The Tree of Enlightenment

as evidence of the existence of a transcendental being or eternal
soul; and (c) conceit, which arises from the notion that one has
achieved extraordinary states of meditation.
e cultivation of states of meditation and the attainment
of the absorptions is a very important part of Buddhist practice
because it is the aim of mental development, which is one of the
three major divisions of the Buddhist path (i.e., morality, mental
development, and wisdom). To achieve these states of meditation,
one needs to create the foundation of morality and withdraw
to some extent from involvement in worldly activities. Having
achieved these preliminary conditions, one then proceeds to cultivate
the states of meditation through various methods.
Briefly, one proceeds by means of some forty traditional
objects of meditation, which include ten supports (kasina). ese
objects are coordinated to the temperament of the meditator. In
other words, particular objects of meditation are prescribed for
certain kinds of temperament. In general, one begins with an
external support, gradually that external support is internalized
and conceptualized, and finally that support is discarded and
one enters the state of meditation proper.
Five factors of absorption (jhananga) are crucial to developing
the states of meditation that result in the type of consciousness
belonging to the form and formless spheres: (i) initial application
(vitakka), (ii) sustained application (vichara), (iii) interest,
enthusiasm, or rapture (piti), (iv) happiness or bliss (sukha), and
(v) one-pointedness (ekaggata). ese five factors are also evident
in most types of consciousness, including the sense-sphere
consciousness and even the consciousness of some of the more
developed animals.
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