A Brief Teaching on Calm Abiding Meditation

Why does one practice calm abiding meditation? To develop awareness. As it is, one thinks one is concentrated, but in truth ones mind is bewildered on account of the many distractions and as a result one has no control and loses oneself to these distractions. So it is necessary to learn to control ones mind. Abiding in mental calm is carried out in order to attain concentrative awareness, which I will explain briefly.

When one isnt aware and is overwhelmed by distracting thoughts, they cause one to lead ones life in an unsatisfactory way. Usually, one has a sensation. As a result, thoughts arise about them and one follows after these thoughts. Living ones life by following after thoughts is lack of awareness. Unconsciously leading ones life based on thoughts that arise due to feelings that one has is a process one isnt aware of. Thoughts arise from habitual patterns one has accumulated and that are stored in ones ground consciousness as positive or negative imprints. When causes and conditions come together, one experiences ones habitual patterns and reacts based on them. Blindly reacting in reliance on ones habits keeps one in bondage, which is what having no control over ones mind means. A practitioner engages in calm abiding meditation again and again in order to become accustomed to having control by focusing his or her attention on a specific object.

The first of the phases of awareness one can gain by practicing calm abiding meditation is focusing ones attention on a specific object. The second phase is holding ones mind on that object without giving in to distractions. If thoughts arise and one loses the referential object, one is aware that one is distracted and returns to the object one initially focused ones attention on. These are the two kinds of awareness that one develops by practicing calm abiding. Staying mindful of ones thoughts and returning to ones practice enhances ones concentrative awareness in daily life too. A successful practitioner becomes mindful in all activities and notices his or her own attitude and behaviour. Maintaining awareness in all situations is important because one is then able to act more fairly and openly. This is the reason why calm abiding meditation is said to be the basis or root for all other practices.

There are different ways of developing calm abiding there are coarse and subtle practices, there is tranquillity practice with a support or referential object and without a support.

Focusing ones attention on an outer object is the initial stage of calm abiding practice. It can be a pure object such as a Buddha statue or seed syllable. One focuses ones attention on the chosen object and rests ones mind on it without giving in to disturbing thoughts that occur.

It is important to avoid two errors while practicing. They are fostering expectations and giving in to fear. Expectations are hoping to attain a reward. For example, many people think that they are doing something exceptional when they first start meditating and become very anxious, which causes tension. Fear means being frustrated that ones expectations arent fulfilled and happens when one pushes oneself too hard, thus feeling uptight. A beginning practitioner needs to be free of both faults that arise and, instead, should be calm and relaxed while meditating.

Another referential object one can focus ones attention on is ones breath. One inhales and exhales thousands of times every day but isnt aware of ones breathing due to excitement. Focusing ones attention on ones ingoing and outgoing breath while practicing calm abiding is another method to calm ones mind. In the practice, one easefully rests ones mind on ones inhalation and exhalation without giving in to distractions.

If one tries to meditate and doesnt know how, then various thoughts arise and one reacts to them delusively. When thoughts arise, its important not to stop and not to follow after them but to apply the two kinds of awareness, which are being aware of thoughts that arise and returning to the referential object of ones practice. In short, calm abiding meditation practice is placing ones mind on an object, noticing thoughts that arise, and returning to the referential object one chose for ones practice without suppressing or chasing after thoughts. As one

progresses, less and less thoughts will arise. Eventually, an advanced practitioner can naturally focus his or her attention on any object without difficulties. The concentrative awareness one develops through this practice becomes a part of ones life and then one is able to be attentive at all times. As it is, one is very distracted, but by developing and cultivating both kinds of awareness through engaging in calm abiding practice again and again and regularly, one is more conscientious during all activities. The result of practice is called mental subtleness or control.

After ones mind has become stable through resting ones mind on a referential object, one meditates without a support. For instance, one visualizes and meditates a yidam deity of Vajrayana.

Summary & Conclusion

Due to not knowing how things are and how they appear, one is deluded and consequently is bound by the three root afflictions that drive one to experience the inadequacies of conditioned existence, samsara. Abiding in a state of mental calm and evenness doesnt imply that one has suppressed or washed away ones disturbing emotions. All appearances are a manifestation of ones mind. One accomplishes calm abiding by recognizing and becoming aware of what appears to ones mind. Realizing awareness, a practitioner is no longer controlled by his or her

afflictive emotions but is able to control them. Advanced teachings enable one to transform disturbing emotions into perfect wisdom-awareness. In order to realize the pure nature of all apperceptions, one needs to be able to recognize and be aware of thoughts when they arise.

Bodhicitta , the mind of awakening, is cultivated in the Great Vehicle of Mahayana and followers engage in practices such as exchanging self for others. These practices enhance calm abiding, denote being aware of thoughts that occur, and enable one to see that ones afflictive emotions, such as anger, diminish. Love and compassion relinquish ones destructive emotions. When one is able to control ones emotions, then one is able to ascertain their true nature and recognize them as expressions of wisdom. This is why it is taught that calm abiding meditation practice is of utmost importance while engaging in the path of mental refinement and spiritual maturity.

I sincerely request that you meditate according to these instructions, focus your attention on your ingoing and outgoing breath, and are aware of thoughts without being distracted by them. You notice that thoughts arise and cease while holding your attention on your breathing and not suppressing or following after them. If you have any questions, please ask.

Questions & Answers

Question: How does awareness arise from merely focusing ones attention on an object? Rinpoche: On the one side, one concentrates on ones breathing. Awareness becomes stronger by continuously remembering the referential object. Then one needs to notice thoughts as they arise, which is a second kind of awareness.

Next question: Isnt concentrating on an object also a thought? Rinpoche: Yes, but one is aware of it during practice. An advanced practitioner of calm abiding doesnt even notice outer distractions, not even if touched by someone. In the beginning, one hears sounds and it is good not to be distracted by them.

Next question: Why is posture so important in meditation practice? Rinpoche: Ones posture is important because the mind abides in the body. Perfect calm abiding is only achieved with a perfect posture. There are seven points to be taken into consideration, the most important being a straight back. The seven points of posture straighten the inner channels in ones body and the winds that flow through them. Mind is pacified and doesnt experience agitation or torpor. A bad posture affects ones mind.

Next question: What is the difference between focusing ones attention on ones breathing and on an object? Rinpoche: Ones visual consciousness is united with ones mental consciousness. The visual consciousness responds to the glass on the table, for example, by means of ones visual sense faculty. The visual sense faulty does not apprehend the perceived object as a glass, but the mind does. The breath is not a visual object of perception. Here, too, it is the mental consciousness that focuses on the breathing, so it is the referential object for concentrative awareness. Thank you very much.