Just now I discovered that this is a follow-up to Normal sequence leading to samādhi by @llt … We have a classic set of ‘meditation methods’, the satis (e.g. anapanassati, maranasati), the sannas (e.g. asubhasanna, aniccasanna), the brahmaviharas. But which practices actually lead to Samadhi? I was scanning the pali canon, choosing the term samādhiyati (a passive form, ‘samadhi-ied’). In most cases we have a stereotypical set where a practice conditions pāmojja/ pāmujja (delight), then pīti, then a calm body, then sukha and finally samādhi.
Surprisingly next to the four satipatthanas and anapanassati we find more frequently sila, faith and sense restraint leading to samādhi.
AN 3.95 Liberation of citta through mudita – mudita leads to pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
AN 11.15 One of the eleven benefits of metta is that citta develops samādhi quickly
AN 5.26 Hearing, teaching, reciting, investigating the Dhamma or dedication to a meditation object bring about pamujja/delight - leads to pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
AN 6.10 Recollection of the Tathagata, dhamma, sangha, sila, generosity, deities - dhammaveda/ dhamma-insight – pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
AN 10.2, AN 11.2 sila – non-regret – pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
AN 11.11 Recollection of the Tathagata, dhamma, sangha, sila, generosity, deities - pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
SN 35.97 Sense restraint – pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi. Dhammá become manifest.
SN 35.246 guarding the senses – citta becomes inwardly steady, settled, unified, and gets to samādhi
SN 42.13 restraint in body, speech, and mind - pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – dhamma-samādhi
SN 47.8 Satipatthana – samādhi ‘While he dwells contemplating the body in the body…, his mind becomes concentrated’
SN 47.10 satipatthana – mark of purity (passadanya nimitta) – pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
SN 54.13, SN 54.14, MN 118 anapanassati leading to samādhi
MN 7 Unwavering confidence in Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha – dhammaveda/ dhamma-insight – pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
MN 40 abandoning covetousness, ill-will, anger, resentment, contempt, insolence, envy, avarice, fraud, deceit, evil wishes, wrong view – seeing this purification - pamujja – pīti – tranquil body – sukha – samādhi
The term also appears in the digha nikaya, but more generic in matika-style, so I didn’t include it. All in all I totally agree with llt’s conclusion that this formula of pamujja… samādhi must have been a well known set since it’s used in all the four nikayas. Also, since pāmojja/ pāmujja seems to be a gateway to samādhi it’s a term worth more investigating.