Harmonies with Enlightenment

our human potential

An excerpt from Our Human Potential

Thirty-Seven Harmonies with Enlightenment

Four establishments in mindfulness

The thirty-seven harmonies with enlightenment are essential ingredients of the path. They are divided into seven sets, the first of which is comprised of the four establishments in mindfulness. These are the establishments in mindfulness of body, feeling, mind, and phenomena. One observes body, feeling, mind, and phenomena and investigates their specific and general characters.

For a practitioner, there is much to think about with respect to the body—the faults and the nature of the body—so that attachment to it can be overcome. I will not explain the faults of the body in detail; someone who wants to meditate on this can understand how to reflect on the body based on the many descriptions of its faults in Nāgārjuna’s Precious Garland and Shāntideva’s Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds.

In the establishment in mindfulness of the body, one reflects on the body as having a nature of ugliness in order to perceive it as having the nature of a true suffering. This serves as a technique for overcoming attachment to the body and for generating a wish to separate from a body that has such a nature.

Then, in the establishment in mindfulness of feeling, one reflects on the nature of pleasurable, painful, and neutral feelings. One pays special attention to the fact that, due to the condition of feeling, attachment is generated—painful feeling giving rise to the attachment of wanting to separate from it and pleasurable feeling giving rise to the attachment of wanting not to separate from it. Thinking this, one comes to understand the disadvantages of attachment, the main cause of the true sources of suffering.

Then, in the establishment in mindfulness of the mind, one investigates the specific character of the mind—that it disintegrates moment by moment but in terms of its continuum remains forever. Through this reflection, one realizes that there is no self that is isolatable separate from the mind, whereby one becomes able to ascertain selflessness—the non-existence of a self-sufficient, permanent person. Through meditating on this, one comes to understand the peace of selflessness, nirvana.

Then, in the establishment in mindfulness of phenomena, one investigates the character of what phenomena are to be adopted and what are to be discarded. Reflecting this way, one comes to understand true paths.

One pays special attention to the fact that, due to the condition of feeling, attachment is generated—painful feeling giving rise to the attachment of wanting to separate from it and pleasurable feeling giving rise to the attachment of wanting not to separate from it.

Having reflected on the specific characters of body, feeling, mind, and phenomena, one reflects on their general character, which are identified as the four seals that testify to a doctrine’s being Buddhist. As were mentioned earlier, these are that:

1. All compound things are impermanent.
2. All contaminated things are miserable.
3. All phenomena are empty and selfless.
4. Nirvana is peace.

When one sees that compounded things are impermanent, one realizes that they are under the influence of other factors—causes and conditions—due to which suffering is suitable to be stopped and happiness is suitable to be generated in dependence upon their respective causal conditions. Through this, one finds courage in knowing that suffering can be removed and that happiness can be achieved.

Then, through investigating the second seal, that is to say, that all contaminated phenomena are miserable, one determines the root of suffering. This is done by understanding that the phenomena of cyclic existence are contaminated, that is to say, that because they are under the influence of other factors—specifically, contaminated actions and afflictive emotions—they do not pass beyond a nature of suffering. One thereby develops a wish to overcome not just temporary suffering but the very root of suffering. Here, in the term “contaminated phenomena” the contaminations are actions, or karma, and afflictive emotions, and “contaminated phenomena” are those produced through their influence. There are many different interpretations of the meaning of being contaminated and uncontaminated according to context.

Then, through investigating the third seal—that all phenomena are empty and selfless—one realizes that the root of suffering is a distorted consciousness misconceiving inherent existence, and one perceives that the conception of inherent existence can be extinguished and thus that liberation can be attained. If one can see that the conception of inherent existence which drives cyclic existence can be pacified, one gains understanding of the fourth seal—that nirvana is the final, everlasting peace, that nirvana is the aim to be attained.

