In this way he remains focused internally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or externally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or both internally & externally on mental qualities in & of themselves. Or he remains focused on the phenomenon of origination with regard to mental qualities, on the phenomenon of passing away with regard to mental qualities, or on the phenomenon of origination & passing away with regard to mental qualities. Or his mindfulness that 'There are mental qualities' is maintained to the extent of knowledge & remembrance. And he remains unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the five hindrances....

Furthermore, the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the seven factors of awakening. And how does a monk remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the seven factors of awakening? There is the case where, there being mindfulness as a factor of awakening present within, a monk discerns that 'Mindfulness as a factor of awakening is present within me.' Or, there being no mindfulness as a factor of awakening present within, he discerns that 'Mindfulness as a factor of awakening is not present within me.' He discerns how there is the arising of unarisen mindfulness as a factor of awakening. And he discerns how there is the culmination of the development of mindfulness as a factor of awakening once it has arisen. [The same formula is repeated for the remaining factors of awakening: analysis of qualities, persistence, rapture, serenity, concentration, & equanimity.]

In this way he remains focused internally on mental qualities in & of themselves, or externally...unsustained by (not clinging to) anything in the world. This is how a monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves with reference to the seven factors of awakening....

Now, in anyone who would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven years, one of two fruits can be expected: either gnosis right here & now, or -- if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance -- non-return.

Let alone seven years. In anyone who would develop these four frames of reference in this way for six years...five...four...three..two years...one year...seven months...six months...five...four...three...two months...one month...half a month, one of two fruits can be expected: either gnosis right here & now, or -- if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance -- non-return.

Let alone half a month. In anyone who would develop these four frames of reference in this way for seven days, one of two fruits can be expected: either gnosis right here & now, or -- if there be any remnant of clinging/sustenance -- non-return.

'This is the direct path for the purification of beings, for the overcoming of sorrow & lamentation, for the disappearance of pain & distress, for the attainment of the right method, & for the realization of Unbinding -- in other words, the four frames of reference.' Thus was it said, and in reference to this was it said.


[MN 10]


§ 29. Breath Meditation.
And how is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing developed & pursued so as to bring the four frames of reference to their culmination?
On whatever occasion a monk (1) breathing in long discerns that he is breathing in long; or breathing out long, discerns that he is breathing out long; (2) or breathing in short, discerns that he is breathing in short; or breathing out short, discerns that he is breathing out short; (3) trains himself to breathe in...&... out sensitive to the entire body; (4) trains himself to breathe in...&...out calming bodily fabrications: On that occasion, monks, the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this -- the in-&-out breath -- is classed as a body among bodies, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

On whatever occasion a monk (5) trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to rapture; (6) trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to pleasure; (7) trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to mental fabrications; (8) trains himself to breathe in...&...out calming mental fabrications: On that occasion the monk remains focused on feelings in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I tell you, monks, that this -- careful attention to in-&-out breaths -- is classed as a feeling among feelings, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on feelings in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

On whatever occasion a monk (9) trains himself to breathe in...&...out sensitive to the mind; (10) trains himself to breathe in...&...out satisfying the mind; (11) trains himself to breathe in...&...out steadying the mind; (12) trains himself to breathe in...&...out releasing the mind: On that occasion the monk remains focused on the mind in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. I don't say that there is mindfulness of in-&-out breathing in one of confused mindfulness and no presence of mind, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on the mind in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

On whatever occasion a monk (13) trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on inconstancy; (14) trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on dispassion; (15) trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on cessation; (16) trains himself to breathe in...&...out focusing on relinquishment: On that occasion the monk remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- subduing greed & distress with reference to the world. He who sees clearly with discernment the abandoning of greed & distress is one who oversees with equanimity, which is why the monk on that occasion remains focused on mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world.

This is how mindfulness of in-&-out breathing is developed & pursued so as to bring the four frames of reference to their culmination.


