Sila (morality), samadhi (concentration) and panna (wisdom)

[continued from last week]

Now, we are able to realize that every time we are confronted with suffering it is
due to sorrow (soka)- heat in mind- elevating to unbearable levels. Heat, which
originates due to attachment in mind, spreads and elevates to unbearable levels,
eliminating mental composure and happiness. In Satapattana Sutta, we find the
technique to overcome the origination and intensification of sorrow in our lives.
This technique is laid down as, soka pariddavanam samathikkamaya. In other
words, this means the ability to be free from getting caught in defilements which
generate and spread heat in the mind and the body. The two-fold defilements
which are responsible for generating heat in the mind are greed (lobha) and
aversion (dosa). As soon as an attachment arises in mind, it generates a certain
degree of heat, making a life stressful, uncomfortable. In view this, it should be
evident that if one can surpass greed- related and aversion- related thoughts, then,
one is able to cool off the heat in the mind and bring about peace and happiness in
its place. From the time we started our journey on the cycle of rebirth and death,
we continued to inflame our minds with greed and aversion related thought
processes through our non-awareness. We never thought of transforming our minds
from an inflamed state to a peaceful, blissful state. The Blessed One assigned us
three precepts in order to surpass mental states with defilements and transform the
mind from inflamed states to peaceful, blissful states. Those three precepts are
morality (sila), concentration (samadhi) and wisdom (panna). So, we need to
surpass defilements and purify our minds, commencing with morality,
concentration and culminating with wisdom, if we are to escape from our
uncontended, desperate lives. This is the only way to achieve a contended, blissful
life.
From now onwards, let us look at the way of surpassing sorrow and lamentation
with the precept of morality (sila) which is the first in line. As analysed in the
Satipattana Sutta, Sila means not initiating any verbal or physical action based on
unwholesome thoughts which arise in the mind. Sila prevents initial thoughts from
growing, extending to verbal and physical action. Sila enables one to surpass the
usual growing, extending nature of unwholesome thoughts to verbal and physical
action. It is the exercise of restraint in respect of verbal and physical action. For
instance, if anger arises in an individual, he becomes aware that anger just arose in
him. This individual does not go beyond the point of becoming aware of this
thought. What is the outcome of this procedure? When one reacts with verbal or
physical action as a result of an unwholesome thought-anger in this case- an

imprint is created in the brain (mano dhatu), incorporating energy with the same
intensity of anger just arose, with the potential of generating and sustaining future
angry thoughts. While only arising of an angry thought leaves an imprint with less
intensity in the brain, escalating this angry thought to verbal and physical action
leaves a very strong, intense imprint in the brain. These imprints in the brain
would trigger similar reaction with a strong intensity and influence, when anger
arises in this individual in a future time. This process is surpassed (samatikkamaya)
by the precept of sila.
When one keeps practicing the exercise of surpassing unwholesome thoughts
without escalating to verbal and physical action, one is able to exercise effective
restraint in respect of future verbal and physical action. This function becomes
easier as mano dhatu (brain) does not exert too much pressure, as restraint by way
of sila had prevented leaving stronger imprints in the brain. This is how the precept
of sila averts sorrow (soka) and lamentation (parideva) in a virtuous individual.
Then, we need to consider the precept of concentration (Samadhi). In terms of the
analysis in the Satipattana Sutta, concentration means preserving the mind without
getting in to contact with defilements. The spell, during which the mind is devoid
of defilements, is known as Samadhi (concentration). The principle of surpassing
sorrow and lamentation is also applied in the case of the precept of Samadhi as
well. Even though, there is potential for defilements to arise in an individual, mind
could be isolated from defilements, through the restraint of verbal and bodily
action (sila). As the restraint of verbal and bodily action progresses to a higher
level, mind getting in to contact with defilements becomes gradually weakened.
Only non-restraint of verbal and bodily action would reinforce the future potential
of emerging similar unwholesome thoughts and accompanying imprints in the
brain. When we take the analogy of a car engine which is idling for some time,
you will notice how a battery gets weaker unless you step on the accelerator to
boost the engine and battery power. Similarly, when we escalate our unwholesome
thoughts to action, that would reinforce the magnetic energy (kama) inherent in us.
So, unwholesome thoughts would inflame the mind and the inflamed mind would
reinforce the magnetic energy (kama) to intense levels. Restraint of action would
weaken the reinforcement of magnetic energy gradually. One who practices
morality (sila) for the purpose of restraint of action would find such mental states
to be filled with peace and bliss. So,One continues to retain the mind free from
defilements. This would result in a meditator developing a Samadhi state in the
mind. This Samadhi state would enable a meditator to develop thoughts based on
loving kindness (metta) which would always establish the mind on wholesome

sense objects. (kusalarammana). This is how the precept of concentration

(Samadhi) would result in a peaceful, blissful mental state.
Finally, we need to consider the precept of wisdom (panna). Panna means
rightful judgement. This is the judging of all phenomena in the world (loka) in
terms of its true nature of transiency. Every phenomenon lasts for a fleeting
moment. With the arising of wisdom, perception of the world, based on a
permanent and egoist entity, would transform to the true nature of transiency.
When a meditator truly realizes the true, inherent nature of transiency, he would
make a personal judgement to the effect that there is nothing in the world for a
person to attach or crave for. When one truly comprehends this true nature, ones
mind tends to reject attachment, desire. This is the arising of wisdom (panna).
In summing up, at this stage, a meditator observes and judges that only attachment
inflames a mind,and staying away from attachment calms down a mind. When
there is is no heat as a result of an inflamed mind (sorrow), then, there is no
potential heat capable of spreading all over a body (lamentation). So, a meditator
who could calm down the heat in a mind, resulting from defilements, to some
extent, would be able to extinguish the heat totally one day and attain the bliss of
NIBBANA.