Robin Beck

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iirc, this was started for those who missed their e-sangha fix. We formerly had a Nichiren Sangha at E-Sangha. Others are welcome to join.

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Three Levels and Two Kinds of Concentration

This has been revised due to a minor error. The mistake occurred to me during a conversation at an on line forum. Discussing ideas without attachment to conclusions is just very helpful. I had confused Khanika Samadhi; or moment to moment concentration with Parikamma Samadhi; or preliminary concentration. It appears that Khanika Samadhi is actually the same as what I was calling mindful concentration.

Originally Posted by rbeck at January 5, 2010 03:29 PM

A note on Samatha and Vipassana

Please keep in mind that I am giving my own take on things. I encourage others to develop their own understanding. As I have suggested many times, different teachers and traditions use Buddhist terms in unique ways. There are also lots of different translations of terms.

One item that has come to my attention is the use of the terms samatha 止 {shi} and vipassana {kan 観}. The consensus is that Samatha means calm abiding; while vipassana is usually translated as insight. In the Suttas, both are used to mean complimentary mental states developed through meditation. Thus, either Right Absorption 正禅{shozen} or Right Mindfulness 正念 {shonen} could be used to develop both calm abiding and insight.

It looks like, gradually, calm abiding {samatha} and insight {vipassana} have come to be viewed as two different kinds of meditation. My perception is that the development of fixed {appana}, one pointed {ekagatta / ekagrarta}, and absorption {jhana / dhyana} concentration {samadhi} came to be identified with calm abiding {samatha}. Meanwhile, it appears that the development of mindfulness {sati / smrti} or alert concentration came to be associated with insight {vipassana}. This tendency to turn words expressing both shared and distinct meanings into synonyms is rather pervasive in Buddhism.

Absorption and mindfulness are 2/3 of the second training, or cultivation; variously called spiritual development {citta bhavana}, higher mentality {adhicitta}, or the training of concentration {samadhi 定}. The third is exertion or effort {vayama / vyayama}. Collectively, these three could be associated Calm Abiding {samatha}; while vipassana could be associated with the third training of discernment {panna / prajna 慧}.

That stated, I am pretty much retaining this technical mistake for now. I do think that the fixed concentration is more conducive to calm abiding; while mindful concentration is more conducive to insight. However, I also think, eventually, samatha and vipassana will cease to be viewed as two different kinds of meditation. Instead, I suspect they will come to be correctly viewed as complimentary mental states that are achieved through all three methods of cultivation listed in the Eight-fold Path; Proper Exertion, Proper Mindfulness, and Proper Absorption.

Another thing; in the past, I held the view that view that the meditative absorptions, fixed concentration, or calm abiding {not to mention the four fold restraint} could be skipped; that only mindfulness leading to insight is needed. As of right now, I think that was a mistake. Buddhism offers a smorgasbord of useful practices. Buddhists should feel free to pick them up or put them down depending on one's needs. The more important thing is clarity of purpose.

As a faith or devotional practice; I do not venerate any Buddha other than Shakyamuni. The core of my practice is chanting Namu Myoho Renge Kyo; using Nichiren's Gohonzon as a meditative visualization. I also use the mantras of various mythical Bodhisattvas to cultivate specific merits when I see the need. In addition, I use some silent merit cultivations. Moreover, I practice a rudimentary form of the four frames of mindfulness, and am learning to sit in meditative absorption. For me, right now, these practices integrate the three aspects of the training of meditation; proper exertion, proper mindfulness, and proper absorption.

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Meditation for Western Nichiren Buddhists

This was something I composed off the top of my head in a Nichiren Buddhist Forum. It reiterates the main points in recent entries.I have expanded it and corrected the most obvious errata.

I compare Buddhist contemplative practices to an elevator. A Buddhist Altar is like the door to the elevator. Or we could say the Altar is like the housing that marks a formal place where the door can be accessed; and the Gohonzon enshrined in the Altar is like the door? The Daimoku, chanting Namu or Nam Myoho Renge Kyo, is like a key that opens the door. The door leads to a mental state called Access Concentration. Some are content to sit outside the door and worship or pray to it; or ask for divine favors. There is nothing wrong with doing that; it is called Preparation Concentration. It takes courage to enter. Veneration and prayer are means to develop trusting faith, so we have the courage to advance.

