Awareness in Buddhist Meditation

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conduct and enlightenment. Still, as long as concentration is seen
and used as a method, it may lead to equanimity (upekkhā), the
next and final link and aspect of wisdom (bojjhaṅga), but it does not
reach the grade of insight which is emancipation and enlightenment.
As a method in itself, concentration is not important, because
it can give the rapture of ecstasy (jhāna), the suspension of the
hindrances (nīvaraṇa), but it cannot provide the solution of the
problem, the dissolution of conflict.
However, when there is full awareness (sati) of concentration
(samādhi), the method of striving for a goal loses its importance.
And that is the insight through ‘bare attention’ which sees concentration
and understands its function to focus on a ‘centre’. But when
there is insight and understanding that this ‘centre’ is a mere projection,
all concentration together with its ecstasies and attainments
can be abandoned. When that is seen and understood through
awareness of concentration, then it will be seen and understood
that this ‘I’ is only a creation of thought to maintain its existence
and continuance. Then there is awareness that this concentration
may lead to exclusion, isolation, opposition. But when in awareness
this basis of conflict has been laid bare, that will be the end
of concentration, the end which is the ending and abandonment of
all thought-formations which have created this ‘I’-concept. Thus,
awareness of concentration gives insight into the mind objects, and
gives freedom even to meditation.
Equanimity (upekkhā) as a factor of wisdom (bojjhaṅga) is the
ultimate of understanding. There can be a pursuit of knowledge,
but as long as there is striving, such knowledge can never satisfy,
for there is no even-mindedness. Even-mindedness is a balance of
mind which is at rest (tatra-majjhattatā), which comes naturally
when all search ceases. As long as there is concentration to arrive
at one-pointedness of mind (citt’ekaggatā), there is a striving for the
attainment of an ideal. When equanimity is seen as an ideal, there
is no even-mindedness, but only effort to overcome the disturbances