What Is Samadhi?

Samadhi, a term from Sanskrit, signifies meditative concentration. Within samadhi lie states of meditative absorption (dhyāna) and varying degrees of wisdom (prajñā). If wisdom is shallow, the samadhi is primarily characterized by concentration. If wisdom is profound, it becomes a state of balanced cultivation of concentration and wisdom (samatha-vipaśyanā).

The levels of Buddha-Recitation Samadhi differ. Buddha-Recitation Samadhi primarily focused on concentration is achieved by orally reciting the Buddha's name until entering absorption. One can recite the Buddha's name while walking, standing, sitting, or lying down, eventually reaching a state of "reciting without reciting," where the sound of the Buddha's name continuously reverberates in the mind and at the ears; one hears it involuntarily, without interruption.

Buddha-Recitation Samadhi with balanced concentration and wisdom realizes the Acceptance of Non-Arising (anutpattika-dharma-kṣānti) and the Tolerance of the Non-Production of Dharmas. Examples include Buddha-Contemplation Samadhi (observing the Buddha's image) and Buddha-Remembrance Samadhi (contemplating the Buddha). Starting from oral recitation and mental recitation, the solitary shadow realm (pratibimba) eventually manifests, the meditative fruition-form (dhyānaphalarūpa) appears, the principle of non-arising is realized, and the self-nature Buddha is clearly understood.

After successfully cultivating the Contemplation of Impurity (aśubha-bhāvanā) and the Skeleton Contemplation, one also attains a samadhi state, characterized by balanced concentration and wisdom. Concentration is the state of one-pointedness, beginning from the first dhyāna upwards. Wisdom is the realization of non-arising, knowing the impurity of the material body, the selflessness of the five aggregates (skandhas), and the fruition stages are the third and fourth fruits (of the śrāvaka path), which is also the śrāvaka Emptiness Samadhi (śūnyatā-samādhi). The solitary shadow realm manifests, and the meditative fruition-form appears.

The successful cultivation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness (smṛtyupasthāna) is also the śrāvaka Emptiness Samadhi, with balanced concentration and wisdom, achieving the third and fourth fruits.

Mahāyāna samadhis include the accomplishment of Buddha-Recitation Samadhi and the Sixteen Contemplations from the Sutra on the Contemplation of Amitāyus, both characterized by balanced concentration and wisdom. Without samadhi, there is no concentration, and without concentration, the wisdom contemplation is not achieved. Within these samadhis, concentration often predominates over wisdom.

Mahāyāna Chan (Zen) investigation, upon finally breaking through (attaining insight), is also a samadhi state, possessing both concentration and wisdom. If concentration is shallow, wisdom is shallow, achieving only the seventh or eighth abiding stages (bhūmi). If concentration is deep, wisdom is deep, reaching the first or second grounds (bhūmi). The mind abides in the emptiness of the Tathāgatagarbha; the five aggregates themselves are the empty Tathāgatagarbha. Walking, standing, sitting, or lying down is as if abiding within the Tathāgatagarbha, without the self of the five aggregates.

When śrāvakas engage in contemplative investigation to sever the view of self, samadhi also manifests, possessing both concentration and wisdom. If concentration is shallow, wisdom is shallow, achieving only the first or second fruits. If concentration is deep, wisdom is deep, achieving the third or fourth fruits. The mind abides in the śrāvaka Emptiness Samadhi of the selflessness of the five aggregates, without the perception of a self in the five aggregates. Encountering conditions and objects, the mind does not give rise to the notion of self, does not oppose or feud with any person or affair, and is indifferent to everything in one's surroundings because there is no self in the mind.

If one merely intellectually understands the Dharma or has an intellectual awakening to the Dharma, there is not the slightest samadhi. There is no state of concentration, no perception of emptiness. The self remains in the mind; the self-mind is not extinguished. When encountering conditions and objects, one must rely on the deliberate attention of the conscious mind (manas) to recall that the five aggregates are selfless. Once the conscious mind loses mindful awareness (smṛti-saṃprajanya), the self-mind suddenly arises, and bodily, verbal, and mental actions are uncontrolled. Moreover, the mindful awareness function of the conscious mind is extremely limited, severely and obviously intermittent; it is always lost and cannot be maintained. Even if the power of the conscious mind is strong enough to maintain it for a period, it will inevitably be lost sooner or later, especially at the time of death.

All samadhis, whether primarily characterized by concentration or balanced concentration and wisdom, are the result of the accomplishment of the mental faculty (manas). Only when the mental faculty is stabilized, not scattered or grasping at objects everywhere, can a state of concentration arise. Only then does the mental faculty have sufficient energy to ponder the Dharma brought by the conscious mind, enabling it to comprehend the fundamental meaning and essential connotation of the Dharma. Samadhi will necessarily appear; this is what is called realization (pratipatti).