However, for some, worship becomes the end, rather than the means to the end of developing trusting faith and faith with discernment. Others may actually enter the elevator car, and, perhaps, go for joy rides. They may not realize that the car goes places, that it stops at various floors. Of course, this ride is not meant literally. The elevator is a symbol for Access Concentration. Interesting things can and do happen in Access Concentration. Visions and messages are fairly commonplace; but not all experience them. Also, prana or pneuma 気 {shi, ki, qi} might flow through body. For example, one's posture might become straighter and the hands often feel warm. The Mandala Gohonzon used in Nichiren Buddhism might appear three-dimensional and glow. The paintings or statues of the Buddha and other beings enshrined in some altar arrangements might appear to come to life. Some could mistake these phenomena for more advanced attainments.

As I mentioned, the elevator of Access Concentration goes places. Others have visited these 'floors' and mapped them. There are nine main floors on one side. Collectively, these nine are called Fixed Concentration or Absorptions. As the car of Access Concentration approaches one of these floors; which are actually meditative states, there is a sinking sensation, just before it settles to a stop and the door opens, much like the odd sensation one feels on a physical elevator. When one gets off the elevator, and enters one of these 'floors,' or moves from Access to Fixed Concentration; one's five external sense doors close. One experiences no physical contact between the sense organs and their objects. If someone speaks to us, or taps us on the shoulder, it will take several attempts to get our attention.

In the first four of these, there is a perception of form in the abstract; mental imagery or intangible forms; but, as I mentioned, no sensory contact. The first of these four levels has five attributes -- analytical thought, rapt attention, emotional joy, vedanic bliss, and one pointed awareness. These gradually dissipate at the higher levels. At the second level, analytical thought and rapt attention are gone. At the third, there is only bliss and one pointed awareness. At the fourth, the one pointed awareness fades and merges with equanimity. These first four floors are called the Form Absorptions, or Fine Material Absorptions. Some may use other words; like Concentration, Meditation, or Contemplation, instead of Absorption; but it all means the same thing.

On the Fifth through Eighth Levels there is neither form nor contact; these states are completely abstract and purely conceptual. At the fourth of these, the eighth level overall. even conception and perception fade into 'Neither Perception nor Non-perception.' These four are called the Formless Absorptions, Fine material Absorptions, or Attainments. The Ninth is a cessation of mental activity, called Nirodha. Visiting any or all of these nine levels is variously called Calm Abiding Meditation, Stopping Meditation, Absorption Meditation, Concentration Meditation, Fixed Concentration, Samma Jhana, Samyak Jhana, or Samatha / Shamatha Bhavana.

There is only one floor on the other side; with four or five open rooms. It is really pretty much on the ground floor. In a sense, we are going through Access Concentration to the other side. There are different stages of this, but explaining gets rather complicated. This 'floor' is called Alert or Mindful Concentration. Unlike with Fixed Concentration, in Mindfulness or Mindful Concentration, the external sense doors remain open, so there is contact. The mind moves rather than remaining at a fixed point; but there is no attachment or clinging to sensory objects. The mind is discerning; but pliant, supple, and non-judgmental. As progress is made, there is an enhanced or purified sensory contact. One practice of this is called the Four Frames or Foundations of Mindfulness {Satipatthana, Smrti-upasthana}; another is an observation of the rising and falling of the five clinging aggregates or khandas / skandhas. There is also Nichiren style 観心 {kanjin}; among others.

Finally, there are Five mental states that absolutely keep us from experiencing anything more profound than a very fleeting Momentary or Vaporous Concentration. These are called Hindrances or Veils. Momentary Concentration is like catching a passing glimpse of the elevator. We must temporarily overcome the Five Hindrances, or lift the Five Veils, before we can move into Access Concentration. The Hindrances are:

1. Sensory Desires, lust, greedy carving, avarice, infatuations.
2. Enmity, anger, hatred, rebelliousness, resistance, closed mind.
3. Lazy Nature, boredom, melancholia, funk, mental fog.
4. Anxiety and Depression; unresolved guilt and shame.
5. Mistrust, distrust, cynicism, excessive skepticism.