[MN 118]


§ 30. Mindfulness & Concentration.
Having abandoned the five hindrances -- imperfections of awareness that weaken discernment -- the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. He remains focused on feelings...mind...mental qualities in & of themselves -- ardent, alert, & mindful -- putting aside greed & distress with reference to the world. Just as if an elephant trainer were to plant a large post in the ground and were to bind a forest elephant to it by the neck in order to overcome its forest habits, overcome its forest memories & resolves, overcome its distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the forest, to make it delight in the town and to inculcate in it habits congenial to human beings. In the same way, these four frames of reference are bindings for the awareness of the disciple of the noble ones, for the sake of overcoming his household habits, overcoming his household memories & resolves, overcoming his distraction, fatigue, & fever over leaving the household life, for the attainment of the right method and the realization of Unbinding.
Then the Tathagata trains him further: "Come, monk, remain focused on the body in & of itself, but do not think any thoughts connected with the body. Remain focused on feelings in & of themselves, but do not think any thoughts connected with feelings. Remain focused on the mind in & of itself, but do not think any thoughts connected with mind. Remain focused on mental qualities in & of themselves, but do not think any thoughts connected with mental qualities." With the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, he enters the second jhana....


[MN 125]


§ 31. Right Concentration.
Visakha: Now what is concentration, what qualities are its themes, what qualities are its requisites, and what is its development?
Sister Dhammadinna: Singleness of mind is concentration; the four frames of reference are its themes; the four right exertions are its requisites; and any cultivation, development, & pursuit of these qualities is its development.


[MN 44]


§ 32.
These are the four developments of concentration. What four? There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now. There is the development of concentration that...leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision. There is the development of concentration that...leads to mindfulness & alertness. There is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to the ending of the effluents.
And what is the development of concentration that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now? There is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful qualities -- enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. With the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation -- internal assurance. With the fading of rapture he remains in equanimity, mindful & alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters & remains in the third jhana, and of him the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' With the abandoning of pleasure & pain -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress -- he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This is the development of concentration that...leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now.

And what is the development of concentration that...leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision? There is the case where a monk has the perception of light, the perception of daytime (at any hour of the day) well-fixed & well in hand. Day (for him) is the same as night, night is the same as day. By means of an awareness open & unhampered, he develops a brightened mind. This is the development of concentration that...leads to the attainment of knowledge & vision.

And what is the development of concentration that...leads to mindfulness & alertness? There is the case where a monk is conscious of feelings as they arise, as they persist, as they go totally to their end. He is conscious of perceptions as they arise, as they persist, as they go totally to their end. He is conscious of thoughts as they arise, as they persist, as they go totally to their end. This is the development of concentration that...leads to mindfulness & alertness.

And what is the development of concentration that...leads to the ending of the effluents? There is the case where a monk remains focused on arising & falling away with reference to the five aggregates for sustenance/clinging: 'Such is form, such its origination, such its passing away. Such is feeling... Such is perception...Such are fabrications...Such is consciousness, such its origination, such its passing away.' This is the development of concentration that...leads to the ending of the effluents.

These are the four developments of concentration.


[AN IV.41]


§ 33.
Now what, monks, is the five-factored noble right concentration? There is the case where a monk -- quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities -- enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills this very body with the rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal.
Just as if a skilled bathman or bathman's apprentice would pour bath powder into a brass basin and knead it together, sprinkling it again & again with water, so that his ball of bath powder -- saturated, moisture-laden, permeated within & without -- would nevertheless not drip; even so, monks, the monk permeates...this very body with the rapture & pleasure born of withdrawal. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal. This is the first development of the five-factored noble right concentration.

Furthermore, with the stilling of directed thought & evaluation, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of composure, one-pointedness of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation -- internal assurance. He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills this very body with the rapture & pleasure born of composure. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born of composure.

Just like a lake with spring-water welling up from within, having no inflow from east, west, north or south, and with the skies periodically supplying abundant showers, so that the cool fount of water welling up from within the lake would permeate & pervade, suffuse & fill it with cool waters, there being no part of the lake unpervaded by the cool waters; even so monks, the monk permeates...this very body with the rapture & pleasure born of composure. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by rapture & pleasure born of composure. This is the second development of the five-factored noble right concentration.

