9. RIGHT KNOWLEDGE / WISDOM

Right Concentration is not the end of the noble path. The next step is to sharpen one’s concentration and for it to become more penetrative. The two Buddhist methods of meditation in the Pali Canon are explained separately, although they could be seen as a single method together:

The first is the development of serenity (samatha), which has as it’s aim concentration [of the mind] (samadhi). These were discussed in the previous step of Right Concentration.

The second is the development of insight (vipassana), which has as it’s aim the knowledge and wisdom (panna) of how things truly are (yathabhutam). This is the true insight into the nature of reality.

To illustrate this in the teachings:

“Monks, these two things pertain to true knowledge. What two? Serenity and insight.

<p>When serenity is developed, what benefit does one experience? The mind is developed. When the mind is developed, what benefit does one experience? Lust is abandoned.</p>

<p>When insight is developed, what benefit does one experience? Wisdom is developed. When wisdom is developed, what benefit does one experience? Ignorance is abandoned.” — AN I.61</p>

In meditation the role of serenity meditation plays a slightly lesser role compared to insight mediation, because the latter is the important method used to rid oneself of the root causes of suffering, i.e., ignorance (avijja) and delusion. The attainments through serenity meditation were not new to India before the Buddha, but they can only bring about a better rebirth and not Buddhist Enlightenment. The Buddha includes serenity meditation as a practice, as the foundation and preparation for insight meditation:

“A mind defiled by lust is not liberated, and wisdom defiled by ignorance is not developed. Thus, monks, through the fading away of lust there is liberation of mind (ceto-vimutti), and through the fading away of ignorance there is liberation by wisdom (panna-vimutti).” — AN I.61

The usual order of meditation practice goes from concentration [serenity meditation] to wisdom [insight meditation], but several passages in the teachings explain different ways to reach the higher path. In general, three methods are mentioned:

Developing serenity first and then insight [the usual order]
Developing insight first and then serenity
Developing the two together

Insight meditation is more refined contemplation on the ever-changing reality and to establish penetration into the true nature of forms and mental phenomena, to remove wrong views and our clinging to conceptual reality to see things as they truly are; to see them in three characteristics: as impermanent, as suffering, and not self.

The three characteristics are discussed in relation to the five clinging aggregates of material form, feeling, perception, mental formations, and consciousness:

“Monks, what do you think?

Is material form permanent or impermanent?”—“Impermanent, venerable sir.”

Is what is impermanent suffering or happiness?”—“Suffering, venerable sir.”

Is what is impermanent, suffering, and subject to change, fit to be regarded thus:

‘This is mine, this I am, this is my self’?”—“No, venerable sir.” — MN I.138

The knowledge and vision that is the result of serenity and insight meditation is considered Right Knowledge to the true nature of reality:

“Seeing thus, monks, a well-taught noble disciple becomes disenchanted with material form, disenchanted with feeling, disenchanted with perception, disenchanted with formations, disenchanted with consciousness. Being disenchanted, he becomes dispassionate. Through dispassion [his mind] is liberated.” — MN I.139

The Sangiti Sutta in the Digha Nikaya mentions four concentrative meditations, of which the 2nd pertains to gaining ‘knowledge and vision’ that is Right Knowledge. It summarizes the practice of the jhanas, serenity meditation, and insight meditation:

“‘Four concentrative meditations (samadhi-bhavana). This meditation, when developed and expanded, leads to:

happiness here and now (ditthadhamma-sukha)
gaining knowledge-and-vision (nana-dassana-patilabha)
mindfulness and clear awareness (sati-sampajanna)
the destruction of the corruptions (asavanam khaya)

How does this practice lead to happiness here and now?

Here, a monk practices the four jhanas.

How does it lead to the gaining of knowledge-and-vision?

<p> <div>Here, a monk attends to the perception of light,</div>
    <div>he fixes his mind to the perception of day, by night as by day, by day </div>
    <div>as by night. In this way, with a mind clear and unclouded,</div>
    <div>he develops a state of mind that is full of brightness.</div></p>

<p>(3) How does it lead to mindfulness and clear awareness?</p>

<p> <div>Here, a monk knows feelings as they arise, remain and vanish;</div>
    <div>he knows perceptions as they arise, remain and vanish</div>
    <div>he knows thoughts (vitakka) as they arise, remain and vanish.</div></p>

<p>(4) How does this practice lead to the destruction of the corruptions?</p>

    <p><strong>Here, a monk abides in the contemplation of the rise and fall of the five aggregates of grasping:</strong></p>

“This is material form, this is its arising, this is its ceasing;

these are feelings, this is its arising, this is its ceasing;

this is perception, this is its arising, this is its ceasing;

these are the mental formations, this is its arising, this is its ceasing;

this is consciousness, this is its arising, this is its ceasing.” — DN III.223

This Right Knowledge is the king of the world:

“But among knowledges, Ananda, this one is unsurpassed, namely, the knowledge of these things and those things as they really are. And, I say, there is no other knowledge higher or more excellent than this.” — AN V.38

In the next post No. 10, the final and last step of the path will be discussed: Right Liberation.

The Nikayas are Buddhist books that form the earliest Buddhist canon of scriptures containing the teachings of the Buddha.

First of all, it really helps to have these books in digital form, so you can search for a particular word easily and be able to read how it is mentioned and in what context it is placed in the teachings of the Buddha.

The following English translations of the primary texts are available and used:

The Connected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya (SN)
The Long Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Digha Nikaya (DN)
The Middle-Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya (MN)
The Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya (AN

B. The Virtue and Moral Discipline aggregate of training

Right livelihood (samma-ajiva)

C. The Concentration aggregate of training

Right effort (samma-vayama)
Right mindfulness (samma-sati)
Right concentration (samma-samadhi)

The Ten-fold Path consists of two additional ‘folds’:

Right knowledge / wisdom (samma-nana)
Right liberation / release (samma-vimutti)

Note: Quotations follow the PTS (Pali Text Society) naming and numbering format:

AN = Anguttara Nikaya,
DN = Digha Nikaya,

MN = Majjhima Nikaya,

SN= Samyutta Nikaya); followed by book number in roman capitalized numerals and verse number (for example, AN I.30 = Anguttara Nikaya book 1 verse 30).

Pictures From Pixabay

I will flag comment spam at 1% strength. If you keep on spamming my post I will flag you at 100%. I don't care if you have limited English abilities write a couple sentences about this article, no copy-paste please. I will flag: one sentence comments, links to your blog and begging for up-votes and follows. Also I will flag comments that have nothing to do with my blogs article. I will also check your comment section to see if you have been comment spamming on other blogs.

A link to My Blog

The Buddhist 10 Fold Path

9. RIGHT KNOWLEDGE / WISDOM

The following English translations of the primary texts are available and used:

B. The Virtue and Moral Discipline aggregate of training

C. The Concentration aggregate of training

The Ten-fold Path consists of two additional ‘folds’: