Expert: Alex Wilding - 2/3/2009

Question
Hi Alex

All Buddhas teachings can be summed up as sila, samadhi , panna  


So here in samadhi ,
1) Did the  Buddha mean a Samadhi acquired through a one-pointed mind focusing on a particular object so that one could experience jhanas as 1st ,2nd ,3rd and 4th  jhana , broken base on jhanic factors (applied thought, sustain thought  etc)?

Or
2) Is it a peacefulness , --- which may naturally  experience   jhanic factors  (applied thought, sustain thought  etc,) appropriately rather than getting it in force as in above case  ---,  occurs  as deepening  in the process of knowing of internal and external happenings to us  at the present moment  ? Or something else?

3) We come across technical terms  such as  ( access concentration , momentary concentration , full absorption ,dry- insight and  Nimitha (or sign)) incorporated with Samadhi, Does any of these  terms appear in  original suttas as it is  ?or Just are they coming up  with  post commentaries or free-lance writings only  ?

4)But the term , jhana itself , as 1st jhana ,2nd   jhana  so on,    appears in numerous times in original sutta ,  so does this jhanas as in sutta  really mean levels of full absorption of the mind ? or Does   it rather  mean meditative stages of peacefulness  in the mind which is experienced by  the mediator who is doing  tranquility wisdom meditaion , (samatha/vipassana) without a separation as  either   samatha or  vipassana?  


Rgds
siri  

Answer
Hi Siri,
Some of what you are asking is beyond my level of expertise, and in any case my particular field is Tibetan Buddhism.
One thing I can say it that "samadhi" is a particularly context-sensitive term. In some contexts (like the 8-fold path) its meaning is a fairly broad one of mental cultivation, quite possibly including the jhanas/dhyanas. Very often however it refers to very specific states - "achievements", one might say - of being focussed on or absorbed in something.
From the sound of the vocabulary you are using, I think you need to find someone more specialized in Theravada.
All the best
Alex W