]This is the key point of the educational spirit of Meditation-Concentration. In Dhammapada Sutta, the Buddha teaches:
“The bhikkhu who is calm in body, calm in speech, calm in mind, who is well-composed, who has spewed out worldly things, is truly called a “peaceful one.”[33]
“Full of joy, full of confidence in the Buddha’s teaching, the bhikkhu will attain the peaceful state, the stilling of conditioned things, the supreme bliss.”[34]
Indeed, practicing Meditation-Concentration steadily, we can transform defilements into Bodhi, suffering into happiness, and can gather flowers and fruits of peacefulness and happiness in our body and mind right in the present moments.
It is thus that practitioners and scholars easily apply Meditation-Concentration into their daily life to cure psychology, physiology and to protect environment. Thus, Meditation-Concentration, which comes here, has represented the specific spirit of Buddhist education very obviously in order to help everyone understand themselves, sympathize with the others, master themselves, master the others, trust in themselves and trust in the others.
The spirit of education of Meditation-Concentration helps us and the others sympathize with one another, love one another and erase hatred together. It helps us return to our own pure and lucid mind, return to mindful breath, open fresh smile; make life peaceful by contemplative eyes. It helps us have good memory, healthy and strong body; give up states of passive mind, negative tiredness, despondency, vacillation; and get rid of diseases like frenzy and craze.
It is due to Meditation-Concentration with such a wonderful power that doctors or psychiatrists can apply Meditation-Concentration into treating mental illnesses. Athletes can apply Meditation-Concentration into practicing exercises, kinds of various sports like archery and fencing. Scholars and scientists can put Meditation-Concentration into studies and scientific research. Professors, lecturers, readers, teachers, students, etc. can apply Meditation-Concentration into teaching, lecturing, writing, learning, doing homework, etc.
In the West countries such as France, England, America, Germany, etc., Meditation-Concentration is applied to using computers, to hearing telephone bell, to clock bell, to driving cars, to watering the plants, to gardening, to eating rice, to cooking rice mindfully, etc.
In the East countries such as Japan, China, Vietnam, etc., Meditation-Concentration is applied to kung fu, fencing, archery, painting, poetry, tea ceremony and to arranging flowers. The Japanese consider Meditation-Concentration as cultural nuance of Japanese people in the modern time.
In ancient India, Asoka,[35]a world-famous king, who had resigned himself to giving up his sword, used Meditation-Concentration to teach Indian people at that time instead of teaching them the national law. King Asoka’s textual stele “Les inscription d’ Asoka” (Jules Bloch, Paris, société d’ édition “Les Belles Lettres” 1950) recorded:
“The progress of the law in humankind only consists of two parts: Rules and Meditation-Concentration. But, rules has less benefits, Meditation-Concentration has more benefits.”
As for Việt Nam, during four hundred years under the two Lý[37]-Trần[38]dynasties, Meditation-Concentration, which was penetrated into culture of Vietnamese people, was applied to solidarity with the army and the people, to defending the country, to repelling foreign invaders and to creating a golden-historical stage of the then dynasty. In the Lý dynasty, the North attacked the Tống dynasty; the South pacified the Chiêm dynasty. In the dynasties of Trần kings, within four years thrice won the Nguyên army,[39]a powerful army ever defeated the whole of Europe. Vietnam Buddhist history, which clearly recorded the results of achievement of the then Meditation-concentration, is the true thing.
Through the above meanings, we see in spite of the West as well as the East, Meditation-concentration, which plays very important roles in everyone’s daily life, helps them have peaceful body and mind. Futurists intend that this century is the peaceful century, viz. Meditation-concentration, the century which everyone meets each other by thought, speech and action of peacefulness, harmony and solidarity right in now and here in the present life.
