About Meditation,
By Dujan Rinpoche.
On the one hand,
What we call Dharma,
Is very difficult.
But on the other hand,
It's very easy.
Because it just depends on our own mind.
So you should search for your mind,
And look after it.
Don't let your mind get carried away by rising thoughts.
Cut the elaborations and conceptualizations of the mind into its natural state.
Let your mind simply be in your body.
Allow relaxation to enter.
What does this state of relaxation feel like?
It's like the experience of a person who has just finished some exhausting work.
After laboring long and hard to accomplish their task.
Once it is over,
They experience a blissful satisfaction.
They are content simply to rest.
They arrive at a state of calm.
And they will remain calm for a while.
Without being caught up in their usual wild and imaginable thoughts.
So following this example,
You should try to guard and protect your mind.
Even in the midst of all kinds of wild and turbulent thoughts.
Leave your mind in its own natural state.
Keep your body still.
And your speech silent.
Don't think about whether you should do this or that.
Just settle your mind into a state of relaxation.
In which there is no chasing after objects,
Wild or crazy thoughts.
Instead,
You should find yourself in a state which is vividly open.
And brilliantly clear.
And deeply relaxed.
This state of ease is an indication that the mind has arrived at its inherent clarity.
And it will simply settle itself into that clarity.
But it won't remain like that for long.
Something happens.
A thought arises.
When that rising takes place,
Let your awareness recognize it.
Just as it occurs.
Don't think something's gone wrong.
But recognize the rising as soon as it arises.
And just leave it at that with the recognition.
If the mind is just left in our natural state,
It becomes pacified.
And all the rising thoughts naturally subside.
As you leave them,
They liberate themselves.
It's like waves in the ocean.
They're left to dissolve back into the ocean.
And this is really the only place for them to go.
It's the same with our minds.
When from out of a state of stillness,
Movement occurs.
By simply leaving it to follow its own natural course.
It will be liberated by itself.
It will be naturally pacified.
And become clear by itself.
That's how you should practice this meditation.
But if instead you think,
Now this thought has arisen.
That can't be right.
And you try to stop the thought.
That itself is just more thinking.
Practicing like that,
You only risk furthering your own confusion.
As the mind follows after objects.
So don't practice in that way.
Resting in the recognition without following after thoughts.
Is known as peacefully remaining.
Because it diffuses or pacifies the power of thoughts.
And enables you to remain in the blissful nature of your own mind.
This is what we call the practice of Samatha.
When you become somewhat familiar with this practice.
You may experience a state of mental and physical bliss.
Or even ecstasy.
Or if you're meditating at night.
You may experience a state of clarity.
As if daylight had dawned.
Different experiences such as these can occur.
And these are signs that you are cultivating the peace of Samatha.
There's no fault in seeing these as positive.
But it would be a mistake to become attached to them.
If you just allow them to occur.
Without feeling any attachment towards them.
Then they can only assist you in your practice.
And no harm will come of them.
So whatever experiences of bliss or clarity occur.
There is no need to grasp at them with attachment.
And no need to suppress them either.
Simply allow them to dissolve naturally.
You could also have an experience of what is known as absence of thought.
This is a dark and drowsy state.
In which there is no awareness whatsoever.
You're not quite asleep.
But there is a blank dullness.
This experience of absence of thought.
Does involve some calm abiding.
As there are no rising thoughts.
None of minds inherent clarity.
This is because you have drifted into the alaya.
The all ground.
And you will need to alert yourself.
And waken from it.
In order to clear it away.
Straighten your body.
Exhale the foul air.
And focus your awareness in a space in front of you.
Otherwise,
If you remain in such dullness.
Your meditation will be ineffective.
And will never evolve at all.
This experience of absence of thought.
Is a fault in meditation.
And must be cleared away.
Whenever it occurs.
Then it is also very important.
To sharpen your awareness.
Practicing like this.
Is the way to develop calm abiding.
When the mind is resting naturally.
And at ease.
In its own unaltered state.
That is referred to.
As the stillness of meditation.
If a thought arises.
Out of this state of stillness.
That is called movement.
That which knows.
When the mind is in a state of stillness.
And recognizes any movement.
Is your awareness.
Or Rigpa.
These are known collectively.
As the three states.
Stillness.
Movement.
And awareness.
As a beginner.
Unless you do this practice formally.
In proper meditation sessions.
You won't be able to remain at peace.
But once you become more familiar with it.
You will be able to remain undisturbed.
And undistracted.
Even while you are walking about.
And when you are sitting.
You will sit without being distracted.
From awareness.
You should apply the practice.
To whatever you do.
And then it will gradually develop.
And improve.
So shall we practice a little meditation together.
Based on these instructions.
So now there will be a period of silence.
For about five minutes.
Before I start speaking again.
When we rest for a while.
In the natural state.
Like this.
It's called meditative.
Equipoise.
This is what we refer to.
As a formal session of meditation.
In meditative equipoise.
We allow the mind to settle calmly.
Into its own nature.
Like the ocean.
Unruffled by the wind.
Then.
When a thought arises.
As an expression of mind's energy.
And a change occurs.
That rising takes place upon the mind itself.
Mental distraction.
Is only a movement.
Or change.
That takes place.
Within the mind.
Whatever turbulent thoughts arise.
If you allow the mind.
To settle into its own nature.
They will pacify themselves.
Just like waves in the ocean.
Dissolving back.
Into the ocean.
That is how to practice.
In your formal meditation.
If you're able to maintain.
An awareness of the present moment.
Without losing it.
Throughout the post meditation period.
You will quickly gain stability.
In your formal meditation.
So you should try to guard this awareness.
And never lose it.
May your practice.
Bring great peace.
Fruition.
And harmony.
