THE EXPERIENCE OF SAM API 11 An In-depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation ■ Richard Shan km an ■ Includes interviews with Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Christina Feldman, and other teachers The Experience of Samadhi THE EXPERIENCE OF SAMADHI An In-depth Exploration of Buddhist Meditation Richard Shankman SHAMBHALA Boston & London 2 0 0 8 Shambhala Publications, Inc. Horticultural Hall 300 Massachusetts Avenue Boston, Massachusetts 02115 •^^w.shambhala.com © 2008 by Richard Shankman Pages 219-20 constitute a continuation of the copyright page. A l rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, orby any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. 987654321 First Edition Printed in Canada @ This edition is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standards Institute Z39.48 Standard. O This book was printed on 100% postconsumer recycled paper. For more information please visit us at •^^w.shambhala.com. Distributed in the United States by Random House, Inc., and in Canada by Random. House of Canada Ltd Interior design and composition: Greta D. Sibley & Associates Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication- Data Shankman, Richard. The experience of samadhi: an in-depth exploration of Buddhist meditation / Richard Shankman.—1st ed. p. cm. ■ Includes bibliographical references and index. ISBN 978-1-59030-521-8 (pbk.: alk. paper) 1. Samadhi. 2. Buddhist literature, Pali—History and criticism. 3. Buddhists—Interviews. 1. Title. BQ5630.S16S43 2008 294^3 '4435 DC22 2008017613 CONTENTS Preface | ix Acknowledgments | xii Introduction | xiii PART ONE SAMADHI IN THE PALI TEXTS I. Samadhi in the Pali Suttas | 3 The Importance and Place ofSamadhi in BuddhistMeditation \ 6 Warnings on the Dangers andMisuse ofSamadhi \ j Developing Concentration | io Right Samadhi \ 14 Samadhi in Important Buddhist Lists and Discourses 117 2. Jhana in the Pali Suttas I32 The First Jhdna \^6 The SecondJhdna' [43 An Alternate Scheme for the First Two Jhdnas \46 The ThirdJhdna \46 The Fourth Jhdna I48 Beyond the FourJhdnas: Three Divergent Paths of Development \49 Contents 3. Samadhi in the Visuddhimagga|53 Tranquillity and Insight: Two Paths ofMeditation Practice I55 Three Levels ofConcentration I56 Three SSigns ofConcentration \57 Developing Samadhi | 59 Meditation Subjects to Develop Samadhi \6o . Jhana in the Visuddhimagga' \6x The Eight Attainments \6j ■ 4. Controversies Surrounding Samadhi I77 What isJhana? I79 Are Samadhi and Insight Two Distinct Paths ofPractice or One? ^ 3 Is Jhana Necessary for the Deepest Stages of Insight? ^ o From the Suttas to the Visuddhimagga | 97 Conclusion | io i PART TWO INTERVIEWS WITH CONTEMPORARY MEDITATION TEACHERS Jack Kornfield I 107 Ajaan Thanissaro I 117 Sharon Salzberg 1.130 Bhante Gunaratana I 136 Christina Feldman I 146 Leigh Brasington I 156 Ajahn BrahmavaJTlso I 166 Pa Auk Sayadaw I 174 Contents APPENDIX I Does It Matter Where You Watch the Breath? 1 183 a p p e n d i x 2 The Four Stages ofEnlightenment 1 187 a p p e n d ix 3 Organization o f the Pali Canon 1 189 a p p e n d i x 4 Samatha Meditation Practices o f the Visuddhimagga 1 191 Notes | 207 Glossary I215 Sources for- the Pali Texts | 219 Credits | 221 Index | 223 vii PREFACE THE IDEA AND MOTIVATION FOR WRITING THIS BOOK HAS EVOLVED ever since first beginning meditation in 1970. Since then I have been for­ tunate to have studied and practiced with a number of teachers, each of them offering their own understanding and perspective of the Dharma and of meditation practice. Dharma practice comprises awide range of wise instructions and skillful means, and each teacher will offer guidance based on his or her own understanding and experience. The resulting diversity of approaches to conveying the core teachings and the meditative path can be confusing, and there seemed a need to try to unravel themix of conflicting views and styles of meditation. Much of what is written and taught by contemporary meditation teachers - is heavily influenced by the Pali commentaries, which represent the understanding and interpretation of the Pali suttas that existed some­ time around the first century c .e . The commentaries evolved in the early centuries after the Buddha’s passing and may not necessarily reflect how the teachings were understood in the early years. This is an area of great disagreement and debate. Samadhi holds an importantplace in many Buddhist traditions. In order to understand the range ofviews and opinions on the subject, which exist even within individual Buddhist traditions, one currently has to study many sources, including the Pali suttas and other foundational sources such as the Visuddhimagga, an extremely influential treatise written in the com- mentarial tradition. This book differs from most books on samadhi in that it is not present­ ing teachings from only one teacher or perspective. Rather, the intent is to provide an in-depth, broad, and thorough examination of various foun­ dation^ texts, interpretations of the texts, and teachings on samadhi, and ix Preface then discuss some of the controversies, disagreements, and views on the topic. Clearly, there are plenty of areas in the suttas that can be interpreted in more than one way. Anyone engaging in a project of this sort will inevi­ tably bring his or her own perspectives and views to the project. I try to be careful not to say that any particular interpretation is the "right” one, but rather to present the material in a way that is as unbiased as possible and then examine various interpretations. Part I of this book examines in detail samadhi as presented in the Pali suttas, without regard to the commentaries. Next samadhi is presented separately from the perspective of the Visuddhimagga, without consid­ eration of what is in the suttas, so that the material can be viewed on its own. The two texts are then compared in a section discussing controver­ sies surrounding these topics, such as what is jhana; are there two paths of practice—tranquillity and insight—or one path that synthesizes the two; and is jhana necessary for liberating insight. In a few places ' bold text is used to highlight certain words or phrases that are of particular relevance within a quoted passage to the topic being discussed. Part 2 of the book consists of interviews with well-known meditation teachers. Once readers understand the texts and range ofunderstandings, they can see how and where each teacher falls within the overall landscape of teachings on the topic. This book is targeted toward the general reader—meditators, of course, but anyonewishing to understand the range of teachings and mix of ideas on this topic so central to meditation practice. One of the challenges with a project of this nature is to delve thoroughly into the material without creating an overly academic or scholarly work, making it accessible to the general reader who might have only a basic exposure to Dharma teachings while still providing a comprehensive presentation of the material. I hope both purposes have been served. It is of utmost importance that any study of texts orteachings be practi­ cal. Study of the old texts can be an interestingexercise in its own right, but studyis oflittlepracticalvalueunless it serves to support the application of the teachings. But study is of great practical help if it brings a perspective and framework within which to understand and come to know the fruits of the teachings directly. - x Prqace The great Thai meditation master Ajahn Chah said that study without practice is like a ladle in a pot of soup. The ladle is in the pot of soup every day, but it does not know the taste of the soup. We can immerse ourselves in Dharma study and talks, but if we want to experience the taste of the Dharma, we must put those teachings into practice through reflection and meditation. A Note on Abbreviations Texts from the Pali Canon: AN Anguttara Nikaya (Numerical Discourses) DN. Dlgha Nikaya (Long Discourses) Dhp Dhammapada- MN Majjhima Nikaya (Middle-Length Discourses) SN Sarpyutta Nikaya (Connected Discourses) Patis Patisambhidamagga Postcanonical Texts: Vism Visuddhimagga Vim Vimuttimagga Pm Paramatthamanjusa (Commentary to the Visuddhimagga) References to DN and MN are to sutta number. References to AN are to nipata and sutta number. References to SN are to sarpyutta and sutta number. References to Vism are to chapter and paragraph number. References to Patis are to treatise and paragraph. References to Vim are to page number in the Chinese text. xi ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I AM DEEPLY APPRECIATIVE OF AND GRATEFUL TO ALL THOSE WHO contributed to this . project, including: Ajaan Thanissaro, Bhikkhu Bodhi, and Gil Fronsdal, who most kindly and generously reviewed the initial draft of this book, providing extensive comments and invaluable insight. Ajaan Thanissaro, Bhante Gunaratana, Ajahn BrahmavaJ:Tlso, Pa Auk Sayadaw, Jack Kornfield, Sharon Salzberg, Christina Feldman, and Leigh Brasington, for sharing their teachings. Barbara Gates, ' who reviewed some initial writing and provided feed­ back on the organization and structure of the book. Special thanks toJoseph Goldstein for his many years of teaching, and to my wife, Kathy Grayson, for her patience and support in living with someone writing a - book. I am sincerely grateful to Shambhala Publications, and in particular to Emily Bower, without whose support this project would not have been possible. To the extent this book is helpful to Dharma practitioners, the project has been worthwhile. For any shortcomings in this book I • alone am responsible. xii INTRODUCTION I considered.. couldjhana be the path to enlighten­ ment? Then came the realization: “That is the path to enlightenment. ” The Buddha, Mahasaccaka Sutta EVEN BY THE ARDENT STANDARDS OF HIS DAY, THE AUSTERITIES and asceticism the soon-to-be Buddha had undertaken in the course of his spiritual quest were extreme, leaving him emaciated and weak, but no closer to his goal.