Catalogue of Ekagga/Ekaggata Usages

Explore the ancient language of the Tipitaka and Theravāda commentaries
Post Reply
waryoffolly
Posts: 346
Joined: Fri Oct 04, 2013 8:30 pm

Catalogue of Ekagga/Ekaggata Usages

Post by waryoffolly »

Catalogue of Ekagga/Ekaggata

As before, I'm using digital pali reader and Ajahn Sujato's translations. This is only for the first four nikaya's. I'm aware that there are a few interesting examples in the KN as well, but I encourage others to do the legwork for that using digital pali reader: https://www.digitalpalireader.online/_d ... index.html . Search string used was 'ekagg'.

My comments are in [], suttas with the same or similar usages are in {}.

Ekaggam/Ekaggata are almost always associated with samadhi meaning roughly 'unification'. Such unification is possible while in any posture (AN 4.12), and while listening to a dhamma talk (usage 15/AN 5.151). The only non-samadhi usages are usage 1, and perhaps depending on your views usage 15 (I think 15 is also referring to samadhi personally.). Usage 1 also doesn't really give us any new information about the meaning of ekaggam despite being used in a non-samadhi context.

Usage 3 is especially important, as it is the most common usage. In usage three there is a common stock formula for some type of samadhi. This type of samadhi is possible while in any posture (AN 4.12), and as such, depending on your views, you may decide it must be access concentration. The stock phrase in usage three also occurs several times right before the jhana formulas which admits two possible interpretations: 1. The stock passage is referring to 'access concentration' where the hindrances are absent and from which jhana's are 'just around the corner' or 2. The stock passage itself is referring to jhana's, and the placement of jhanas's below it is an equation. I'm leaning towards interpretation 1 myself, although believing that may require also believing that samma-samadhi (which is capable of producing full liberation) includes pre-jhanic samadhi, so I have mixed feelings.

(See the phd thesis here: https://www.proquest.com/docview/873442 ... CB4A85PQ/1 for more discussion of 'access concentration' prior to jhana which is sufficient for full liberation according to some early schools of Buddhism.)

Up next is the similar word 'ekodi'.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
1. Devas agreeing in unison
---------------------------------------------
DN 18
Hearing that, the gods of the Thirty-Three agreed in unison:
Idaṃ sutvā devā tāvatiṃsā ekaggā samāpajjiṃsu:

{DN 18, DN 19}

---------------------------------------------
2. Unification of mind with seven factors is samma-samadhi
---------------------------------------------
DN 18
Unification of mind with these seven factors as prerequisites is called noble right immersion ‘with its vital conditions’ and ‘with its prerequisites’.
Yā kho, bho, imehi sattahaṅgehi cittassa ekaggatā parikkhatā, ayaṃ vuccati, bho, ariyo sammāsamādhi saupaniso itipi saparikkhāro itipi.

{DN 18, MN 117, SN 45.28, AN 7.45}
---------------------------------------------
3. Common samadhi stock phrase or very similar usages
---------------------------------------------
MN 4
My energy was roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness was established and lucid, my body was tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind was immersed in samādhi.
Āraddhaṃ kho pana me, brāhmaṇa, vīriyaṃ ahosi asallīnaṃ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṃ cittaṃ ekaggaṃ.

MN 5
But there are those gentlemen who went forth from the lay life to homelessness out of faith. They’re not devious, deceitful, and sneaky. They’re not restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, and loose-tongued. They guard their sense doors and eat in moderation, and they are dedicated to wakefulness. They care about the ascetic life, and keenly respect the training. They’re not indulgent or slack, nor are they leaders in backsliding, neglecting seclusion. They’re energetic and determined. They’re mindful, with situational awareness, immersion, and unified minds; wise, not stupid. Hearing this exposition of the teaching from Venerable Sāriputta, they drink it up and devour it, as it were. And in speech and thought they say:
Ye pana te kulaputtā saddhā agārasmā anagāriyaṃ pabbajitā, asaṭhā amāyāvino aketabino anuddhatā anunnaḷā acapalā amukharā avikiṇṇavācā, indriyesu guttadvārā, bhojane mattaññuno, jāgariyaṃ anuyuttā, sāmaññe apekkhavanto, sikkhāya tibbagāravā, na bāhulikā na sāthalikā, okkamane nikkhittadhurā, paviveke pubbaṅgamā, āraddhavīriyā pahitattā upaṭṭhitassatī sampajānā samāhitā ekaggacittā paññavanto aneḷamūgā, te āyasmato sāriputtassa imaṃ dhammapariyāyaṃ sutvā pivanti maññe, ghasanti maññe vacasā ceva manasā ca:
[samapajana is included in the stock phrase here. Sampajana is clearly defined in other cases as including all aspects of life not just 'formal meditation']

