Shamatha to Mahamudra(Translated by K. Tamphel)

The Gurus Pith Instructions Revealed through Experience, The Visualization of Calm Abiding in Mahamudra

Namogurubhe! Bowing my head to their stainless lotus feet, I pay homage and go for refuge to the gurus of the great Lord Sarahas Essence Meaning Lineage and to the kind root guru, the embodiment of all victors, and his spiritual sons.

Despite dwelling in a forest of sublime beings that are like trees lush with leaves of knowledge, flowers of experience, and fruits of realization of the profound definitive Dharma, I am like an old dry tree with rotted roots of efforts, withered tips of wisdom, and without any leaves of experience; I am not at all capable of providing a cool shade where sublime beings can rest.

However, I am afraid I will not live up to the expectations of my vajra siblings, those with whom I have bowed my head at the lotus feet of our guru who is truly a Buddha, drinking the elixir of Vajrayana teachings and maintaining the samayas (flawlessly) like the sun completing its coursein a cloudless sky.

Therefore, casting aside elaborations of the eight worldly dharmas, such as using eloquent language to please and flatter mundane beings, I will speak briefly but frankly about the actual way of practicing calm abiding at the beginners level of meditation.

Some of the holders of the tenets of mahamudra and mahasandhi these days and most of the great meditators who have received mind-instructions teach to look directly, from the very beginning, at the nature of whatever thought arises and set the mind on it without grasping. Considering that alone to be sufficient, they are many who proudly claim to have meditation and conduct Dharma discourses.

Here, if I, an old stupid one, frankly disclose the way it appears in my mind, without keeping anything secret, it is as follows.

The general method of mind instruction has two parts: a. Imparting instructions to sublime beings, who have trained in samadhi in their former lives and have the former practice to resume.

b. Imparting instructions to ordinary people like me who do not have any merit.

To sublime beings, the samadhi of calm abiding unified with special insight occurs spontaneously, just by looking directly at the nature of whatever thought arises from the

very beginning. Tradition tells of countless people to whom realization gushed forth from the expanse, such as Saraha in ancient India, Milas disciple Repa Sangye Kyab, Drubchen Lingrepa, Gyalwa Yangonpa, Lord Lachiwa, and so forth in Tibet.Even in modern days, the realization of special insight occurred spontaneously to our precious guruthe crown ornament of all siddhaswhen he was twenty-seven years old. The mental stability of calm abiding also occurred to him on its own, with no specific effort required. As for him, he continually maintained an uninterrupted samadhi that unified calm abiding and special insight, even in his nocturnal dreams.

He was the second Vajradhara, as he was equal in realization to all previous Kagyudpa masters,such as Gyalwa Yangonpa.

Thus, sublime beings like him could fulfil all purposes simply by looking directly from the very beginning, at the nature of whatever thought arises, and sustaining the continuum which is neither meditation nor distraction. Therefore, it is perfectly correct to do so.

On the other hand, it is not good for ordinary people who, like me, havent inherited any meditation training from past lives to look directly, from the very beginning, at the nature of whatever thought arises.

For instance, when I first entered the door of definitive meaning, the precious Guru gave me two different instructions at the same time:

a. An instruction to look directly at the nature of whatever thought arises and thus set the mind with no grasping.

b. An instruction to practice calm abiding with the help of a reference point.

Apparently he thought that if I had inherited training from my past lives, it would serve the purpose by looking directly at the nature of whatever thought arises; but if I did not have much training from past lives, it would be better to take up the gradual approach of practicing calm abiding and so forth.

However, I did not realize this at the time. So I practiced diligently for five long years by looking directly at the nature of whatever thought arose, as that seemed a bit easier to me.

In doing so, except for some minor improvement in my understanding of the essential point in the view of emptiness, I developed no real confidence at all; it was like putting some roasted grains in the paws of a dog.

Therefore, I had to start all over again like a young novice, practicing calm abiding with a reference point such as a pebble and so forth. Therefore, it is not good for beginning meditators these days, who do not have much training from past lives, to imitate their seniors, the great meditators, and be content with looking directly, from the very beginning, at the nature of whatever thought arises, as that is an unrealistic imitation.

This is because looking directly at the nature of whatever thought arises is a practice for sustaining the meditation which has already been developed; it is not a practice for those who are new to meditation.

Staring directly at the nature of whatever thought arises is the practice of special insight, and if you do that repeatedly, you will never develop the stability of calm abiding at all. Even if some stability develops, you may have a correct vision of the nature of mind, but it wont last long.

Like lighting a lamp in a windstorm, it will be shaky and wont last longer than a flash of lightning in the darkness, bringing no mastery in meditation.

This is why Buddha taught, consecutively, first samadhi and then wisdom awareness, in the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra.

The Victorious Maitreya has said, The latter arises in dependence on the former.

Thus, he also taught that wisdom awareness arises in dependence on samadhi, which comes first.

The Gawo Entering Womb Sutra Says, If one lacks the mind of equipoise one lacks the utterly pure primordial awareness, so one wont be able to abandon the stains.

Thus, it is said that if you lack the calm abiding of equipoise, the realization of special insight wont develop and so you wont attain liberation.

The great Indian master Kamal Shil also said, Lacking calm abiding, with special insight alone, a yogis mind gets distracted to objects and like a lamp placed in wind, will never stabilize.

As thus said, in brief, meditation becomes severed from its root if you look directly at the nature of whatever thought arises before accomplishing some stability of mind. Such an

attempt is like wishing to construct the second floor of a house before constructing the first floor.

You may ask: Dont they mean the same, to set the mind in a state of non-grasping by looking directly at the nature of whatever thought arises and to set the mind in the state of non-grasping by abandoning grasping of thoughts during calm abiding meditation?

In the beginning stage of calm abiding practice, thoughts are viewed as enemies and resisted, and mind is thus set in a thought-free state. In the stage of actual meditation, thoughts are integrated into the path by looking directly at their nature, without viewing them as errors or resisting them. In other words, they are made friends with. Therefore, there is a huge difference between thesetwo stages.

