Cultivating Samādhi and Cultivating Wisdom

Answer: Guarding the breath is cultivating meditative concentration, and being aware of the bodily sensations of the physical body is cultivating wisdom. However, when guarding the breath, one is necessarily knowing the breath, and knowing is itself wisdom. Although being aware of the bodily sensations of the physical body is wisdom, it is awareness endowed with wisdom; it is not merely being aware of the bodily sensations of the physical body. Rather, one must be aware of all states of the physical body, yet not fall into the sensations, not be swayed by the sensations. One must see through the sensations, be without mind toward the sensations, break free from the sensations, and relinquish the sensations—only then is it wisdom. 

The difference between meditative concentration and wisdom is this: when the mind is settled in one place without moving, or when one is without mind toward sense objects, having no mental thoughts about the objects and not knowing the objects, this is meditative concentration (dhyāna). Wisdom is right knowing; wrong knowing is not wisdom. Knowing exclusively one single dharma combines both concentration and wisdom. Once concentration is strengthened, one can know many dharmas throughout the whole body, being rightly aware with the whole body as the object, with the mind not scattered, having a holistic view of the physical body. When one has a holistic view, it is easy to see the whole body clearly, recognize the true reality, and give rise to wisdom.