Samadhis

The Sanskrit word "Samadhi" traditionally denotes various exalted states that appear in the context of esoteric meditation and Realization. Avatar Adi Da Teaches that, for His devotees, Samadhi is, even more simply and fundamentally, the Enjoyment of His Divine State (or "Divine Samadhi"), Which is experienced (even from the beginning of the practice of Adidam) through ego-transcending heart-Communion with Him. Therefore, "the cultivation of Samadhi" is another way to describe the fundamental basis of the Way of Adidam. Avatar Adi Da's devotee is in Samadhi in any moment of standing beyond the separate self in true devotional heart-Communion with Him. See The Dawn Horse Testament Of The Ruchira Avatar.

The developmental process leading to Divine Enlightenment in the Way of Adidam may be marked by many signs, principal among which are the unique Samadhis of the Way of Adidam. Although some of the traditionally known Samadhis of the fourth, the fifth, and the sixth stages of life may appear in the course of an individual's practice of the Way of Adidam, the appearance of all of them is not necessary (as Avatar Adi Da indicates in His Wisdom Teaching). The essential Samadhis of the Way of Adidam are those that are uniquely Granted by Avatar Adi Da Samraj — the Samadhi of the "Thumbs", Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi, and seventh stage Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi. All the possible forms of Samadhi in the Way of Adidam are described in full detail by Avatar Adi Da Samraj in The Dawn Horse Testament.

Ruchira Avatara Bhava Samadhi — The Samadhi that is associated with the practice of Ruchira Avatara Bhakti Yoga (begun as a student-beginner in the Way of Adidam).

Samadhi Of The "Thumbs" — "The 'Thumbs'" is Avatar Adi Da's technical term for the Invasion of the body-mind by a particular form of the forceful Descent of His Divine Spirit-Current.

In the fullest form of this experience, which Avatar Adi Da calls "the Samadhi of the 'Thumbs'", His Spirit Invasion Descends all the way to the bottom of the frontal line of the body mind (at the bodily base) and ascends through the spinal line, overwhelming the ordinary human sense of bodily existence, infusing the whole being with intense blissfulness, and releasing the ordinary, confined sense of body, mind, and separate self. Eventually, in what Avatar Adi Da calls the "'Radical' Self-Manifestation of the 'Thumbs'", this process leads to the stable awakening of the Witness-Consciousness and the transition to the "Perfect Practice" of Adidam.

Avatar Adi Da's Revelation-Gift of the "Thumbs" is unique to the Way of Adidam, for it is a specific manifestation of the "Crashing Down" (or the Divine Descent) of Avatar Adi Da's Spirit Baptism, into the body minds of His devotees. The Samadhi of the "Thumbs" is a kind of "Nirvikalpa" (or formless) Samadhi — but in descent in the frontal line, rather than in ascent in the spinal line.

Savikalpa Samadhi and "Cosmic Consciousness" — The Sanskrit term "Savikalpa Samadhi" literally means "meditative ecstasy with form", or "deep meditative concentration (or absorption) in which form (or defined experiential content) is still perceived". Avatar Adi Da indicates that there are two basic forms of Savikalpa Samadhi. The first is characterized by the various experiences produced by the Spiritual ascent of energy and attention (into mystical phenomena, visions, and other subtle sensory perceptions of subtle psychic forms) and the various states of Yogic Bliss (or Spirit "Intoxication").

The second (and highest) form of Savikalpa Samadhi is called "Cosmic Consciousness", or the "'Vision' of Cosmic Unity". This is an isolated or periodic occurrence in which attention ascends, uncharacteristically and spontaneously, to a state of awareness wherein conditional existence is perceived as a Unity in Divine Awareness. The experience of "Cosmic Consciousness" is pursued as the ultimate goal of certain mystical and Yogic paths. It depends upon manipulation of attention and the body mind, and it is interpreted from the "point of view" of the separate (body based or mind based) self — and, therefore, it is not equivalent to Divine Enlightenment.

conditionally Ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi — The Sanskrit term "Nirvikalpa Samadhi" literally means "meditative ecstasy without form", or "deep meditative concentration (or absorption) in which there is no perception of form (or defined experiential content)". Traditionally, this state is regarded to be the final goal of the many schools of Yogic ascent whose orientation to practice is that of the fifth stage of life. Like "Cosmic Consciousness", conditionally ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi is an isolated or periodic (and, necessarily, temporary) Realization. In it, attention ascends beyond all conditional manifestation into the formless Matrix of Divine Vibration and Divine Light Infinitely Above the world, the body, and the mind. And, like the various forms of Savikalpa Samadhi, conditionally ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi is a temporary state of attention (or, more precisely, of the suspension of attention). It is produced by manipulation of attention and of the body mind, and is (therefore) incapable of being maintained when attention returns (as it inevitably does) to the states of the body mind. In the Way of Adidam, conditionally ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi is a possible, but not necessary, experience.

Priorly Ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi — Even though aspects of conditionally ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi are comparable to Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the two forms of ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi are fundamentally different from each other, because Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the spontaneous Establishment (entirely through Avatar Adi Da's Divine Spiritual Grace) in His formless Matrix of Love-Bliss Infinitely Above the world, the body, and the mind. Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi does not depend on any manipulation of attention and (therefore) is not characterized by the return of attention to the states of the body-mind. In the "Perfect Practice" of Adidam, Priorly Ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi (in the context of the vertical domain) occurs subsequent to, and in perfect conjunction with, Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi (in the context of the horizontal domain) as a necessary immediate prerequisite for the transition to the seventh stage of life.

conditionally Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi — "Jnana" means "knowledge". Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the characteristic meditative experience in the context of the sixth stage of life. Produced by the intentional withdrawal of attention from the conditional body mind self and its relations, conditionally Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the conditional, temporary Realization of the Transcendental Self-Condition (or Consciousness Itself), exclusive of any perception (or cognition) of world, objects, relations, body, mind, or separate-self sense-and is, thereby, formless (or "nirvikalpa").

Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi — Even though aspects of conditionally Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi are comparable to Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi, the two forms of Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi are fundamentally different from each other, because Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi is the spontaneous Establishment (entirely through Adi Da's Divine Spiritual Grace) in His Divine Acausal Self-Condition in (and beyond) the right side of the heart. Like Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi, Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi does not depend on any manipulation of attention and (therefore) is not characterized by the return of attention to the states of the body-mind. In the "Perfect Practice" of Adidam, Priorly ascended Nirvikalpa Samadhi (in the context of the vertical domain) occurs subsequent to, and in perfect conjunction with, Priorly Self-Abiding Jnana Nirvikalpa Samadhi (in the context of the horizontal domain) as a necessary immediate prerequisite for the transition to the seventh stage of life.

Seventh Stage Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi, or "Ruchira Samraj Samadhi", or "Samraj Samadhi" Divine Self-Realization, or Most Perfect Divine Enlightenment — uniquely Revealed and Given by Avatar Adi Da Samraj. "Sahaja" is Sanskrit for "born together, innate, or natural". Thus, "Sahaja Nirvikalpa Samadhi" means "Innate Samadhi without form". "Ruchira Samraj Samadhi" means "the Samadhi of His own 'Brightness' Given by the Universal Divine Lord, Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj". "Samraj Samadhi" means "the Samadhi of the Universal Divine Lord, Ruchira Avatar Adi Da Samraj".

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