Straying into the idea of
emptiness
means simply imagining that all external phenomena are empty, without really having understood the emptiness of phenomena at all.
Jamgon-Kongtrul-Cloudless-Sky
The manifold appearances are only an expression of mind; they are nothing other than mind.
One could compare this with the sun and sunshine: sunshine-phenomena-are not different from the sun it- self-mind-even though they may seem to be.
In the same way, the entire phenomenal world is a manifestation of mind, inseparable from mind itself; although phenomena obviously do exist on a relative plane, they are devoid of ultimate existence.
They are a manifestation of mind, the light of dharmakaya.
When the blessings ofthe glorious guru
And one's karma come together,
One realizes one's nature like meeting an oldfn"end.
How does one attain the realization of the nature of mind? This realization cannot be forced. The Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis says that "devotion is the head of med- itation. " In order to recognize mind, the inspiration and blessings of one's teacher are necessary, and one can only receive these by having devotion for and trust in the teacher. This is the "head of meditation. " Without trust in and de- votion for one's teacher, one cannot receive the teacher's blessings and the entire lineage oftransmission, and without
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this inspiration one cannot totally recognize the nature of one's mind. By not recognizing it one will fail to understand that the nature of mind is dharmakaya and that all appear- ances are a manifestation of mind, the light of dharmakaya. Only by developing devotion for one's teacher can onere- ceive blessings in one's mind, allowing previously accumu- lated positive karma to ripen. This is the basis that enables one to recognize directly one's own mind and the nature of phenomena, like meeting an old friend.
In this section of the song, Jamgon Kongtriil Lodro Thaye explains how the nature of mind is recognized and mentions the factors on which this realization depends. These factors are extremely personal. One factor is the type of connection one has established with the teacher who introduces one to mahamudra and how long, that is, for how many kalpas, this connection has existed. Another factor is the trust in and devotion for the teacher. Only if the proper conditions are met will one recognize mind when the teacher points out its nature. In fact, one could meet many gurus, receive instruc- tions from them on the nature of mind, and practice numer- ous meditations and still not experience the nature of mind. This is actually the case for a large number of practitioners.
Thus, the experience of meditation depends not only on the meditation itself but also on the depth of trust and de- votion one has developed for one's teacher and on the exis- tence of a karmic connection with that teacher from a pre- vious lifetime. For this reason, one's root guru is of enormous importance, since only through the guru's in- structions can one achieve insight into the nature of mind.
There is no point in much talk,
But the beginner needs various things.
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If the aforementioned factors are lacking-if one does not have the trust and devotion that enable one to receive the teacher's blessings or ifone does not have a karmic con- nection with the teacher-all the instructions about the na- ture of mind will be to no avail, since they will not enable one to recognize mind's nature. This does not mean, how- ever, that one should simply wait without receiving instruc- tions until some unspecified time in the future when the proper connection to a teacher may perhaps finally occur. This is not what is meant at all.
On the contrary, for the beginner it is extremely impor- tant to start by acquiring the proper view with regard to the natureofthings. Thiswillha9penifonefirst receivesteach- ings and acquires the prajfia of hearing, then examines what one has learnt with the prajfia of contemplation and over- comes all extreme views. It is equally important to practice the preliminaries in order to purify obscurations and accu- mulate merit. However, the phrase "the beginner needs var- ious things" refers most particularly to inner renunciation of samsara, which is the indispensable foundation for de- veloping genuine meditation. This is why the Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis says that "revulsion is the foot of med- itation,'' since without inwardly turning away from samsara there will be no basis for meditation.
A common misunderstanding is that renouncing samsara means giving up everything. What renunciation really means is developing the certainty that the conditioned world of samsara is devoid of true value. It means under- standing that everything that seems pleasurable is actually suffering, that everything is transitory, in a constant state of change. Only when one truly feels that samsara is devoid of true value can one turn toward the dharma completely. Without this insight one will be unable to do so; one will
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lack the basis for true meditative experience, that does not set in as long as the mind is sidetracked by externals. The only way to overcome distractions is to renounce samsara.
