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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.