MN 28
My energy shall be roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness established and lucid, my body tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind immersed in samādhi. Gladly now, let fists, stones, sticks, and swords strike this body! For this is how the instructions of the Buddhas are followed.’
Āraddhaṃ kho pana me vīriyaṃ bhavissati asallīnaṃ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṃ cittaṃ ekaggaṃ. Kāmaṃ dāni imasmiṃ kāye pāṇisamphassāpi kamantu, leḍḍusamphassāpi kamantu, daṇḍasamphassāpi kamantu, satthasamphassāpi kamantu, karīyati hidaṃ buddhānaṃ sāsanan’ti.
[It almost suggests that the presence of cittam ekaggam will make one capable of handling physical support.]

SN 35.134
Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi. Seeing this fruit of diligence, I say that those mendicants have work to do with diligence when it comes to the six fields of contact.
Cetaso apariyādānā āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ. Imaṁ khvāhaṁ, bhikkhave, appamādaphalaṁ sampassamāno tesaṁ bhikkhūnaṁ chasu phassāyatanesu appamādena karaṇīyanti vadāmi …pe…
[Note here that this is called a fruit of dilligence which could suggest that this stock formula may on it's own be jhana.]

SN 47.4
Please, reverends, meditate observing an aspect of the body—keen, aware, at one, with minds that are clear, immersed in samādhi, and unified, so as to truly know the body.
Etha tumhe, āvuso, kāye kāyānupassino viharatha ātāpino sampajānā ekodibhūtā vippasannacittā samāhitā ekaggacittā, kāyassa yathābhūtaṁ ñāṇāya;
[This is explicitly telling us that satipatthana practice should be done with a mind unified in samadhi combining the stock formula with each satipatthana. Repeated for each satipatthana. Also notice that the union of vipassana and samatha is implied as being done here in satipatthana! Another usage that includes sampajana]

AN 3.130
“Well, Reverend Anuruddha, when you say: ‘With clairvoyance that is purified and surpasses the human, I survey the entire galaxy,’ that’s your conceit. And when you say: ‘My energy is roused up and unflagging, my mindfulness is established and lucid, my body is tranquil and undisturbed, and my mind is immersed in samādhi,’ that’s your restlessness.
“Yaṁ kho te, āvuso anuruddha, evaṁ hoti: ‘ahaṁ dibbena cakkhunā visuddhena atikkantamānusakena sahassaṁ lokaṁ volokemī’ti, idaṁ te mānasmiṁ. Yampi te, āvuso anuruddha, evaṁ hoti: ‘āraddhaṁ kho pana me vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggan’ti, idaṁ te uddhaccasmiṁ.

AN 4.12
Suppose a mendicant has got rid of desire and ill will while walking, and has given up dullness and drowsiness, restlessness and remorse, and doubt. Their energy is roused up and unflagging, their mindfulness is established and lucid, their body is tranquil and undisturbed, and their mind is immersed in samādhi. Such a mendicant is said to be ‘keen and prudent, always energetic and determined’ when walking.
Carato cepi, bhikkhave, bhikkhuno abhijjhābyāpādo vigato hoti, thinamiddhaṁ … uddhaccakukkuccaṁ … vicikicchā pahīnā hoti, āraddhaṁ hoti vīriyaṁ asallīnaṁ, upaṭṭhitā sati asammuṭṭhā, passaddho kāyo asāraddho, samāhitaṁ cittaṁ ekaggaṁ, carampi, bhikkhave, bhikkhu evaṁbhūto ‘ātāpī ottāpī satataṁ samitaṁ āraddhavīriyo pahitatto’ti vuccati.
[cittam ekaggam while walking. Repeated for all four postures. Clearcut evidence that citta ekaggam is not 'single perception' but includes being sensitive to five senses, yet with the mind unified in a single theme of investigation. If you take this stock formula to be jhana, then the conclusion is that jhana can be done in all postures. At the very least it's clear that this stock formula's level of samadhi is sufficient for liberation-so one may interpret this as access concentration being possible in any posture as well if saying jhana can be done while walking is too heretical for you.]

