“[1] On whatever occasion the monk remains focused on the body in & of itself—ardent, alert, & mindful—subduing greed & distress with reference to the world, on that occasion his mindfulness is steady & without lapse. When his mindfulness is steady & without lapse, then mindfulness as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[2] Remaining mindful in this way, he examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment. When he remains mindful in this way, examining, analyzing, & coming to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then analysis of qualities as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[3] In one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, persistence is aroused unflaggingly. When persistence is aroused unflaggingly in one who examines, analyzes, & comes to a comprehension of that quality with discernment, then persistence as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[4] In one whose persistence is aroused, a rapture not of the flesh arises. When a rapture not of the flesh arises in one whose persistence is aroused, then rapture as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[5] For one enraptured at heart, the body grows calm and the mind grows calm. When the body & mind of a monk enraptured at heart grow calm, then calm as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[6] For one who is at ease—his body calmed—the mind becomes concentrated. When the mind of one who is at ease—his body calmed—becomes concentrated, then concentration as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
“[7] He carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity. When he carefully watches the mind thus concentrated with equanimity, equanimity as a factor for awakening is aroused in him. He develops it, and for him it goes to the culmination of its development.
[Similarly with the other three establishings of mindfulness: in feelings, mind, & mental qualities.]
Saṁyutta Nikāya 54:13
Somewhat synonymous with the 8 fold path, the 7 factors of awakening can be thought of as a recipe for wise meditation practice in much the same way that the 8 fold path can be seen as a recipe for practicing Dharma throughout daily life.
The 7 factors can be used as a checklist of attributes that are developed and strengthened through ongoing (and intensive) meditation practice. As they are cultivated, they also continue to grow in strength and effect. They might be thought of as not just a sequential list, but also as a sort of repeating cycle that spirals to greater and greater heights, leading to understanding experience as it truly is.
The 7 factors are:
- Mindfulness (sati)
- Keen investigation of the Dharma (dhammavicaya)
- Diligence (viriya)
- Rapture or happiness (piti)
- Calm (passaddhi)
- Unification of mind (samadhi)
- Equanimity (upekkha)
The 7 factors may be cultivated in order, from one to the next and so on. Please see the example below.
- Beginning with mindfulness, direct experiencing is cultivated whenever possible, both on and off the cushion.
- As direct experiencing begins to occur more often and for longer periods, investigation of the Dharma is introduced into the practice. This could take the form of observing the arising, changing and ceasing nature, or perhaps noticing the relationships and interdependence between experienced phenomena. Not only the content of experience is observed, but also the behaviors.
- Diligence and energy now plays a more solid role as the mind is increasingly kept on observing and investigating the Dharma present in direct experiencing and returning to doing so when it wanders.
- The rapture and happiness inherent in knowing and observation begins to show up and grow stronger as the mind more steadily stays with direct experiencing.
- The mindful, curious and diligent mind, experiencing the rapture and happiness of knowing, begins to grow increasingly calm.
- The calm combined with the other factors brings about increasing unification of mind. The qualities of clarity, stability, malleability, brightness manifest more and more.
- Contentment and equanimity increasingly settle into the experience as well. The mind feels less and less desire to wander, or to move toward or away from the content of experience.
- This leads directly again into greater capacity for direct experiencing and the cycle continues…