Mastery of Samādhi

AN 6.24 and similar passages

AN 6.24 one with 5 masterys can crush the Himalayas

4. himavanta-suttaṃ	AN 6.24 himalaya discourse

“chahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu	six, *********, things possessed-by a-monk
himavantaṃ pabbatarājaṃ padāleyya,	(might cause the) himalaya mountains to-break,
ko pana vādo chavāya avijjāya!	** even-more-so can-be-said-of miserable ignorance!
katamehi chahi?	which six?
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	here, monks, a-monk

samādhissa samāpatti—kusalo hoti,	concentration attainment: -skilled (at it he) is.
samādhissa ṭhiti—kusalo hoti,	concentration duration: -skilled (at it he) is.
samādhissa vuṭṭhāna—kusalo hoti,	concentration emergence: -skilled (at it he) is.
samādhissa kallita—kusalo VAR hoti,	concentration fitness: -skilled (at it he) is.
samādhissa gocara—kusalo hoti,	concentration area: -skilled (at it he) is.
samādhissa abhinīhāra—kusalo hoti.	concentration resolution: -skilled (at it he) is.

imehi kho, bhikkhave, chahi dhammehi samannāgato bhikkhu	These *, *******, six things possessed-by a-monk
himavantaṃ pabbatarājaṃ padāleyya,
ko pana vādo chavāya avijjāyā”ti!

AN 6.72 first 3 same as AN 6.24

AN 6.72 bala-suttaṃ	AN 6.72 strength-discourse
	(bodhi.trans.)
♦ 72. “chahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato	“Bhikkhus, possessing six qualities
bhikkhu abhabbo samādhismiṃ balataṃ pāpuṇituṃ.	a bhikkhu is incapable of attaining strength in concentration.
katamehi chahi?	What six?
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	(1) Here, a bhikkhu
na samādhissa samāpatti-kusalo hoti,	is not skilled in the attainment of concentration;
na samādhissa ṭhiti-kusalo hoti,	(2) he is not skilled in the duration of concentration;
na samādhissa vuṭṭhāna-kusalo hoti,	(3) he is not skilled in emergence from concentration;
asakkaccakārī ca hoti,	(4) he does not practice carefully;
asātaccakārī ca,	(5) he does not practice persistently; and
asappāyakārī ca.	(6) he does not do what is suitable.
	(the rest of the sutta states the converse of the 6 items)

AN 7.40 same as AN 6.24 with one addition of skill in samādhi

AN 7.40 paṭhama-vasa-suttaṃ	AN 7.40 first-mastery-discourse
	(bodhi.trans.)
♦ 40. “sattahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato	“Bhikkhus, possessing seven qualities,
bhikkhu cittaṃ vase vatteti,	a bhikkhu exercises mastery over his mind
no ca bhikkhu cittassa vasena vattati.	and is not a servant of his mind.
katamehi sattahi?	What seven?
idha, bhikkhave, bhikkhu	Here,
samādhissa samādhikusalo hoti,	(1) a bhikkhu is skilled in concentration,
samāpattikusalo hoti,	(2) skilled in the attainment of concentration,
samādhissa ṭhitikusalo hoti,	(3) skilled in the duration of concentration,
samādhissa vuṭṭhānakusalo hoti,	(4) skilled in emergence from concentration,
samādhissa kalyāṇakusalo hoti,	(5) skilled in fitness for concentration,
samādhissa gocarakusalo hoti,	(6) skilled in the area of concentration, and
samādhissa abhinīhārakusalo hoti.	(7) skilled in resolution regarding concentration.

AN 7.41 same as 7.40, except using Sāriputta instead of monk

SN 34 Samādhi Saṃyutta, 55 suttas

These 55 suttas are just permutations of pairs, and fours, based on the basic elements of mastery from AN 6.24 gratuitously combined. SN 34 doesn’t contain any kind of useful information that would actually explain what the 6 basic elements are in AN 6.24. Instead, it just looks like an Abhidhamma exercise that serves no purpose.

Other types of mastery

MN 20 He thinks what he wants (Master of thought)

ayaṃ vuccati, bhikkhave, bhikkhu
vasī vitakka-pariyāya-pathesu.	This (is) called, **********, (a) monk
yaṃ vitakkaṃ ākaṅkhissati	(who is a) master (of) thought-order-pathways.
taṃ vitakkaṃ vitakkessati,	The thoughts (he) wishes,
yaṃ vitakkaṃ n-ākaṅkhissati	those thoughts (he) thinks.
na taṃ vitakkaṃ vitakkessati.	The thoughts (he does) not wish,
ac-checchi taṇhaṃ,	those thoughts (he does) {not} think.
vivattayi saṃyojanaṃ,	Fully-cut-off craving,
sammā mān-ābhisamayā	Flung-away (the) fetters,
anta-m-akāsi dukkhassā”ti.	Right {penetration}-of-conceit,
	end-reached (for) suffering."

SN 52.21 With 4sp anuruddha has mastery

of jhānas, deliverances, concentrations, and attainments.

AN 6.64, AN 10.21, AN 10.22

tathagata as similar power to anuruddha in SN 52.21

SN 28, SN 40 sariputta and moggallana

contrast between these two disciples, the first nine suttas cover the 9 attainments. Difference is Sariputta does it with mastery, Moggallana is making mistakes. Also for Moggallana, 9th attainment is animitta instead of cessation.

What does “emergence” (vuṭṭhāna) mean?