Through the establishments in mindfulness of body, feeling, mind, and phenomena in terms of their specific and general characters, one understands that these have a nature of impermanence and of suffering. Through this, one’s mind turns away from overemphasis on the appearances of this lifetime and from unidirectional adherence to the prosperity of future lifetimes of high status within cyclic existence as the aim to be attained. Overcoming such overemphasis on the appearances of this and future lifetimes, one generates an awareness that is directed toward liberation from cyclic existence in all of its forms.

What is the reason for meditating on suffering? As Āryadeva’s Four Hundred says:

How could whoever is not discouraged about this
Be intent on pacification of it?

If a person has not become discouraged with respect to cyclic existence, how could that person generate an attitude aspiring to liberation from it? Cyclic existence has a nature of suffering, does it not? You do not want suffering, do you? Thus, it is important in the beginning to recognize what is actually a state of suffering as suffering and to develop a revulsion from it, thereby engendering an attitude seeking liberation.

Through thinking in this way on the manner in which we suffer, one develops an attitude seeking liberation, nirvana, thinking, “If I could only attain liberation!” When this attitude is generated in a decisive way, one attains the path of accumulation of a Hearer or Solitary Realizer.

That completes our discussion of the four establishments in mindfulness.

Four thorough abandonings

The second set from among the thirty-seven harmonies with enlightenment is the four thorough abandonings which have a nature of effort. The four are to generate virtues not yet generated, to increase those already generated, not to generate non-virtues that have not yet been generated, and to abandon non-virtues already generated.

Four legs of emanation

The third set is comprised by the four legs of emanation. In dependence upon the magical emanations of meditative stabilization, one can go to pure lands of Buddhas and so forth, and, therefore, the factors that accomplish this are like legs; thus these are called legs of manifestation.

The path of accumulation is divided into three levels—small, middling, and great. At the very point when one generates in one’s mental continuum the intention to leave cyclic existence in the manner just described, one has generated the small level of the path of accumulation. To proceed further to the middling and great levels of the path of accumulation, one needs meditative stabilization; otherwise, it is impossible—effort alone is not sufficient. This is the reason why the four legs of emanation are set forth at this point.

In connection with this, I will explain, in a rough way, how to achieve the level of meditative stabilization called “calm abiding.” Nowadays meditation is popular; so, let us treat the topic in a little detail. In general, there are two types of meditation, stabilizing and analytical. These are also called the cultivation of calm abiding and the cultivation of special insight. They are the roots of all the good qualities of all the Buddhist vehicles, mundane and supramundane.

Through the establishments in mindfulness of body, feeling, mind, and phenomena in terms of their specific and general characters, one understands that these have a nature of impermanence and of suffering.

What are the entities, or natures, of calm abiding and special insight? Using the Sūtra Unravelling the Thought as our source, we can say that calm abiding occurs when, within the mind’s abiding one-pointedly on its object of observation without any laxity or excitement, the power of such stability generates the bliss of physical and mental pliancy and such pliancy has become stable. What is special insight? Within the context of having attained the factor of stability, when the bliss of mental and physical pliancy is induced through the force of one-pointed analysis of the object of observation, at that point one has attained special insight.

In order to attain the bliss of mental and physical pliancy of special insight that is induced through the power of analysis, it is necessary first to attain the bliss of mental and physical pliancy of calm abiding that is induced through the power of the factor of stability; otherwise, it is impossible. Since this is the case, Shāntideva’s Engaging in the Bodhisattva Deeds speaks of the special insight that destroys the afflictive emotions as thoroughly depending upon calm abiding:

Having understood that the afflictive emotions
Are overcome through special insight
Thoroughly endowed with calm abiding,
One should first seek calm abiding.

One who has the steadiness of calm abiding is to engage in the development of analytical special insight.

The entity of calm abiding is stabilizing meditation, and the entity of special insight is analytical meditation, but this does not entail that all stabilizing meditation is calm abiding or that all analytical meditation is special insight. Also, special insight is not necessarily just meditation that realizes emptiness, the final mode of existence of phenomena, and calm abiding is not necessarily meditation on something from within the varieties of phenomena rather than the final mode of existence of phenomena. Calm abiding and special insight are types of meditation distinguished from the viewpoint of the mode of meditation, not from the viewpoint of their objects of observation. Hence, calm abiding can observe emptiness or something from within the varieties of phenomena; similarly, the object of special insight does not have to be emptiness—it can be something from among the many varieties of phenomena.