One should abandon either welcoming or sending off thoughts ofpast andfuture.
Mahamudra concerns ordinary awareness, the present moment of awareness; it involves resting in and experienc- ing that moment of nowness. One should neither reflect on the past nor make plans for the future, but let the mind experience the current moment of awareness. One should let it experience the thought that is naturally and spontane- ously present, without expecting or looking for anything, and without avoiding or repressing anything-simply rest- ing the mind in that moment ofexperience. There is no form of mahamudra meditation that does not involve experienc- ing the freshness of the present moment of awareness or thought. It is not a matter of attaining something different and better. When one rests in that moment of nowness, one's awareness is "ordinary awareness," it is the normal moment of awareness in which mind is aware of itself, in which mind simply rests in itself as it happens to be at that moment.
The instantaneous mind ofnowness Is the unfabricated innate nature.
In general, everybody strives to reinforce positive thoughts and reduce negative thoughts. This is not the point of this type of meditation. Nothing new is created, nothing is changed, nothing is judged. Without influencing the mo- ment of nowness one rests in its original nature. Even
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though this does not involve an object of meditation, the mind does not stray hut remains undistracted in the expe- rience ofthe natural and ordinary awareness ofthe moment.
In meditation, there should be no trace ofdeliberateness. One should not stray /or an instant in confusion. Nonwandering, nonmeditation, non/abrication are the
point.
With freshness, looseness, and clarity,
In the space ofthe three gates ofliberation,
One is mindful establishing proper watchfulness.
Always keeping the mind balanced between tight and relaxed,
One pacifies the accumulation o f subtle, tangible, and gross thoughts.
Rest in the state o/natural, unfabricated mind.
Whenever a thought arises, whether positive or negative, one should avoid deliberately concerning oneself with it, and let the mind rest spontaneously in the nature of the thought; without being sidetracked by the thought one should rest in the mind of nowness. Nonwandering means maintaining a fresh and full awareness of the moment of nowness without straying, resting in the freshness of the in- stantaneous mind of nowness without altering it. Non- meditation means that resting does not involve meditating on an object, hut simply relaxing in the nature of mind. Nonfabrication means that whatever arises in the mind, for
instance thoughts and feelings, should not be judged as be- ing good or bad. One should not strive to push thoughts away in order to make space for something else, hut just rest in the moment of awareness. This is the meaning of non-
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wandering, nonmeditation, and nonfabrication, which are known as the "three gates of liberation. "
If one practices in this manner, then all hopes, fears, views, and concepts related to the three times-past, pres- ent, and future-dissolve and one enters through the three gates of liberation, having properly realized ground, path, and fruition. With regard to the ground, one realizes that there is no arising; with regard to the path, one sees that it possesses no distinctive features; and with regard to the fru- ition, one is free from the desire to achieve anything.
Nonwandering is extremely important. This is why the Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis states that "awareness is the body of meditation. " To this end, two elements are nec- essary in meditation. The first is composure or mindfulness in order to achieve one-pointedness of mind, and the sec- ond, watchfulness to prevent mind from straying once again into distraction. It is essential to maintain both composure and watchfulness so that mind can experience its original nature. Without them, one is subject to habitual patterns; as soon as one thinks of something mind starts to wander. Only through composure and watchfulness can one achieve nonwandering and rest in the nature of mind.
The song also says that one should keep the mind bal- anced between being tight and relaxed. It often happens in meditation that one either becomes sleepy and dull or else one's mind is very distracted. The point is to find a middle path. This means neither tensing up in one's efforts to achieve composure, since this leads to distractions, nor be- ing too relaxed, since one's mind will become sluggish. Such a balance is essential in order to rest in the nature of mind, since only in this way can one pacify the three types of thoughts: subtle, tangible, and gross.
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The/our levels ofexperiences arise in succession, And the sun ofluminosity continually dawns. The root ofmahamudra meditation is established.