Before we can enter the elevator; or move into Access Concentration, some preparation or preliminary exercise is very helpful. So there is also a third kind of concentration. This is variously called Right / Correct / Proper Endeavor / Effort / Exertion / Exercise {Samma Vayama, Samyak Vyayama}, Preparation / Preliminary Concentration, or the Fourfold Restraint. This helps us to at least temporarily overcome the Five hindrances and consists of:

1. Blocking or restraining mental afflictions that have not arisen.
2. Letting go of or abandoning mental afflictions that have arisen.
3. Cultivating merits or virtues.
4. Maintaining and suffusing merits.

Afflictions are just mental states that motivate bad behavior; like greed, hatred, ignorance, pride, envy, and so on. Merits are positive mental states; like kindness, compassion, patience, and so on; which motivate rightful conduct. Virtues are the inherent attributes of Buddha Nature. The various knots, afflictions, fetters, obsessions, etcetera, in the mind and heart, keep innate virtues from emerging or surfacing.

There are many long lists of afflictions to avoid and merits to cultivate. To keep it simple, cultivating merits and/or virtues really covers all four restraints. Positive mental states are like clean water; they block 'dirt' from entering, cleanse 'dirt' that is present, purify the mind, and suffuse blessings. The most popular merit cultivation right now is probably Loving Kindness Cultivation. This is also commonly referred to as Compassion Meditation. It breaks down into developing four wholesome mental states that serve as antidotes to common afflictions.

There is a silent "4 kinds of persons" kindness meditation that seamlessly blends with the fourth or even fifth prayer. The Tibetans have a method called Tonglen, but I am not very familiar with that. There is also a method of suffusing or radiating good will in the ten directions; which can be blended with sending people Daimoku / chanting Daimoku for others. This is a very powerful mojo to heal personal relationships, among other things. After I arouse the intangible states of Loving Kindness, Compassion, Joyful Empathy, and Impartiality or Equanimity, I visualize my Daimoku powering these emotions and then spiraling 'mettawaves' outward in a clock-wise direction. There is no need to mix in other mantras. The concept of cultivating impartial loving kindness is already contained in these words from Soka Gakkai's silent prayers, "I pray for peace throughout the world and the happiness of all humanity."

This is all easier than it sounds and is not all that time consuming. It gives me something to do during Gongyo, other than chanting for a new car or for temple closures. There is nothing wrong with chanting for things that meet our needs and wants. However, if we become obsessed with acquisition of material goods, or attached to momentary sensory pleasure; then our chanting can turn into cultivating the First Hindrance. Meanwhile, turning Daimoku into a curse, to get revenge, is obviously cultivating the Second Hindrance. Instead of trying to destroy real or perceived evil; it just might be better to generate and transmit healing metta-waves?

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More On Mixing and Matching Practices: Intention

There are few topics that cause more controversy among Nichiren Buddhists than mixing other Buddhist practices with Daimoku chanting. Most will agree that Daimoku, chanting Namu -- or Nam' - Myoho Renge Kyo is primary. Nichiren specifically endorsed several ancillary or supplemental practices. Examples would include worshiping and / or contemplating a Gohonzon based on the Lotus sutra, and reciting segments of the Lotus Sutra. Of course, there are disagreements on both the correct format of a Gohonzon, and its significance. For some, the Gohonzon is primary, for others it is supplemental. As for the Sutra, there are differing opinions on which parts should be recited.

I have a lot of questions. Are there technical Buddhist terms for 'primary' and 'ancillary' or 'supplemental?' Does primary mean it is sufficient by itself? Or is just a prerequisite that comes first; like primary school? Does it mean that it is indispensable and necessary; while the ancillary practices are optional? If ancillary practices are optional, may we choose our own options from the vast body of Buddhist Practices; or are we limited to those that Nichiren used himself, specifically endorsed, or at least tolerated? What if Nichiren allowed a practice for one follower; but told another to avoid it?

