Right Concentration when starting out?

Hey everyone,

Sorry if this has been asked before—I feel like it must have, but I couldn’t find it. Link me if it has.

Anyway, it seems pretty agreed-upon that Right Concentration in the EBTs refers to jhana practice, rather than those developed in later Theravada tradition. Similarly, “access concentration” is not found in the EBTs. But I’ve also read multiple posts/essays suggesting that, especially for lay followers, the jhanas are a difficult goal at the end of a path, rather than a starting practice.

If all of this is true (and let me know if it’s not), what does Right Concentration look like for a newbie to the Path and Dhamma under the EBTs?

For a lot of people, they just aren’t there yet.

The path works progressively. The preliminary parts of meditation (pre-jhana) are found in right effort (abandoning 5 hinderances) and right mindfulness (satipatthana). Remembering that satipatthana can be covered completely by anapannasati

Of course this is all founded on the earlier parts of the path; right view, right intention…

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The first thing a beginner has to do is not to overshoot the mark and to align their present position with the appropriate doctrine. Any degree of bodily or mental calm is conducive to concentration:

"[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then serenity as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.

[6] For one who is at ease — his body calmed — the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease — his body calmed — becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor for awakening becomes aroused. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.”—MN 118

These instructions are linked to the development of skills in the first and second tetrads in part A of the Anapanasati sutta, where the body and mind are calmed.

An even more basic position for development of concentration are the contemplations described in AN 11.13, addressed to a layperson with family commitments, and does not include the more advanced stage of meditation on the breath:

" [2] “Furthermore, there is the case where you recollect the Dhamma: ‘The Dhamma is well-expounded by the Blessed One, to be seen here & now, timeless, inviting verification, pertinent, to be realized by the wise for themselves.’ At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting the Dhamma, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on the Dhamma. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated.”

In this thread others are discussing their experience with this latter method:

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I find it more helpful to change the word concentrated to composed, collected or stilled. When one is at ease, one gain composure and remains untroubled by temptations coming from the six sense objects.

I think this could be achieved by a layperson to a certain extent. When fully developed by an Arahant, nothing will trouble him any more.

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I think it is very good to see that you can use or apply your own mind and attention. You can use it in a way all kind of disturbing thoughts and emotiones arise and get even stronger, and also in a way this does not happen. The way you apply your mind can support well-being but also suffering. If you apply your mind in a way that does not support well-being, than abandon that. Aim at your own and others well-being.

For example anger. You can apply your mind in such a way arising anger gets very very strong and even becomes hate. You can even attack somebody verbally or physically. But you can also apply your mind in such a way that anger might arise but is not fed, not giving more and more attention. So you don’t attack. See, how attention plays a role. How you can you use and apply your mind in such a way it supports your own and others well-being, or what leads to suffering.

According my own experience it is important to make a decision because one can always find a 1000 reasons in this world why it is good to hate, to be mad, to be full of passion…in short there are always many reasons to justify your own and others suffering.

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Yes, i agree. MN44 describes concentration (i think in a general sense) as “unification of mind”.

One can also talk about concentration as a very sharp focused one-pointedness of mind. In my experience this is the best to enter jhana. A broad concentration, like on the movement of breath in the whole body or abdomen does not work for entering jhana is my experience. For this use one can concentrate solely on the nostrils, for example. When the mind is jumpy, and cannot really focus on the nostrils, when it diverts to thoughts, to memories, plans, ideas etc. one does not enter jhana is my experience. I also belief, from my own experience, that one does not have to be a sotapanna or very progressed or have a very cleansed mind to enter jhana. But, one has to have he capacity to focus the mind in very sharp and narrow manner and stay on the object without the mind becoming distracted.

I write this because it might me helpful for others, but not to do any claims of attainment.

Most of us aren’t practicing Right Concentration in the sense of jhanas that are causally contingent on the previous path factors being in place. We don’t even have full Right View until we become stream-enterers, which means understanding the four noble truths.