And furthermore, with the fading of rapture, he remains in equanimity, mindful & fully alert, and physically sensitive of pleasure. He enters & remains in the third jhana, and of him the Noble Ones declare, 'Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasurable abiding.' He permeates & pervades, suffuses & fills this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture, so that there is nothing of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture.

Just as in a blue-, white-, or red-lotus pond, there may be some of the blue, white, or red lotuses which, born & growing in the water, stay immersed in the water and flourish without standing up out of the water, so that they are permeated & pervaded, suffused & filled with cool water from their roots to their tips, and nothing of those blue, white, or red lotuses would be unpervaded with cool water; even so, monks, the monk permeates...this very body with the pleasure divested of rapture. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded with pleasure divested of rapture. This is the third development of the five-factored noble right concentration.

And furthermore, with the abandoning of pleasure & stress -- as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress -- he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither-pleasure-nor-pain. He sits, permeating the body with a pure, bright awareness, so that there is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness.

Just as if a man were sitting covered from head to foot with a white cloth so that there would be no part of his body to which the white cloth did not extend; even so, monks, the monk sits, permeating his body with a pure, bright awareness. There is nothing of his entire body unpervaded by pure, bright awareness. This is the fourth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.

And furthermore, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand, well attended to, well-pondered, well-penetrated by means of discernment.

Just as if one person were to reflect on another, or a standing person were to reflect on a sitting person, or a sitting person were to reflect on a person lying down; even so, monks, the monk has his theme of reflection well in hand, well attended to, well-pondered, well-penetrated by means of discernment. This is the fifth development of the five-factored noble right concentration.

When a monk has developed & pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.

Suppose that there were a water jar, set on a stand, brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to tip it in any way at all, would water spill out?

Yes, venerable sir.

In the same way, when a monk has developed & pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.

Suppose there were a rectangular water tank -- set on level round, bounded by dykes -- brimful of water so that a crow could drink from it. If a strong man were to loosen the dykes anywhere at all, would water spill out?

Yes, venerable sir...

Suppose there were a chariot on level ground at four crossroads, harnessed to thoroughbreds, waiting with whips lying ready, so that a skilled driver, a trainer of tamable horses, might mount and -- taking the reins with his left hand and the whip with his right -- drive out & back, to whatever place and by whichever road he liked; in the same way, when a monk has developed & pursued the five-factored noble right concentration in this way, then whichever of the six higher knowledges he turns his mind to know & realize, he can witness them for himself whenever there is an opening.


[AN V.28]


§ 34.
There's no jhana
for one with no discernment,
no discernment
for one with no jhana.
But one with both jhana
& discernment
is on the verge
of Unbinding.

[Dhp 372]


§ 35. Concentration & Discernment.
Suppose that an archer or archer's apprentice were to practice on a straw man or mound of clay, so that after a while he would become able to shoot long distances, to fire accurate shots in rapid succession, & to pierce great masses. In the same way, there is the case where a monk...enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born of withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. He regards whatever phenomena there that are connected with form, feeling, perceptions, fabrications, & consciousness as inconstant, stressful, a disease, a cancer, an arrow, painful, an affliction, alien, a dissolution, a void, not-self. He turns his mind away from those phenomena, and having done so, inclines his mind to the quality of deathlessness: 'This is peace, this is exquisite -- the resolution of all fabrications, the relinquishment of all mental acquisitions, the passing away of craving, dispassion, cessation, Unbinding.'
Having attained this point, he reaches the ending of the mental fermentations. Or, if not, then -- through passion & delight for this very quality [the discernment inclining to deathlessness] and from the total wasting away of the first of the five Fetters [self-identity views, grasping at precepts & practices, uncertainty, sensual passion, and irritation] -- he is due to be reborn [in the Pure Abodes], there to be totally unbound, never again to return from that world. (Similarly with the remaining levels of jhana.)