Thus, during the stage of actual meditation, thought should not be abandoned, because the more they arise, the more qualities will also arise.

Lord Maitripa has said, All forms of virtue and non-virtue are transcended by knowing suchness. Afflictions are the great primordial awareness. Like a forest engulfed in firefor a yogi they are friends.

Lord Goe Tsangpa has said, A hundred thoughts amount to a hundred Truth Bodies.

Lord Zhang Rinpoche has said, A great meditator who blocks thoughts hides deep within the ambitious ghost of not wanting thoughts to proliferate and wanting to abide free from thoughts, thereby, bringing the primordial treasure to extinction. Like churning water with the hope to make butter, the truth will not be seen, even though he meditates for an eon. Hence it is unnecessary to block thoughts.

Thus there are many teachings against abandoning thoughts. However, what all theseteachings advocate is that the nature of thoughts be looked at directly, while sustaininga state of meditation, which has already been developed; they do not at all mean thatordinary people should look directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise from thevery beginning.

Lord Goe Tsangpa said, Set the mind on the fogginess, if it is foggy, Set it on the clarity, if it is clear, Set it on the emptiness, if it is empty, Set it on the cloudiness, if it is cloudy.

There are many pith instructions such as this from siddhas from the past. Stressing onlythe importance of self-liberation of whatever thought arises, without grasping at it, butsaying nothing essential of the mind.

These instructions were also given to their personal disciples as oral instructions for sustainingthe state of meditation they had developed, but they do not mean that ordinary people should do so from the very beginning.

There are some who argue that the instruction of Lord Nono Rinpoche is to look directly at the nature of whatever thought arises from the very beginning. This statement stems from a poorreading, since Lord Nono Rinpoches oral instruction to Gelong Zurdor says, Practice first a firm state of calm abiding. Look then at the nature of that which abides, when the basic root has been mastered completely. Whatever objects of the six senses appear, whatever materializes such as abiding and fluttering, do not make choices between denying and affirming, good and bad, accepting and rejecting, but take them as the path.

Thus he taught in a perfect order. There are also some great siddhas who, at the very beginning, expound in the way of pointing out the view, saying, Mind is neither existent not non-existent and so forth. It is all right to do so, they allege, because in the Drukpa tradition instructions on special insight are given at the very beginning, and they call it the one sufficient mahamudra.

This is also a baseless rumor, because what one sufficient means is that, to the rare fortunate beings in whom realization has gushed forth from the expanse because of their complete familiarity with the definitive meaning in past lives as a cause and their guru devotion in the present life as a condition, instructions are also taught starting from special insight, and it is all right to do so.

Otherwise, I have not seen, even in the Drukpa tradition, that they teach the instructions of special insight at the very beginning to ordinary people.

If one could attain liberation by simply hearing the words mahamudra and mahasandhi, without any accumulation of merit necessary, then even the monks who perform spiritual services in peoples homes would be liberated without any meditation, since they recite the Perfection of Wisdom Sutra all the time.

Therefore, if you intend to practice perfect virtue, it is important to ensure that you practice according to the unmistaken order, without following the false conclusions just mentioned.

In brief, whether or not you meditate with effort, if you have seen the true nature of mind and have achieved stability in it by means of practice in your past lives and the gurus blessings, then there is no practice better than looking directly at the nature of whatever thoughts and the like arises.

Lord Lho Thinle Namgyal said, ...after that, maintain the true nature of mind with undistracted mindfulness and look directly at the nature of whatever good, bad or neutral thought arises, without getting off balance. There is no pith instruction more profound than this, even if Vajradhara himself appears in person.

On the other hand, for ordinary people to look directly from the beginning at the nature of whatever thought arises and to regard that as sufficient is not at all a genuine kind of meditation,but a mere wish for meditation.

The reason is this: First, the state of calm abiding is not accomplished since mental stability has not been attained due to the lack of effort to gain it.

Then, the state of special insight is not accomplished since there is a lack of effort to find the mind,and there is no knowledge at all about the essential point of the view, so the nature of mind is notseen.

Thus, it is a big mistake to pretend to be meditating with the conceit of having attained the statesof calm abiding and special insight, without actually having them.I have said this because I have noticed many people who are not able to make a distinction between the way a great practitioner at an advanced level of meditation should practice and the way a novice at the beginning level of meditation should practice. Whether this is the case or not can be discovered if you refer to the extensive instruction manuals on the stages of meditation and also conduct the thorough experiment to see whether it is beneficial or not beneficial to your own mind.

The Actual Methods of Practicing Calm Abiding

Homage to the precious enlightened guru who is the embodiment of the Three Jewels.

In an isolated meditation hut in a place removed from passers-by and noise, the person who is to meditate on concentration should sit on a soft and comfortable cushionthe rear of which is slightly higher than the frontand assume the seven-point posture of Vairocana.

After that, the first thing to do is to take refuge and generate the mind of enlightenment perfectly.

Then, meditate on your body as the yidam deity and hold a slight attitude of pride in actually being the yidam deity.

Then, meditate on your root guru in the form of Vajradhara in the space in front of you. With the feeling that he is the embodiment of the Buddhas of the ten directions and three times, make this supplication with one-pointed devotion:

Precious guru! Please grant your blessings so that the perfect samadhi arises in me; please grant your blessings so that I can achieve the supreme attainment of mahamudra in this very life.

As you thus mentally supplicate him, your guru becomes delighted. With a smile blossoming onhis face he melts into light and dissolves into you, and thereby all the blessings of your gurus body, speech, and mind enter into you. Having visualized thus, set your mind in equipoise for a short time by sustaining a mental continuum which is clear, empty and devoid of grasping.

Regarding this, some instruction manuals teach nothing more than refuge and mind generation, but here in our case the complete five-fold path is integrated into each session: refuge and mind generation, the generation of the yidam deity, and guru yoga at the beginning of the session; training in samadhi in the middle of the session; and dedication at the end of the session.

This is an important factor, for it is the unmistaken view of Kyobpa Rinpoche as he has stated in the Same Intent: All stages of the path must be practice in each session.

