Attention and learning — the depth dimension

Attention is not a prerequisite for learning — it is learning: what the mind attends to is what it encodes, and the quality of attention determines the depth of understanding, not merely its breadth. Divided attention, multitasking, and continuous partial attention each produce shallow encoding regardless of exposure duration. The Sutric practice of single-pointed dhāraṇā is not a spiritual luxury but the precise cognitive condition under which genuine understanding forms.