Mastering Meditation

Instructions on Calm Abiding and Mahamudra

His Eminence Chöden Rinpoché

• Verlag: Wisdom Publications
• Jahr: 2020
• ISBN:
  9781614296294
• Thema: Theologie & Religion
• Thema: Buddhismus

A legendary contemporary meditation master illuminates practices that are essential to Tibetan Buddhists everywhere. Tibetan Buddhism is estimated to have 18 million followers worldwide. Mastering Meditation gives you the experience of studying with one of the greatest meditation masters of the modern age. His Eminence Chöden Rinpoché was not only a celebrated scholar, honored by selection as a debate partner to His Holiness the Dalai Lama, but he was also an accomplished yogi who spent nineteen years in solitary meditation retreat. In this thorough and thoroughly clear book, Rinpoché offers meticulous explanations and profound practical instructions on two essential practices in Tibetan Buddhism: calm abiding and mahamudra. The first part of this book contains instructions for developing calm abiding, an unshakable single-pointedness of mind. The second part, Rinpoché's direct commentary on the Fourth Panchen Lama's foundational text, offers advanced instructions on using calm abiding as a platform to develop mahamudra. Rinpoché elucidates both sutra-system mahamudra—meditation on the emptiness of the mind—as well as mantra-system mahamudra, a specialized meditation that uncovers subtle, hidden levels of mind to pierce into the ultimate nature of self and reality, leading finally to complete enlightenment. Drawing from his vast learning and personal experience, Rinpoché provides readers with an open gateway to remarkable states of lucidity and peace.

PART 1

Calm Abiding

A TRANSLATION OF

Bsam gtan gyi ngo bo zhi gnas la bslab tshul gyi bka’ khrid Instructions on How to Train in Calm Abiding, the Essence of Concentration

ONE

The Importance of the Union of Calm Abiding and Special Insight

IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE the state of a buddha, we must train in a path that unifies calm abiding and special insight and thereby become a buddha. We may be able to place our mind in equipoise until the end of the eon in a calm abiding that is devoid of the special insight that realizes selflessness. But by not seeing as incorrect the determined object of the apprehension of a self,¹⁷ this meditation will only become a cause for further cycling in saṃsāra, not a cause for liberation. Likewise, devoid of calm abiding, the wisdom that realizes selflessness cannot by itself do much to harm the ignorance that apprehends a self, the root of saṃsāra. Therefore, we definitely must rely on a meditation that is the unification of calm abiding and special insight. As the victor’s child Śāntideva has said in his Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds:

Know special insight well-conjoined

with calm abiding quells the taints.

Seek calm abiding at the start.¹⁸

[2] As I said, the root of our circling in saṃsāra since beginningless time is none other than the ignorance that apprehends a self. Thus, as an antidote to subdue this ignorance that apprehends a self, we must generate the wisdom that realizes emptiness. Furthermore, if we don’t have calm abiding, this wisdom that realizes emptiness cannot alone subdue ignorance; since we must mount the wisdom that realizes emptiness on the horse of calm abiding and thereby subdue confusion, we must meditate by unifying calm abiding and special insight.

As for “calm abiding,” because it is mainly (1) the pacification of the mind’s distraction toward external objects and (2) a stable abiding on a single object of observation, it is called “peaceful” or “calm abiding.” Within a secure factor of stability on the object of observation, one maintains not a loose but a firm manner of apprehension. If one maintains this tight manner of apprehension with an intense factor of clarity, it becomes the practice of calm abiding. Otherwise, without the factor of stability, calm abiding’s obstacle of excitement arises. Without the intense factor of clarity, laxity arises. Thus, for calm abiding, we definitely need to be free of these two faults. But that alone is not enough: we also need to be able to elicit the mental and physical bliss of pliancy that comes through the force of meditating free of these two faults.

