W ISDOM A CADEMY

Meditation in the Theravada

Abhidhamma
BHIKKHU BODHI

Lesson 4:
The Jhānas

Reading:
“Guarding the Sign & Skill in Absorption”
by Bhikkhu Bodhi
 GUARDING THE SIGN & SKILL IN ABSORPTION

I. Guarding the sign: choosing suitable dwelling place, speech, persons to associate with, food,
climate, posture.

II. Ten skills in absorption:

1. Making the basis clean: keeping the body, clothes, living quarters clean, neat, and tidy.
2. Balancing the five spiritual faculties: faith with wisdom, energy with concentration. Strong
mindfulness always needed.
3. Skill in the sign: skill in producing the sign and in guarding it when it arises.
4. Exerting the mind when exertion is appropriate (like feeding fuel to a small fire)
5. Restraining the mind when restraint is appropriate (like putting wet grass & sand, etc., on a
bonfire)
6. Arousing the mind when it should be aroused: arousing the mind by developing a sense of
urgency.
7. Looking on with equanimity when the mind is occurring evenly.
8. Avoiding unconcentrated persons: keeping away from people who disturb and distract one.
9. Associating with concentrated persons.
10. Resolution on concentration.

For students of Wisdom Academy — Not for distribution