Arthavini'scaya-sutra supports this
explanation (see, N.H.Samtani (ed.)
Arthaviniscaya-sutra and Its Commentary
Nibandhana, patna, 1971, p. 182). The relevant
passage runs as follows: ekasabdo nanyavaci,
utir gatih, eka sa utisceti ekotih, ekoter
bhavah ekotibhavah, cetasa eka gatir
alambanety arthah ...... The word "eka",
one, single, means "not anything else".uti
Signifies movement, the act of going.' One
movement (ekoti) means the movement (sagati)
is unidirectional (eka ? ). The state of
unidirectional movement is "ekotibhavah."
The implication (artha) of one-movement is one
object of attention (alambana). So "cetaso
ekodibhava" means a state of mind directed
towards one single object.(The ekodibhave of
the third jhana develops into perfect
mindfulness of the fourth jhana) As A.
Wayman points out, the Sravakabhumi while
speaking of nine grades of mental
concentration makes it clear that samadhi
marks the highest state of mental
concentration and is immediately preceded by
ekotbhava.From the point of view of mental
concentration ekotibhava is less developed than
samadhi (Kamaleshwar Nath Mishra (ed.).Aspects
of Buddhist Sanskrit, Central Institute of
Higher Tibetan Studies, 1993.p. 478).It may be
noted here that both the Dhammasangani
(Ed.Edward Muller, PTS , 1978, p. 21) and the
Abhidharma- Koshabhasya ?of Vsubandhu
(Ed. P. Pradhan, K. P. Jayaswal Research