samãdhi: Meditative calm and concentration. Samãdhi is experienced by practicing various meditation techniques that are designed to calm the mind’s emotional turbulence and mental distraction by fixing it firmly on a single object of attention and mindfully holding it there until the mind becomes fully absorbed in that single preoccupation to the exclusion of everything else, and thus wholly integrated within a simple, unified state of awareness. By concentrating one’s attention on just one object, distracting thoughts and currents of the mind that would normally flow out into the sensory environment are gradually gathered into one inner point of focus, one still, calm, concentrated state called samãdhi. This does not mean that the mind is striving to concentrate on one point (an outward focus), but rather that by assiduously following the method with mindful attention, the mind naturally, on its own accord, converges into a unified state of awareness. The resulting experience is a feeling of pure and harmonious being that is so wondrous as to be indescribable. Upon withdrawing from samãdhi, this calm, concentrated mental focus then serves as a basis for successfully pursuing investigative techniques to develop wisdom and gain insight into the true nature of all phenomena.
三摩地(samādhi):禅修的宁静和定。修行者不管修什么禅修法门,为了使内心的情绪波动和心理障碍平静下来,而不断专注在一个特定的对象上,直到心没有其他杂念,完全渗入这个对象,形成一个单纯合一的觉知境界,这境界即三摩地。专注在一个对象,平常往外攀的杂念和妄想 会逐渐汇集于内在一点、一个静止、宁静、定的境界,即三摩地。但这不是意味着心努力集中于外在的一点,而是以念住依照方法精进,心自然而然地汇集于一觉知的境界。这境界的效果使修行者体验到无法形容的纯净以及融和美妙的感觉。从三摩地境界退出来,这宁静和专注的定力可以用来作为修行观慧的基础,成功地观察一切法的本质而产生智慧。