Siddartha was a mighty prince. He had all means of pleasure of the time, despite that he was not happy. One day he left the palace and all of his belongings in search of happiness. He went to अलार कालाम, a highly reached Yogi of the time, and learned seven absorption Samadhis (साप्त समाधी, सत्त समापत्ति, सात ध्यान). What is Samadhi? Samadhi is continious concentration of a mind at a point. There are three types of Samadhis. 1. क्षणिक समाधि (momentary concentration) 2. उपचार समाधि ( Developing concentration) 3. अर्पणा समाधि (Developed or surrendered concentration) 1. Yogi starts with momentary concentration, क्षणिक समाधि. He tries to foucus his mind at a pint, but the mind runs away. Again he brings the mind back to the point of concentration, again it slips away. Since the mind stays for few moments (क्षण) at the point of concentration, it is called momentary concentration (क्षणिक समाधि). Do you know what makes the mind to slip away? Abortion for unpleasent (द्वेष, अकुशल) and craving for pleasent (राग)! These are the two things that make mind to run away. In another word, while focusing yogi either remember something pleasent or something annoying, which diverts his attention. In Yogic terminology, Abortion for unpleasent (द्वेष, अकुशल) and craving for pleasent (राग) are known as निवरण, which means curtain for reality. Point of concentration is the truth, and the Yogi try to see it, but abortion and craving block him to see. So they are called curtain, the truth blockers. अझै पनि हाम्रो समाजमा मान्छेहरु भन्ने गर्छन-राग द्वेष गर्नु हुदैन। तर भन्ने लाई थाहा नहुन सक्छ उसले कति गहन शब्द बोलिरहेछ। 2. While Yogi diligently try to focus at the point of concentration, abortion and craving keep on diminishing, and finally he could manage to hold his mind at the point for few minutes to few hours continuously. Since the concentration is developing, it is called developing concentration, उपचार समाधि। 3. When उपचार समाधि get developed, the mind completely surrender to the point of concentration. That's why it is called अर्पणा समाधि. अर्पण = Surrender. At this stage, mind will stay at the point of concentration as long as the Yogi wants. No thought will interfere and break the concentration. After अर्पणा, the concentrations are counted from first to eighth with the successive increasement of their subtality. I will write on the properties of first absorption Samadhi (प्रथम ध्यान) in my next posting. From the quality of the first absorption Samadhi, you will be able to differenciate the pleasure and happiness.