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QUOTE(phil7 @ Mar 29 2008, 07:16 PM)
This is something that I have meant to get around to for awhile – tracking down just what khanika samadhi (momentary concentration) is in the tipitaka.
The term is actually from the commentaries.
Is it the ekagatta cetasika, the split second one-pointedness on each and every object that is cognized, or is it something that, as a post from the Venerable who sends the daily Dhamma message says “a few seconds of one-pointedness” that comes about as the first stage of deepening of concentration. (Before access concentration etc.) I’ve heard other people, including Bhikkhu Bodhi refer to it in this way, as a few seconds of concentration, but some friends who are keen students of Abhidhamma say it is simply ekagatta cetasika, accompanies each and every citta.
The commentaries speak of “threefold concentration” (tividha samādhi), comprising momentary concentration, approach concentration, and arrival concentration. The second and third of these are meditative attainments; the first is the ordinary concentration that is always present, which the Abhidhamma identifies with the ekaggatā cetasika. That being so, the widespread modern practice of exhorting meditators to “develop momentary concentration”, if taken literally, is simply nonsensical. It would be as meaningless as telling someone to develop phassa, or develop vedanā, or develop saññā (which like ekaggatā also arise with every consciousness). It’s meaningless to speak of “developing” something that one is never without.
More charitably construed, the modern usage might be seen as a shorthand for “develop the foundations of mindfulness, but without aiming for upacāra- or appanā-samādhi.” I believe this is in fact what most modern vipassanā teachers mean by the expression. All the same, it’s unfortunate that they have chosen this way of saying it, for it has given rise to an almost universal misapprehension of khaṇika-samādhi as being something that one has to strive to achieve.
Khanika samadhi refers to the ekaggata cetasika during moments of kusala citta I think. Perhaps what the post points to is that sati and panna are the critical components of satipatthana and that these are always associated with momentary concentration.
My understanding is as you go deeper and deeper in to Vipassana the mind becomes incredibly sharp and as stable as in appana Samadhi to see the rise and fall of sankhara dhammas etc, but technically it’s still called khanika Samadhi (paguṇā ca bhāvanā vikkhepābhāvato ārammaṇe appitā viya pavattatīti, ñāṇassa tikkhabhāvena saṅkhārānaṃ lahuupaṭṭhānatā dassitā ~ Visuddhimagga mahatika)
Certainly concentration, even khanika samadhi is very powerful during moments of vipassana - and in fact at the moment of magga citta, even for the sukkhavipassaka, the dry insight worker, concentration is actually ‘jhanic’, just for the that moment.
The Atthasalini – The expositor PTS (translator : maung tin).
P58. Triplets in the Matika
The Discourse on LOKUTTARA (transcendental).
“He cultivates the Jhana means that he evolves, produces the ecstatic jhana of one momentary flash of consciousness. because it goes forth from the world, from the round of rebirths, this is jhana called going out…This is not like that which is known as ‘leading to accumulation’ which heaps up and increases rebirths by the moral(kusala) consciousness of the three planes[includes kusala such as giving as well as all levels of “mundane” jhana]
“
So during moments of vipassana the strength of concentration is very strong - for those brief moments.
Momentary one-pointedness of mind is the concentration lasting only for a moment. This
concentration, when occurring uninterruptedly on its object in a single mode and is not
overcome by its opponent, fixes the mind immovably, as if in absorption
Vism-mhṭ I 342: Khaṇikacittekaggatāti khaṇamattaṭṭhitiko samādhi. So pi hi ārammaṇe nirantaraṃ ekākārena
pavattamāno paṭipakkhena anabhibhūto appito viya cittaṃ niccalaṃ ṭhapeti.
But I think we go wrong if we think this level of concentration can be maintained and that vipassana nanas last. The moments of vipassana are brief and then it is back to normal - however what was understood during those moments is not forgotten . And so saddha, panna and other wholesome factors are developing both during and after vipassana nana.
Yes of course…
So the long, long path is that once there is sufficient understanding at the level of pariyatti that then conditions direct understanding - satipatthana, patipatti.