What is the reason why a union of calm abiding and special insight is needed? As already explained, it is only in addition to having steadiness of mind that one can develop the power of analysis of special insight. For example, if one wants to look at something in the dark, a lamp is needed, and, furthermore, the lamp has to be bright and hence cannot be fluctuating due to wind. Similarly, one needs a consciousness that is not fluctuating due to conceptuality or due to laxity and excitement—that is endowed with the factor of stability—and, in addition, has the capacity to analyze.

In Highest Yoga Tantra, it is explained that calm abiding and special insight can be achieved simultaneously in dependence upon a special technique. Also, in Highest Yoga Tantra, it is explained that special insight can be achieved in a practice that proceeds not by way of analytical meditation but by way of stabilizing meditation. Again, this meets back to techniques that I mentioned earlier, which, if properly practiced, can lead to speedy simultaneous achievement of calm abiding and special insight within a few months.

HOW TO ACHIEVE CALM ABIDING

Now, let us turn to the actual practice of calm abiding. The first topic is that of prerequisites, for which the practice of ethics is basic. You need a completely isolated place with silence and tranquility—this is highly necessary. The place should be free from undue noises of the elements; it is said that the thorn of concentration is sound. Thus, you need a place that is not under the path of airplanes! And no sound of flowing water. Then, from your own side, you must be contented, and all worldly business must stop during this period. Also, your diet has some connection—overeating is not good. When we eat too much, our minds become dark, and it can even make it difficult to sit straight, requiring us to bend to one side or the other. Therefore, less eating is useful. Also, the amount of sleep must be proper. There is no question of drinking alcohol.

The entity of calm abiding is stabilizing meditation, and the entity of special insight is analytical meditation, but this does not entail that all stabilizing meditation is calm abiding or that all analytical meditation is special insight.

Once you have fulfilled these conditions, the posture that you assume is important. You should sit in the vajra cross-legged posture, but this can be difficult for some people because, due to the very difficulties of the posture, all of your concentration will go to the pain that is in your legs. In that case, it would probably be all right to sit on a chair. Place your left hand under the right with both palms upward and with the two thumbs together—the hands being four finger-widths below the navel. If you sit in the vajra cross-legged posture, your rear should be slightly higher. Your back should be straight like an arrow; the two shoulders should be set naturally, and you should put your arms out a little because if they are too close to your sides, it will create too much warmth. Then, bend your head down just a little; touch the tip of the tongue to the palate—this keeps too much breath from passing through the mouth and keeps you from becoming thirsty. Leave your teeth and lips as usual. If you have no teeth, you can purse your lips together! Aim your eyes at the point of your nose. If your nose is too small, it can cause considerable pain to aim them there. Thus, it is not necessary to look at the tip of the nose; you can look over the tip of the nose. However, given the size of your noses, Westerners would not have a problem with this!

With respect to whether to close your eyes or not, while you are not used to meditation, it is helpful to close your eyes, but real meditation and concentration comes with the mental consciousness, not with the eye consciousness. Thus, once you really become accustomed to meditation, the eyes are not very important, it not being necessary to close them. Also, it can make your mind clearer to wear your glasses, but this seems to make less stability, whereas if you take them off, you will have more stability but slightly less clarity. This is due to the fact that there is a great connection between the mental consciousness and the eye consciousness. Also, if you face the wall, as is done in Zen, it is truly helpful.

Tomorrow I will talk about the objects of meditation.

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For the Benefit of All Beings Dalai LamaHis Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama is considered the foremost Buddhist leader of our time. The exiled spiritual head of the Tibetan people, he is a Nobel Peace Laureate, a Congressional Gold Medal recipient, and a remarkable teacher and scholar who has authored over one hundred books. Learn More.