Must we factor in the time when Nichiren wrote something; before or after the Tatsunokuchi persecution? Do Nichiren's suggestions, guidance, and admonitions to followers who lived in 13th Century Japan even apply on the global stage of the 21st Century? How does one deal with outdated, medieval, superstitious notions, like dragons causing rain? Should we strictly rely on and limit our options to the literal and specific, examples supplied to us in Nichiren's writings? What about practices that he did not even address?

Perhaps we should we seek a general, conceptual understanding, and then apply the concepts and principles to come up with methods or techniques of practice that meet our present wants and needs? I think most would agree that, among the multitude of Buddhist practices, Nichiren was most critical of the Nembutsu chant associated with Honen's Pure Land School. In one of Nichiren's major doctrinal treatises,he even referred to Honen's Nembutsu as the 'One Great Evil.' I have examined the translated Gosho that are available to me, looking for specific guidance about Nembutsu, to his followers. I came up with three scenarios:

1. A prominent layperson, and probable government official, from Sado Island, was, in his public life, a devout believer in the Nembutsu. Meanwhile, he was also a covert disciple of Nichiren. This follower was advised to keep a low profile, and not show his copy of the Lotus Sutra to anyone. Also, this follower was advised that combining a practice of Daimoku and Nembutsu was preferable to exclusive reliance on Nembutsu; but exclusively relying on Daimoku was best. This example makes me think of contemporary western Buddhists that are members of Christian congregations, primarily for social reasons.

2. Another disciple was told that chanting a little Nembutsu would not be harmful; provided one puts the Daimoku first. Specifically, the follower was told to chant plenty of Daimoku before chanting the Nembutsu.

3. Then there is the advice to Akimoto; which some are so fond of citing. In a letter to this disciple, who, iirc, was a monk of some kind, Nichiren compared mixing Nembutsu with Daimoku to mixing his excrement with his rice. In other words, Nichiren appeared to be saying that Nembutsu is unclean, something to definitely avoid.

I am sure readers can come up with plenty of quotations in which Nichiren expresses criticism of Pure Land Buddhism. Keep in mind that I am discussing Nichiren's advice about Nembutsu only because it is, by far, the most extreme example of his critiques. I personally do not chant Nembutsu, nor do I suggest it, or even not suggest it, to others. I have no advice on the Amida mantras. For now, I am interested in understanding Nichiren's critiques. While Nichiren was sometimes hostile to Nembutsu; we can still find some nuance, wiggle room, and apparent contradiction in his words. This suggests that further investigation is needed.

Moreover, it strikes me as patently absurd to yank the advice to Akimoto, which was most likely just about Nembutsu, out of context, and use it summarily dismiss the mixing of all other practices; such as meditation, with Daimoku. There were cases in which Nichiren showed at least a smidgen of tolerance for the Nembutsu. I think the difference in the advice goes to two issues. First, there is the motive or intention of the disciple. For the lay follower from Sado, the Nembutsu was a social thing; possibly even a job requirement. In the second case I cited, it was, at worst, a harmless distraction. In the case of Akimoto, it was obviously a serious issue. To understand this, it is helpful to have a least a cursory knowledge of how and why Nembutsu was practiced.

In the Japan of Nichiren's time, there were two main kinds of Nembutsu practice. For convenience; I call these Contemplative Nembutsu and Devotional Nembutsu. My understanding in that the former was more or less devised and promoted by the Tendai Patriarch Eshin (942–1017), better known as Genshin. Basically, it combined a devotional practice, centered on the Buddha Amida, with the Tiantai Meditative practices of Calm Abiding and Insight; samatha-vipassana / shamatha-vipashyana 止観. The latter, Devotional Nembutsu, was promoted by in Japan by Honen (1133-1212).

Eshin apparently believed that humanity was entering the dreaded last days, an impure era in which people would lack both merit and the discerning wisdom needed to cultivate wholesome mental states. As such, the possibility of falling into the Eight Great Purgatories was seen as a clear and present danger. So the first thing was to save the follower from Heck; through Transference of Merit 施福移轉 {hīfu yízhuan / sefuku iten} or 迴向門 {huíxiangmen / ekoman}. This was to be achieved by calling on the compassionate saving grace of Amida Buddha; via devotional chanting and meditation.

