Understanding that disturbing emotions are destroyed by special insight with serenity, cultivate concentration which surpasses the four formless absorptions. This is the practice of Bodhisattvas. 

We need to develop the far-reaching practice of meditative stabilisation or concentration. To eliminate ignorance, which is the source of all afflictions that create karma and keep us in cyclic existence, we need the union of special insight and serenity. Special insight is a very penetrating mind that can investigate and analyse, though not necessarily intellectually, how things actually exist. But we also need a very concentrated mind of serenity, which is the first step on a whole step-by-step path through which we develop concentration. 

There are nine stages in the development of serenity, which vary according to how much concentration you have, how long you can stay on the object, and whether you have interference like falling asleep, distraction, agitation, laxity, not applying the antidote or over applying it. With serenity, there is mental and physical pliancy and bliss, and you can direct your mind to any virtuous object for as long as you want. Serenity is a preparatory stage to the first of the four form realms, which are deeper states of concentration known as jhana states in Pali, dhyana in Sanskrit, chan in Chinese, and zen in Japanese. Each of the jhanas is a deeper state of concentration, and there are different factors that you cultivate in each and different factors that you leave aside. Above the four form realms are the four formless realms. The sutras say beings who are born into these deep states of concentration do not have a gross physical form, though they are said in Tantra to have a subtle type of body. These beings meditate on infinite space, infinite consciousness, nothingness, and neither perception nor non-perception. This final state, also known as the peak of samsara, is the highest level of concentration, and beings’ minds are so subtle that it is hard to tell if they are perceiving or not. 

However, just attaining the four formless absorptions would not lead us to liberation. We also need to develop the analytical wisdom that knows the nature of reality, for only by knowing the true nature of reality can we be removed from samsara completely. We have already developed deep states of concentration in previous lives and have been born in both the form and formless realms many times and stayed in these meditative absorptions for aeons. But because we forgot or neglected to cultivate wisdom, when our karma there ended, we were born back into the desire realm. What surpasses the four formless absorptions is the union of serenity and special insight directly realising emptiness, which we have to develop in order to purify the mind of all defilements. 

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