On this Uposatha evening, Tahn Pamutto reflects on the Eighth Factor of the Eightfold Path – that of Samadhi. Samadhi is a composure, brightness, and control of the mind. It is a fulfillment of the aspiration of the rest of the eightfold path, namely, to generate mindstates free of craving and suffering.
Samadhi itself is hard to define, as the mind when liberated is not bound by rules and expectations. But there are definable characteristics of the mind in samadhi, and five of these are called the jhana factors. Aspects of mind and sources of immense pleasure and satisfaction, they are our signposts for the leaving behind of suffering and the construction of a happier, more free-flowing heart.