After Full Shamata:
In the 8th and 9th levels of Calm-Awareness or Shamata meditation, we are working on effort. Complete Shamata is reached when that effort becomes flexible, stable, and reliable and therefore appears "effortless". Allowing laziness to enter our minds and stopping at level 8 or 9 is like stopping to throw a ball when we are almost at the point of letting the ball go. The Equanimity of level 10 is like actually letting go of the ball. We let go of the effort, we let go of the final attachment to the process of developing Calm-Awareness and notion of meditating.
In the 10th level, we have developed calm-awareness and single-pointed focus. Now we need to decide what we want to do with this ability.
At many points along the path to full achievement of Shamata or Calm-Awareness, we can stay at that level of practice if we wish. We can use our ability to focus and stay calm and to improve the use of our energy in order to increase our ability to work with the world around us. In this process we can gain many benefits for our current life situation.
We could easily stay at the 5th level. We have basic control over our minds. The Rabbit, or sense consciousness, and the Monkey, our discursive thoughts are securely on a leash at this level. However, what can happen is that, even though we have the rabbit and the monkey on a leash, we spend most of our time just allowing them to wander while gaining some of the benefit from the degree of mental control that we have at this level.
Another level where we can get "stuck" is between the 6th and the 7th level. The 7th level involves the processes of emptying, erasing, and letting go in order to advance. Sometimes this letting go or emptying is too difficult, too painful, or we feel that we don't really want to do it. The result is that we back off from further development. We can then stay at this level of enjoying the feeling of well-being that arises at this stage. Of course, there will always be a sense that there's something missing, but we can be very good at ignoring the impetus to continue, especially if we are unsure about how best to proceed or feel threatened by the openness of letting go of some of our issues.
The other area where we can end up "resting" is between the 8th and 9th. We have a sense of balance between focus, awareness, and well-being/tranquility, but we slack off and don't add the final bit of sharpness required to go beyond the 8th level.
Finally, we can end up not allowing our integrated and focussed mind to become ordinary. We can maintain the separation between meditation and our regular waking state. In this way, we never get to the final point of having "effortless" meditation.
So, as you can see, at any point in the process we can end up stopping and not going any further. We have the choice of becoming satisfied with our level of attainment or we can be more curious and examine if it is possible to go further. We can look to see if there are more subtle and refined mind-states beyond our current levels.
If we expand our meditative practice we can achieve various levels of higher mind-states. The first set of these are called the 4 Jhanas or 4 Meditative Absorptions. These are Sustained Investigation, Sustained Joy, Sustained Bliss, and Sustained Equanimity. There are 2 basic ways to develop these Meditative Absorptions.
The first method is called the Kasina practice. Kasina means disc. We use these discs as focus objects of our meditation in order to achieve these Meditative Absorptions. There are 10 Kasinas. Which one we choose can be based on our own inclination or on our personality type. There is a Kasina for each of the 5 elements (Earth, Water, Fire, Wind, and Space) and each of the 4 colours (Blue, Yellow, Red, White) and the Light Kasina. To begin the practice, a person creates or imagines a disc made up of one of these elements or colours.
To obtain the first Absorption which can be qualified as Sustained Investigation, one develops the ability to focus on the generic qualities of an element. One focuses on the disc until one develops a feel for the element chosen. This is called the sign. With the first Absorption, one continually brings the sign to mind and focusses ones thought on it. This is called Investigation or, as is often used in the Sutras, Applied and Sustained Thought. The First Absorption is achieved when focus on Sense Objects diminish along with Greed, Ill-Will, Dullness, Agitation, and Uncertainty in regards to Sense Objects diminishes. The only thing remaining in focus is the sign of the chosen Kasina. The result is the sensation of Applied and Sustained Thought, Joy, Bliss, and Equanimity.
With continued effort in concentration, we reach the point where we no longer need the force of Investigation, the force of Applied and Sustained Thought. We no longer need to deliberately or forcefully look for the sign of the Kasina. We have then achieved the Second Jhana or Second Absorption. We only experience Joy, Bliss, and Equanimity.