The Methods for Accomplishing Samadhi through Calm Abiding

Lhobpon Shakya Shenyen has said, Tie the mad elephant mind that treads the wrong path to the pillar of reference point with the rope of mindfulness, and control it gradually with the hook of wisdom awareness.

Thus he has said, that, in order to protect it from wandering along the wrong path, the mind that is intoxicated by the liquor of five poisons must be tied to the firm pillar of reference point with the rope of undistracted mindfulness. If is still refuses to settle, subdue it by hitting it again and again with the sharp iron hook of alertness and bring it under control.

In this regard, there are three ways of keeping hold of the mind: a. Keeping hold of the mind by means of a coarse reference point such as a pebble or the like. b. Keeping hold of the mind simply by means of a subtle reference point such as breathing. c. Setting the mind in the most subtle state of carefree awareness.

a. Keeping hold of the mind by means of coarse reference pointSet your mind gently on a pea-sized pebble, which is not too bright, and is place in front of you at the distance where your gaze naturally falls.

This means that you should keep your mind relaxed and released in the state of simply not forgetting the reference point, neither analyzing the particulars of the reference point, such as its shape and color, etcetera, nor keeping hold of your mind too tightly.

Then, if a thought pops up, cut it down on the spot and place your mind gently in the state of the reference point.

If the tightening and loosening of mind is balanced and you achieve a little bit of mental stability, within the state of becoming stable briefly interrupt your meditation with a short rest.

After that, focus your mind again immediately on the reference point. Practice thus in short but repeated sessions.

Making repeated short sessions like this however, is only meant for the beginners in the initial stage.

Then, as soon as the span of mental stability becomes longer, the duration of the sessions must also be extended.

Otherwise, engaging in repeated short sessions at all times may lead to errors in the practice of virtue.

Even between the sessions, except for keeping your mind in its natural state, refrain from harboring a multitude of thoughts, listening to fresh reports, and engaging in too many activities; stay calm, as someone with a major illness.

The reason for making repeated short sessions is that if we beginners do long sessions, we fall under the sway of either sinking or scattering and agitation and the samadhi becomes false.

Therefore, by making short sessions we stay away from the errors of sinking and agitation, and bymaking that repeatedly the span of mental stability lengthens naturally.

The purpose of interrupting, while the mind is in the state of abiding, and then focusing again is so you naturally retain the interest to meditate in the following session, because you ended the preceding session before becoming bored with it.

Thus it is said in the Root Pith Instruction, "Isolate yourself in a place of solitude; Give up the activities of body, speech and mind; Observe the discipline of looking only at a yoke's distance; Move like someone ill when walking and sitting."

Lor Dampa Gyagar has said, "Should one wish to sustain the self-aware primordial wisdom short sessions ensure freedom from errors; repeated practices connect unerringly. By practicing and habituating unerringly, one will achieve complete enlightenment."

At this point, however, any thought, whether coarse or subtle, that arises has to be cut down and blocked as soon as it is detected. It is not permissible yet to look at the nature of whatever thought arises without blocking it.

As mentioned before, in the beginning, gaze at the reference point and meditate with open eyes. Then, when you become slightly trained in focusing your mind, do not

meditate with open eyes, but visualize the reference point in your mind and set your focus on it. Otherwise, it becomes a bad habit for the mind if you meditate always by gazing with open eyes.

Master Ashvaghosha has said, "Stabilize the thoughts in your mind by focusing on any one reference point. By switching among many reference points, mind becomes upset with afflictions."

Lord Palden Atisha has said, "Upon any one reference point place the mind in virtue."

As thus said, at this point you must make sure to achieve mental stability exclusively on the basis of the one reference point just mentioned.

Otherwise, swithching among points of reference before achieving any mental stability causes obstacles to achieving it.

If you manage to achieve mental stability on the basis of the first reference point, it is not only unerring, but also better not to switch to many points of reference.

In order to dispel sinking and dullness in this process, focus your mind on a pea-size white sphere visualized between your eyebrows. To dispel scattering and agitation, focus your mind on a pea-size black sphere visualized below your navel.

At all times, meditate on Vajradhara, as small as a mustard seed, sitting on a lotus and moon disc cushion, in space near the tip of your nose. Or, if he is unclear at this size, visualize him a pea-size. If even that is unclear, visualize him as thumb-size, and focus your mind on him. Also, at the beginning of the session, you should perform a thorough visualization of the attributes of his body such as his face, hands, attire the characteristics and signs of enlightenment and so forth.

After that, focus your mind gently on the complete body from the lotus cushion up to the crown protuberance.

Even if the visualization is unclear, being contented with anything that you can visualize, such as his head, feet and so forth, and then simply not forgetting that will be sufficient.

Otherwise, if you attempt it repeatedly, desiring a clearer visualization, the stability of mind won't be achieved.

Focusing the mind on the upper areas of the visualized deity at this stage is said to cause wind-in-the-life-vein (tib. srog-rlung.)

This happens because if the focus is on the upper areas, the mind only scatters outside but never gathers inside.

As a result, thoughts grow in number, and the grasping of hope, fear, joy and sorrow take place, which, when intensified is called srog-rlung.

When the focus is on the lower areas, mind gathers in and never scatters outside. THus, the stability of mind improves naturally and it is also the reason why the stog-rlung ceases to arise.

Focusing on the upper areas is said to instigate srog-rlung, but this is only for new meditators like ourselves, who are at the very beginning and have not perfected any skill whatsoever in samadhi.

For great meditators with perfect skill in samadhi, nothing goes wrong at all, no matter how high they have their focus.

In addition to that, there is an incredible range of focusing methods. However, all of the essentials are included in the ones mentioned above.

Identifying the Main Body of Meditation

The Incomparable Lord Dawo Zhunu has said, "Mindfulness is the main body of meditation. Attend to it at all times with no interruption."

Lord Tashi Namgyal has said, "Without impairment in the mindfulness of sustaining non-distraction and the alertness of inspecting what is and what is not..."

Just as he has said, mindfulness and alertness serve as the main body of meditation. What this means is that on should be watchful with alerness, within the state of mindfulness free from distractions.