Then if satipatthana deepens there will eventually be the first vipassana nana, Namarupa pariccheda ñana, and for those moments the world is flipped and the nature of the mind door is understood.
Then back to usual daily life - and more development of pariyatti and more satipatthana . Then Namarupa pariccheda ñana may arise again or it may be the next level of vipassana that arises. And on and on.
None of it can be controlled, it is simply the natural process of understanding developing due to hearing and considering the words of the Buddha,
I gave this reference earlier in the thread from the atthasalini “he evolves, produces the ecstatic jhana of one momentary flash of consciousness.”
Thus we see an indication of momentariness.
Your question is whether vipassana nanas are also momentary and whether ekaggata cetasika is samadhi. As I clarified in a later post khanika samadhi during satipatthana arises in association with sati and panna cetasikas. It must be that way because ekaggata cetasika, concentration, arises with every citta.
Jhāna does not always mean jhāna as in appanā samādhi in the Abhidhamma.
If you look at jhānapaccayo you will see it includes 79 cittas (excluding 10- dvi pañca vinññāṇa) chart on p311 (CMA, bhikkhu bodhi translation)
Also you can also see that domanassaṃ is added to the possible jhāna factors totaling 7. Satta jhānaṅgāni (p272 CMA, bhikkhu bodhi translation)
My understanding is each level has to be well consolidated. What I mean is, for example if we look at the beginning stages, the yogi should be able to without difficulty make Namarupa dhammas clear(Namarupa pariccheda), whenever he wishes. Then he goes on to paccaya pariggaha etc. It is when and whilst Namarupa dhammas are clear that one can discern their causes. This can happen in one sitting or it may take years to first consolidate Namarupa pariccheda ñana.
Anyway I am no expert. This requires more investigation.
Yes it could be in one sitting, or standing, or walking or lying. And yes it might take years (or lifetimes) to consolidate that level of understanding.
When bliss is conceived and matured, it perfects the threefold concentration, that is, momentary concentration, access concentration, and absorption concentration.
note that sometimes the threefold concentration, includes preparatory concentration,** access concentration, and absorption concentration.
When I listen to explanations about Vipassanā-samādhi, it just feels like upacara-samadhi. For example, the practitioner sees light or enters into rapture. What is the difference between such a state and Khanika samadhi?
In This Very Life ‘A yogi whose mind is composed of these five jhānic factors will experience a new accuracy of mindfulness, a new level of success in sticking with the object. Intense rapture, happiness and comfort in the body may also arise. This could be the occasion for him or her to gloat over the wondrousness of the meditation practice. “Oh wow, I’m getting really precise and accurate. I even feel like I’m floating in the air!” You might recognize this reflection as a moment of attachment.’
CHAPTER XX Purification by Knowledge & Vision of What Is & Is Not the Path
[THE TEN IMPERFECTIONS OF INSIGHT]
104. Now, when he is a beginner of insight with this tender insight, ten imperfections of insight
arise in him. For imperfections of insight do not arise either in a noble disciple who has reached
penetration [of the truths] or in persons
105. But what are these ten imperfections? They are: (1) illumination, (2)
knowledge, (3) rapturous happiness,
(4) tranquillity, (5) bliss (pleasure), (6) resolution, (7) exertion, (8) assurance, (9)
equanimity, and (10) attachment.
106. For this is said: “How does the mind come to be seized by agitation about higher states? When
a man is bringing [formations] to mind as impermanent, illumination arises in him. He adverts to
the illumination thus, ‘Illumination is a [Noble One’s] state.’³³ The distraction due to that is
agitation. When his mind is seized by that agitation, he does not understand correctly [their]
appearance as impermanent, he does not understand correctly [their] appearance as painful, he does
not understand correctly [their] appearance as not-self.
“Likewise, when he is bringing [formations] to mind as impermanent, knowledge arises in him …
happiness … tranquillity … bliss … resolution … exertion … establishment … equanimity … attachment
arises in him. He adverts to the attachment thus, ‘Attachment is a [Noble One’s] state.’ The
distraction due to that is agitation. When his mind is seized by that agitation, he does not
correctly understand [their] appearance as impermanent, [634] he does not correctly understand
[their] appearance as painful, he does not correctly understand [their] appearance as not-self”
(Paþis II 100).
