Treasury of Dharma

A Tibetan Buddhist Meditation Course

Geshe Rabten

• Publisher: Edition Rabten
• Year: 2020
• eBook ISBN: 9782889250899
• Topic: Philosophy
• Subtopic: Eastern Philosophy

A complete Tibetan Buddhist Meditation course and a true classic of contemporary Buddhist literature. It contains the essence of the entire path of Buddhism, explained out of the personal experience of one of the most outstanding Buddhist meditation masters of our time, the Venerable Geshe Rabten Rinpoche. Its clear and practical presentation make Buddhist thought and practice easily accessible to anyone who is seriously interested.

The Nature of the Mind

Now I would like to speak again about the nature of the mind. In order to practise meditations such as mental quiescence (Skt. Samatha) it is most important to first of all identify the nature of the mind. Such insight can only be arrived at by looking within our own minds. The mind is formless, colourless, intangible and is of the nature of clarity and cognition. Although this may seem repetitive, it is a very important point. I have given the example of a piece of clear glass. When a red or yellow light is seen through this glass it changes colour. When there is no light shining through it remains clear. Similarly, when the mind comes into contact with various objects it is transmuted by those objects. And similarly, when it is free of objective contact, it remains clear. For example, if we observe our mind and imagine some sort of positive or beneficial experience happening to us we notice that a pleasant feeling of happiness arises. If we think of getting a pay increase, passing our exams or any other similarly satisfying event, immediately this joyful feeling arises within us. When it does so, that joy within our mind is completely void of form, colour or any other tangible attribute. It is one of the mental factors which co-exist with one’s mind, which, in this case, permeates the mind with the sensation of happiness.

The fifty-one mental factors which I have described are also of the same nature – insomuch as they are formless, colourless and intangible – as the primary mind. To give another example, if we recall some mishap we have experienced, such as family problems or the loss of a job, we find that as a consequence of this experience an unpleasant feeling arises. If we observe this process we can see how the mind contains a feeling and yet the mind itself remains clear and cognitive, void of form, colour or tangibility. Reflecting on these different sensations and the way in which they arise in the mind, will help us to discern the nature of consciousness more clearly. Just as the glass appears to be red or yellow according to the light shining behind it, so too our mind appears to be disturbed or satisfied according to the mental factors that arise in it. The glass itself remains clear and the basic nature of the mind is also clear and lucid.

In order to discern its clear and cognitive nature we must observe the mind with a small part of the mental consciousness. This is not easy at first because the object to be discerned and that which discerns it are both part of our mind. Both are of the nature of mind and intangible, formless and colourless. Because both are non-material it is therefore hard, in the beginning, to recognize them clearly. When we concentrate on the mind we may feel that there is no object that we can apprehend. There is, in fact, an object but as it is very subtle, formless, colourless and intangible, it is accordingly more difficult to apprehend immediately. When, for instance, we concentrate mentally on empty space nothing really comes to mind because there is no solid-seeming object with any colour, shape or other quality that we can easily recognize. There is merely the absence of any obstructing contact. Concentrating on the nature of the mind is somewhat similar in that it lacks an easily apprehendable object. Although I am explaining this to all of you it is up to each individual to decide whether or not to practise a meditation using the mind as the object. If it is too difficult then it would be better to concentrate on something else such as the red point at the navel or the white point at the crown of the head. There is no obligation to meditate on the mind.

Development of mental quiescence

I will now explain the stages in the development of concentration. These are illustrated by a simple drawing in which an elephant symbolizes the mind trying to concentrate on the object of meditation. There are other drawings similar to this where there is an ox instead of an elephant. If you should see these you should not think that they are contradictory, since each has its own significance. There are three reasons why the symbol chosen is an elephant.

If an elephant is wild and untamed it can cause great havoc and damage to life and property, much more so than any other animal. But if an elephant is well-trained it can be of great service to its master and is a very obedient creature. This can be related to the mind by thinking that just as an elephant can cause great destruction if wild and untamed, in the same way, if the mind is untamed and uncontrolled, crazed by delusions, it too can cause great havoc and suffering, both for oneself and others, now and in the future. This is self-evident if we think of a war between two nations which causes great destruction of lives and property and suffering for everyone involved. The principal cause of such a conflict is lack of control of the mind. When the mind, through the force of delusions, has become completely crazed then people commit irresponsible actions. On the other hand, just as the elephant when well-trained, becomes a strong, able and obedient worker for its master, so too, if the mind is well-trained and brought under one’s control it can be very beneficial. By developing the mind we can attain peace and happiness both for ourselves and others. Also, just as an elephant leaves a large footprint when it walks, a properly trained mind of good character and behaviour will result in physical and vocal actions which will be positive and beneficial. These physical and vocal actions are like the footprints of our mind. In this way the elephant becomes a meaningful symbol of the mind, so when we look at this picture, we must understand that it depicts certain qualities of the mind and recall the importance of training and controlling it.

These drawings also depict five different objects. There is a mirror, a set of cymbals, some fruit, a conch-shell full of perfume and a piece of cloth. These five objects symbolize the five sense objects.

– The mirror symbolizes form;

– the cymbals sound;

– the conch-shell full of perfume symbolizes smell;

– the fruit symbolizes taste and

– the piece of cloth represents tactile sensation.

These are the five objects which excite our mind in meditation. They also cause us to waste a great deal of time. For example, when we see attractive sights we become completely fascinated by them and forget how quickly time passes. Others spend their time listening to pleasant and beautiful sounds and become totally absorbed in them. In the same way, objects of smell, taste and touch waste a tremendous amount of our time. We all know how much time we can spend simply eating a meal. We sit down, begin a meal and before we know it an hour or two may easily have gone. We are similar in this to moths who are attracted to the light of a candle, thinking that somehow it is very pleasant. They fly towards it and in the end are burned in the flame. In the same way, we are drawn towards pleasing objects and in order to attain them we commit a great number of negative actions which bring us nothing but trouble.

