Meditative Stabilization

From “Opening the Eye of New Awareness” (1985. H.H. Dalai Lama, Tenzin Gyatso)
Chapter 5: “Training in Meditative Stabilization”
Section: “Achieving Calm Abiding” herein outlined…

Meditative Stabilization, abiding one-pointedly, without distraction virtuously, the four concentrations and four formless meditative absorptions are attained upon its complete cultivation,

Divided in terms of its entity as:

• Mundane
• Supramudane

And achieved by union of:

• Calm abiding in the mental continuum
• Special insight

Achieving calm abiding

“…achieved through the genuine joy of those unattached to worldly life.…”

A. Abandon the five faults:

Meditate having abandoned these faults, utilizing the eight antidotes

Fault	Antidotes
Laziness	Faith, aspiration, effort, pliancy
Forgetfulness	Mindfulness
Laxity, excitement	Introspection
Non-application	Intention of application
[Over] Application	Equanimity, proceeding naturally when pacified

B. Achieve meditative stabilization through meditation within context of knowing:

• i. The nine mental abidings
• ii. The six powers of achievement
• iii. The four mental engagements

i. The nine mental abidings

1. Setting “the mind”
2. Continuous setting of “”
3. Re-setting “”
4. Close setting of “”
5. Disciplining “”
6. Pacifying “”
7. Thorough pacifying of “”
8. Making one-pointed “”
9. Setting in equipoise “”

ii. The six powers. Power of…

1. Hearing: regard instructions, place mind on…
2. Thinking: nurture mind continuum toward…
3. Mindfulness: when distracted, return mind to…
4. Introspection: realize qualities of meditative stabilization on…
5. Effort: abandon arising faults that distract from…
6. Familiarity: with no more need for exertion, engage…

… object of observation

iii. The four mental engagements

1. Forcible: meditative stabilization is infrequent so one must strive
2. Interrupted: meditative stabilization frequently disturbed by laxity and excitement
3. Uninterrupted: meditative stabilization sustained through continuous effort
4. Effortless: mind entirely and effortlessly absorbed in meditative stabilization, calm abiding

Progressions of abiding:

Mental Abiding	Conditions	Power Exerted [iii]
Setting the mind	Arises when mind is withdrawn and placed on object of observation.	Hearing [1]
Continuous setting	Arises when one continually nurtures the continuum of the mind’s placement on object of observation	Thinking [1]
Re-setting	One recognizes when mind is distracted from object… and places it back	Mindfulness [2]
Close setting	Mind is kept from being distracted, is naturally withdrawn repeatedly, becomes more subtle	Mindfulness [2]
Disciplining	One protects mind from the faults of conceptuality and the scattering of secondary afflictions	Introspection [2]
Pacifying	Through introspection one realizes disadvantages of distractions and embraces meditative stabilization	Introspection [2]
Thorough pacifying	With exertion one abandons the faults and like as they arise	Effort [2]
Making one-pointed	Discordant factors (laxity, excitement) are unable to interrupt meditative stabilization, this is an occasion for uninterrupted mental engagement	Effort [3].
Setting in equipoise	Through repeated practice the mind engages object of observation without need to exert mindfulness and introspection	Familiarity [4]

Thus one achieves an immovable pliancy concordant with meditative stabilization, with mind abiding steadily on object of observation… one achieves calm abiding, part of preparations for the first concentration.