SAMADHI

The zenith of complete mental mastery

How far can meditation take you? What kind of mental states and experiences can be achieved through it? Several contemplative traditions describe the ultimate state of meditation as samadhi, a state of perfect mental mastery.

There are varying definitions of samadhi, but in the Yogic and Vedic traditions, samadhi is a state of absorption equivalent to what the Buddhists call jhanna. There are several different levels of samadhi, but according to their classical definition, they all have the following in common:

Complete and uninterrupted union of consciousness with the meditation object. Mind and object become one without any duality. Eventually, when even that object disappears or becomes more subtle, a deeper level of samadhi opens up effortlessly.

Complete and continuous thoughtlessness and stillness of mind. Not a single thought, memory, or image appears in the mind for several minutes or even hours.

No awareness of the environment, as if the senses have temporarily been shut down. Someone could call your name, and you wouldn’t even hear it.

No awareness of your body. Your consciousness has temporarily freed itself from the limitations of, and identification with, your body and yet is fully aware. Your body could be in pain, but you wouldn’t notice.

In samadhi, the individuality or ego is not functioning. In this state, you undergo deep purification of the conscious and unconscious mind, returning transformed and unable to explain what has just happened to you.

In both Buddhism and Yoga, samadhi is the culmination of concentration practices, but it is not the same as enlightenment. Instead, it is the highest tool, or practice, to achieve that ultimate goal.

Although you will experience the benefits of meditation without reaching or even nearing samadhi, it is important to know about it. Achieving samadhi is an incredibly ambitious aim, and some meditation teachers have now either de-emphasized it, or talk about it in much more achievable terms. It’s best to think of it as direction and inspiration for your practice.

THE JOURNEY OF SAMADHI

With each level of samadhi, the objects and mental states become increasingly subtle. In the Yogic tradition, for example, there are eight levels of samadhi “with an object” (sabija samadhi), starting with “gross” or physical objects, such as the breath or a candle flame, and going as subtle as consciousness itself (the essence of “I am”). After this, there is the “objectless absorption” (nirbija samadhi). Likewise, Buddhism talks about the jhannas of form and the formless jhannas.

This final state of samadhi is very rare, even among monks and other very experienced meditators. Having a glimpse of it is one thing, while the ability to enter it at will is something else entirely.