Our feeling of Confidence and Happiness at achieving focus gradually becomes ordinary. Because of this, we realize that the feeling of Joy is not necesssary. We begin to see it as gross compared to merely resting within a feeling of Bliss and Equanimity. We have then achieved the Third Absorption.
Finally, we realize that even the Blissful feelings of the Third Absorption is ordinary and not special. We are then left with a sense of Equanimity, a detached balance and sense of even-ness. This is the Fourth Meditative Absorption.
A full description of this process of Meditative Absorption using the Kasinas can be found in chapters IV and V of the book
The Path of Purification
by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa.
Another way to develop the Meditative Absorptions is to use sentient beings as the focal object. This method also creates the mind-states of the 4 Realms of Pure Form. They also counteract and eliminate the 4 harmful mind-states of Ill-Will, Cruelty, Reluctance, and Greed. These 4 focal objects are Loving-Kindness, Compassion, Rejoicing (or Joy), and Equanimity. They are called the 4 Divine Abidings.
By foccusing on the qualities of sentient beings and developing gratitude for the benefits we derive from them, we develop the wish for sentient beings to be happy. It also states that we can start with the wish for ourselves to be happy. From there, it is then easier to have the same wish for others using ourselves as an example. We can then say, "Just as I wish to be happy, so others also wish to be happy. Therefore, may all beings obtain the happiness that they are looking for." In this way, we contemplate until we've eliminated the 5 hindrances of Greed, Ill-Will, Dullness, Agitation, and Uncertainty and have obtained the First Absorption. We then expand this feeling of Loving-Kindness and continue until we reach the Second Absorption of being filled with Joy, and the Third Absorption of achieving Bliss. The Fourth Absorption can't be obtained through this method, because of its focus on Joyfulness. This practice is the antidote to Ill-Will.
By focussing on the suffering of one person and then expanding it to include all suffering, we develop the wish that all beings be free of suffering. This is the development of Compassion. Its purpose is to counteract any tendency to cruelty. Again, we focus on Compassion until we eliminate Greed, Ill-Will, Dullness, Agitation, and Uncertainty in regards to Compassion and obtain the First Absorption. We then expand it to obtain the Second and Third Absorptions.
The Third Divine Abiding is often called Joy, but it is really about Rejoicing. It is designed to counteract aversion, reluctance, and indifference (which is sometimes called boredom in some translations). It starts by starting with one person who has happiness and good fortune and then rejoicing and giving thanks for that person's happiness. One then expands this to rejoicing at the happiness and good fortune of everyone who is experiencing well-being. Again, we eliminate the 5 hindrances and reach the First Absorption. We then expand it to the Second Absorption of Joy, and the Third Absorption where there is just Bliss.
After developing these three Divine Abidings, one can then work on developing Equanimity. This leads to achieving the 4th Meditative Absorption. It arises from seeing the dangers that can come from the possible development of Longing or Greed for the Joys of the lower Absorptions. This also comes from seeing the sameness between a friend, an adversary, and a stranger and viewing all beings as inherently equal.
Again, a full description of the process of developing the 4 Divine Abidings can be found in chapter IX of the book
The Path of Purification
by Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa.
From my own experience, I also feel that the 4 Divine Abidings could also each be equated to an individual Absorption.
The appreciation of the qualities and benefits of others and the development of a curiousity in regards to others qualities leads to a desire for them to be happy. This state is endowed with Loving-Kindness and also investigation or curiousity. This can be seen as the attainment of the 1st Jhana or 1st Meditative Absorption
Because of this first absorption, we begin to develop Joy at the recognition of all of these qualities. Once we have attained this Joy, we develop the desire to share it with others. As we contemplate sharing it with others, we realize that not all others have the chance to experience Joy. We therefore feel compelled to spread this Joy throughout our univerese and this leads to the 2nd Meditative Absorption.
Based on this desire to spread Joy, we then begin to celebrate when we notice others achieving states of joy and well-being. We begin to rejoice in their successes and we increase this rejoicing to include all beings. This sense of Joy at the success of others leads to a type of contentment and this is the Bliss of the 3rd Jhana.