Mindfulness refers to sustaining the continuity of clear and sharp alertness within the state of simply not forgetting the reference oint, thereby being free from distractions.

Alertness refers to that aspect of mind which remains watchful so as to determine whether or not the mind is distracted, whether or not it is abiding, whether or not sinking and fogginess have arisen, and whether or not scattering and agitation have arisen.

That means that, from time to time, the mind keeps an eye on itself wihtin the state of undistracted mindfulness.

One should, however, be skillfull in this, as an excess of concepts and analysis create obstacles in the cultivation of mental stability.

Regarding this matter, some gurus have taught not to think of anything whatsoever. They thus seem to mean that even alertness should be disabled.

That is not a good idea as, if alertness is disabled, the arising of sinking and agitation can never be identified, and consequently the mind flows out into the state of ordinariness.

In any case, alertness does not refer to a piece of something that exists in a specific place. If there is mindfulness endowed with clarity and sharpness, then alertness, which detects the abiding and fluttering of mind, occurs spontaneously.

Since alertness also does not arise if the power of mindfulness is weak, it is necessary to become highly skilled in upholding undistracted mindfulness only.

The focusing of the mind on the reference point should employ a balance between tightness and looseness, as the great Lord Saraha has said, "Like a Brahmin spinning his thread, let your mind be fresh, unaltered and loose."

A thread will break if it is over-spun, and it will not become a thread if it is too loose. Hence, it requires a balance between tight and loose.

Likewise, if you become too concentrated on the reference point and thus emphasize only the clarity and sharpness of awareness, this will give rise to scattering and agitation, and you won't achieve any mental stability.

On the other hand, if your focus on the reference point is feeble and exccdingly loose, though it helps a bit in generating stability, you will become the victim of sinking and fogginess and remain in a state of oblivion, without gaining any clarity or sharpness of awareness.

Therefore, the continuity of simple not forgetting the reference point is to be sustained, with a balance between tightness and looseness.

The criterion for balance between tight and loose is: staying slightly looser than the limit at which scattering and agitation begin, and slightly tighter than the limit at which sinking and fogginess begin.

At this point, some great meditators say, "Do not be insistent and over-concentrated or else it will cause srog-rlung."

That is not quite right either, because if you are always loose, with the idea that everyone who is insistent and over-concentrated is as mentioned, subject to srog-rlung, you will become the victim of sinking and fogginess and there will be no chance for progress in meditation.

Nowadays nearly everyone says that loosening is the most excellent kind of meditation, and they mainly emphasize that. This way they attain a little mental stability, which is an oblivion state seized by sinking and fogginess. Supposing that to be a perfect kind of meditation, there are some who tend to be boastful of it. That is also due to lack of knowledge about the essential key point, as Lord Dharmakirti has said in his vajra songs,

"In mainly emphasizing the stability of mind, a mind wherein the six collections have ceased or been blocked, and hence remains in a state of blankness, like a lake that is frozen, is the false calm abiding, which is the means to attain the three states as posited by Lord Sapan."

Thus, if one perpetually meditates on such an oblivious state of mind, wherein there is stability but no clarity at all, then it is said that rebirth will be in the animal realm. There is nothing more calamitous that can happen, as the animal kingdom is one of the three lower realms.

Rigzin Natsok Rangdol has said, In a grueling attempt to gain stability through insistent over-concentration, there are many great meditators who buy srog-rlung by payment. One is ordinary if one strays casually into thoughts. Better than that is to sustain the natural state of self-awareness.

If you wonder what this statement means, it refers to the fact that srog-rlung is generated if you focus with insistence and over-concentration while your mind engages in the grasping of hope and fear.

In other words, mind automatically becomes uptight and wavers as long as it grasps at joy, sadness, hope and fear like this: The great hope of thinking, Will my mind ever abide? How nice if it does! The great fear of thinking, It is not going to abide. What can I do now? When it slightly abides, thinking with great joy, Thats it! When it does not abide, thinking with great sadness, I am good for nothing.

On the other hand, mind naturally becomes relaxed and abides in its self-nature as long as it is free from grasping in joy, sorrow, hope and fear.

Therefore, with your mind free from grasping in hope and fear, in the state of non-grasping, the more you insist, the more you progress, and thus it is excellent.

As long as there is any sense of grasping, the more you insist, the more problems will occur in your meditation, such as srog-rlung and the like.

Srog-rlung refers to the event when waves of thoughts crash together as a result of escalating hopes and fears for joy and sorrow.

It is a mental disease and not the disease also called wind-disorder, which has to do with the body of flesh and blood.

You may wonder why there is heartache, heart trembling, sleepiness and the like, if it is strictly a mental disease.

These are only the symptoms that result from the mind becoming disturbed by thoughts. For example, even if you dont have any physical disease, if a strong sense of sorrow suddenly erupts in your mind, your eyes immediately shed tears. The tears naturally stop when the mind becomes free from sorrow.

Likewise, srog-rlung subsides on its own if your mind abides one-pointedly with undistracted mindfulness in the state of non-grasping, relinquishing all mental elaborations of joy, sorrow, hope and fear through a determined resolve to put up with whatever is done or happens to you.

This essential point is not merely a dry expression of textual understanding, but something I have actually experienced myself.

Other than that, it is necessary at this junction of one-pointed calm abiding to ensure no distraction from the mindfulness of simply not forgetting the reference point, maintaining it insistently by applying a second instance of mindfulness before the preceding instance of mindfulness runs out of strength. That is why the previous Kagyu masters have named the mindfulness at this particular juncture insistent mindfulness.Insistence: ensuring the continuation of undistracted mindfulness, simply uninterrupted at all times.

Jigten Sumgon, the Precious Dharma Lord has said, The meaning of great effort is being without interruption at all times. Incorrect understanding of this is calamitous.

In brief, it is not right to create doubt in meditators of lesser intellect, by saying that anyone who insists and over concentrates, will suffer from srog-rlung, without makinga distinction between the problems of doing so with mental grasping and the benefits of without mental grasping.

