Hi Guys,

In Mastering the Core Teachings of the Buddha, Dan says that you'll know when you have access concentration. But can anyone (including Dan), give me an idea of how I'll know, or what I'll be experiencing when I get it?

Cheers,

Giles.

Physiologically, it might differ from person to person. Many people, myself included, can tend to experience a physical sensation that tells us that we are there. The sensation I experience is a pressure in the center of my forehead just between the brows. This sensation is not uncommon among meditators.

But psychologically speaking, you should notice that your attention becomes more settled on the meditation object (as on the breath, for example). The mind is able to calm down and become unified on the object. That settling of the mind on the object of meditation is what some have come to call "access concentration." It should become apparent that discursive thinking slows down to a crawl if not stopping all together. That's access concentration. If you're watching for that, you should know when that occurs.

This term is an invention of the commentarial tradition mentioned in the Visuddhimagga (The Path of Purification) a Theravada book of commentary. It was never used by the Buddha in the discourses. Therefore you won't find mention of it in the suttas.

Personally, I think using this term can cause more doubt and confusion in people than not using it. The subtle differences between the first jhana and access concentration is better noticed once you've had some experience entering absorption. In the beginning, you may not be able to differentiate these subtleties as they occur. And in reality, it really doesn't matter. Except, of course, to someone who has not experienced absorption and therefore is in a quandry about what to expect.

I'm hardly an expert, here's another subjective description in case it helps you find the right sensation in yourself.

My usual technique is to focus on the breath as it passes through my nostrils - the exact point of contact where it enters and leaves my body. For the first few minutes of a sit, it can be difficult to follow the sensation throughout an entire in & out breath - often I can detect no sensation during the out (or in) breath at all, and I have to simply wait and breathe and pay attention. At some point - sometimes after one minute, sometimes after twenty - that subtle tickle in my nose "expands" to feel like it's "the size of my head," which doesn't really make sense but is the best way I can describe it. What was previously delicate and indistinct suddenly becomes big and obvious - it's sort of like starting on a faint, staticky radio station that you can barely make out and then then tuning it into full blast stereo. At this point the breath is so big and obvious that paying attention to it is effortless, and everything else (thoughts, sounds, leg cramps) fades into unimportant background noise.

Once you're there you'll probably start feeling really terrific for no particular reason. Investigate that feeling and see where it goes!

Excellent description, Aaron.

The "access" part of it is the "staticky radio station that you can barely make out." You've gained access at this point. The first jhana is "the breath...so big and obvious that paying attention to it is effortless, and everything else ... fades into ... background noise." In order to go deeper, you just have to calm down any further movements of the mind (piti and sukha) until you reach the fourth jhana, which should be very quiet and tranquil where the mind becomes stable, established, and workable. Reaching at least the fourth jhana should be your main goal. This allows the mind to begin becoming reconditioned. It also increases one's ability of concentration, which eventually extends long after formal meditation.

It all becomes quite obvious once you've done it a few times. Keep working at it and you'll get there.

Another description: when you are looking at a kasina 1-2 metres in front of you, at some point it feels like you're looking down into a valley and can see a giant marble lying there. Perception of space changes somehow (could be 1st jhana as in a previous reply, not sure, but then access concentration is close, a stable point immediately before the zooming and shifting happens).

Basically, rather than being lost in thought all the time, you can actually practice, meaning actually note second after second, actually stay with a breath and then, with effort, stay with the next one, and then with effort do it again, etc.

Once you have this, Mind and Body is usually relatively close by.

Thanks Guys, I have a much better idea now.

Giles.