“And what, monks, is right concentration? (i) There is the case where a monk — quite withdrawn from sensuality, withdrawn from unskillful (mental) qualities — enters & remains in the first jhana: rapture & pleasure born from withdrawal, accompanied by directed thought & evaluation. (ii) With the stilling of directed thoughts & evaluations, he enters & remains in the second jhana: rapture & pleasure born of concentration, unification of awareness free from directed thought & evaluation — internal assurance. (iii) With the fading of rapture, he remains equanimous, mindful, & alert, and senses pleasure with the body. He enters & remains in the third jhana, of which the Noble Ones declare, ‘Equanimous & mindful, he has a pleasant abiding.’ (iv) With the abandoning of pleasure & pain — as with the earlier disappearance of elation & distress — he enters & remains in the fourth jhana: purity of equanimity & mindfulness, neither pleasure nor pain. This, monks, is called right concentration.”

https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/sn/sn45/sn45.008.than.html

Foremost, we need to know that if we are serious about experiencing Nirvana or even attaining Sotapanna, Right Samadhi is part of the training. Most people dislike meditation, and the idea of sitting there like a stone can be upsetting or even alarming to them. To overcome that barrier, Buddha devised a multitude of alternative practices for Right Concentration.

The most popular story is about a dim-witted monk who was told to practice sweeping the floor while reciting a verse concurrently. That practice led him to enlightenment. But having said that, this method might not be suitable for everyone—because most of us do not possess the simple-mindedness of that monk!

So, attaining Right Concentration while engaging in action will likely cause our minds to produce discursive thoughts due to various distractions. For most people, sitting in formal meditation is more conducive to achieving Right Samadhi. After all, distraction is counterproductive to Samadhi.

Nevertheless, some people really despise or simply cannot do sitting meditation. For those individuals, there are numerous other Samadhi training methods that correspond to their mental inclinations. Since our mental distractions are varied, the methods that arise to catch our fancy are equally varied.

For example, if we are attracted to worshipping a higher power, then the recitation of mantras or holy names of the Buddha and Bodhisattvas becomes an appealing method. In these practices, we must genuinely feel the inclination to worship and respect a higher power. Therefore, when teaching recitation, it is important to also teach concentration. Thinking about fried chicken for dinner or a romantic date while engaged in formal chanting is considered disrespectful. In short, this is a skillful method that allows monks to teach a religiously theistic person how to develop Right Samadhi through worship. The objective is not to convert someone to Buddhism, but rather to help them experience the joy of mental focus and inner peace.

Similarly, if a person strongly believes in black magic and feels that they are currently a victim, chanting the Surangama Mantra becomes an attractive method that can help ease their anxieties and slowly guide them toward peace and focus.

Is this a good solution?

It depends—because it is similar to sugar-coating a bitter medicine to encourage consumption. To a doctor, the last thing he intends is for the patient to suck on the sweet and then spit out the medicine once the sugar is gone!

For ardent fans of the Pali Canon, such practices are considered heretical because they are not found in the Pali texts. But in reality, not everybody has the inclination to listen to the doctrines preserved in the Pali Canon. For some of us, listening to those sermons can be torturous too—for whatever reason. So does that mean people like us are to be left to our own devices, with no chance of practicing Right Samadhi?

On the other hand, we should acknowledge that such a skill-full way of teaching may lead to a completely non-Buddhist approach to the Buddha-dharma. People may end up chanting mantras or Buddha’s name without even understanding what a Samyak Sambuddha is or that the goal of practice is Nirvana.

Ultimately, it depends on the teacher to decide how to impart the Noble Eightfold Path to their students.

If we reflect deeply, we may gradually come to appreciate the non-Pali Buddhist canons. And we won’t be so quick to condemn the Sanskrit canon as non-Buddhist or “not taught by the Buddha.”

In gist—Right Samadhi is important for the attainment of Nirvana. But there are multiple methods for achieving Samadhi. Even before the appearance of the Buddha, there were many people who achieved Samadhi through various methods. So what makes a Samadhi right?

To be continued.

May all be well and happy.