[IrrettelatWet]

The role of ‘concentration’ in Dhamma practice fits into a greater dynamic of contemplative effort which supports knowledge-development, wisdom and release. This dynamic bears the idiom ‘calm and insight’ (samatha-vipassanā). Although this idiom is rarely used in the Nikāyas, there are other groupings in the early texts which support it, such as the three classifications of the 8-fold path (tayo khandhā saṅgahitā – MN.44); here we find the contemplative supports of right-effort (sammāvāyāma), right-concentration (sammāsamādhi) and right-mindfulness (sammāsati) ‘grouped as the concentration aggregate’ (samādhikkhandhe saṅgahitā); right-view (sammādiṭṭhi) and right-intention (sammāsaṅkappo) ‘grouped as the wisdom aggregate’ (paññākkhandhe saṅgahitā). And just as we have in the 'three trainings' (tisso sikkhā - DN.3.10, AN.3.2.4.9. & 10) ‘higher training of the mind’ (adhicittasikkhā) (through jhāna), and ‘higher training of wisdom’ (adhipaññāsikkhā).

Although the Buddha gave little description of ‘calm and insight’ compared to so much emphasis given jhāna, I think we find the hallmark of it where Ānāpānasati and Satipaṭṭhāna meet in the Ānāpānasati Sutta. I also think that it is in Ānāpānasati/Satipaṭṭhāna where ‘access concentration’ finds implicit support from the Nikāyas to otherwise dubious origins in the Visuddhimagga; as the requisite calm unification of body and mind which supports contemplative examination of states, knowledge development and the pathway to wisdom and release.

As indicated earlier in the thread, I think this dynamic of ‘calm and insight’ has been missed to some extent by the extremes of jhāna and vipassanā traditions. And this is an interesting disconnect for me to find in Theravāda of all places, for what Zen has retained as shinkantaza is essentially the same.