Vipassana - Access Meditation

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Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby Vincenzi » Sun Apr 15, 2012 4:57 pm

i have some unresolved intelectualistic objections against "access meditation".

as far as i know:
anapanasatti - 4 jhānas - 4 arupa-jhānas

what's "access meditation", and what's its relationship with vipassana?
arguments supported by sutric reference preferred.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby Khalil Bodhi » Sun Apr 15, 2012 5:09 pm

Salve Vincenzi,

I believe the phrase you are looking for is "access concentration". I believe it is found primarily (if not exclusively) in the commentaries but I'm sure someone more knowledgable will reply shortly.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby cooran » Sun Apr 15, 2012 8:13 pm

Hello V.,

Access Concentration is Upacara Samadhi - and is a factor related to Jhana Meditation:
Have a look at paragraph B :
http://www.angelfire.com/electronic/awa ... ption.html

with metta
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby space_wrangler » Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:09 pm

i could be wrong but i believe access concentration is from the commentaries, not in the suttas, as the suttas do not teach one-pointed concentration? if im wrong please inform me.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby retrofuturist » Sun Apr 15, 2012 11:22 pm

Greetings,

space_wrangler wrote:i could be wrong but i believe access concentration is from the commentaries, not in the suttas, as the suttas do not teach one-pointed concentration? if im wrong please inform me.

You are correct... which is going to make the OP's stated preference for sutta-based supporting evidence/argumentation hard to come by.

Metta,
Retro. :)
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby Bhikkhu Pesala » Mon Apr 16, 2012 5:12 am

A search for "upacārasamādhi*" found nothing in the CSCD Tipṭaka until the Commentaries were included, so we can say with confidence that the term is exclusively used in the Comentaries, Subcommentaries, or Other works like the Visuddhimagga.

The Venerable Ledi Sayādaw explains How to Proceed to Insight using mindfulness of respiration as the meditation object.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby Ben » Mon Apr 16, 2012 5:43 am

Thank you, Bhante.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby tiltbillings » Mon Apr 16, 2012 6:13 am

space_wrangler wrote:i could be wrong but i believe access concentration is from the commentaries, not in the suttas, as the suttas do not teach one-pointed concentration? if im wrong please inform me.
it is, indeed, a commentarial concept, but that does not mean it is not a useful concept in understanding one's experience. The authors of the commentaries were not complete bozos.

What is the use of his knowledge
pertaining to the number of insects in the whole world?
Rather, inquire into his knowledge of
that which is to be practised by us

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This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond.
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Níl sa saol seo ach ceo
There is naught in this life but mist
Is ní bheimid beo ach seal beag gearr.
And we will not be alive but a short hard time.
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Re: Vipassana - Access Meditation

Postby Alex123 » Mon Apr 23, 2012 10:27 pm

space_wrangler wrote:i could be wrong but i believe access concentration is from the commentaries, not in the suttas, as the suttas do not teach one-pointed concentration? if im wrong please inform me.


Just because the term upacārasamādh* is not used in the suttas, it doesn't mean that what it stands for wasn't taught by the Buddha.

For example, before one reaches Jhāna (or any insight for that matter), hindrances need to be temporary removed. This cessation of hindrances, IMHO, is in principle equivalent to what was later only technically called "access concentration". We need to look at the meaning rather than only at mere words.
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