Definition of the Week (31) – Mental Stabilization / Concentration

Lama Tsong Khapa:

The nature of mental stabilization is a virtuous mind abiding single-pointedly on its object, without mental wandering.

Shantideva:
They who wish to protect the trainings [1]
Protect the mind after focusing it strongly.
Without protecting this mind
It is impossible to protect the trainings.

Gyaltsab Je:
Showing in Brief the Necessity of Protecting One’s Mind
They who wish to protect the trainings of generosity and the other perfections from degeneration must strongly focus their mind on the trainings, and then protect the mind from wandering off to mistaken objects.

If one does not protect the mind from wandering off, then it becomes impossible to protect the trainings.

Ven Geshe Doga:
How to Meditate: A crazed elephant can be tamed with a rope, hook and pillar. It is tied to the pillar with the rope, and directed with the hook. Similarly, our crazed mind is subdued with the rope of mindfulness, the hook or introspection, and the pillar of the virtuous meditation object.

First the mind needs to be tied to the pillar of the meditation object with the rope of mindfulness, and then we use the hook of mental introspection to direct the mind back to the virtuous object if it has strayed, or adjust our focus when we find the mind has become unclear.

Through this approach, we will not experience mental wandering and distraction, and all other virtuous practices will arise naturally.

Definition of the Week (30) – Enthusiasm

Lama Tsong Khapa:

“The nature of enthusiasm: Having focussed on the object of virtue, being in the aspect of strong joy.”

Briefly
Enthusiasm is joy in virtue. It is the antidote against laziness and has the function of perfectly accomplishing and completing one’s virtuous practice.

Elaborately
Definition: From the Compendium of Knowledge: What is enthusiasm? It is joy in regard to armor, training, confidence, not giving up and not being complacent.

Divisions:

  1. Armor-like enthusiasm is the enthusiasm that is generated prior to engaging into a virtuous action.
  2. Enthusiasm of training is the enthusiasm that accompanies the viruous practice.
  3. Enthusiasm of confidence is enthusiasm in one’s abilities. It lacks low self esteem and counteracts thoughts like, “How could somebody like me ever achieve this.”
  4. Irreversible enthusiasm is the enthusiasm that prevents one from being sidetracked by other virtuous activities before having completed what one originally set out to do.
  5. Enthusiasm of non-complacency is enthusiasm that protects one from being satisfied with an inferior or incomplete result.

For examples, some students are satisfied with just studying and implementing one small aspect of the path, and then think, “I have made great progress along the path.” When they then later receive teachings on the whole path to enlightenment by someone knowledgeable in all the important points of the path, then they become discouraged.

The Difference Between Enthusiasm and Effort:
Effort based on enthusiasm is joyous effort that helps to accomplish one’s aims quickly. Mere effort, on the other hand, is difficult to sustain over a long time period and is usually less effective. It is therefore important to cultivate a sense of happiness with one’s dharma practice.

Four Conducive Conditions for Enthusiasm:

  1. The power of belief: Generating aspiration for the practice of abandoning and adopting through meditating on the karmic laws of cause and effect.
  2. The power of stability: Not engaging into actions indiscriminately but first weighing up whether one can accomplish the action or not.
  3. The power of joy: Practicing joyful enthusiasm without contentment, like a child that does not want to stop playing.
  4. The power of desisting: Taking a break when body and mind have become exhausted through intense joyous effort and then immediately starting again when mental and physical strength are restored.

Short Meditation on Increasing Self-Confidence and a Positive Self-Image

Sit down comforably in an upright position.
Pick a time span such as today, last week, last year etc.
Remember consciously with a clear and relaxed mind, without judging, all the actions of body, speech and mind carried out in that period from the start up to the present moment.
Rejoice in all positve actions in general and dharma actions specifically, recalling also all their immense karmic benefits. (Most likely one finds more to recjoice in as one initially thinks).

Now focus inwards and identify your dharma qualities, such as love or compassion. (Find at least one.)
Rejoice in your qualities, ideally until the thought, “I am good,” is generated.

Repeat until the thought, “I am good,” is generated naturally.

Definition of the Week (29) – Patience

Lama Tsong Khapa:

The nature of patience is a naturally abiding mind, undisturbed by harm or suffering, and which abides on the dharma as originally aspired.

Patience as a three-fold division into:

  1. Patience unaffected by harm
  2. Patience willingly bearing suffering
  3. Patience of definitely relying on the dharma.

