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Buddha’s Definitionaccording to

Tatiya·samādhi Sutta (AN 4:94)

What is Samatha & Vipassanā?

1. kathaṁ cittaṁ saṇṭhapetabbaṁ?

2. kathaṁ cittaṁ sannisādetabbaṁ?

3. kathaṁ cittaṁ ekodi kātabbaṁ?

4. kathaṁ cittaṁ samādahātabbaṁ?

How is the citta to be ‘made to stand properly’ (steadied)?

How is the citta to be ‘madeto sit properly’ (settle down)?

How is the citta to be made unified ?

How is the citta to be brought together & placed (composed)?

What Is Samatha?

SAMATHA = STILLING

1. kathaṁ saṅkhārā daṭṭhabbā?

2. kathaṁ saṅkhārā sammasitabbā?

3. kathaṁ saṅkhārā vipassitabbā?

How are saṅkhārā to be seen?

How are saṅkhārāto be investigated?

How are saṅkhārāto be seen distinctly?

What Is Vipassanā?

VIPASSANĀ = DISTINCT SEEING

vi = clear, distinct; distinguish, separate; special; various passanā = seeing

Samatha is about how to still the mind (citta). It is not about objects of focus—whether conceptual objects (paññatti) or ultimate realities (paramattha dhammā).

Vipassanā is about the object of focus—which is saṅkhārā—and how to regard them, investigate them, and develop insightful understanding about them.

Samatha vs Vipassanā

Handa dāni, bhikkhave, āmantayāmi vo “vayadhammā saṅkhārā; appamādena sampādethā”ti.

Aniccā vata saṅkhārā, uppādavayadhammino.uppajjitvā nirujjhanti,tesaṃ vūpasamo sukho.

Now, monks, let me address you: “Saṅkhārā have the nature of vanishing; with heedfulnessfulfil [your goal].”

Impermanent indeed are saṅkhārā,Their nature is arising & vanishing.Having arisen they cease.Their appeasement is happiness.

What is “Saṅkhārā”?

Mahāparinibbāna Sutta SN 6:15

“kiñca, bhikkhave, saṅkhāre vadetha? saṅkhatamabhisaṅkharontīti kho, bhikkhave, tasmā ‘saṅkhārā’ti vuccati.

“And what, monks,do you call ‘saṅkhārā’? Because they condition the conditioned— thus they are called ‘conditioned conditioners’

What is “Saṅkhārā”?

Khajjanīya Sutta SN 22:79

Used in the context of the 4th khandha

“sabbe saṅkhārā aniccā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.atha nibbindati dukkhe,esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“sabbe saṅkhārā dukkhā”ti, yadā paññāya passati.atha nibbindati dukkhe,esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“sabbe dhammā anattā”ti,yadā paññāya passati.atha nibbindati dukkhe,esa maggo visuddhiyā.

“All saṅkhārā are impermanent”— when one sees with wisdom, one wearies of suffering. This is the path to purification.

“All saṅkhārā are suffering”—when one sees with wisdom, one wearies of suffering. This is the path to purification.

“All dhammā are not-self”—when one sees with wisdom, one wearies of suffering. This is the path to purification.

How to “See” Saṅkhārā

Dhammapada (#277 – #279)

“...yadaniccaṃ taṃ dukkhaṃ; yaṃ dukkhaṃ tadanattā; yadanattā taṃ ‘netaṃ mama, nesohamasmi, na meso attā’ti evametaṃ yathābhūtaṃ sammappaññāya daṭṭhabbaṃ...

“evaṃ passaṃ... sutavā ariyasāvako... nibbindati. nibbindaṃ virajjati; virāgā vimuccati....

“...what is impermanent—that is suffering; what is suffering—that is not-self; what is not-self—‘this is not mine, this is not me, this is not my self,’ thus is it to be seen with right wisdom as it has occurred.

Thus seeing... the informed noble disciple... wearies of (the 5 Kh). Being weary, he detaches; due to detachment, he is liberated...

How to “See” Saṅkhārā

Yadanicca Sutta SN 22.15

“...Yā cāvuso, paññā yañca viññāṇaṃ—ime dhammā saṃsaṭṭhā, no visaṃsaṭṭhā. Na ca labbhā imesaṃ dhammānaṃ vinibbhujitvā vinibbhujitvā nānākaraṇaṃ paññāpetuṃ....”

‘‘...imesaṃ dhammānaṃ saṃsaṭṭhānaṃ no visaṃsaṭṭhānaṃ paññā bhāvetabbā, viññāṇaṃ pariññeyyaṃ. Idaṃ nesaṃ nānākaraṇan’’ti

“...paññā and viññāṇa—these states are conjoined, not disjoined. It is impossible to separate these states from each other in order to describe the difference between them.

...between these states that are conjoined, not disjoined: paññā is to be developed, viññāṇa is to be fully understood. This is the difference between them.

Paññā & Viññāṇa

Mahāvedalla Sutta MN 43