Tantric Techniques (30 page)

Then, if that does not work, since laxity must nevertheless be removed, one leaves the main object of observation—here, one’s own divine body—and invigorates the mind by reflecting on something joyous, such as the marvelous fortune of having

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attained a human life, the wonderful qualities of the Three Jewels, the benefits of altruism, or the benefits of meditative stabilization. This level of technique requires that the meditator has previously engaged in analysis of these topics so that, as soon as they are considered, their respective impact manifests, thereby invigorating the mind. Otherwise, a neophyte at these contemplations would have to engage in multifaceted analytical meditation in order to generate the requisite feelings, in which case the attempt at creating one-pointedness of mind would become diverted. The Dalai Lama, speaking about applying this level of antidote to laxity and excitement, says:
a

A person who is cultivating calm abiding needs to be in a state where such reflections will move the mind immediately. Therefore, prior to working at achieving calm abiding, it is necessary to have become convinced about many topics—such as those involved in the four establishments in mindfulness—through a considerable amount of analysis. In an actual session of cultivating calm abiding, one is performing stabilizing meditation, not analytical meditation, but if one has engaged in considerable analysis of these top-ics previously, the force of the previous reflection remains with the mind and can be recalled. Thus, when you switch to such topics in order either to elevate or to lower the mind, the mind will be immediately affected. In this way, if ascertainment has been generated previously, then reflecting on the value of meditative stabilization or the value of a human lifetime will immediately heighten the mind, and reflection on sobering topics such as the nature of the body or the ugliness of objects of desire will immediately lower its mode of apprehension.

Considerable prior reflection is needed is order to make use of the force of such attitudes when they are needed. Then, as soon as the mind heightens, one returns to the original object, so as not to be-come distracted.

Similarly, one could take to mind a particularly luminous object or imagine great acts of charity (one could imagine putting groce-ries on every table, for instance). However, if even these do not

a
The Dalai Lama at Harvard,
148.

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work, there is what is called a “forceful method,” which is to imagine one’s mind as a drop of white light at the heart and, with the sound
pha
ṭ
,
imagine that it exits from the crown of the head high into the sky and mixes with the sky. (It is said that the technique is not dangerous, but I nevertheless wonder whether it is suited for all.) If laxity is still not overcome, then the only recourse is to leave the meditative session, since to remain in the session would mean that one is cultivating laxity, and this would have the counterproductive effect of promoting general dullness of mind. It is recom-mended that one walk about, throw cold water on the face, look far off into the distance, and so forth.

With respect to corresponding techniques to counteract excitement, the first level is to loosen the mode of apprehension of the mind. Then, if that does not work, the object can be lowered and imagined as being heavy (dense) and oily in nature. If that does not work, then since one has not been able to remove excitement within staying on the object, one temporarily switches objects, reflecting on a topic that sobers the mind, such as impermanence, death, the sufferings of the various levels of cyclic existence, and so forth. As before, it is said that unless the meditator has previous acquaintance with these topics, it is hard for them to be effective, although with acquaintance they are very effective. Still, if this does not remove excitement, the forceful method is to observe the breath, thinking, “Inhaling, exhaling,” or counting to ten and back to one. If this does not work, the only choice is to leave the session.

If, in applying these antidotes, they are successful, then to keep applying them when they are no longer needed is counterproductive, and thus the fifth and last fault is overapplication of the antidotes, which is countered by the eighth antidote, desisting from application of them.

When meditators successfully work at removing these five faults through the eight antidotes, they gradually pass through nine states, culminating in a tenth, which is calm abiding itself. The states are called the “nine mental abidings.”
a
(See the chart on the next page.)

a
sems gnas dgu, nav
ā
k
ā
r
ā
cittasthiti.

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Chart 2: States and Factors in Achieving Calm Abiding

(Read from bottom to top.)

At the first level, called “setting the mind,”
a
through the power of having heard about the value of meditative stabilization, one tries to set the mind on the object of observation. During this state, distraction far exceeds periods of remaining on the object, and, due to the fact that one is trying to keep the mind on the object and thus is noticing that the mind wanders from topic to topic, there is the sense that thought is increasing. Then, the second level, “continuous setting”
b
is achieved when, through the power of thinking about the object over and over, one can extend the continuum of attention a little, even though distraction still exceeds being able to stay on the object. With the third state, called “resetting,”
c
mindfulness is able to re-tie the mind to the object, like putting a patch on clothing, through recognizing distraction. At this level, the ability to remain on the object exceeds the periods of distraction, and thus one has risen to the level of “meditating” from among the tri-ad of hearing, thinking, and meditating. This level of mind is required for actual analytical meditation, although that is not its usage here.

The description of these stages may make it seem as if progress is gradual and also sure of success if one only keeps at it, but this is not the case, as is made clear by Geshe Gedün Lodrö when he points to the need for employing analytical techniques to counteract afflictive emotions. The problem is that, with the channeling of

a
sems ’jog pa, cittasth
ā
pana.

b
rgyun du ’jog pa, sa
ṃ
sth
ā
pana.

c
slan te ’jog pa, avasth
ā
pana.

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