In brief, Meditation-Concentration helps us dwell steadily in right mindfulness and awareness in every our thought, speech and action. When our body and mind are shaken, we stop them and return to our in-and-out breath consciously and mindfully about some minutes, we can control our body and mind well. Meditation-Concentration helps us lead a peaceful and happy life, purify defilements: lust, anger, delusion; and lead our mind to enlightenment and liberation. Meditation-Concentration is a source of the boundless Dhamma pleasure for those who frequently practice and train it.
Thus, education of Meditation-Concentration has joyful signs, good factors for the foundation of education of humanity and perfection. Practicing this spirit steadily, everyone can contribute to building the foundation of culture and civilization for humankind, and can build a happy individual, a happy family, a peaceful society and prosperous world by the rule of virtue.
Indeed, education of Meditation-Concentration, which is a practice more than a theory, is the very practical path leading human beings to peacefulness and freedom of suffering. It is for the reason that in the last instructions of the World-Honoured One in the Majjhima Nikāya, Sutta No. 8, the final part of this Sutta, He has advised and taught his disciples, despite wherever staying, they try their best to practice Meditation-Concentration, not to miss a good chance later on.
“These are the roots of trees, these are empty huts. Attempt to practice Meditation-Concentration, do not be loose, do not be slothful or else you will regret it later. This is my instruction to you.”[40]
Part Three
[1] M. I. 140; MLD. I. 234. “Bhikkhus, both formerly and now what I teach is suffering and the cessation of suffering.”
[2] Vism. 84 ff; PP. P. II. Chap. III. 85-ff
[3] http://www.quangduc.com/English/basic/13essential3.html
[4] Five jhanas consist of applied thought, sustained thought, joy, happiness, and one-pointed mind. See Vism. I. 140. PP. 48-49. Vsm. III. 5; PP. III. 86.
[5] Five kinds of affliction consist of sensual desire, anger, sloth and torpor, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. See S. V. 45. Maggasaṃyutta. 8; CDB. V. Chap. I. 1564.
[6] http://www.quangduc.com/English/basic/13essential3.html
[7] Ibid.
[9] Dr. Sunthorn Plamintr. Buddhist Meditation. http://buđhismtoday.com/engligh/meditation/Vip/012-budmed.htm.
[10] Vism.. 84 ff; P. II. Chap. III. 85 ff. See http://www.quangduc.com/English/basic/13essential3.html
[12] Dr. S.N. Sharma. Buddhist Social and Moral Education. Delhi: Parimail Publications, 1994: 180.
[13] Thera Narada. Op. Cit. 1988: 519 & 537.
[14] W. Hart. The Art of Living.: 77.
[15] Dr. S.N. Sharma, Op. Cit.: 181.
[17] Desire, anger, dullness, restlessness, and doubt
[19] D.I. 73; LDB. I.102.
[20] M. I. 203-4; MLD. I. 296.
[21] D. I. 73-6; LD. I. 102-103.
[23] See the brief formula of Paticcasamuppada (Dependent Origination) or that of Avatamsaka Sutra (The Flower Ornament Scripture)
[25] Five external sense-bases consist of form, sound, smell, taste, and tactile object.
[27] See Vijnānavāda (Consciousness Only)
[29] M. I.22-3; MLD. I. 105-7.
[30] M .I. 48-9; MLD. I. 134-5.
[31] S. III.71; CDB. III. 904-5.
[34] Dhp. v. 381.
[35] Asoka in 302 BC-233 BC.
[36] Thich Chon Thien. The general Buddhology. the Central Monk-Nun Education Board of Vietnam Buddhist Chuch, Vietnam: HCM City Publishing House, 1993: 93.
[37] Cuong Tu Nguyen. Zen in Medieval Vietnam A Study and Translation of the Thiền Uyển Tập Anh. USA: University of Hawai’I Press, 1997, the Lý dynasty in 1010-1225 AD.: 15.
[38] Ibid. The Trần dynasty in 1225-1400 AD,: 20.
[39] 1257, 1284 and 1288, see Lê Thành Khôi.Hítoire du Việt Nam: Des origines à 1858, (Paris: Sudestasie, 1987): 182-92.
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