Thus, at this stage of maintaining the continuity of undistracted mindfulness of the reference point, the biggest obstacles and errors in samadhi are caused by sinking, agitation and dullness. Hence, it is necessary to recognize and abandon these obstacles.

Sinking

Sinking occurs when, as you set your mind on the reference point, the force of your mindfulness becomes weaker and weaker and your focusing becomes unclear; your mind soon enters a state of blackout and falls asleep, as if it has been engulfed in darkness. This is called sinking.

When this happens, realign the key points of your posture and revitalize your mind. Having done so, set your gaze at an upward angle, looking at a point in space in front of you at the height of your eyebrows, and thus maintain the continuity of mindfulness imbued with clarity and sharpness.

Or else visualize something crystal-clear, such as sunlight or the light of a butter lamp, and set your mind on it one-poijntedly. In doing so, sinking will subside.

If, despite attempting these remedies, you still fail to rid your mind of sinking and feellethargic, get up immediately and walk back and forth many times with your mind in its natural state.

If this also fails to eliminate sinking, some other methods are: to sit in front of a window;to splash cold water on the face; to drink some good quality Chinese tea; to remember thegreat qualities of the Buddhas, Bodhisattvas, and Kagyu Gurus; to think about the benefits of bodhicitta or ponder how the human life with leisure and endowments is meaningful but difficult to find, and so forth. In this manner, if you contemplate a bit about something that cheers you, your consciousness will expand and eliminate sinking on its own., Then, when the sinking is gone, take your seat right away and maintain the continuity of clear and sharp awareness simply by not forgetting the reference point.

Dullness

Dullness refers to the condition in which your body and mind feel very heavy and obscured. You may still be doing your spiritual practice, but it does not progress as it should. It is an oblivious state without any mindfulness or sense of feeling. That is what

is called dullness. In the nature of dullness is ignorance, and above all, it is a sign of abundant non-virtuous deeds and obscurations.

In this case, take a break from your meditation for a short while; offer prostrations and circumambulations to sacred monuments for a period of seven or twenty-one days; recite the Confession of Downfalls and do the meditative recitations of Vajrasattva; in addition, you should worship the Triple Gem and perform acts of generosity and so forth. In this way, if you thoroughly confess and purify your non-virtuous deeds and obscurations, all the obstacles will be pacified. Then, meditate as before.

Scattering and Agitation

Scattering and agitation refers to the scattering of mind, with attachment, to external objects such as a child or a woman and so forth; it means that the mind does not abide on the reference point, but scatters outside. It arises due to your mindfulness being a bit too strong.

If this happens, remain seated and cut off the thought abruptly. Then set your attention below your navel and keep your mind fully relaxed, with a reduced force of mindfulness.

If scattering is not pacified at all even after these attempts, contemplate impermanence in the following manner:

The end of meeting is separation. The end of accumulation is extinction. The end of birth is death. Besides this, think a bit about something that can sadden you, such as the sufferings in the lower realms. In doing so, your consciousness will be subdued and will turn inward. Thus, the scattering and agitation will be pacified on their own. After that, maintain your mindfulness without distraction, as before, by merely not forgetting the reference point.

Other than that, if you feel dizzy and cannot sleep, and your awareness fluctuates as in scattering and agitation, the cause may be some kind of complication of your flesh and blood pressure. In that case, have some nutritious food, such as meat soup and rub some barley flour mixed with grain oil on your body. This should pacify the obstacle.

This is an imbalance of the rlung associated with your flesh and blood, not the srog-rlung.

Likewise, when there is great pain in your body, strong anger in your mind, strong lust and sufferings and the like, cut off the thought abruptly and set your mind repeatedly on the reference point.

If the problem persists despite doing this, do not be over-zealous but take a short break from your meditation, as you must get rid of this obstacle before continuing. If it is a physical ailment, consult a doctor. If it is a mental ailment associated with strong lust, contemplate the faults of desire, the ugliness of the object of desire, and the benefits of guarding moral ethics. If it is associated with anger, contemplate the benefits of patience and meditate on loving kindness and compassion, etc. If you make repeated efforts like this, this obstacle will diminish until it becomes pacified, and then, meditate as before.

The methods for getting rid of problems we have just discussed are found in the teachings of the sublime gurus who possess the dharma-eye and have actually accomplished samadhi, and they seem to be key points, since whether or not a perfect samadhi is developed depends on how skilled you are at applying the methods for getting rid of obstacles and obtaining good qualities.

The criterion for having no such obstacles whatsoever in meditation is that your mind does not remain ordinary but becomes perfectly stabilized. Until this has been accomplished, if you make constant efforts with continuous midfulness, like the flow of a river, you will definitely achieve stability of mind.

Otherwise, if sometimes you meditate and sometimes not, it is said that you cannot accomplish samadhi at all.

The Master Ashvashosha has said, Through uninterrupted yoga, persevere in accomplishing concentration. It is unlikely that fire will be produced if you rest repeatedly when rubbing the woods. In the way of yoga also, do not stop until you achieve the objective.

In brief, as you settle your mind on the reference point with ease, applying undistracted mindfulness and observing with your alertness, your consciousness reaches the balance between tight and loose where it can abide calmly, without distraction, in its own nature and have the sharpness of clarity.

If this happens, it is the genuinely qualified calm abiding. Therefore, do not accept, reject or make changes at this time, but make efforts only in maintaining the continuum or undistracted mindfulness and alertness.

Should sinking and agitation arise, do not overlook them but get rid of them promptly, and thus be skillful in accomplishing unerring samadhi.

Also, between the sessions, generate devotion to your guru by viewing him as the Buddha himself, and accumulate merits by making offerings and supplications to the Triple Gem. Purify your non-virtues by applying the four powers, and pray that perfect samadhi will

be developed. If you make efforts with various methods such as these, perfect samadhi will develop on its own.

It is not advocated that samadhi can be developed without having these skillful methods for getting rid of obstacles and obtaining good qualities, merely by grueling blindly on your seat in a state of mental oblivion and claiming that to be non-meditation and non-distraction.