Finally, we recognize the sameness of others, the sameness of our goal to have more happiness and less suffering and the sameness of the causes for happiness and for suffering. We develop equanimity and balanced detachment and have achieved the 4th Meditative Absorption.
At any of these points we could stop and go no further. However, if we wish to continue to the highest possible levels of existence, then we can question whether there are any subtler or more sublime mind-states beyond this mind-state of Absorption in Equanimity. When we look out from this mind of Equanimity, we see a vast and limitless space. This Limitless Space is the first of 4 Formless mind-states. They are called Formless mind-states because there is no connection to any kind of Form in their focus or perception.
Once we have the perception of Limitless Space, we can look beyond that perception. At this point, we may realize that our awareness is with us within that Limitless Space. We then realize that we have Limitless Consciousness and our mind becomes absorbed in the focus on Limitless Consciousness. This is the second Formless Absorption.
Our focus on Limitless Consciousness becomes sublter and we realize that "There is Nothing". We have Consciousness and Nothing and so our focus switches to focussing on this Nothingness. This is the third Formless Absorption.
Finally, we come to the point of recognizing that there is both Nothingness and a Perception of Nothingness. This Perception is so subtle that it is difficult to even perceive that its there. This fourth Formless Absorption is called "Neither Perception Nor Non-Perception". Beyond this there are no other subtler mind-states.
When we have reached this final point, we have reached the most subtle relative mind possible within existence. From the Buddhist view, however, this is not the end. Non-Buddhists take any one of these states and hold it to be ultimate or accept it as ultimate. The Buddha recognized that, actually, none of these states are ultimate. He recognized that realizing this and developing detachment to all of these mind-states was the way to freedom from the suffering that is inherent in these mind-states. The next stage is to understand the nature of self and the nature of the relationship and interconnection between what we observe as our self and our outside reality.
This is where we use this new found ability to focus and direct our minds in order to investigate the nature of our mind, and the nature of the world around us. We can use these abilities to delve into the nature of suffering and happiness and the nature of birth and death.
Vipashyana or Insight meditation is then needed to eliminate the barrier between the higher and subtler mind-states from meditation & deliverance from the sufferings of attachment to these mind-states in post-meditation periods. True Vipashyana meditation involves:
1) Examination of the nature of pure-mind
2) Examination of the nature of true-reality (reality as a selfless experience)
3) Examination of the connection between pure-mind & true-reality.
During this process we begin to learn the intricacies of the relationship between our Body & Forms, our Feelings, our Perceptions, our Motivations, and our Consciousness.
We purify the internal body/mind elements of Earth (solidity), Water (cohesion), Fire (Heat/Growth), Wind (Motion), and Space. We begin to work on purifying our expression of these energies so that Pride and Self-Satisfaction are transformed into Generosity and Balance; Anger and Fear become Intelligence and Alertness; Obsession and Longing are changed into Appreciation and Compassion; Envy and Incompleteness become Creativity and Enthusiasm; and Self-Absorption and Confusion become Awareness and Understanding. This is our work on the nature of Pure Mind.
In working with True-Reality, we come to understand the fluidity and interconnection between our own Forms, Feelings, Perceptions, Motivations, and Awareness and the Forms, Feelings, Perceptions, Motivations, and Awarenesses of others. This leads us to perfect the qualities of Generosity, Morality, Patience, Perseverance, Concentration, and Wisdom.
In working back and forth between unfolding our pure mind, and working with true reality, we discover that they are really extensions of each other and the interconnection between the two becomes clear and the bounderies between meditation and non-meditation then dissolve completely.
With the Mental & Physical flexibility and control that come from these practices, the ability to sculpt our own reality and have a profound and positive effect for ourselves and others become stronger and stronger. Through this process we end up achieving complete Spiritual Awakening, which is called Buddhahood. We now have thorough understanding and skillfulness in regards to our world.
The key is regular, consistent, and persistent practice. The key to attaining the complete fruit of shamata meditation and beyond is to always check on our progress in relation to these instructions.
There is an old Buddhist saying: "Hasten slowly and you will soon arrive". This statement applies very much to Shamata Meditation practice.
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