Name: TRAN THI LAN - Roll.
no: 1MBHN(Vie)8
ASSIGNMENT ON SAMATHA
What is the function of guardian meditations? How should we develop one of these
meditations to attain its full benefits?
Among forty subjects for practicing tranquility meditation, four guardian meditation
subjects (Caturārakkha kammaṭṭhāna), such as Meditation in loving-kindness, Reflection on
death, Reflection on foulness, and Recollection of the Buddha, are known as the subjects for
all meditators (sabbattha kammaṭṭhānas). So, what is the function of guardian meditations?
How should we develop one of these meditations to attain its full benefits?
The function of guardian meditations is used to protect oneself from internal and
external dangers. The internal dangers are the five hindrances (nīvaraṇa) and other
defilements (kilesā) that arise together with the mind and defile and taint the mind to be
unwholesome and uncultured. Especially when one meditates alone in the forest, one may
encounter external dangers from wicked people and dangerous animals like tigers, wolves,
snakes, scorpions, centipedes, ghosts, and ogres. One should be practiced at least for a few
minutes, before undertaking one's special meditation subject (parihāriya kammaṭṭhāna) for
developing concentration and and insight meditation (vipassanā).
Mettā bhāvanā practice promotes calmness, tranquility, joy, and love. Since he wins the
love of everybody, no one will try to cause him harm. Buddhānussati strengthens his faith and
confidence. Reflecting on the repulsiveness of a corpse subdues attachment to one’s body and
other people's bodies, while maranānussati helps him to give up improper search and conceit.
Loving kindness is the best weapon to defeat anger, hatred, and resentment. For a
beginner, he should serve the impediments and learn the meditation subject from a qualified
teacher, and sit comfortably in a secluded place. To develop loving-kindness, the practitioner
should review the evils of hate and the advantages of forbearance, and understand the six
persons not to cultivate loving-kindness first: does not hold dear person, very dear friends,
neutral person, enemies, persons of the opposite sex, and dead persons. He should first
develop loving-kindness towards four persons such as oneself (atta), a dear person including a
respectable or adorable person (piya), a neutral person (majjatta), and an enemy (veri).
After finishing the preparation step, he starts to develop loving-kindness by pervading
oneself with loving-kindness, doing it repeatedly as follows: “May I be free from enmity. May
I be free from mental suffering. May I be free from bodily pain. May I be well and happy”.
After pervading oneself with loving-kindness, one should develop it towards one's
teacher, preceptor or a person one adores and respects. Focus on their generosity, affection
words to inspire love and endearment, as well as that person's morality, and learning, to
inspire respect and reverence. Then one should develop loving kindness toward that person in
the following manner, “May this good man be free from enmity. May this good man be free
from mental suffering. May this good man be free from bodily pain. May this good man be
well and happy”. Then, visualizing the person’s happiest form with a smiling face, and reflects
repeatedly on the concept of loving kindness (satta paññatti). This will help the yogi share
loving-kindness with neutral and enemy individuals.
When the meditator's mind is calm, quiet, tranquil, and well-concentrated for one hour
or more, he should reflect on the jhāna factors. If it appears clearly in his wisdom eye, this
means he attains the first jhāna. After practicing to master in five ways with respect to the first
jhāna, he eliminates vitakka and vicāra to attain the second jhāna. Then he continues to
practice to eliminate pīti to attain the third jhāna. He cannot go higher to the fourth jhāna,
because living kindness cannot associate together with equanimity (upekkhā) in the mind.
Another way of developing loving-kindness is by developing 528 modes of mettā, according
to Paṭisambhidā pāḷi. So, when the yogi attains the third jhāna, he will get the full benefit of
metta-bhavana:
1. He sleeps comfortably and happily.
2. He wakes comfortably and happily.
3. He dreams no evil dreams.
4. He is dear to and beloved by non- human beings including deities.
5. Deities guard him as a mother and father guard their child.
7. Fire, poison and weapons do not affect him.
8. His mind is easily concentrated
9. The expression of his face is serene.
10. He dies unconfused. He passes away undeluded as if falling asleep.
11. If he penetrates no higher than the attainment of loving kindness to attain arahanship, then
when he dies, he will be reborn as a brahmā.
To sum up, if the meditator practices the four guardian meditations daily at appropriate
times, he will ward off all dangers, materialize his good wishes, and develop his five powers
or controlling faculties such as faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration and wisdom. This will
enhance his ability to undertake his special meditation effectively.