The Master Ashvaghosha has said, Making effort alone is destined to fatigue. The great purpose is accomplished only if it has the company of wisdom.

Lord Lorey has said, Lacking the eye of wisdom as its companion, many are deceived by the mind grueling blindly in meditation. With your mind free from the tangle of hope and fear, Son! You must be an expert in the key points of equipoise.

There are many sayings such as this.

At this stage, some great meditators talk about looking directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise, but do not rely on such talk. The reason is, as mentioned before, looking directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise is done in the practice of special insight,not during the practice of calm abiding.

There are some others who, even when a very powerful though of anger arises, consider it sufficient just to cut it off abruptly and re-set the mind on the reference point, which is also not good. This is because a powerful antidote must be applied against a powerful antidote must be applied against a powerful affliction. Without being skillful in methods such as this, nothing will be accomplished by being complacent about everything.

In case you wonder on what scriptural authority I base the above-mentioned methods for getting rid of sinking and agitation and accomplishing unerring calm abiding, I will tell you.

The method for turning the mind inward through contemplation on sad things, such as impermanence and death, etc., to pacify scattering and agitation, and the method for making the mind expand outward through contemplation on delightful things, such as the qualities of the Buddha, and visualizing the brightness of light to pacify the obstacles of sinking and dullness, were taught by great pandits like Asanga, Bhavaviveka, and Shantideva, who truly accomplished samadhi.

In addition, Lord Tashi Namgyal has said, By generating lucid clarity to dispel sinking and dullness,

loosening heart-striken desire to eliminate scattering and agitation, and upholding mindfulness wherein loosening and tightening are balanced, may I achieve the skillful method to settle in equipoise.

The Root of Pith Instruction says, Sinking, dullness and agitation are the three defects in meditation. If sinking occurs, put your seat in a cool place and meditate along with hippos and birds. If agitation occurs, massage your waist and eat nutritious food and meditate repeatedly on strong wind in the stomach. If dullness occurs, enjoy the cool breeze by the window. In front of a special object of veneration, confess for a period of seven days all non-virtues and obscurations accumulated from beginningless lives, and then meditate again. Realization will appear as you meditate.

What I have written here is based on authentic textual sources such as these. Moreover, these are not only theoretical understandings but proven very beneficial to my own mind. Therefore, you can have confidence.

It is the practice of some gurus to shift from meditation with a reference point to one without a reference point, such as meditation on the wind energy, before having achieved any stability in calm abiding with a reference point.

Likewise, nowadays many of the great meditators of calm abiding cast aside the technique of practicing with a reference point such as a pebble and so forth, and even that without a reference point such as meditating on the wind energy. Considering the signless practice alone to be sufficient, they assert from the outset, Do not chase the past, and do not anticipate the future. Relax spontaneously on the fresh consciousness of the present moment. So they say, but there seems to be a little problem with this if you experiment within yourself.

This is similar to men who are so skilled in riding horses that, through the power of their training, they do not fall from a racing horse even without anything to hold onto.

Those who lack skill riding horses wont fall off as long as they have some support, such as using the stirrups and holding onto the saddle and so forth. Without any support they will certainly fall.

Likewise, for those who are well habituated in the state of undistracted mindfulness, to release the mind into its own nature from the beginning, without any reference point, is the most convenient way.

But if we beginners, with no knowledge at all, attempt from the beginning to release the mind into the signless state without reference point, our awareness will not sort out

radiance from muck, and we wont be able to detect whether the mind is in the state of abiding or not abiding, fluttering or not fluttering.

Without even knowing how to apply mindfulness, it is likely that we will be completely lost, unable to figure anything out, in a state where there is no idea as to what is known and what is unknown.

However, if you use the support of any sign as a reference point, such as a pebble or a divine statue or the like, it will be easier to sort out the radiance from the muck of awareness, and it will also be easier to recognize whether your mind is abiding or not abiding, fluttering or not fluttering, sinking or agitated.

As it is a solid object, the reference point is also very helpful in terms of gaining knowledge about the key points regarding the application of mindfulness. Focusing your awareness now will make releasing your mind into the signless state particularly easy later, and you will become skilled in sustaining awareness.

Not only that, but the gradual stages of focusing with a support, without a support, and so forth seem to represent pivotal points that should not therefore be skipped over.

For instance, when children begin to learn writing they draw three lines and diligently practice writing large letters.

When that has been perfectly mastered, they draw two lines and reduce the size of the letters to practice.

When that too has been perfectly mastered, they draw only one line and practice small letters.

That is because the calligraphy becomes elegant if one perfectly masters the former stage of practicing before moving on to the next stage.

Otherwise, if one moves on to the next stage of practicing without mastering the formerstage, the calligraphy will be inelegant.

Likewise, ordinary people like us at the beginning, when the relentless waves of discursive thoughts are breaking in the ocean of mind, should set the focus of our minds on coarser reference points, such as a pebble, a sphere, a deity statue and so forth.

All subtle and coarse discursive thoughts should be tamed simply by instantly cutting them down with focused awareness as soon as they arise.

When you have become slightly experienced in this, so that the waves of discursive thoughts have become subtler and weaker, the reference point for focusing your mind should also become subtler, for example, just the wind energy.

With the exception of only the coarser ones, any discursive thoughts that may arise at this stage can be released in the state of non-modification.

When that is also perfectly mastered and the wavering of discursive thoughts is perfectly handled, you can place your awareness in the effortless state by using merely your mind as the reference point. In doing so, the discursive thoughts will not be able to connect with one another and thus they will all dissipate by themselves into the expanse of the mind, which will then abide unwaveringly. That is authentic calm abiding.

Therefore, there is more advantage and less risk if one goes through the proper order of first practicing with supports, for example a deity statue or the like, and when that is mastered, moving up to practicing without a support. I, an impoverished person, say this just as it appears to my mind.

b. Focusing the Mind on the Subtle Wind Energy

Lord Tilopa said, If those of lesser intelligence cannot dwell in the truth, they should focus on the breath and maintain awareness with earnestness.

The was to maintain the focus of the mind by means of counting the breath is to allow your awareness to distinguish between its radiance and muck by assuming the body postures. Then, noting merely the exhalations and inhalations through the nostrils, do not let your mind get distracted towards anything else. Thus set your mind in the state of non-grasping as long as it abides.

If you begin to feel stressed by this, take a short rest and then meditate again as before,until the mind abides. If you feel exhausted again, take another short rest.

This balanced mindfulness of merely not forgetting the going and coming of the breathshould be followed continuously.

As mentioned before, if you meditate by promptly dispelling the defects of sinking and agitation which may occur in the practice, the abiding duration of the mind will becomemuch longer than before. This must also be practiced for a long time.

At this point, another instruction manual presents a way of focusing the mind on the vase-breath. However, I am not including it here as it is neither found in the Words of Dharmakirti not is it very comprehensive.

C, Settling the Mind in the Most Subtle State of Carefree Awareness

The Great Lord Brahmin said, In case of sinking, start walking in the ten directions; if loosening, stay firm without wavering.

The Great Lord Tilopa said, If high and low thoughts are not thought, there manifest the qualities of the Victors of the Three Times.

Thus, except for setting your clear and radiant awareness in its natural state, do not chase the past; do not anticipate the future. Sustain only the continuity of the unaltered and pristine mind of the present moment. Settly your mind fully relaxed, with no distractions of being attracted to anything else.

At this point, when you neither block nor heed the thoughts that arise, but settle your mind in its natural state, the thoughts will all become pacified by themselves, and you will go smoothly into the state of abiding. Settle your mind undistracted in that state.

Thus, without needing to bar them, if all discursive thoughts, coarse and subtle, become pacified by themselves upon freeing them in their natural mode, into the expanse of the mind, it is very good and you should do just that.

If they do not become pacified in that way, other than cutting thoughts down as soon as they pop up, looking directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise is not appropriate even at this point.

If you ask why, it is because even at this point, the stability of calm abiding has not been achieved. And looking directly at the nature of whatever thoughts arise is to be done during during the practice of special insight.

Because it was necessary earlier to concentrate on barring every thought that arose, there was some inconvenience. At this point, the preference is given to releasing whatever thought arises without altering it. In this manner, if you remain undistracted, you will find it particularly easy to sustain and feel a sense of relaxation.

Generally,flawless samadhi refers to the mind abiding one-pointedly in the state of no thoughts, without any wavering caused by thoughts. If that mind is endowed with the sharpness of brilliance or lucid clarity, an authentic samadhi of calm abiding has developed within ones being. A samadhi is flawed if any of these is missing.

In this regard, obstructions to clarity are created by sinking and dullness. Therefore if sinking and dullness occur, focus mainly on the clarity aspect of your mindfulness and sharpen it.

Obstructions to abiding one-pointedly in the state of no thoughts are created by scatteringand agitation. If that occurs, relax your body and mind into their natural states.

If you dont give up on these two key points but become accustomed to them over a longperiod of time, your mind will stop wavering and abide one-pointedly. Consequently,you will achieve the liberty of being able to set your mind in equipoise for any length of time you choose.

Qualities such as clairvoyant powers and the like do not result from the power of clarity, which is somewhat similar to what is called the equipoise of cessation. Therefore, many days may pass in this samadhi without attaining any mastery such as being able to interrupt thoughts and the like.

Furthermore, regarding the progression in which calm abiding develops, the Lord Tashi Namgyal has said that in the beginning, in the midst of many conflicting course and subtle discursive thoughts, you achieve fleeting moments in which you abide free from thoughts. That is the basic level of calm abiding, and it is compared to a stream falling from a narrow gorge.

Then, almost all thoughts subside in their own place and the mind abides comfortable, but you are not able to control strong movements of thoughts, and scattering and agitation occur occasionally. This is the medium level of calm abiding, and it is compared to a river flowing gently.

Then, the mind abides comfortable in the state of no thought for as long as you let it, without occurrence of coarse or subtle thoughts. Even if a few subtle thoughts occur, they are unable to function as thoughts and become self-purified in the state of no thought. This is the ultimate level of calm abiding, and it is compared to the oceanwhere the Mother and Child rivers meet.

Although this level of calm abiding is not good enough to be the actual meditation of mahamudra, it is extremely important to have it as the foundation of meditation on mahamudra. An unerring and firm calm abiding should be practiced, as it is an incredible concentration which gathers wholesome karmas.

Despite acquiring the unerring knowledge of how to meditate on concentration as just described, there are great difficulties at the time of applying this knowledge to ones mind in order to bring forth experience for those who, like me, have not accumulated enough merit. For instance, in the beginning, there may be difficulty knowing how

to differentiate between the radiance and muck of awareness; the reference-point may not appear easily in the mind; and one may not know how to follow mindfulness.

Despite knowing a bit about them, sinking and agitation may remain unrecognized due to a lack of powerful alertness. Sometimes sinking may occur and remain, unnoticed for a long time in a state of ignorance. Sometimes you may come under the sway of scattering and agitation, but you never realize that and remain permeated with the confusions of discursive thoughts for a long time.

Scattering and agitation pop up instantly if your mindfulness is too strong, whereas sinking and dullness occur if it is too weak. Although you may manage to dispel the defects of both sinking and agitation so your mind abides in its natural state with the sharpness or clarity, just as you wish, it does not last long. With this and the like, you have no choice but to keep spinning a wheel of frustrations.

In any case, it is extremely important to ensure that no grasping at joy, suffering hope or fear invades your mind.

The reason is this: If such grasping intrudes into your mind, it causes srog-rlung. If that happens, one is likely to lose the appetite for meditation. Without meditating, one loses the opportunity for samadhi, and there is nothing more tragic than that for a great meditator.

I also feel that, as one makes single-pointed supplications to the Triple Gem and the guru, and relaxes on the cushion by knowing the essential points of practice, one becomes more and more interested in meditating and also more and more expert in the essential points of practice. Thus, one will certainly accomplish the goal eventually. This is my heartfelt secret advice, given in confidence.

