In treading along the Middle Path, we have to carry out the Threefold Noble Training which is designed to eliminate the defilements that tarnish the mind and thus to purify the mind very systematically.
The Training of Morality comprises the three path factors - viz., right speech, right action, and right livelihood. It is designed to lead a pure and blameless life and to eliminate the coarse, gross and violent defilements (vÊtikkama kilesÈs) which bring about all immoral actions. The purity of morality (sÊlavisuddhi) is the foundation of meditation.
The Training of Concentration consists of the three Path factors - viz., right effort, right mindfulness, and right concentration. It is designed to eliminate and suppress all moderate defilements (pariyuÔÔhÈna kilesÈs) that constantly agitate, inflict or distract the mind. The objective of this training is to develop the right concentration (sammÈsamÈdhi) and attain the purity of mind (cittavisuddhi).
The right concentration makes the mind calm, tranquil, peaceful, and blissful. The concentrated mind associated with the right concentration becomes very powerful. It radiates very bright, penetrative light and it can see penetratively into the body to observe the internal organs as well as the ultimate realities — consciousness, mental factors and ultimate forms of matter which make up mind and body. It is the most powerful weapon for undertaking insight meditation (vipassanÈ).
The Training of Wisdom, comprising the two Path factors, namely, the right thought and the right understanding, plays the most important role in destroying defilements completely. It can uproot latent defilements (anusaya kilesÈs), which resemble the roots of trees, and destroy them completely so that they will never arise again in the mind.
The Training of Wisdom develops insight which understands the true nature of existence. It finally develops the fourfold Path-wisdom (magaÒÈÓa) which totally eradicates all defilements to bring about eternal peace and happiness called NibbÈna.
But in order to be able to undertake the Training of Wisdom — that is insight meditation (vipassanÈ) — successfully, the strong foundation of morality and concentration is absolutely essential. So we must maintain blameless and spotless pure morality and develop mental concentration to the level of the right concentration, which is equivalent to the concentration associated with the four r|pÈvacara jhÈnas, according to the statement of the Blessed One in MahÈsatipaÔÔhÈna Sutta.

In SamÈdhi Sutta as well as in many other suttas, the Buddha urges his disciples to develop concentration thus;
“SamÈdhiÑ bhikkhave bhÈvetha,
SamÈhito bhikkhave bhikkhu yathÈbh|taÑ
pajÈnÈti”
“O monks, try to develop concentration.
A bhikkhu, who has the right concentration, can see things as they really are in various ways.”
In order to be able to develop the right concentration, the Buddha describes forty meditation subjects. All these meditation subjects are very useful, beneficial and powerful to combat the hindrances (nÊvaraÓas) and defilements (kilesÈs) which are really the causes of all suffering and all unjust, wicked and dreadful actions in the world.

In this book, the systematic undertaking of the meditation on water kasiÓa and the remaining kasiÓas are first described as the continuation of the description on earth kasiÓa in ‘Samatha (Higher Level) Volume I.’ All these meditations lead to the attainment of all fourfold or fivefold r|pÈvacara jhÈnas — meditative absorptions in the fine-material sphere. A practical, quick and effective way of carrying out these kasiÓa meditations with the powerful support of the fourth r|pÈvacara jhÈna developed by ŒnÈpÈnassati meditation is also described.
The ten kasiÓas are powerful meditation subjects for developing all r|pÈvacara jhÈnas and also for developing mundane supernormal powers (lokiya AbhiÒÒÈs).
Th systematic method of undertaking the Meditation on Foulness (Asubha bhÈvanÈ) is fully described next as instructed by the Buddha. Also a quick and effective way of developing ‘the Perception of Foulness’ (AsubhasaÒÒÈ) by undertaking the meditation on foulness with the support of the fourth r|pÈvacara jhÈna concentration is also mentioned.
This meditation on foulness is very much praised by the Blessed One for it is the most effective meditation subject for subduing lust (rÈga). In fact, the rÈga-ogre is most afraid of this meditation subject for it is conquered by the perception of foulness.
A meditator, who has reached the first jhÈna in his meditation on any one of the ten kinds of corpses, attains the perception of foulness and can well suppress his greed (lobha) with its characteristic of craving and attachment (taÓhÈ). So he is free from lust, passions, and frivolity, and he resembles an Arahant.
The description of the six ‘Recollections’(Anussatis) viz., the Recollection of the Buddha (BuddhÈnussati), the Recollection of the Dhamma (DhammÈnussati), the Recollection of the SaÑgha (SaÑghÈnussati), the Recollection of Morality (SÊlÈnussati), the Recollection of Generosity (CÈgÈnussati), the Recollection of Deities (DevatÈnussati), is undertaken next. A quick and effective way of achieving success in these ‘Recollections’ with the support of the fourth r|pÈvacara jhÈna concentration is also included.
These ‘Recollections’ are again very beneficial. They develop great reverence to the Buddha, the Dhamma, the SaÑgha, and the training of morality and generosity.
They also cultivate strong faith and confidence in the Triple Gem and in the Noble Training as well as mindfulness (sati), wisdom (paÒÒÈ), joy (pÊti), and happiness (sukha).
In A~guttara NikÈya, Ekadhamma PÈÄi, the Buddha points out that repeated reflection on any one of the ten ‘Recollections’ (Anussatis) will lead to the disgust upon the round of birth and death, to the cessation of craving (rÈga), to the pacification of defilements, to the knowledge of the three characteristic marks of exis tence, to the understanding of the four Noble Truths penetratively, and to the realization of NibbÈna.