{MN 4, MN 5, MN 19 [right before jhana's], MN 28, MN 107, SN 35.134, SN 47.4, AN 3.40, AN 3.130, AN 4.12, AN 5.167, AN 6.59 [also includes sampajana], AN 8.11 [right before jhana's]}

---------------------------------------------
4. I've got better unification of mind than those other monks
---------------------------------------------
MN 29
And they glorify themselves and put others down on account of that: ‘I’m the one with immersion and unified mind. These other mendicants lack immersion, they have straying minds.’
So tāya samādhisampadāya attānukkaṃseti, paraṃ vambheti: ‘ahamasmi samāhito ekaggacitto, ime panaññe bhikkhū asamāhitā vibbhantacittā’ti.

{MN 29, MN 30}

---------------------------------------------
5. First jhana has five factors, including cittekaggata
---------------------------------------------
MN 43
“The first jhana has five factors. When a mendicant has entered the first jhana, vitakka, vicara, rapture, bliss, and unification of mind are present.
“paṭhamaṃ kho, āvuso, jhānaṃ pañcaṅgikaṃ. idhāvuso, paṭhamaṃ jhānaṃ samāpannassa bhikkhuno vitakko ca vattati, vicāro ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca. paṭhamaṃ kho, āvuso, jhānaṃ evaṃ pañcaṅgikan”ti.
[Replaced some contentious translations with the pali]

---------------------------------------------
6. Unification of mind is samadhi
---------------------------------------------
MN 44
“friend Visākha, unification of mind is samadhi
“yā kho, āvuso visākha, cittassa ekaggatā ayaṃ samādhi;

---------------------------------------------
7. Distinguishing phenomenon one by one including cittekaggata
---------------------------------------------
MN 111
And he distinguished the phenomena in the first jhana one by one: vitakka and vicara and rapture and bliss and unification of mind; contact, feeling, perception, intention, mind, enthusiasm, decision, energy, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention.
Ye ca paṭhame jhāne dhammā vitakko ca vicāro ca pīti ca sukhañca cittekaggatā ca, phasso vedanā saññā cetanā cittaṁ chando adhimokkho vīriyaṁ sati upekkhā manasikāro—tyāssa dhammā anupadavavatthitā honti.
[repeats for all four jhana, and first three formless states.]

---------------------------------------------
8. One who dwells diligently can experience unification of mind
---------------------------------------------
MN 125
“Master Aggivessana, I have heard that a mendicant who dwells diligently, keenly, and resolutely can experience unification of mind.”
“Sutaṁ metaṁ, bho aggivessana ‘idha bhikkhu appamatto ātāpī pahitatto viharanto phuseyya cittassa ekaggatan’”ti
[Ajahn Sujato has 'meditates' instead of 'dwells', but there's no reason to assume that the practice of being dilegent etc has to occur while in formal meditative practice.]

---------------------------------------------
9. Meditate on asubha with an unified mind
---------------------------------------------
SN 8.4
With mind unified and serene, meditate on the ugly aspects of the body.
Asubhāya cittaṁ bhāvehi, ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ;

---------------------------------------------
10. What is the faculty of samadhi?
---------------------------------------------
SN 48.9
And what is the faculty of immersion? It’s when a noble disciple, relying on letting go, gains immersion, gains unification of mind.
Katamañca, bhikkhave, samādhindriyaṁ? Idha, bhikkhave, ariyasāvako vossaggārammaṇaṁ karitvā labhati samādhiṁ, labhati cittassa ekaggataṁ—

AN 1.345
so too the sentient beings who, relying on letting go, gain immersion, gain unification of mind are few, while those who don’t gain immersion, don’t gain unification of mind relying on letting go are many
Evamevaṁ kho, bhikkhave, appakā te sattā ye vavassaggārammaṇaṁ karitvā labhanti samādhiṁ labhanti cittassekaggataṁ; atha kho eteva sattā bahutarā ye vavassaggārammaṇaṁ karitvā na labhanti samādhiṁ na labhanti cittassekaggataṁ.
[similar usage so I included it here]