The way in which deer are attracted to pleasant sounds also exemplifies the attraction which sense objects have for us. Deer can become totally mesmerized by a sound and will stand and listen intently. When they are in this state it is very easy for a hunter to shoot and kill them. We, too, are sometimes enthralled and captivated by the pleasant sounds of music and speech and waste a great deal of time in such ways, and one day, without our being aware of it, death will strike. As you know, flies are also attracted by particular smells. And sometimes so much so that they are easily captured on fly-paper, or in a trap baited with some pleasant smelling poison. We, too, are distracted by pleasant smells. Fish living in the rivers and the ocean seem to have a particular attachment to food. And so when people bait their hooks with some sort of tasty morsel, the fish, in order to get this food, bites on the hook, swallows it and is caught. In the same way, we are attracted to good tastes and fine food; and in order to obtain our desired end we produce many kinds of negative actions, not to mention the by-product of developing fat and unattractive bodies from overeating.

When we are excited and distracted by these five sense objects we waste our time and eventually our lives, and also accumulate a great amount of negative Karma which is the cause of future suffering. It is also a great hindrance to our mental development and drags us back from our goal. This is particularly true for the practice of meditation, when attachment to or distraction by sense objects is most harmful. Again, when I say that we should be detached from these objects this does not mean that we should throw all our material possessions away and flee to some mountain hide-away. Rather it means that we must control our minds and not allow them to be completely dominated by such things.

In this drawing there is a man following the elephant who symbolizes the meditator. In one hand he holds a rope which represents recollection. Just as we tie an unruly animal to a post with a rope, in the same way we must tether our unruly mind to the object of meditation so that we do not lose it. For example, when we concentrate on one of the points I have explained we must, so to speak, fasten our mind to it. When our mind wanders we must immediately bring it back to this point and, using the power of recollection, tie it down again. Whenever we lose the object on which we are concentrating we must bring the mind back to it. Whatever object we are concentrating on must be held by the rope of recollection. Just as a dog must be kept on a chain to keep it from getting lost or harming others, so too, if we lose our concentration, we must immediately put the chain of recollection on again and tether the mind to the object of meditation. The power of recollection is therefore the most important factor operating at this stage of our meditation.

In the other hand the man holds a goad. This goad represents alertness. Elephant trainers always carry such a sharp goad with them to drive the elephant along the right path. If the elephant wanders off to the right or left the trainer pricks him in the ear with the goad to set him back on the right path. In the same way, using the power of alertness, we must direct our mind towards the object of meditation, not allowing it to wander to and fro.

The power of recollection keeps the mind focused on the object and the power of alertness both prevents the mind from wandering and, if it does, sends it back to the proper object. These two, the powers of recollection and alertness, are indispensable for successful meditation. They must be developed and applied by one’s own mental effort. No outsider can come along and offer to supply them to us. These two faculties are not only essential for the practice of meditation but they are also very important for everyday matters. If someone lacks a good memory it is obvious that in the course of one day he will forget many things which he should have done, and if he lacks alertness he will be unable to do his job properly. Alertness is a faculty which discriminates and judges, investigates the results of previous actions and determines whether present actions accord with what is correct for a given situation. It enables a person to remain totally aware of his actions. If we lack these two forces our actions will begin to resemble those of an insane person and we will accomplish nothing. It is because these two mental factors are not functioning that a person becomes mentally disturbed and his actions become clumsy and meaningless. When we see someone like this and say that he is mentally disturbed, we should understand that he is in such a state because these two faculties are not functioning properly.

At various stages along the path there are also flames in the picture. These flames symbolize the energy and effort we must use for successful meditation. At the outset of our practice these flames are very large but they then gradually become smaller and smaller. This indicates that initially we have to make a great effort but as our meditation develops it becomes less and less necessary, and eventually concentration becomes spontaneous and very little conscious effort is necessary.

Some drawings show a monkey sitting in a tree on the side of the path eating fruit. When we are meditating it is detrimental for us to think about other objects or activities that are irrelevant to our specific meditation. This is true regardless of whether these are positive or negative activities. Even thinking of generating loving-kindness and compassion for others is inappropriate when developing our power of concentration and acts only as a hindrance. Generally speaking, wholesome actions and thoughts are obviously important. We must foster and develop them. But while we are concentrating on a particular object, attempting to develop mental quiescence, we must not allow our mind to wander off elsewhere. At other times, outside the meditation session in which we are practising single-pointed concentration, we should of course develop other qualities such as renunciation, love, compassion and so forth. This inappropriate mental activity is symbolized by the monkey eating fruit on the side of the path. Outside our meditation session we should spend our time involved in wholesome actions as symbolized by the fruit.

When we are practising group meditation we must follow certain rules and it may be necessary to remain seated in the meditation posture for quite a long time. But when we meditate alone we should at the be...

Table of contents

• Treasury of Dharma
• Preface
• Introduction
• Happiness and Suffering
• The Causes of Suffering
• The Mental Factors
• The Twelve Links of Interdependent Origination
• The Nature of the Mind
• Mahayana Path
• Exchange of Self for Others
• The Paramitas
• Paramita of Wisdom
• The Five Paths and the Ten Stages of the Great Vehicle
• Conclusion
• Outline
• Glossary
• Bibliography
• Monastic Institute and Publisher