Shantideva:

Unsubdued sentient beings equal space, [12]
Destroying them is impossible.
Merely destroys this mind of anger,
Equals destroying all enemies.

To cover the whole earth with leather, [13]
Where should the leather come from?
To cover one’s soles with leather
Equals covering the whole earth.

Similarly, I do not oppose [14]
External phenomena.
I should reverse this mind of mine,
Where is the need to oppose others?

Gyaltsab Je:

Patience Depends on the Mind
(Meaning; Example; Relating Meaning and Example)

  • Meaning
    Patience is completed by destroying one’s anger, which equals destroying all external enemies. It is not achieved through the extinction of the objects of one’s anger. This is conclusive because unsubdued sentient beings equal space and it is impossible to destroy them all. Therefore also patience depends on the mind.
  • The Example
    Where would one find enough leather to cover the whole earth to prevent one’s feet from being harmed by thorns and other sharp objects on the ground? Covering the soles of one’s feet with leather will do the trick and prevent the feet from being harmed by thorns, sharp stones and the like. It equals covering the whole earth.
  • Relating the Meaning and the Example
    Similar to the analogy, it is impossible to oppose all harmful external phenomena. Instead one focuses one’s mind on these objects and reverses the mind from generating anger. By meditating in such a way patience is completed. To oppose the objects of anger is impossible and unnecessary.

 

Definition of the Week (28) – Ethics/Morality

Lama Tsong Khapa:

The nature of ethics is the intent of abandonment, mentally reversing from harming others. This is mainly from the point of view of the ethics of restraint.

Gyaltsab Je:

Morality Depends On the Mind
(Completing the Morality Gone Beyond Does Not Depend on the Absence of Sentient Beings that One Could Kill; It Is Completed by Meditating on the Mind of Abandoning)

Completing the Morality Gone Beyond Does Not Depend on the Absence of Sentient Beings that One Could Kill
Fish and so forth, where should they flee to [11ab]
So as not to be killed?

It follows that the completion of the morality gone beyond does not depend on removing all sentient beings that could possibly be killed, because it is unfeasible to move all the animals such as fish and so forth to a safe place.

It Is Completed by Meditating on the Mind of Abandoning
Through the mind of abandoning, [11cd]
Morality goes beyond, it is taught.

For this reason the morality gone beyond is achieved by completing the meditation on the mind of abandoning, such as on the mind abandoning the thoughts of killing or stealing.

From a sutra:
If the morality gone beyond is explained: It is the intent to give up harming others.
Chandrakirti:

By excelling in all ten virtuous paths [2.2]
He becomes exceedingly pure,
Eternally pure, like an autumn moon,
Beautified by such peace, radiance.

The first Dalai Lama:
Question: ‘Do those ten karmic paths not also exist on the first ground?’
Answer: ‘Of course they do. But the bodhisattvas abiding on the second ground are superior in morality to the first ground because they became exceedingly pure by excelling in all ten virtuous paths.
Bodhisattvas abiding on the second ground of eternally pure morality became like an autumn moon because they are beautified by the peace arising from having restrained the doors of the sense powers, and by a the radiance of a brilliant aura.’

Definition of the Week (27) – Generosity

Lama Tsong Khapa:

The definition of generosity is the virtuous intent to give.

It is generated by developing the antidote to miserliness and generating the wish to give away our possessions.

Definition of the Week (26) – Close Placement (of Wisdom) by Mindfulness on Phenomena

The definition of close placement (of wisdom) by mindfulness on phenomena is:
An exalted knower on the path, that is contained in either mindfulness or wisdom, and which meditates by investigating the general and specific characteristics of mental factors.

In short: Wisdom, a discriminating awareness is placed by mindfulness on the virtuous and non-virtuous mental factors, to investigate and differentiate their general and specific characteristics.

Focal object: The different mental factors.

They are thus either identified as belonging to the afflicted side and as object of abandonment, or as uncontaminated and belonging to the side of implementation. Through understanding that un-contaminated phenomena are the exact opposite to the afflicted mental factors, one understand that they are their only antidote, and be motivated to generate them.

Afflicted or uncontaminated, they are negated as being the self, or as belonging to an intrinsic self. They themselves are also recognized as lacking inherent nature.

Definition of the Week (25) – close placement (of wisdom) by mindfulness on mind

The definition of close placement (of wisdom) by mindfulness on mind is:
An exalted knower on the path, that is contained in either mindfulness or wisdom, and which meditates by investigating the general and specific characteristics of mind.

In short: Wisdom, a discriminating awareness is placed by mindfulness on mind, to investigate its general and specific characteristics.

