not have enough mindfulness to reflect prudently on these mat-
ters, everything we do will have adverse effects, sometimes irrevo-
cably so. This is the real crux of the kilesas – they inevitably lead
us toward misfortune.
Meditation is a good means for making a clean break with
the unseemly business of the kilesas. Meditation techniques are
arguably somewhat difficult to practice, but that’s because they are
designed to put pressure on the mind and bring it under control,
much like trying to bring a monkey under control in order to tame
it. Meditation techniques are actually methods for developing self-
awareness. This means observing the mind which is not content
to just remain still but tends instead to jump about like someone
who’s been scalded with hot water. Observing the mind requires
mindfulness to keep us aware of its movement. This is aided by
using one of a number of Dhamma themes as an object of atten-
tion to keep the mind stable and calm during meditation. A very
popular method and one that gives good results is mindfulness of
breathing.^29 Other popular themes include the use of a word such
as “buddho”, “dhammo”, “sangho,^30 or kesã, lomã, nakhã, dantã, taco
in forward and reverse order,^31 or meditation on death,^32 or what-
ever theme seems most suitable. The mind must be forced to stay
exclusively with that object during meditation. Calm and happi-
ness are bound to arise when the mind depends on a particular
Dhamma theme as a good and safe object of attention,
What is commonly referred to as a ‘calm citta’ or a ‘citta
integrated in samãdhi’ is a state of inner stability that is no longer
associated with the initial object of attention, which merely pre-
pared the citta by holding it steady. Once the citta has entered into
samãdhi, there exists enough momentum for the citta to remain in
jacob rumans
(Jacob Rumans)
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