[3] Well then, what is this thing called “eliciting the bliss of pliancy”? Having pacified the assumption of bad states of body and mind¹⁹ that make the body and mind unserviceable for virtue, one gains pliancy — the serviceability or ability to utilize the body and mind as much as one likes for virtue. If through that force comes a strong blissful experience, we have elicited bliss,²⁰ and a meditative concentration supported by that special kind of bliss is called “calm abiding.”

As for calm abiding itself, it is a common practice of both Buddhists and non-Buddhists. Thus a stable calm abiding does arise even in the continuum of non-Buddhists. Non-Buddhists meditate on calm abiding and actualize the four dhyāna absorptions and the four formless absorptions.²¹ When they achieve the absorption of the peak of cyclic existence,²² they think, “I’ve achieved liberation!” In each meditative session, they may be able to stay in absorption for many hundreds of thousands of years, or even until the end of the eon. However, without the support of the thought of definite emergence,²³ their meditation does not become a cause of liberation. For example, when our teacher (Buddha) came to this world, a forder²⁴ named Udraka Rāmaputra, on achieving the absorption of the peak of cyclic existence, thought “Now I have achieved liberation!” and placed his mind in the equipoise of calm abiding for a long time. [4] Upon arising from his absorption and seeing a rat gnawing on his dreadlock, he became angry, causing his absorption to degenerate. He generated the wrong view, thinking, “There is no liberation!” and was subsequently born in hell.²⁵

Also, some forders place their minds in absorption into calm abiding and stay until the end of the eon. By enjoying the bliss of absorption and staying for a long time in that state, they exhaust all of the merit they previously accumulated. Although at first they had thought, “I’ve achieved liberation!” later when they arise from concentration and see with clairvoyance that they will again be born in saṃsāra by the force of karma and afflictions, they generate the wrong view, thinking, “There is no liberation!” By the force of that they are born in the unfortunate migrations. Because this is a common occurrence, we can conclude that in order to achieve our ultimate aim, calm abiding alone is of no benefit.

CALM ABIDING NEEDS TO BE SUPPORTED BY THE MIND OF REFUGE

When we are practicing to actualize calm abiding, we must do so in conjunction with generating a pure mind of refuge in our continuum. That refuge in turn must be based upon (1) fear of all of the suffering of cyclic existence and (2) belief that one’s lama and the Three Jewels have the power to save us from this suffering. If we actualize calm abiding in conjunction with this mind of refuge, it will become a practice of Buddhadharma. If we do not aim merely for the next life but conjoin our practice of calm abiding with a thought of definite emergence that sees all the wonders of saṃsāra as like a pit of fire and wishes to attain liberation from that, it will become a cause for liberation. [5] If we conjoin it with bodhicitta, thinking, “For the purpose of all mother sentient beings, I must achieve the state of a perfectly completed buddha. For that reason, I am actualizing calm abiding,” it will become a cause of complete buddhahood.

The difficulty we face in generating the realization of calm abiding in our continuum is not like that of non-Buddhists, who meditate on calm abiding in order to progressively actualize the four dhyānas and four formless absorptions.²⁶ Because our mind is under the power of afflictions, we tend to recall all sorts of useless, meaningless things, so whatever we meditate on does not became a path to liberation, and we do not make great strides. If and when we achieve calm abiding, we can use that as the mental basis²⁷ for meditating on death and impermanence, bodhicitta, the path that realizes naturelessness, and so forth. Then it will be easy to generate in our continuum a realization of whatever we meditate on, we will make great strides on the path, we will swiftly achieve yogic accomplishments, and so forth. In light of such a great difference, we meditate on calm abiding for that reason and not in the non-Buddhist manner described above.

Without calm abiding, we will be unable to generate clairvoyance, bodhicitta, the paths of accumulation, preparation, seeing, and meditation,²⁸ and so forth. [6] If we have calm abiding, we will quickly generate them, so we must meditate on calm abiding. If we achieve calm abiding, we will achieve control over our own mind.

Jé Tsongkhapa said,

King concentration, mind control.

When placed, immobile mountain lord.

When sent, it meets all wholesome things.