.

an 5.167 from nondhamma to dhamma


♦ “ye te, sāriputta, puggalā assaddhā jīvikatthā na saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitā saṭhā māyāvino ketabino uddhatā unnaḷā capalā mukharā vikiṇṇavācā indriyesu aguttadvārā bhojane amattaññuno jāgariyaṃ ananuyuttā sāmaññe anapekkhavanto sikkhāya na tibbagāravā bāhulikā sāthalikā okkamane pubbaṅgamā paviveke nikkhittadhurā kusītā hīnavīriyā muṭṭhassatino asampajānā asamāhitā vibbhantacittā duppaññā eḷamūgā, tiṭṭhantu te.	“But, Bhante, there are clansmen who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, who are not crafty, hypocritical, deceptive, restless, puffed up, vain, talkative, and rambling in their talk; who keep guard over the doors of the senses; who are moderate in eating, intent on wakefulness, intent upon the ascetic life, keenly respectful of the training; who are not luxurious and lax; who discard backsliding and take the lead in solitude; who are energetic, resolute, mindful, clearly comprehending, concentrated, with one-pointed minds, wise, intelligent. When I speak to them in such a way, they respectfully accept what I say.”

♦ “ye pana, te sāriputta, kulaputtā saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitā asaṭhā amāyāvino aketabino anuddhatā anunnaḷā acapalā amukharā avikiṇṇavācā indriyesu guttadvārā bhojane mattaññuno jāgariyaṃ anuyuttā sāmaññe apekkhavanto sikkhāya tibbagāravā na bāhulikā na sāthalikā okkamane nikkhittadhurā paviveke pubbaṅgamā āraddhavīriyā pahitattā upaṭṭhitassatino sampajānā samāhitā ekaggacittā paññavanto aneḷamūgā, te tvaṃ, sāriputta, vadeyyāsi. ovada, sāriputta, sabrahmacārī; anusāsa, sāriputta, sabrahmacārī — ‘asaddhammā vuṭṭhāpetvā saddhamme patiṭṭhāpessāmi sabrahmacārī’ti. evañhi te, sāriputta, sikkhitabban”ti. sattamaṃ.	793“Sāriputta, leave alone those people who are devoid of faith and have gone forth from the household life into homelessness, not out of faith but intent on earning a living; who are crafty … unwise, stupid. But, Sariputta, you should speak to those clansmen who have gone forth from the household life into homelessness out of faith, who are not crafty … who are wise, intelligent. [200] Exhort your fellow monks, Sāriputta! Instruct your fellow monks, Sāriputta, [thinking:] ‘I will cause my fellow monks to emerge from what is contrary to the good Dhamma and will establish them in the good Dhamma.’ Thus, Sāriputta, should you train yourself.”

Bhante Gunaratana describes 5 masterys

.

This is from "Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English.

He teaches this after 3rd jhāna, before 4th jhāna.

Step 1: Adverting.

“Advert” means to turn the attention to something. Adverting, in this case, is the ability to bring your attention mindfully to the jhanic factors one by one after emerging from jhana.

That period right after your meditation session is very fruitful. Do not let this important opportunity pass you by. You should reflect on your jhana, especially when it has become stable, when you can attain it wherever you want, whenever you want, and for as long as you want. Then you can see it clearly.

Remember, the hindrances are not dead, just restrained. As any of these restrained hindrances becomes strong, you lose the jhana. You should find out which impediment has disturbed your jhana. Repeat the steps you followed to overcome that particular impediment. After it is once again subdued, you re-attain the jhana.

Step 2: Attaining. (samāpatti)

“Attaining” is your ability to enter jhana quickly. It improves with practice. Since you have already attained it, even though you lost it, you can attain it again quickly. Do so as promptly as you can, in this sitting, or the next, or as soon as you can set up the proper conditions. Do not let your mind forget how to do it. Strike while the iron is hot.

Step 3: Resolving. (abhinīhāra)

“Resolving” is the ability to make a decision to remain in the jhana for exactly a predetermined length of time. You resolve or decide to spend a certain amount of time in jhana. This ability is weak in the lower jhanas and grows in the higher ones.

You cannot determine to stay too long in any jhana lower than the fourth. The hindrances are only weakly restrained and still haunt the mind. Then you lose jhana. You should resolve to re-attain the jhana and to remain there for a certain period of time. Your ability will not be perfect. You will lose it again.

You must then resolve to see what has gone wrong. You find the reason. It is always one of the mental impurities that has snuck into your mind. Once you have found the particular hindrance that is causing the trouble, resolve to prevent it from arising again. Decide to overcome that particular impurity and to cultivate the wholesome state that supports the jhana. Be determined to maintain that wholesome state again.

This is the function of mindfulness in jhana. You apply mindfulness outside the jhana to find out the problem. You apply mindfulness within the jhana to maintain the state that preserves the jhana. So, with mindfulness you can overcome these impurities and with mindfulness you can re-attain and preserve the jhana.

Step 4: Emerging. (vuṭṭhāna)

“Emerging” means that you come out of the jhana without difficulty exactly at the predetermined time. You don’t wait in jhana until you lose it. Here you attain jhana at will and come out of jhana at will. This is part of mastery.

Step 5: Reviewing.

“Reviewing” means the ability to review the jhana and its factors with retrospective knowledge immediately after adverting to them. You have noticed the factor. Now you consciously review it. What you want to review is your progress on the path, how this jhanic experience has helped you. You review how you obtained jhana and what its benefits are. You consider how it has helped you overcome your own defilements and what defilements remain to be handled.

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