Focal object: Mind is synonymous with primary consciousness, and has a sixfold division according to the six sense powers, five physical and one mental.

Purpose: To eliminate any type of mind as the self, and to then also realize the emptiness of the mind itself.

The placement of wisdom on the mind eliminates mind as the basis for a self through the analysis of its impermanence, lack of intrinsic existence etc. Through this the grasping at the mind is eliminated, and one can proceed to attain cessation without having any fear.

To just meditate on the clear nature of the mind does not harm ignorance

From the Debate between Wisdom and Ignorance:

Ignorance says to Wisdom:

The meditation without wandering from clear and knowing
Is seen as the pinnacle of placement meditation.
If one does not even attain liberation

Then omniscient consciousness is a joke. [212]
If meditation on clear and knowing
While being oblivious to anything else,
Is meditation on mind itself,

Since the mind and myself are inseparable [213]
It becomes a meditation on myself alone.
As the result of meditating on me
Not only is there no attainment of liberation,

The only thing that will happen [214]
Is that I will become stronger, nothing else.
Choden Rinpoche:
As we said earlier, some meditate on nothing else but the clear nature of the mind, without thinking or conceptualization. But because mind is an illusory conventional object, it comes with true-appearance, and therefore meditating on it will only strengthen true-grasping and does not benefit the attainment of liberation.

Definition of the Week (24) – Close Placement (of Wisdom) by Mindfulness on Feelings

The definition of close placement (of wisdom) by mindfulness on feelings:
An exalted knower on the path, that is contained in either mindfulness or wisdom, and which meditates by investigating the general and specific characteristics of feelings.

There are three types of feelings:

  • Happiness
  • Suffering
  • Equanimity

Wisdom, a discriminating awareness is placed by mindfulness on feelings, to investigate their general and specific characteristics.

The final purpose is to eliminate feeling as the basis of pleasure for the self.

General feelings are realized to be impermanent, produced by karma and afflictions, devoid of self and not belonging to any self. It is realized that contaminated feelings of happiness are in the nature of suffering, non-satisfactory, the cause of attachment and anger, and to be abandoned. Feelings are also investigated for their lack of inherent existence and their emptiness is realized.

It is also realized that there is only one feeling that will liberate from suffering, the feeling accompanying the wisdom realizing emptiness directly.

 

Definition of the Week (23) – Close Placement (of Wisdom) by Mindfulness – Body

The definition of close placement (of wisdom) by mindfulness:
An exalted knower on the path, that is contained in either mindfulness or wisdom, and which meditates by investigating the general and specific characteristics of the body.

Wisdom is placed continuously on the body by mindfulness and investigates the general characteristics of the body, such as its impermanence, its lack of self etc. It also investigates its specific characteristics, such as its impurity.

There are three types of body:

1. Outer body, i.e., forms etc., which do not support the sense powers.
2. Inner body, i.e., the five sense powers.
3. Body that is both, like the five forms that support the sense powers.
One immediate purpose of meditating the on the close placement of wisdom on the body by mindfulness is to understand the negative tendencies of the contaminated body, and to understand these as object of rejection.

Another purpose of meditating on the placement by mindfulness on the body is to eliminate the body as the basis of the self, i.e., to eliminate it as the residence of the self.

Definition of the Week (22) – Definition for a close Placement by Mindfulness

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

The definition for a close placement by mindfulness is:

An exalted knower on the path, that is contained in either mindfulness or wisdom, and which meditates by investigating the general and specific characteristics of each of the four: Body, feelings, main consciousness and phenomena.

Vasubandhu in his Treasury of Knowledge (Abhisamayaalamkara):

“The close placement by mindfulness is wisdom.”

Examples for general characteristics: Impermanence, misery, empty and selfless.

Everything compounded is impermanent
Everything contaminated is misery
All phenomena are empty and selfless

Purpose of meditating on the four close placements:
To reject what has been identified by the four noble truths as that to be abandoned, and to integrate what has been identified by the four noble truth as that to be accepted.

The purpose of meditating on the four close placements (of wisdom) by mindfulness is to set us on the path by clearly identifying what is contained in the first two noble truths, and rejecting this, and by identifying what is contained in the second two noble truths and aspiring towards them.

Realizing the four noble truths in relation to ourselves generates renunciation, and realizing them in relation to others generates compassion.

Definition of the Week (21) – The Definition of the enlightened Activity of the Dharma Kaya

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

A white quality arisen through the activity of its causal condition of a wisdom truth body is the definition of the enlightened activity of the dharma kaya.