If one practices meditation with composure and watch- fulness, one's mind will spontanteously rest in its own na- ture and the various stages of experience on the path will arise progressively one after another. Having established the root of mahamudra meditation, then gradually the four stages of experience on the path-one-pointedness, free- dom from illusion, one-taste, and nonmeditation-will come forth, and the sun of luminosity of mahamudra will shine continually.
Without it, one's talk ofhigher realization
Is like building ahouse without afoundation.
If one is unable to practice meditation with composure and watchfulness yet claims to practice mahamudra medi- tation and to have realized the unity ofsamsara and nirvana, one is just uttering empty words because one's meditation lacks a proper foundation. Only on the basis of composure and watchfulness will the mind come to rest and the gross or subtle thoughts be pacified. In this state of resting, mind can remain in its innate spontaneous nature and give rise to the various stages of experience. This is why shamatha med- itation, "remaining in cahnness," is so important: if one is unable to let the mind come to rest through composure and watchfulness, then vipashyana, "clear seeing," will never arise.
However, excessive desirefor this is the work ofMara. Those who persevere but have little learning
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Are deceived by superficial virtues
And lead themselves and others along the way to the lower
realms.
Even the good experiences ofbliss, luminosity, and
nonthought
Are the cause ofsamsara ifonefixates on them.
Various experiences arise in meditation; without the basis of composure and watchfulness, one will rapidly fixate on them. Although one may have the impression that one has realized emptiness or achieved profound insight into some- thing or other, fixation will have turned the experience into an obstacle for development, preventing further experi- ences from arising. Fixation on mere experiences creates sidetracks, and this is why it is called the work of Mara.
Some people do not have enough theoretical knowledge about the path and the proper view and thus practice with- out an adequate foundation; for all their diligence, they end up wandering off the path and misleading themselves. They mistake illusory experiences for actual experiences and con- tinue their practice although they have taken a wrong turn. Far from leading them to liberation, their practice will lead them to the lower realms. Practicing mahamudra without the proper view can cause one to misunderstand one's ex- periences and harm oneself. Ifin addition one speaks about one's experiences to others, believing in the apparent depth ofone'sownrealizationandwantingtoshowotherstheway and impart one's knowledge to them, then one is also harm- ing others.
Therefore, mahamudra meditation should not be prac- ticed haphazardly, just sitting in the meditation posture Without having the certainty of the proper view. It is very ::important first to acquire the proper view on the true nature
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of mind in order to practice meditation on this foundation. Otherwise, one not only strays off the path of liberation, but alsoleadsoneselfandotherstowardthelowerrealms. Ifone practices the path properly, the experiences of bliss, lumi- nosity, and nonthought arise; yet if one clings to these ex- periences, they become a further cause for conditioned ex- istence.
When you intensify devotion in your heart, Rock meets bone in insight,
And the ultimate lineage blessing is received.
Through total devotion which penetrates one's heart, one's mind is filled with the blessings of the guru and the previous teachers of the Kagyii lineage. When one experi- ences such devotion and inspiration, "rock meets bone. " This means that total devotion makes the guru's blessings so intense that, just as rock destroys bone, the blessings pre- vent any possible wrong turns. Thus one should cultivate deep devotion in order to experience the freshness of the present moment.
Not straying into the four strayings,
Not falling into the three misunderstandings, Transcending the/ourjoys, free from the three
conditions, . . .
After practicing for a certain time, experiences of empti- ness arise. It is possible to adopt wrong views with regard to these experiences. This is what the song calls "the four strayings": straying into the ground of emptiness, the path of emptiness, the antidote of emptiness, or the idea of emp- tiness.
