Time and again I return to nothing to hold. After a host of small miracles, a torrent of moderate disasters, and a sea still as glass, I have the choice to either compare or let go.
What is this that caresses and gently chooses to allow for love to be gathered? It is the same hand that cares for pain, except that pain is healed into love.
Of the forty objects of concentration, enumerated in the 9th chapter of this book, the aspirant selects an object that appeals most to his temperament. This object is called Parikamma Nimitta—preliminary object. He now intently concentrates on this object until he becomes so wholly absorbed in it that all adventitious thoughts get ipso facto excluded from the mind. A stage is ultimately reached when he is able to visualise the object even with closed eyes. On this visualised image (Uggaha nimitta) he concentrates continuously until it develops into a conceptualised image (Pañibhàga nimitta). As an illustration let us take the Pathavi Kasiõa. A circle of about one span and four inches in diameter is made and the surface is covered with dawn-coloured clay and smoothed well.
As he continually concentrates on this abstract concept he is said to be in possession of “proximate concentration” (Upacàra samàdhi) and the innate five Hindrances to progress (Nãvaraõa), such as sense-desire (Kàmacchanda), hatred (Pañigha), sloth and torpor Thãna-Middha), restlessness and brooding (Uddhacca-Kukkucca,) and doubts (Vicikicchà) are temporarily inhibited. Eventually he gains “ecstatic concentration” (Appanà Samàdhi) and becomes enwrapt in Jhàna, enjoying the calmness and serenity of a one-pointed mind.
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