An analytical_study of the prerequisites for buddhist meditation

Abstract

The complete eradication of defilements, taints and cankers is possible only by means of Buddhist meditation which adopts the Noble Eightfold Path. In order to gain success and attain fruition from meditation for the benefit of mundane life as well as transcendental life, certain prerequisites and preconditions of mandatory significance should be adopted. This dissertation, whose prime objective is to reveal in analysis the prerequisites for Buddhist meditation, deals with internal and external prerequisites in their preliminary, intermediary and the highest phases required as ethical, spiritual and cognitive prerequisites highly beneficial to the initiation, pursuit, progress and higher development of mind purification (bhiivanii) leading to its culmination - Nibbiina. The prerequisites for Buddhist meditation can be analyzed into two major aspects as internal prerequisites and external prerequisites which are again categorized into five facets as physical, behavioural (ethical), mental, environmental and social prerequisites. Internal prerequisites for meditation include physical, behavioural and mental prerequisites while external prerequisites comprise of environmental and social prerequisites. The identification and surmounting of impediments to mind purification is also a prerequisite. The impediments to Buddhist meditation is also of two major aspects as internal and external impediments which are again classified into ' five facets as physical, behavioural, mental, environmental and social impediments in different levels of intensity and detriment. The prerequisites for Buddhist meditation. is based on wholesome bodily actions, verbal actions and mental actions. Ethical prerequisites entail wholesome bodily and verbal actions which belong to virtue (sila), spiritual mental qualities such as wise attention (yonisomanasikiira) and right mindfulness (sammiisati) are prerequisites for concentration (samiidhi) and cognitive prerequisites encompass wholesome mental actions which conduce to wisdom (pannii). Buddhist meditation, which is centered on one's own ethical, spiritual and cognitive development absolutely different from other forms ofmeditational practices found in other religious teachings, is in its entirety based on mind purification with morality (sila) as its foundation-the preliminary prerequisite, concentration (samiidhi) 1- hB Initiation and the highest cognitive prerequisites conducive lo ga111 wisdom (/111f!M) as its ultimate attainment. Hence, this PhD dissertation analytically reveals in the context of early Buddhist discourses and Theravada teachings the internal and the external prerequisites or preconditions for the expedient initiation, pursuit and progress of 13uddhist meditation