Development of concentration—Conclusion and Benefits

118. This completes in all its aspects the commentary on the meaning of the clause, “How should it be developed?” in the set of questions beginning with “What is concentration?” which was formulated in order to show the method of development of concentration in detail (see III.1).

119. This concentration as intended here is twofold, that is to say, access concentration and absorption concentration. Herein, the unification [of mind] in the case of ten meditation subjects and in the consciousness preceding absorption [in the case of the remaining meditation subjects]^[1] is access concentration. The unification of mind in the case of the remaining meditation subjects is absorption concentration. And so it is developed in two forms with the development of these meditation subjects. Hence it was said above: “This completes in all its aspects the commentary on the meaning of the clause, ‘How should it be developed?’”

[The Benefits of Developing Concentration]

120. The question, (viii) what are the benefits of the development of concentration? was also asked, however (III.1). Herein, the benefits of the development of concentration are fivefold, as a blissful abiding here and now, and so on. For the development of absorption concentration provides the benefit of a blissful abiding here and now for the Arahants with cankers destroyed who develop concentration, thinking, “We shall attain and dwell with unified mind for a whole day.” Hence the Blessed One said: “But, Cunda, it is not these that are called effacement in the Noble Ones’ discipline; these are called blissful abidings in the Noble Ones’ discipline” (M I 40).

121. When ordinary people and trainers develop it, thinking, “After emerging, we shall exercise insight with concentrated consciousness,” the development of absorption concentration provides them with the benefit of insight by serving as the proximate cause for insight, and so too does access concentration as a method of arriving at wide open [conditions] in crowded [circumstances].^[2] Hence the Blessed One said: “Bhikkhus, develop concentration; a bhikkhu who is concentrated understands correctly” (S III 13).

122. But when they have already produced the eight attainments and then, aspiring to the kinds of direct-knowledge described in the way beginning, “Having been one, he becomes many” (XII.2), they produce them by entering upon jhāna as the basis for direct-knowledge and emerging from it, then the development of absorption concentration provides for them the benefit of the kinds of direct-knowledge, since it becomes the proximate cause for the kinds of direct-knowledge whenever there is an occasion. Hence the Blessed One said: “He attains the ability to be a witness, through realization by direct-knowledge, of any state realizable by direct-knowledge to which his mind inclines, whenever there is an occasion” (M III 96; A I 254). [372]

123. When ordinary people have not lost their jhāna, and they aspire to rebirth in the Brahmā-world thus, “Let us be reborn in the Brahmā-world,” or even though they do not make the actual aspiration, then the development of absorption concentration provides them with the benefits of an improved form of existence since it ensures that for them. Hence the Blessed One said: “Where do they reappear after developing the first jhāna limitedly? They reappear in the company of the deities of Brahmā’s Retinue” (Vibh 424), and so on. And even the development of access concentration ensures an improved form of existence in the happy destinies of the sensual sphere.

124. But when Noble Ones who have already produced the eight attainments develop concentration, thinking, “We shall enter upon the attainment of cessation, and by being without consciousness for seven days we shall abide in bliss here and now by reaching the cessation that is Nibbāna,” then the development of absorption concentration provides for them the benefit of cessation. Hence it is said: “Understanding as mastery owing to … sixteen kinds of behaviour of knowledge, and to nine kinds of behaviour of concentration, is knowledge of the attainment of cessation” (Paṭis I 97; see Ch. XXIII, 18f.).

125. That is how this benefit of the development of concentration is fivefold as a blissful abiding here and now, and so on.

So wise men fail not in devotion
To the pursuit of concentration:
It cleans defiling stains’ pollution,^[3]
And brings rewards past calculation.

126. And at this point in the Path of Purification, which is taught under the headings of virtue, concentration and understanding in the stanza, “When a wise man, established well in virtue …,” concentration has been fully explained.

The eleventh chapter concluding “The Description of Concentration” in the Path of Purification composed for the purpose of gladdening good people.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

The sense demands reading with Vism-mhṭ appanāpubba-bhāgacittesu as a single compound.

[2]:

This is an allusion to M I 179, etc. “The process of existence in the round of rebirths, which is a very cramped place, is crowded by the defilements of craving and so on” (Vism-mhṭ 371).

[3]:

Sūdana—“cleaning”: not in PED. See title of Majjhima Nikāya Commentary. Another reading here is sodhana.