Into the woods: withdraw to meditate (sutra)

Charles Patton (trans.), suttacentral.net, "Increasing One By One" (DA 11: 增); Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Hiking, exploring, seeking solitude in the woods, Chiang Mai, Thailand (bing.com)

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I was reading the Buddha's advice. I thought I heard him say, "Go into the woods" or a similarly solitary place in search of peace.

If I keep silence, after some bumpy adjustment, my mind/hearts goes quiet and peaceful. There's a time in there when, like drug withdrawal from being addicted to thinking and worrying, there's a real hump.

But if I stick to it and keep at it, peace descends and joy arises. First comes joy then comes focus, samadhi, meditative absorption. It's uneasy at first, to be sure, but things do settle. It's not noticeable at first, but when it becomes noticeable, it's clear how much progress has been made. Why did the Buddha speak this way?

SUTRA: "Increasing One by One" (DN 11)

Thus have I heard: At one time the Buddha was staying in Anāthapiṇḍada’s Park, Jeta’s Grove, in Śrāvastī. He was accompanied by a large assembly of 1,250 monastics.

It was then that the Blessed One (Bhagavān) addressed them:

“I will give a discourse (sutra) on the sublime teaching in which all the words in the beginning, middle, and end are true, the content and expression are pure, and the spiritual life is perfected. It’s called the teaching that increases one by one. Everyone, listen closely and consider it well. I will teach it for you.”

The meditators then accepted [receiving] this teaching and listened.

The Ones

The Buddha told them, “This is the teaching that increases one by one: There’s one thing to be achieved, one thing to be cultivated, one thing to be recognized, one thing to be ceased, and one thing to be realized.

“What’s the one thing to be achieved? It’s the non-abandoning of the good Dharma (Teaching).

“What’s the one thing to be cultivated? Constant mindfulness of oneself.

“What’s the one thing to be recognized? Contaminated contact.

“What’s the one thing to be ceased? The conceit of self.

“What’s the one thing to be realized? It’s the freedom of an unobstructed mind.

The Twos

“There are also two things to be achieved, two things to be cultivated, two things to be recognized, two things to be ceased, and two things to be realized. More

• DA 5: 小緣—Charles Patton (suttacentral.net)