---------------------------------------------
11. Iddhipada usage
---------------------------------------------
SN 51.13
“Mendicants, if a mendicant depends on enthusiasm in order to gain immersion, gain unification of mind, this is called immersion due to enthusiasm. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities don’t arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that bad, unskillful qualities that have arisen are given up. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities arise. They generate enthusiasm, try, make an effort, exert the mind, and strive so that skillful qualities that have arisen remain, are not lost, but increase, mature, and are fulfilled by development. These are called active efforts. And so there is this enthusiasm, this immersion due to enthusiasm, and these active efforts. This is called the basis of psychic power that has immersion due to enthusiasm, and active effort.
Chandañce, bhikkhave, bhikkhu nissāya labhati samādhiṁ, labhati cittassa ekaggataṁ. ayaṁ vuccati chandasamādhi. So anuppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ anuppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Uppannānaṁ pāpakānaṁ akusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ pahānāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Anuppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ uppādāya chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Uppannānaṁ kusalānaṁ dhammānaṁ ṭhitiyā asammosāya bhiyyobhāvāya vepullāya bhāvanāya pāripūriyā chandaṁ janeti vāyamati vīriyaṁ ārabhati cittaṁ paggaṇhāti padahati. Ime vuccanti ‘padhānasaṅkhārā’ti. Iti ayañca chando, ayañca chandasamādhi, ime ca padhānasaṅkhārā—ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, chandasamādhippadhānasaṅkhārasamannāgato iddhipādo.
[Repeated for all four iddhipada, quoted in full because this passage clearly explains at least the first iddhipada. Notice that cittasa ekaggatam is present despite the presence of (in fact due to) chanda (enthusiasm in the translation above). ]

---------------------------------------------
12. Deep assembly/person hard to measure is one with ekaggacitta
---------------------------------------------
SN 2.42
And what is a deep assembly? An assembly where the mendicants are not restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, or loose-tongued, but have established mindfulness, situational awareness, immersion, unified minds, and restrained faculties.
Katamā ca, bhikkhave, gambhīrā parisā? Idha, bhikkhave, yassaṁ parisāyaṁ bhikkhū anuddhatā honti anunnaḷā acapalā amukharā avikiṇṇavācā upaṭṭhitassatī sampajānā samāhitā ekaggacittā saṁvutindriyā.

AN 3.115
And who is the person hard to measure? It’s a person who is not restless, insolent, fickle, scurrilous, or loose-tongued. They have established mindfulness, situational awareness and immersion, with unified mind and restrained faculties. This is called ‘a person hard to measure’.
Katamo ca, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo? Idha, bhikkhave, ekacco puggalo anuddhato hoti anunnaḷo acapalo amukharo avikiṇṇavāco upaṭṭhitassati sampajāno samāhito ekaggacitto saṁvutindriyo.Ayaṁ vuccati, bhikkhave, puggalo duppameyyo.

{SN 2.42, AN 3.115}
---------------------------------------------
13. Mastered mind, unified and serene
---------------------------------------------
AN 3.59
whose mind is mastered, unified, serene;
Cittaṁ yassa vasībhūtaṁ, ekaggaṁ susamāhitaṁ.
[in a poem]

{AN 3.59, AN 3.60}

---------------------------------------------
14. Should live with good will and a unified mind.
---------------------------------------------
AN 4.29
You should live with contentment, and a heart of good will, mindful, with unified mind, serene within.”
Anabhijjhālu vihareyya, abyāpannena cetasā; Sato ekaggacittassa, ajjhattaṁ susamāhito”ti.
[Notice ajjhattam susamahito is probably a reference to second jhana.]

---------------------------------------------
15. Should listen to a dhamma talk with unified mind
---------------------------------------------
AN 5.151
Someone with five qualities is able to enter the sure path with regards to skillful qualities when listening to the true teaching. What five? They don’t disparage the talk, the speaker, or themselves. They listen with undistracted and unified mind. They attend properly.
Pañcahi, bhikkhave, dhammehi samannāgato suṇanto saddhammaṁ bhabbo niyāmaṁ okkamituṁ kusalesu dhammesu sammattaṁ. Katamehi pañcahi? Na kathaṁ paribhoti, na kathikaṁ paribhoti, na attānaṁ paribhoti, avikkhittacitto dhammaṁ suṇāti, ekaggacitto yoniso ca manasi karoti.
[Clearcut example of ekaggacitto while listening to a dhamma talk]



Extra: Usages outside of the context of samadhi
Usages: 1, 15 [actually I'd argue this is also in the context of samadhi, but many would disagree!]
Post Reply