A Comprehensive Survey of the Term “Samādhi” in the Pāli Suttas

Every single occurrence digitally marked and examined.

☂️ Samādhi (in broadest sense)

samādhi = undistractibility

The ability to maintain a mind of singular focus (ekagga citta).
Not just in Buddhism, but in any religion,
and any activity in life in general.

The 4 jhānas are 4 quality levels of samādhi

They have quiescent (sitting, standing) and dynamic modes (any posture or activity).
You can bet that anyone who is demonstrating excellence and a
high skill level at anything while looking relaxed and effortless,
is likely exercising samādhi in the 4 jhāna spectrum,
whether Buddhist or not, meditator or not.

Full outline

Each line below jumps to that subsection on the full survey page.

• 1 – samādhi = sammā samādhi = undistractible-lucidity
  • 1.1 – just as ‘sati’ in isolation usually = sammā sati
  • 1.2 – proof that Samādhi = Undistractable-Lucidity
    • 1.2.1 – “Concentration” misses the essence, lacks passaddhi
      • 1.2.1.1 – ‘concentration’ lacks passaddhi/pacification awakening factor
  • 1.3 – Patient endurance (khamo/khanti) is hallmark of Samādhi
    • AN 5.113 sammā·samādhi can withstand sounds, pain, etc.
    • AN 5.139, kings warrior elephant builds on AN 5.113
      • (monk who patiently endures stimuli like warrior elephant is in “samādhi”)
    • AN 6.5, 6.6, 6.7 khamo, thoroughbred horse
  • 1.4 – Mastery of thought closely related to undistractibility
    • MN 20 Vitakka·saṇṭhāna (calming verbal thoughts)
  • 1.5 – Samādhi is not…
    • 1.5.1 – Samādhi is not “stillness”
    • 1.5.2 – Samādhi is not “immersion”
• 2 – Nuances of samādhi (alphabetized eng.)
  • 2.1 – Ānā·pānas·sati·samādhi, 16 APS is a samādhi, 16 APSS
  • 2.5 – a·nimitta ceto·samādhi: sign-less mind’s-undistractable-lucidity
  • 2.9 – ap·paṇihito samādhi, ap·paṇidhāya bhāvanā, un-directed samadhi
  • 2.13 – Ariyassa pañc·aṅgikassa sammā·samā­dhissa
  • 2.17 – ariyo sammā·samādhi sa·upaniso itipi sa·parikkhāro itipī
  • 2.21 – a·vitakko a·vicāro samādhi.
  • 2.25 – a·vitakko vicāra·matto samādhi.
  • 2.29 – bala = power (samādhi·bala is one of 5bal)
  • 2.33 – bhāvanā = development, (samādhi·bhāvanā)
  • 2.37 – bojjhanga (samādhi·sambojjhanga)
    • SN 46.2 and SN 46.3
  • 2.41 – chanda·samādhip·padhāna·saṅkhāra… of 4ip
  • 2.45 – citta·samādhip·padhāna·saṅkhāra… of 4ip
  • 2.49 – ekaggata: samādhi = cittassa ekaggata = mind’s unification
  • 2.53 – ekodi·bhava: synonymous with ekaggata
  • 2.57 – iddhi·pāda: 4ip = 4 [spiritual] power bases
  • 2.61 – indriya = faculty (samādhi·indriya is one of 5ind)
    • SN 48.9 samādhi·indriya definition is ekagga citta directed towards nirvana
  • 2.65 – jhāna, 4j, 4 jhānas
  • 2.69 – khandha = aggregate: (samādhi·khandha)
  • 2.73 – nimitta = sign, theme (samādhi·nimittā = 4sp)
  • 2.77 – paṇihito samādhi, paṇidhāya bhāvanā, directed samadhi
  • 2.81 – parikkhārā = requisites, equipment, indispensables (samādhi·parikkhārā = 4pd)
    • also see: ariyo sammā·samādhi sa·upaniso itipi sa·parikkhāro itipī
  • 2.85 – samādhi = cittassa ekaggata = mind’s unification
    • exhibit 1: MN 44
    • exhibit 2: see: ariyo sammā·samādhi sa·upaniso itipi sa·parikkhāro itipī
    • exhibit 3: samadhi·indriya also supports the ekaggata equivalence
    • exhibit 4: AN 4.29 samma samadhi not explicitly defined, but see verse
      • (verse)
  • 2.89 – samatha: a nutriment for samādhi, samatha is not samādhi
    • SN 46.2 : (6. Samādhi ← Samatha·nimittaṃ, A·by·agga·nimittaṃ)
  • 2.93 – sam·bojjhanga (samādhi·sambojjhanga)
  • 2.97 – sammā·samādhi = righteous-undistractable-lucidity
  • 2.101 – sa·vitakko sa·vicāro samādhi
  • 2.105 – suññato samādhi: emptiness samadhi
  • 2.109 – vīmaṃsā·samādhip·padhāna·saṅkhāra… of 4ip
  • 2.113 – vi·passana: clear seeing
  • 2.117 – vīriya·samādhip·padhāna·saṅkhāra… of 4ip

Read the full survey at lucid24.org/sted/8aam/8samadhi/nuance.