These are my conclusions from lengthy scrutiny of many excellent woks by past Kagyudpa masters; and from the teachings I have heard from my root guru, the glorious Vajradhara Dawa Dragpa, Lord of the Practice Lineage, and from his principal disciple, the great bodhisattva Konchok Tharchin Rinpoche, and which I have written down in minute detail, together with my own understanding and experience, without holding anything back, and with the intention to benefit others.

Different instruction manuals include elaborate or simplified outlines and many different ways of setting the focus on reference-points. However, there is no crucial point in the procedure for practicing calm abiding that is missing from the points discussed above.So be satisfied!

Sarva Mangalam! May all be Auspicious!

Eight Steps to Calm Abiding

According to Arya Maitreya, the concentration of Calm Abiding can be achieved by getting rid of five faults and applying eight antidotes, as he says in Madhyanta-vibhanga (Distinguishing between Middle and Edge):

...is that which arises from applying the eight antidotes that discard the five faults.

Listing the five faults, he says in Madhyanta-vibhanga:

Laziness, forgetting the instructions, sinking and agitation, non-application and over-application: these are the five faults.

1.Laziness: It is one of the twenty approximate afflictions. In essence, it is the lack of interest in what one is set to accomplish.

2. Forgetfulness: It is also one of the twenty approximate afflictions. It is the opposite of mindfulness, and it prevents one from remembering the meditation instructions. Laziness and forgetfulness hinder the preparatory part of concentration.

3. Sinking and agitation: Sinking is mental blurriness in which there is noclarity of awareness. Agitation is when the mind is identified with attachment or aversion towards external objects. And it is also one of the twenty approximate afflictions. These two hinder the main part of concentration.

4. Non-application: This is the failure to apply the antidotes when sinking or agitation hasoccurred.

5. Over-application: This is applying the antidote after sinking or agitation has already vanished. The two of these have the function of hindering progress in concentration.

Listing the Eight Antidotes he says in Madhyanta-vibhanga:

The base, the based, the cause and the result, Not forgetting to observe, Inspecting sinking and agitation, Applying what discards them, and settling in the natural state when appeased.

Note: of these eight antidotes, the first four are against the first of the five faults. The rest are against the remaining four faults.

1.The Base: This is genuine interest in the practice of concentration, the base of diligent effort.

1.The Based: This is diligent effort, the key factor in discarding laziness and attaining the two-fold pliancy, mental and physical.

3.The Cause: Faith is the prime cause that gives rise to interest in the practice of concentration.

4.The Result: The result is the two-fold pliancy.

5.Not Forgetting to Observe: This refers to mindfulness, which allows one to eliminate forgetfulness of the instructions on how to maintain the observations associated with the practice of concentration.

6.Inspecting Sinking and Agitation: Alertness inspects and determines whether sinking or agitation has occurred.

7. Applying What Discards Them: Attention is what allows one to apply the antidotes to sinking or agitation when it has occurred. 6. Settling in the Natural State When Appeased: By not applying the antidotes after sinking and agitation have been appeased, one settles in the equanimous natural state of mind.

Calm Abiding Through Nine Methods

Abhidharma-Samucchaya (Compendium of Knowledge) says: What is Calm Abiding? It is setting inwardly; setting continuously; re-setting; close setting; subduing, calming down; calming completely; setting one-pointedly; setting evenly.

These nine methods correspond to nine crucial transitions within the gradual experience leading to Calm Abiding meditation.

The Nine Methods:

1.Setting Inwardly: One concentrates on setting the mind, focusing on any reference point, sacred or ordinary, like a statue of a holy being, a stick, or a pebble.

2.Setting Continuously: One concentrates on paying attention on ensuring that the continuity of focus on the reference point is not disrupted.3.Re-setting: One concentrates on immediately realizing the emergence of mental distractions and thus immediately setting the mind back on the reference point.4.Close Setting: One concentrates on setting the mind inwardly, thereby making greater progress than before.5.Subduing: When laziness or the like arises and one becomes bored with the practice of setting the mind inwardly, one concentrates on generating a sense of interest in the practice by reflecting on the great benefits of concentration.6.Calming Down: To pacify a lack of interest in meditation caused by mental agitation, one concentrates on the defects of distraction.7.Calming Completely: One concentrates with effort on immediately calming the mind when covetousness, dullness, sleepiness, mental discomfort and the like occur.8. Setting One-pointedly: One concentrates with effort on setting the mind on the reference point as per ones preference.9.Setting Evenly: One concentrates without effort on setting the mind evenly on the reference point as per ones preference.

These nine methods of making the mind abide calmly can be practiced by generating six powers. They are:

1. The Power of Hearing Instructions:This accomplishes Setting Inwardly.

2.The Power of Reflection: This accomplishes Continuous Setting.3.The Power of Mindfulness:

This accomplishes re-setting and Close Setting.4.The Power of Alertness: This accomplishes Subduing, Calming Down, and Calming Completely5.The Power of Diligent Effort: This accomplishes Calming Completely and Setting One-pointedly.6. The Power of Complete Acquaintance: This accomplishes Setting Evenly.

The nine methods fall within four types of mental engagements:

1.Concentrated Engagement: This takes place during the applications of the first and second methods.2.Interrupted Engagement: This takes place during the applications of the third, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh methods. These stages are considered interrupted because there are obstructions caused by mental sinking and agitation, and it is not possible to sustain the concentration continuously for long.

3.Uninterrupted Engagement: This takes place during the application of the eighth method. It is named so because mental sinking and agitation cannot disrupt the concentration and, as long as one makes the necessary effort, one can go on meditating for a long time.4. Spontaneous Engagement:

This takes place during the application of the ninth method. On this stage one can continue to meditate spontaneously for any length of time without making any concerted effort.

EndnotesWind-in-the-life-vein, tib. Srog-rlung: It is the name of the event when the life supporting wind turns into a type of mental illness. The symptoms are : mentaldistraction; sleepiness; loss of consciousness, etc.

Vase-breath, tib. Rlung bum pa can: a technique of holding the wind or breathat the navel point by pushing the lower wind up and pressing the upper wind down,like two vases joined mouth to mouth.