11 things for concentration to grow

11 things for concentration to grow:

1. Keeping own body, behaviour, belongings and surroundings completely clean

2. Having routine in recognizing the sign of calm and the sign of non-distraction

3. Ballancing the abilities of faith vs. understanding and energy vs. concentration evenly

4. Controlling, confining and restraining the mind, whenever necessary

5. Pushing, prodding and exerting the mind, whenever needed

6. Gladdening, encouraging and easing the mind, whenever suitable

7. Looking on, just overseeing the mind in equanimity, whenever appropriate

8. Avoiding unconcentrated, agitated, diffuse and scatter-minded people

9. Friendship with concentrated people with direct experience in absorption

10. Frequent reviewing of the mental absorptions (jhanas) and the mental liberations

11. Commitment to focus the mind into one-pointed and absorbed Concentration

(from Samyutta Nikaya 46)

References