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Straying into the ground of emptiness means fixating on the essence of emptiness, emptiness as such. Having achieved a slight understanding of emptiness, one develops a nihilistic point of view, thinking that phenomena are only empty and that nothing exists. Straying into the path of emptiness means fixating on the experience of emptiness. Having experienced that all phenomena are empty, one thinks one has understood emptiness and that one no longer needs to accumulate merit, purify obscurations, perform positive actions, and avoid negative ones, and so on. Through ones' meditation one has achieved a slight insight into emptiness and mistakes it for a great realization. Stray- ing into the antidote of emptiness means imagining, incor- rectly, that by meditating on emptiness one will not attain any ultimate results. Not realizing the unity of luminosity and emptiness, one thinks that the fruition is not in the mind, in emptiness itself, but somewhere else. Failing to un- derstand that means and wisdom are inseparable, one per- ceives emptiness and disturbing emotions as two separate things and attempts to use emptiness as an antidote against
disturbing emotions.
Straying into the idea of emptiness means simply imagining that all external phenomena are empty, without really having understood the emptiness of phenomena at all. These four types of straying occur espe- cially in vipashyana meditation, since in this form of medi- tation one is preparing oneself to realize emptiness.
It is equally important to avoid falling into "the three mis- understandings. " These refer mostly to shamatha medita- tion, since they involve fixating on experiences that occur when mind remains in calmness-the experiences of bliss, luminosity, and nonthought. Clinging to the experience of bliss leads to rebirth in the realm of the senses; clinging to the experience of luminosity leads to rebirth in the form
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realm; and clinging to the experience of nonthought leads to rebirth in the formless realm. Thus, fixation on the vari- ous meditative experiences is a cause for samsara.
"The four joys one should transcend" are joy, great joy, extraordinary joy, and inherent joy. These are the four joys that are sometimes described in empowerments as the "wis- dom of example. " Through these joys one recognizes one's own wisdom, that is, the state in which the understanding of emptiness, bliss, and nonthought are united. It is hardly possible to describe the four joys, since they refer to a sid- dha's experience, that can only gradually be achieved through one's own practice.
"The three conditions that one should be free from" are the same experiences that arise in shamatha meditation: bliss, luminosity, and nonthought. One should consider them as mere experiences and go beyond them.
Realizing through the three stages ofbirth, Untouchedbythemindofthethreegreatones,0 ? ?
"Realizing through the three stages of birth" refers to the speed with which practitioners develop on their way to bud- dhahood, in accordance with their capabilities. A distinc- tion can be made between practitioners with low, middle, and high capabilities. Those with low capabilities follow the path step by step until they finally attain enlightenment. Those with middle capabilities skip over several stages of development; for instance, they can simultaneously realize the first two bhumis of the bodhisattva path, and then the third and fourth together, and thus attain enlightenment sooner. Those with the highest capabilities can attain en- lightenment in one moment, that is, they simultaneously achieve realization and liberation.
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"Untouched by the mind of the three great ones" means that ultimate nature-insight into one's original mind-oc- curs neither in the realm of understanding through hearing, nor in the real of experiencing through contemplation, nor in the realm of meditation. The original nature of mind is beyond these three.
This is the self-existing nature, undefiled by experience. Like the center ofa cloudless sky,
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
It is wisdom ofnonthought beyond analogy,
Naked ordinary mind.
Direct experience of the self-existing, primordial, unde- filed nature of mind is like a cloudless sky, in which lumi- nosity-the blueness of the sky-exists by itself. Mind is complete in its self-awareness and self-luminosity, nothing else is necessary. This experience is inexpressible in words, and transcends analogies and descriptions. The wisdom of nonthought is the natural and fresh experience of ordinary mind.
Not keeping to dogmatism or a"ogance, It is clearly seen as dharmakaya.
"Not keeping to dogmatism" means that it is impossible to express this state in words. "Not keeping to arrogance" means that notions about the nature of mind are irrelevant. Free from the tendency to conceptualize experience in ei- ther words or thoughts, one rests in ordinary mind and ex- periences its nature as luminous dharmakaya.
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The appearance ofthe six sense objects, lzke the moon in water,
Shines in the state ofwisdom.