In my opinion, as newbies we are mostly working on the basics, over the years (and even decades) taking baby steps towards the higher stuff :slight_smile:

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Indeed, I struggle with this Right Concentration. I have read to the point of exhaustion…confusion over the Right Way to meditate. There are so many intructions:
Thich said focus on long breath in, long breath out. Ajahn Brahm says, “Hello feet. Are you comfortable”? And many more. I like focusing on the tip of my nose where I have noticed cool air going in, warm air going out.
I asked the Ven. Vimala about striving for the Jhanas. She said DON’T STRIVE, and give up expectation, or struggle to achieve and the states of calm, peaceful enlightenment follow naturally.
Meditation should not contain a sense of failure, yet there is an expectation that accompanies the Right Effort. I suppose then that striving is not Right Effort. So I just breathe.
With Metta of course! :face_with_raised_eyebrow:

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In the establishment phase it is profitable to divide meditation into tranquillity and insight, because ‘not striving’ applies to serenity. For instruction the Anapanasati sutta is the basic resource, and in the first tetrad the instruction is:

" "[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, ‘I am breathing in long’; or breathing out long, he discerns, ‘I am breathing out long.’ [2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing in short’; or breathing out short, he discerns, ‘I am breathing out short.’ [3] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.’[2] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.’ [4] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.’[3] He trains himself, ‘I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.’

(3) applies partly to insight meditation as it involves investigation of what happens in the whole body, and (1), (2) & (4) to tranquillity. For beginners there is always a leaning toward tranquillity meditation as it is easy to understand, but it would be a mistake to confine the practice to steps 1&2. The main thing for anybody to investigate is how sila causes tranquillity.

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I

:pray:
This is the big one. But think there has to be an element of invistigation in [1] and [2] as well tho; how else would it be possible to distinguish long from short and short from long?

@ASearcher have you read this article by Bhikkhu Anālayo on right concentration?
Anālayo Right Concentration.pdf (4.5 MB)

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There is a framework for attaining jhana. In this framework there are many steps must be trained and perfected to lead you in jhana.

Please refer to Majjhima Nikaya 107.
[Ganakamoggallana Sutta: The Discourse to Ganaka-Moggallana](https://Majjhima Nikaya 107 explained)

I have not, but I will now. Thank you!

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This investigation was the Buddha-to-be’s main activity on the path to awakening:

“And as I remained thus heedful, ardent, & resolute, thinking imbued with renunciation arose in me. I discerned that 'Thinking imbued with renunciation has arisen in me; and that leads neither to my own affliction, nor to the affliction of others, nor to the affliction of both. It fosters discernment, promotes lack of vexation, & leads to Unbinding.”—MN 19

“renunciation”= anything which is a reduction in attachment to conditioned phenomena, including the understanding of what the drawbacks of conditioned phenomena are.
“promotes lack of vexation”= samadhi

This meditation is recommended by the Buddha for laypeople:

" [4] “Furthermore, there is the case where you recollect your own virtues: ‘[They are] untorn, unbroken, unspotted, unsplattered, liberating, praised by the wise, untarnished, conducive to concentration.’ At any time when a disciple of the noble ones is recollecting virtue, his mind is not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion, not overcome with delusion. His mind heads straight, based on virtue. And when the mind is headed straight, the disciple of the noble ones gains a sense of the goal, gains a sense of the Dhamma, gains joy connected with the Dhamma. In one who is joyful, rapture arises. In one who is rapturous, the body grows calm. One whose body is calmed experiences ease. In one at ease, the mind becomes concentrated.”—AN 11.13

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Okay…here is just another opportunity for me to display my confusion in trying to understand these instructions which seem to be a way of elevating the ego as opposed to taming it

I have been contemplating starting a thread on the persistence of discursive thought. Is this not the same thing? I have spent considerable time during meditation just observing…marveling over the voices in my head which I find difficult to suppress. Why do I seem in conflict with this constant stream of rambling which goes on seemingly at the will of some outside agency. Why do I lack the ability to still these random thoughts which intrude on my effort to remain ‘clear’?
Does this passage that I quoted somehow replace those random discourses in my head?
Here is your opportunity to instruct the perennial newbie. Shall I always be?
Thank you in advance! :crazy_face:
May we all be free from this unique brand of suffering!

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Thank you for the forthright reply. There is widespread misunderstanding of ego by western beginners, (and western Buddhism itself is in a developing stage). They rush to conclusions by grasping instructions intended for those at the end of the path (arahants), where total letting go is required. The suttas appropriate to beginners state that the bulk of the path depends on a refining sense of self. This is because the noble eightfold path is conditioned, and ego is required in dealing skillfully with things driven by the polarities of anger and desire. AN 11.13 which I originally quoted is the Buddha instructing a layperson who asked what mind states he should remain in while in household life.

