#one-pointedness

The Quest for Buddhism (105)

Buddhist cosmology

Panchangika – Mastery of the 5 mental factors to resist the 5 hindrances(Ref)

Mental factors (Skt: caitasika, Pali: cetasika), is a component and function of the mind and spirit in Buddhism.

In the Southern Tradition of Theravada Buddhism, in accordance with the Abhidhammattha Sangaha, there are a total of 52 mental factors. The Abhidhamma (Buddhist psychology) states that the practice of the 5 mental factors in that list in opposition to the five hindrances is the practice of the Rupa Jhanas (Ref1). The general term for each of these stages in Sanskrit is ‘Panchangika’ (lit. five branches), and the types are as follows :

Vitakka - Application of thought

Vicāra – Examining (Subtle thought)

Pīti – Rapture

Sukha – Ease, Happiness, or Bliss

Ekaggatā - One-pointedness (tranquility of mind), but also "unification of mind."

The Ekaggatā (one-pointedness) within the Panchangika (mastery of 5 mental factors) is the main body of samadhi as a state of deepened concentration in jhanas. The process of removing the other 4  panchangika step by step, while guarding against from the five hindrances and other vexations, and finally bringing it to the strengthened state of Ekaggatā, 'one-pointedness (tranquility of mind)' alone, is the Rupa Jhanas.

The eighth, the right path (Pali: sammā-samādhi, Skt: samyak-samādhi), which the Buddha teaches in the Eightfold Path (Ref2), is the attainment of this Rupa Jhanas.

仏教の探求 (105)

仏教の宇宙論

五禅支(ごぜんし) 〜五蓋(ごがい参照)に反発するための五心所(ごしんじょ)の修得

心所 (しんじょ、梵: ﾁｬｲﾀｼｶ、巴: ﾁｪｰﾀｼｶ) とは、仏教における心・精神の構成要素・機能、すなわち心的要因のこと。

南伝の上座部仏教では、『摂阿毘達磨義論(しょうあびだつまぎろん、巴: ｱﾋﾞﾀﾞﾝﾏｯﾀ･ｻﾝｶﾞﾊ)　』に従い、全52種の心所があるとされてる。その中の5つの心所 (心的要因) を五心所といい、五蓋にに対抗してこの五心所の修習が、四禅 (しぜん、梵: ﾙｰﾊﾟﾃﾞｲﾔｰﾅ参照１)の修習であると、阿毘達磨 (あびだつま、梵: ｱﾋﾞﾀﾞﾙﾏ、巴: ｱﾋﾞﾀﾞﾝﾏ、仏教心理学) では記載されている。この各段階の総称を五禅支(ごぜんし、梵: ﾊﾟﾝﾁｬﾝｷﾞｶﾞ) といい、種類は以下の通り:

尋（じん、梵: ヴィタッカ）思考 (認識対象把握)

伺（し、梵: ヴィチャーラ）微細な思考 (認識対象維持)

喜（き、梵: ピーティ）喜悦

楽（らく、梵: スカ）安楽

一境性（いっきょうしょう、梵: エーカッガター）一点集中 (心の静寂)、心の統一

五禅支の内の「一境性」が、禅定 (梵: ﾃﾞｲﾔｰﾅ、巴: ｼﾞｬｰﾅ)における集中が深まった状態としての三昧 (さんまい、梵: ｻﾏｰﾃﾞｨ)の本体となるものである。五蓋や煩悩から護りながら、他の五禅支(1～4)を段階的に除去していき、最終的に「一点集中 (心の静けさ) 」のみの強化された「一境性」を単独状態にしていく過程が、四禅 (しぜん、梵: ﾙｰﾊﾟﾃﾞｲﾔｰﾅ)である。

When the nimitta is stable and radiant, then one is at the entrance to jhāna. One must train oneself to wait patiently here, maintaining the stillness and non-doing until the causes or conditions are ready for the transition into jhāna. At this stage, however, some meditators make the mistake of disturbing the process by peeking at the edge of the nimitta. Once the nimitta is stable and bright,…

Arunachala:  mokey concentrated look.

24th October, 1947

One-Pointedness

... Sometimes these great monkey-warriors knock the fruit out of the hands of newcomers, while on their way to Bhagavan, and at times even snatch away the fruit which people keep by their side after having had it given back to them as prasadam* by Bhagavan’s attendants. 

Noticing these things Bhagavan would say, 

“They take their share of the fruit, why be angry with them? There is the concentrated look, the ‘lakshya drishti’. Somehow they find out where the fruit is kept and in the twinkling of an eye, all of them come and take away their share. Their attention is always on the fruit.

That is why, in Vedantic parlance, the monkey’s look is given as an illustration of the concentrated look, ‘lakshya drishti’. The moment the Guru makes a sign with his eye, the disciple should understand; otherwise the disciple cannot achieve his aim.”

(* It is customary in India, on offering fruit or flowers to the deity or a holy man, for a portion of the offering to be returned to the devotee.)