107. 1. Herein, illumination is illumination due to insight.³⁴ When it arises, the meditator
thinks, “Such illumination never arose in me before. I have surely reached the path, reached
fruition;” thus he takes what is not the path to be the path and
what is not fruition to be fruition.
Although vipassana is momentary these moments may become more frequent at advanced stages. And still - despite having attained vipassana understanding - the defilements spring up and cling to such effects.
Related information Comprehensive Manual of Abhidhamma chapter 1
page 72 Guide to §§30-31
All meditators reach the supramundane paths and fruits through the development of wisdom (paññā)—insight into the three characteristics of impermanence, suffering, and non-self. However, they differ among themselves in the degree of their development of concentration (samādhi). Those who develop insight without a basis of jhāna are called practitioners of bare insight (sukkhavipassaka). When they reach the path and fruit, their path and fruition cittas occur at a level corresponding to the first jhāna.
Those who develop insight on the basis of jhāna attain a path and fruit which corresponds to the level of jhāna they had attained before reaching the path. The ancient teachers advance different views on the question of what factor determines the jhāna level of the path and fruit. One school of thought holds that it is the basic jhāna (pādakajjhāna), i.e. the jhāna used as a basis for concentrating the mind before developing the insight that culminates in attainment of the supramundane path. A second theory holds that the jhāna level of the path is determined by the jhāna used as an object for investigation by insight, called the comprehended or investigated jhāna (sammasitajjhāna). Still a third school
Page 73
of thought holds that when a meditator has mastered a range of jhānas, he can control the jhāna level of the path by his personal wish or inclination (ajjhāsaya).12
Nevertheless, no matter what explanation is adopted, for bare insight meditator and jhāna meditator alike, all path and fruition cittas are considered types of jhāna consciousness. They are so considered because they occur in the mode of closely contemplating their object with full absorption, like the mundane jhānas, and because they possess the jhāna factors with an intensity corresponding to their counterparts in the mundane jhānas. The supramundane jhānas of the paths and fruits differ from the mundane jhānas in several important respects. First, whereas the mundane jhānas take as their object some concept, such as the sign of the kasina, the supramundane jhānas take as their object Nibbāna, the unconditional reality. Second, whereas the mundane jhānas merely suppress the defilements while leaving their underlying seeds intact, the supramundane jhānas of the path eradicate defilements so that they can never again arise. Third, while the mundane jhānas lead to rebirth in the fine-material world and thus sustain existence in the round of rebirths, the jhānas of the path cut off the fetters binding one to the cycle and thus issue in liberation from the round of birth and death. Finally, whereas the role of wisdom in the mundane jhānas is subordinate to that of concentration, in the supramundane jhānas wisdom and concentration are well balanced, with concentration fixing the mind on the unconditioned element and wisdom fathoming the deep significance of the Four Noble Truths.
Ch VIII 232 mentions jhāna (appanā) cittas and the following insight cittas:
> 232. (xi) Concentrating (samādahaṃ) the [manner of] consciousness
Concentrating (samādahaṃ) the [manner of] consciousness: evenly (samaṃ) placing (ādahanto) the mind, evenly putting it on its object by means of the first jhāna and so on.
Or alternatively, when, having entered upon those jhānas and emerged from them, he comprehends with insight the consciousness associated with the jhāna as liable to destruction and to fall, then at the actual time of insight, momentary unification of the mind(64) arises through the penetration of the characteristics of impermanence, and so on.
Thus the words, “He trains thus: ‘I shall breathe in … shall breathe out concentrating the [manner of] consciousness,’” are said also of one who evenly places the mind, evenly puts it on its object by means of the momentary unification of the mind arisen thus.
note 64 tika*“Momentary unification of the mind”: concentration lasting only for a moment. For that too, when it occurs uninterruptedly on its object in a single mode and is not overcome by opposition, fixes the mind immovably, as if in absorption* (Vism-mhṭ 278).