The Causes of Difficulty in Cultivating Meditative Concentration

Greed refers to craving and attachment. When craving ceases, the karma of the three realms is exhausted. When desire and attachment are severed, the bonds of the desire realm are broken; otherwise, one cannot transcend the desire realm nor attain the first dhyana. For those with severe desire and attachment, not only is the first dhyana unattainable, but even the access concentration of the desire realm remains out of reach, nor can they achieve even the coarser levels of concentration within the desire realm. The moment a thought arises, the concentration vanishes—such is the severity. Those who complain about the difficulty of cultivating meditation should examine whether their minds are free of defilements. If thoughts remain impure, forcibly enduring physical discomfort to practice concentration will prove futile.