PRACTICE PATH
Before we begin, we’ll consider the current advancements in understanding mind in today’s world and the spread of the education of mind in terms of mind settings or mindset.
Firstly, mind is not fixed. It is energy patterns of either awareness or unaware attachment to fixated concepts in the mind. It is from the five contaminated aggregates, (as they are referred to) in the mind, that there arises the concept of self-reification, and a continuation of solidification around the mistaken belief in a solidly existing “entity” of self, (which is mere concept upon a collection of parts of body and mind). The misapprehension of a “self” existing from its own side, and so forth, arises the dualistic perception of “me” and “mine”.
It is necessary to understand mind and learn to use it wisely, plant the right habits and actions of the three doors. Thinking is a science for example. Or, we can literally cause sickness. For example, wrong thought (negative conception) will attract like energy, which is trapped by self-adherence.
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By way of introduction there are two main meditation types in Tibetan Buddha Dharma: shamatha (or calm abiding) and vipashyana (insight / clear-seeing).
A Brief Overview of Shamatha is as follows:
There are nine progressive stages of Shamatha (calm abiding or peaceful concentration) in Tibetan Buddha Dharma, that map the journey from a distracted, wild mind to meditative equanimity.
These stages originate from Asanga’s Abhidharmasamuccaya and Maitreya’s Ornament of Mahayana Sutras, popularized in the Lamrim, (graduated path) traditions. They are traditionally illustrated using the metaphor of an elephant (the mind) and a monkey (distraction).
The Nine Stages of Calm Abiding
- Mental Placement (Setting the Mind)
- You place your attention on the chosen object (like the breath).
- The mind is immediately and constantly distracted by thoughts.
- Continuous Placement (Intermittent Attention)
- You maintain brief periods of focus on the object.
- Distractions are still frequent, but the intervals of recognizing the object grow slightly longer.
- Resurgent/Patched Placement (Resettling)
- You notice when your mind wanders and quickly bring it back to the object.
- Forgetting the object still happens, but recovery is faster.
- Close Placement (Fully Settling)
- You no longer completely forget the object during the session.
- Subtle mental dullness (laxity) or coarse agitation may still arise.
- Tamed (Taming/Disciplining)
- You appreciate the value of inner peace, which subdues resistance to meditation.
- Subtle distractions or dullness are spotted and cleared faster.
- Pacified (Pacifying)
- Discursive thoughts and emotional resistance subside significantly.
- You must remain alert to subtle dullness, which can make the mind overly placid or hazy.
- Fully Pacified (Complete Pacification)
- Major obstacles like agitation or dullness are nearly absent.
- If any minor subtle laxity arises, you easily eliminate it.
- Single-Pointed Attention (One-Pointedness)
- Concentration is sustained effortlessly for long stretches.
- It still requires a tiny amount of initial setup effort to launch the state.
- Balanced Placement (Resting in Equanimity)
- Perfect concentration is achieved naturally and effortlessly.
- The mind rests in complete stability, clarity, and peace without any interruptions.
The Underlying Mechanics
The progression through these nine levels relies on six powers; (listening, reflection, mindfulness, alertness/vigilance, diligence, and complete familiarity), and four types of mental engagement; (tightly focused, interrupted, uninterrupted, and effortless).
During the course of our investigations we will also share:
Practical tips for overcoming distractions and dullness in early practice.
The six powers and four mental engagements that drive these stages.
How the elephant and monkey visual metaphor represents mental dullness and agitation.
(to be continued…)
Discussion of vipashyana (insight / clear-seeing) meditation and other practices will be met and engaged with in due course.
Welcome here to these pages, and now fellow transmigrators, may all be well for you.
Before leaving this page, we’ll consider the following in Tibetan Buddha Dharma practice. The practitioner learns to generate the power of the mind, and bring all appearances to the mind onto an inner wisdom aware path, in order to liberate that appearance, in recognition (insight) and later through a direct yogic experience its non-dual awareness nature.