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
- Setting “the mind”
- Continuous setting of “”
- Re-setting “”
- Close setting of “”
- Disciplining “”
- Pacifying “”
- Thorough pacifying of “”
- Making one-pointed “”
- Setting in equipoise “”
ii. The six powers. Power of…
- Hearing: regard instructions, place mind on…
- Thinking: nurture mind continuum toward…
- Mindfulness: when distracted, return mind to…
- Introspection: realize qualities of meditative stabilization on…
- Effort: abandon arising faults that distract from…
- Familiarity: with no more need for exertion, engage…
iii. The four mental engagements
- Forcible: meditative stabilization is infrequent so one must strive
- Interrupted: meditative stabilization frequently disturbed by laxity and excitement
- Uninterrupted: meditative stabilization sustained through continuous effort
- 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Setting the mind | Arises when mind is withdrawn and placed on object of observation.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.