Nine Mental Stages of Samatha Meditation 1. Placement The act of seeking and finding an object on which to place the mind is known as placement. It is the stage where the mind will have difficulty in identifying the object. One attains this stage through proper guidance, which one has to obtain from a qualified meditator. One must employ the strongest effort to achieve placement of the object. 2. Continual Placement At this stage, the meditator has already found the object, but his mind will refuse to stay on it. Because of this, the object may disappear at any time, and ones mind will make repeated effort to find it. The meditator generates more frequent effort to place the mind on the found object, but cannot place the mind any longer than he could during the first stage. The difference between the first and the second stage lies in the frequency of the the placement. 3. Repaired Placement At this stage, one has identified the obstacles which were stealing ones concentration. One has developed techniques to straighten or repair ones distracted mind with the help of forced attention and contemplation. The meditators mind will combat the thief of concentration and reinforce his mindfulness to win over the army of distraction. The difference between the second and the third stage is the recognition of distraction. 4. Closed Placement When the meditator has gained some familiarity with the object of meditation without experiencing excessive distraction, he or she has refined his or her mindfulness to the point of gaining complete control over obstacles. This stage is analogous to a statesman who has defeated his countrys enemy, but now needs to confront the internal problems of the nation. The meditator will be able to closely place his mind on the object for the favourable duration without any noticeable interferences. This is done with the help of refined mindfulness and uninterrupted attention. There will be no danger of losing the object now. This is like the case of the swordsman defending himself against an experienced archer, whose seductive wife also tries to trick him at the same time. Ones mindfulness has reached its maturity, but one still fails to prolong the duration because of the obstacles of sinking and excitement. Do not try to prolong the session, but repleat many short sessions, instead. Master this stage without failure! 5. Subdued Placement During the previous stage, one could place the mind only for the estimated duration, but still, the danger of obstacles, i.e., sinking and excitement, persisted. At this stage, one develops an awareness capable of remedying gross sinking and excitement. However, because of the uninterrupted effort required, the meditator who has reached this stage will face the obstacle of subtle sinking, which has to be subdued with a carefully managed spy of awareness. This should not be overdone, however, or it may lead in turn to subtle excitement. The difference between the fourth and the fifth stage is that at the fifth stage, the meditator will no longer face gross sinking and excitement. Uninterrupted attention is still required. Chandragomin once said: When i develop effort, mental excitement occurs; but when i remedy that, mental sinking sets in. 6. Pacified Placement At this stage, one has overcome subtle sinking with the help of ones matured awareness. This subsequently leads to subtle excitement. Now, the meditator needs to refine his or her awareness with the aid of uninterrupted attention. When subtle excitement has been overcome, the meditator has reached the stage of pacified placement. 7. Perfectly Calm Placement During the initial period of this stage, residue of both sutble sinking and subtle excitement will still occur. With the help of the newly developed enthusiastic perseverance, one will have achieved the uninterrupted attention needed to unify mindfulness and awareness. 8. One-pointed Placement The meditator will no longer experience any problems. He or she will be able to place the mind one-pointedly on the object of meditation, while strengthening the uninterrupted attention. 9. Placement in Equanimity This is the stage of spontaneous achievement, where the meditator requires no effort to meditate. Whether he or she is walking, talking or sitting in meditation, it makes no difference to the power of concentration. One can remain in this stage while experiencing complete pliancy of body and mind. Notes on the theory and practice of Shamata Meditation - Lama Choedak Rinpoche
Posted on: Thu, 28 Aug 2014 13:26:53 +0000
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