Prompts useful bliss of body, mind.²⁹

At the moment, because we have not gained control over our mind, we are under the control of the afflictions. If someone achieves calm abiding, he achieves control over his mind, and because such a person can control his mind such that it stays wherever he places it, Tsongkhapa said, “King concentration, mind control.” That is, calm abiding is like a king who controls the mind. Tsongkhapa continued, “When placed, immobile mountain lord.” That is, whatever object of observation you place your mind on, like the lord of mountains it remains firmly without moving. For example, if you place it on a thought such as “May I achieve buddhahood for the benefit of all sentient beings,” you can stay on that thought for a long period of time. Also, if you spread out your focus — that is, send your mind to various objects — whatever virtuous object you place your mind on, your calm abiding will engage just that object. [7] Thus, Tsongkhapa then said, “When sent, it meets all wholesome things.” He continues, “Prompts useful bliss of body, mind.” Having achieved calm abiding, if you meditate or engage in any other virtuous activity, your physical and mental bliss will only increase; weariness and fatigue will not arise. If you achieve calm abiding, such abilities will come.

As I said before, no matter how much you meditate on calm abiding alone, you will be unable to cut the root of cyclic existence and thus will not be liberated from saṃsāra. But if on top of having calm abiding, you are able to generate the special insight that realizes emptiness, by unifying those two you will achieve liberation from saṃsāra.

SPECIAL INSIGHT

You might wonder, “Well then, what is this thing called ‘special insight’?”

You analyze an object from within the space of equipoise in calm abiding. A wisdom conjoined with bliss elicited by the force of such analysis is called “special insight.” If you achieve a stable calm abiding, from the space of equipoise in calm abiding you will be able to perform analysis with a wisdom that individually investigates objects. When we haven’t attained a stable calm abiding, if we engage in analysis, the factor of stability degenerates. [8] If our calm abiding achieves a secure factor of mental stability, it does not degenerate when we engage in analysis. For example, if under a deep body of water, fish swim back and forth, they are unable to disturb the surface. Likewise, from a space of secure mental settling on an observed object, although we analyze, the intensity of our factor of clarity only becomes stronger, and through the force of that we generate an even greater bliss than before. Bliss elicited by the power of analysis is the bliss of special insight. Bliss at the time of mere calm abiding is bliss born through the force of the stability factor.³⁰

Calm abiding is an indispensable tool. From the point of view of sūtra, there are the five paths and ten grounds, and during mantric practice there are realizations of the path of completion.³¹ Without calm abiding we will be unable to correctly generate any of these. If we are to actualize calm abiding, we must actualize it in conjunction with the minds of refuge, renunciation, and bodhicitta. If we are able (1) to generate bodhicitta and a calm abiding that abides stably on an observed object and (2) to analyze, from the space of calm abiding, the meaning of emptiness and thus be able to generate the special insight that realizes emptiness, then on the basis of a path that unifies those two — calm abiding and special insight — the attainments of liberation and the state of buddhahood will arise. [9] For example, if at nighttime there is a fresco on the wall in a house, to view that painting we need a bright torch. That torch also must not be disturbed by the wind. If the wind disturbs the torch, we will be unable to see the painting clearly, and even if there is no wind, if the torch is not bright, we will likewise be unable to see the painting well. Special insight is like the bright torch, and calm abiding that is a secure mental settling on an observed object is like being unmoved by the wind.

This manner of actualizing calm abiding is explained in many great texts like protector Maitreya’s Five Religious Treatises,³² Ārya Asaṅga’s Five Treatises on the Grounds,³³ and so forth. Jé the Great [Tsongkhapa] unerringly delineated the meaning of those texts. Likewise, the holy lamas like His Holiness the Fifth Dalai Lama, Paṇchen Losang Chökyi Gyaltsen, Paṇchen Losang Yeshé, and so forth took those great texts as a basis and clarified their meaning.³⁴ The very essence of all of those is what I am explaining now.

To actualize calm abiding, stable recollection and introspection are very important prerequisites. For example, we may recognize that wh...