There are two:

  1. The enlightened activity existing on the object, such as the virtue in the continuum of the disciples.
  2. The enlightened activity existing on the creator, such as the virtue contained in the continuum of the Buddha himself.

More extensively there are the twenty-seven kinds of enlightened activities, which can be summed up in three:

  1. Placing the disciple on the basis of the path.
  2. Placing the disciple on the path.
  3. Placing the disciple on the result.

Definition of the Week (20) – The Emanation Body of a Buddha

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

Definition of the emanation body of a buddha: A final form body not endowed with the five certainties.

Divisions:

  1. The artisan emanation body; e.g., the musician emanated to subdue the Gandava king.
  2. The born emanation body; e.g., animal-like emanations.
  3. The emanation body of great enlightenment; e.g., Amithaba.
  4. The supreme emanation body; e.g., Shakyamuni Buddha.

Panchen Losang Choky Gyaltsen:

Compassionate prayers and the wishes 9d

Of those to be subdued – due to this collection of causes, 10
The truth body, enjoyment body, emanation body,
As well as the grounds, paths, qualities, activities and so forth,
Exist, but only in mere appearance.

They are not seen as existing in reality. 11

Choden Rinpoche:

“The truth body that never arises from emptiness is a transcendental wisdom in single pointed equipoise on emptiness. Due to the compassion of Shakyamuni Buddha and the prayers of the disciples it arises as a physical body in accordance with the wishes of the disciples.

Due to the presence of the three conditions of compassion, the disciples prayers and wishes it arises in the aspect of the emanation body, enjoyment body, the twenty-seven enlightened activities and so forth. Due to the wishes of the disciples to some it appears in the aspect of Yamantaka, for others again in the aspect of a bikkhu as Shakyamuni Buddha. To yet others, to which he cannot appear like this, he appears as the virtuous friend.

From Shakyamuni Buddha’s own side exists absolutely no thought of ‘I shall appear like this to this person’, or ‘it is unsuitable to appear to that person like that’. For example, when the moon shines in the sky, it appears different in different bodies of water. The moon appears in different grades of clarity according to the different purities of the water. But the moon from his side has no thought of ‘Here I shall appear clearer and here not’, but relative to the clarity of the water the moon appears in some bodies of water clearer as in others. Similarly, also Shakyamuni Buddha appears different to different disciples according to their minds and dispositions.

The qualities of the grounds and paths, i.e. the ten grounds and five paths contained in the disciples’ continuums, and the enlightened activities and so forth, do not at all exist from their own side but are a mere appearance to conceptual thought, a mere imputation by name. They are not seen as existing in meaning. Any virtue that is generated in the disciples’ continuums is regarded as enlightened activity of the buddhas.

All phenomena, starting from the dharmas on the level of enlightenment down to the phenomena contained in cyclic existence, they all do not exist truly, they do not have a self, they do not exist from their own side. If one asks how they exist, they exist as mere appearances to thought, as mere imputations by name, and in no other way.”

Definition of the Week (19) – The Enjoyment Body of a Buddha

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

Definition of the enjoyment body of a buddha: A final form body endowed with the five certainties.

The five certainties:

1. Certainty of place: Resides only in Ogmin.
2. Certainty of body: Adorned with all the marks and signs.
3. Certainty of speech: Teaches only the Mahayana dharma.
4. Certainty of retinue: Surrounded only by superior bodhisattvas.
5. Certainty of time: Remains until the end of cyclic existence.

Definition of the Week (18) – Definition of Buddha lineage

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

Definition of buddha lineage: That suitable to transform into one of the bodies of a buddha.

E.g., the emptiness of the mind of clear light is suitable to transform into the nature-truth body, and the mind of clear light is suitable to transform into the wisdom-truth body.

The mental afflictions are not suitable to transform into any of the bodies of a buddha.

Definition of the Week (17) – The Wisdom-Truth Body

Jetsün Chokyi Gyaltsen:

Definition of the wisdom-truth body:

An exalted knower that is final, relative to seeing both suchness and the world of multiplicity.

The clear and knowing nature of the clear light mind is the conventional buddha nature, and is suitable to transform into the dharma kaya.

Non-abiding nirvana: Analytical cessation free from the two obscurations. Synonymous with the truth of cessation in the continuum of a buddha.

“Non-abiding” because of not abiding in the extremes of existence and peace. Non abiding in the two extremes, but always abiding in meditative equipoise on emptiness, even while walking, eating or drinking.