Note that in one or more of the Mahayana Sutras, the Buddha Amida had vowed to grant rebirth in the Pure Land to anyone who called on his name. Then, in the next life, in the Pure Land, one would be able to carry out the more advanced practices and attain Awakening. This is similar to the Theravadin concept of the third stage disciples, called Anagamin or non-returners. The Anagamin, after death, are reborn in the Pure Abodes, and it is there that they are finally able to attain the final stage of Arhat.

I suspect that, in terms of Eshin's Contemplative Nembutsu, this language could be construed as figurative. Put another way, a disciple with little or no merit would be unable get past the Five Hindrances and attain Fixed Concentration. Even if such a person entered the elevator; or attained the Access Concentration, the ride would likely be frightening; like a descent into Heck, instead of an ascension to the Fine Material Heavens. So, the devotional practice would be a kind of Preparation Concentration; like what I discussed in the previous entry. On one occasion, Nichiren called Eshin's teachings broad, but not deep. I think Nichiren, perhaps, viewed Contemplative Nembutsu as shallow because it relied on the wrong Buddha and the wrong Devotional Mantra? I think that, venerating the wrong Buddha for this age, is the second issue. Nichiren's own view might seem rather shallow, why quibble over which Buddha one venerates or which sounds one mumbles? I think we need understand his reasoning; but that is another topic. For now, I am more interested in intention or motive; what one seeks to gain or glean from a practice.

At any rate, there was also the Devotional Nembutsu; which was promoted in Japan by Honen. My understanding is that Honen construed the Amida Pure Land myth literally. I am told that he saw all other practices, even the Calm Abiding and Insight Meditations themselves, as impediments. If so, it might be safe to say that the Devotional Nembutsu, as originally taught by Honen, was not self completing in this life time. In contrast to this. Nichiren taught that Daimoku enables one to practice 観心 {kanjin} and complete the path in this lifetime. Note the 観 {kan} is the same as in 止観 {shikan}. 観 is a translation of vipashyana; a spiritual introspection or insight practice leading directly to Awakening.

It is highly doubtful whether Nichiren's problems with Devotional Nembutsu even still apply to the 21st Century Pure Land Schools. That is not really my scope here. I am interested in how Nichiren understood the Devotional Nembutsu that was promoted by Honen. That might clarify Nichiren's guidance to Akimoto. On mixing rice and excrement, those are essentially the same thing, but at two different stages of the digestive process. Nichiren also used the 'hole in the bucket' analogy. The former might imply confusing cause & effect. The latter clearly implies conflicting goals that cancel each other out. Let's assume that Akimoto was mixing Honen's Devotional Nembutsu with Nichiren's 観心 {kanjin} based on Daimoku. Perhaps he hoped that he could Awaken, via Daimoku, in this life; but was not convinced? So, as a way of hedging his bets, he also sought rebirth in the pure land, via Nembutsu? That would be sort of like riding two horses going in different directions. One could only go in circles, and get nowhere. Had Honen been alive, he might have told Akimoto to make up his mind.

That said, let's suppose that one views rebirth in the Pure Land as figurative language? In other words, one views it as a state of mind one can attain in the here and now? Moreover, lets say one views this as a preliminary or preparation practice; not as the end goal? Then, I think, the conflict begins to vanish. At worst, Nembutsu becomes superfluous or a waste of time. Personally, I do not chant Nembutsu, not even as an ancillary practice. I do carry out other supplemental practices to cultivate merits, and attain blissful states of mind. I do not even see those as ways to attain Awakening. They are, for me, right now, ways of cultivating spiritual good health. I do not see bathing as a way to Awakening either; but I still wash my body. My conclusion, for now, is still that the apparent contradictions, in Nichiren's guidance about Nembutsu, is that this was about the intention or motive of the particular follower. Maybe that is a concept we can apply to our own practice(s)?

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