The Requisite of Behavioural Prerequisite vis-a-vis Buddhist Meditation

Abstract

Moral training, the first constituent of the threefold training – sīla, samādhi and paññā designated in Buddhism is the foundation of the entire practice that serves as a prerequisite for Buddhist meditation. The threefold Right Conduct – right conduct in body, speech and thought as elaborated in the Sangīti Sutta, Cunda Kammāraputta Sutta and Sāleyyaka Sutta is the major behavioural prerequisite that forms the principal basis for the mind development. The scrupulous observance of the precepts for the laity and the pātimokkha for the ordained provides grounds to avoid malevolent physical and verbal misconduct which nourishes the Five Hindrances (pañcanīvaraṇa). The restraint of bodily and verbal activities leads to weaken the external inimical forces that hinder the practice. The other behavioural prerequisites encompass a simple life with a fewness of wishes, satisfaction (santussako), a light living (sallahuka) with few duties (appakicco), less attachment and less craving, a balanced livelihood (sama-jīvikatā) with persistent effort (uṭṭhāna-sampadā), the accomplishment of watchfulness (ārakkha-sampadā), good friendship (kalyāṇamittatā) and right livelihood (sammā ājīva) which refers to the engagement in wholesome occupations. These are the obligatory prerequisites which make one’s mind highly receptive and malleable for the initiation and the progress of mental training. The purification of moral behaviour endowed with psychological strength such as non-remorse, joy and rapture, etc., helps a meditator to remain psychologically undisturbed and inwardly calm and maintain concentration during the practice. Thus, the observance of the moral discipline reinforces the outward suppression of harmful mental factors and in turn helps one to suppress the inward detrimental mental factors that impede concentration and mindfulness. As a whole, moral restraint and moral purity which establishes sound outward conditions which are conducive to inward progress is an obligatory behavioural prerequisite vis-à-vis a thriving initiation of mental development.