This week’s reading is the fifth of the Six Paramitas — concentration. A
component of this paramita is the jhanas, altered states of consciousness
which can arise during periods of strong concentration. The Jhanas are
naturally occurring states of mind. Their principle use in Buddhist
meditation is to generate ever increasing levels of concentration so when
the mind is turned to a practice that cultivates wisdom, it can do that
practice with far less distraction. Buddha created many lists that identify
the levels of jhanas, such a rapture, joy and calm abiding. There are too
many to mention here, but it can be helpful to identify some of these jhanas so that meditators will have an idea of what to expect and how to
accommodate them. We will talk about the jhanas on Monday night along with our discussion on the fifth paramita.
5. The Perfection of Concentration (Dhyana Paramita)
This paramita is the enlightened quality of awareness, concentration,
mindfulness and mental stability. Our minds have the tendency to be very
distracted and restless, always moving from one thought or feeling to
another. Because of this, our attention stays fixated in the ego, in the
surface layers of the mind and emotions, and we just keep engaging in the
same habitual patterns of behavior. The perfection of concentration means
training our mind so that it does what we want it to do. We stabilize our
mind and emotions by practicing meditation, by being mindful and aware in everything we do. We gradually achieve focus, composure, and tranquility. Concentration allows the deep insight needed to transform the habitual misperceptions and attachments that cause confusion and suffering. As we eliminate these misperceptions and attachments, we can directly experience the joy, compassion, and wisdom of our true nature. The development of concentration requires perseverance. Thus the previous paramita of effort and perseverance brings us to this paramita of concentration. In addition, when there is no practice of meditation and concentration, we cannot achieve the other paramitas, because their essence, which is the inner awareness that comes from meditation, is lacking. To attain wisdom, it is essential that we develop the mind through concentration, meditation, and mindfulness.