Here Ananda is addressing a nun, and that personnel indicates a sutta at beginner level. Ananda is permitted by the protocol of the Canon, and by their respective stages of development to say things the Buddha would not say:

"‘This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, ‘The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & realized them for himself in the here & now.’ The thought occurs to him, ‘I hope that I, too, will — through the ending of the fermentations — enter & remain in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & realized them for myself in the here & now.’ Then he eventually abandons craving, having relied on craving. ‘This body comes into being through craving. And yet it is by relying on craving that craving is to be abandoned.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to this was it said.

“‘This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.’ Thus was it said. And in reference to what was it said? There is the case, sister, where a monk hears, ‘The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & realized them for himself in the here & now.’ The thought occurs to him, ‘The monk named such-and-such, they say, through the ending of the fermentations, has entered & remains in the fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release, having known & realized them for himself in the here & now. Then why not me?’ Then he eventually abandons conceit, having relied on conceit. ‘This body comes into being through conceit. And yet it is by relying on conceit that conceit is to be abandoned.’ Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.”—AN 4.159

The practitioner has to have ego and ambition, but it should be of a higher level than what they are normally accustomed to as conditioned by materialism. The goal is not material gain, but spiritual development based on a belief in the results of the kamma of wholesome thought.

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Yes it does if developed to become a strength, or ‘faculty.’ Note the Buddha says “not overcome with passion, not overcome with aversion,” referring to the polarities of anger and desire which drive samsara. The same opposites are meant in the Satipatthana sutta with “subduing greed and distress with reference to the world.”
Internally these thoughts are known as the monkey mind meaning it is less than human, and the mind acts mechanically. Whenever there is input it searches the archives for similar experiences from the past to help us resolve the current situation and immediately presents them. The link between what is happening now and what the mind presents is they show the level of mind. The link between sila and samadhi is the experience which allows the mind to rise.
It is not advisable to just indulge such thoughts. Another way to change the reference is through any kind of work, mental or physical.

The state of mind is a mood which underlies the kind of thoughts that arise. In the short term it’s possible for the state of mind to be becoming more relaxed while inner dialogue is going on. If the meditation is pleasant, then the mind is more likely to eventually abandon the dialogue in favour of the meditation theme. The Buddha repeatedly advised the foot of a tree as location, so that sets a pleasant theme.

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If you found Buddha Dharma in this life. It can be that you have it already in you to know what works for you. After suggestions. Truly try keeping a schedule at home. Of 15 min meditation in morning and 15 in evening. Combined with mindfulness walking and actions. Keep doing this for 1 or 2 weeks. You don’t really need to know much details. Just trust the wisdom is in you

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First I would thank you for the wisdom that may propel this novice into a higher realm of understanding of that description which I interpret as the ultimate irony.

So the ‘monkey mind’ is a result of cause and effect? But how does it continue to function despite the intention of the one who meditates with the desire of ‘no thought’? I hope this is not too simplistic a question. But the ‘monkey mind’ seems to have some intention of its own. Is it conditioning that propels it to act against our conscious intention?

Please explain thse two concepts: ‘fermentation free awareness’, and the the body being the effect of conceit
I am very grateful for the teaching. It is priceless to my development and I thank you, and everyone who has helped move me along this path.
May all of our suffering be diminished immediately! :smiling_face_with_tear:

Yes it is the inner samsara, a spin off from interactions with the outer world. Samsara has a momentum as anything with polarities does. It also has an agenda, the maintenance of life. So to overcome this, meditation must be energetic and not passive.

The body is a result of a remnant of craving from a previous life. Conceit in Buddhism is a higher fetter referring to pride of attainment. It is necessary to have some conceit or competitive drive regarding meditation attainment up until the last stage of practice. On a lower level competitive drive is seen as part of procreation.

“fermentation-free awareness-release & discernment-release” means release through tranquillity and insight. Release through tranquillity means the hindrances have been suppressed, which is the same as “subduing greed and distress with reference to the world.” The hindrances are reduced to desire and anger because these are polarities which cause samsara to spin.

As said previously, it is necessary to develop a theme of pleasant feeling in meditation as an alternative to inner dialogue. Allied is arising awareness of the state of mind underlying continuing verbal distraction. This pleasant feeling can stem from the influence of the natural environment, or also from inducing pleasant feeling in the body. Discrimination is needed so this pleasant feeling is not hijacked by feelings of the flesh.

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Food for deep contemplation! Thank you for the explanation! Thus, I continue. :grin: