Advancing the Mind

You may have experienced a situation where you are looking at a particular object continuously with a blank mind. Your mind would have registered that object thoroughly, such a way that you would see that object even with closed eyes. Sometimes this situation would have gone further that you would conceptualise this object just as a mode of an appearance. An aspirant who would be meditating to improve and purify the mind would follow a similar procedure to achieve higher states of mind.

Developing Jhanas (Dhyana) through Meditation

54 types of consciousness pertaining to sensuous-sphere (kamavachara chiththas) would arise depending on the acts one would perform. The one who has engaged in many good deeds and developed many moral consciousnesses (kusala chiththas) and is not interested in ordinary sense desires would start Meditating (Bhavana) to improve and purify the mind. The first step of such a person is to engage in “Meditations of Concentration” (Samatha Bhavana). The one who is thorough with samatha bhavana would proceed to “Meditation of things as they truly are” (Vipassana Bhavana) which leads to the Enlightment (Nirvana).

By samatha bhavana one could develop higher mental states which are known as “Jhanas” (Dhyana). Jhana is so called because it thinks closely of an object or because it burns those adverse things (hindrances). Jhana is also willful concentration of an object.

The one who expect to develop Jhanas, would select a “Preliminary Object” which is called the Parikamma Nimiththa (There are defined objects to select as parikamma nimiththa and instructions of using these objects are also available in the texts written on Meditation). Then the aspirant would intently concentrate on this object by excluding all the other thoughts from mind. On progress meditator would come to a situation where the object could be visualized even with closed eyes. This “Visualized Image” is known as the Uggaha Nimiththa. By further concentrating on this visualized object the meditator would come to a situation where s/he would see just a mode or appearance or a perception of the object which is a “Conceptualised Image” known as Patibhaga Nimiththa.

When he continually concentrates on this abstract concept he is in possession of what is called “Proximate Concentration”, the Upachara Samadhi which temporary inhibit the Five Hindrances to Nirvana (Pancha Neewarana), namely, Sense-desire (Kamachchandha), Hatred (Vyapadha), Sloth and Torper (Thina-Midhdha), Restlessness and Brooding (Uddachcha-Kukkuchcha) and Doubt (Vivhikichcha) (these hindrances will be discussed in detail future). Then he gains the “Ecstatic Concentration” or the Appana Samadhi and becomes enwrapped with the serenity of Jhana.

Form-Sphere Moral Consciousness (Kamavachara Kusala Chiththas) – 5

The above state of Jhana is achieved by concentrating on a form of object. Therefore, the first category of Jhana, developed by an aspirant are called “Rupa Jhanas”. All the Jhana states are of moral consciousness. Those who develop Rupa Jhana, if died with that Jhana state, would be born in any of the 16 types of Form worlds (Rupa lokas/bhvas) which was mentioned in the second episode of this series titled “The Worlds we live”. Therefore these chiththas are called “Form-Sphere Moral Consciousness” (Rupavachara Kusala Chiththas) and there are 5 types of them as below;

1.      Vithakka-Vichara-Prithi-Suka Ekaggatha sahitha Patamajjana Kusala Chiththa

First Jhana Moral consciousness together with initial application-sustained application-joy-happiness and one-pointedness

2.                      Vichara-Prithi-Suka Ekaggatha sahitha Dhuthiyajjana Kusala Chiththa

Second Jhana Moral consciousness together with sustained application-joy-happiness and one-pointedness

3.                                    Prithi-Suka Ekaggatha sahitha Thathiyajjana Kusala Chiththa

Third Jhana Moral consciousness together with joy-happiness and one-pointedness

4.                                              Suka Ekaggatha sahitha Chathuththaajjana Kusala Chiththa

Fourth Jhana Moral consciousness together with happiness and one-pointedness

5.                                        Upekkha Ekaggatha sahitha Panchamajjana Kusala Chiththa

Fifth Jhana Moral consciousness together with equanimity and one-pointedness

Featuring mental states of Jhana

Assume that you have been taken by a broker to see a house. Vithakka or the “Initial Application” is the mental state which features the Jhana consciousness by directing the mind towards the object just like the broker direct you to the house. Once you are been directed to the house you will move around the house and investigate. Similarly Vichara or the “Sustained Application” is the mental state which features the Jhana consciousness by moving around the object and examining it.

The mental state of Prithi or the “Joy” featured in Jhanas doesn’t imply the ordinary meaning of joy. It is a pleasurable interest experienced in the Jhana. Sukha or the “Happiness” is the mental state of enjoying the interest created by prithi on the object. All the Rupa Jhanas are developed as a result of extensive concentration on an object. Therefore “One-pointedness” or the Ekaggatha is common to all rupavachara Jhanas.

The first Jhana is developed featured with all the above mental states. The one who practice the first Jhana would get the capability to improve his state based on the first Jhana where he could achieve sustained application without initial application. Therefore the second Jhana is achieved by eliminating vithakka. When it comes to the third Jhana the aspirant eliminates vichara. In the fourth Jhana prithi is also eliminated and by the time of developing the fifth Jhana the aspirant has come to a standard where he could view the object in balanced mind.

Therefore the fifth Jhana is featured with Upekkha or the “Equanimity”. This upekkha found in Jhanas is not the ordinary neutral or indifference feeling found in other Kamavachara Chiththas. This mental state of upekkha is achieved by strong willpower and willful concentration of the object. It is the ability to view the object with a discriminative knowledge. As per this observation of the development of more advanced type of “Upekkha” it is quite understandable that in proceeding along with these Jhanas, the aspirant is approaching towards Nirvana, the sate which would understand everything in balance as they truly are.

Form-Sphere Resultant Consciousness (Rupavachara Vipaka Chiththas) – 5

Corresponding to the 5 types of Rupavachara kusala chiththas there are 5 types of “Form-Sphere Resultant Consciousness” (Rupavachara Vipaka Chiththas) which would arise when the aspirant is born in form spheres (rupa lokas). The corresponding resultant consciousness for the first form-sphere moral consciousness is “Vithakka-Vichara-Prithi-Sukha Ekaggatha sahitha Patamajjana Vipaka Chiththa” and so on.

Form-Sphere Functional Consciousness (Rupavachara Vipaka Chiththas) – 5

Arhaths and Buddhas also develop these Jhanas. Those Jhanas are called “Form-Sphere Functional Consciousness” (Rupavachara Kriya Chiththas). Thee 5 types of functional consciousness starts from “Vithakka-Vichara-Prithi-Sukha Ekaggatha sahitha Patamajjana Kriya Chiththa” and continued same as above.

Important Notes

It should be noted that the above explained chiththas described in Abhidhamma are pertaining to the higher mental states of a person can develop. However, it should not be difficult to understand the possibility of such mental states based on the starting example of this episode.