Whatever arises is the unfabricated innate state. Whatever appears is the nature ofmahamudra. The phenomenal world is dharmakaya great bliss.
By its very nature, ordinary mind, that is, awareness of the present moment, is the dharmakaya. Through this ex- perience one realizes that everything that the six senses come into contact with-appearance, sound, smell, and so forth- is like the reflection of the moon in water; although the moon can be seen quite distinctly it is not really present. Having acknowledged this, one is no longer subject to the confusion of thinking that things really do exist and one experiences all that arises in the light of this wisdom.
One should not consider anything that arises in the mind, such as thoughts, as being either positive or negative, and one should avoid attaching hope or fear to it. Free from rejecting or hoping, one should rest spontaneously in one's primordial nature. Thus the entire world of appearances is recognized as luminosity, the expression of dharmakaya, and mind itself is seen as dharmakaya. Everything, whether internal or external, is seen to be of the nature of mahamu- dra. However, in order to recognize this, shamatha and vi- pashyana are necessary.
Both shamatha meditation ofnatural resting And vispashyana, which sees the unseeable, Should not be separated but unified
In stillness, occurrence, and awareness.
On the basis of proper view, or ground mahamudra, one practices path mahamudra. The core ofthe practice consists
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in letting mind dwell in its natural freshness. This leads one to the realization that, by its very nature, the entire world of appearances is mahamudra. In order to let mind rest in its own nature, one practices shamatha meditation or mental calmness, and vipashyana or seeing the unseeable. In prac- ticing shamatha, one should avoid the three types of errors (the three misunderstandings) mentioned earlier, and in vi- pashyana one should avoid the four strayings.
Shamatha
What should one know about shamatha, a form of medita- tion that involves letting the mind rest in itself? Mahamudra means being free from mental activities: mind rests in itself and one experiences ordinary mind. In order to do this, one first needs mental calmness. Why does one need mental calmness, if the idea is to experience ordinary mind? Since one is constantly distracted by external objects and sense perceptions, mind is unable to rest in its own nature even for an instant; this is why one must first overcome distrac- tion. To avoid constant distraction, one practices mental calmness meditation and concentrates one-pointedly. Only when the mind is able to remain undistracted and calm can one rest in its nature.
There are many increasingly subtle techniques of shama- tha meditation, that is, ofletting mind rest in its own nature: meditation with a support, meditation without a support, and meditation on nature as such. The first form of shama- tha meditation involves the use of a support. As long as one's awareness fixates on one object after another, mind is continually distracted. In order to take advantage of mind's tendency to fixate, one first practices shamatha meditation with a sense-object as support by placing an object in front of oneself either as a "general support" or as a "pure sup-
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port. " A general support might be a small stone or a piece of wood, whereas a pure support might be a likeness of the Buddha, such as a picture or a statue. Once one is familiar with this type of meditation, one can proceed with shamatha without a support.
Shamatha meditation without a support involves focus- ing on a mental representation, without resorting to an ex- ternal or material object. This representation could be an image of the Buddha. First one should visualize certain de- tails of appearance, such as the face, and then the entire figure. Once one is quite familiar with this method, then one can move on to shamatha meditation on nature as such.
The type of shamatha meditation that Jamgon Kongtriil Lodro Thaye is referring to in this song is meditation on nature as such, the highest form of resting the mind. It in- volves letting mind rest in its own nature, without any object of concentration; if thoughts arise, one looks directly into their nature without suppressing or following them. In this way, thoughts disappear by themselves and one rests once
again in the nature of mind.
This is expressed in the line of the Supplication to the
Takpo Kagyiis that says: "The nature of thoughts is dhar- makaya. " Although thoughts arise from mind, their real na- ture is emptiness. Thoughts are the natural manifestation of mind; by looking at their nature, which is the nature of dhar- makaya, or emptiness, one can see that they arise from mind and dissolve back into mind.
However, in our confusion, we regard our thoughts as real; we cling to our thoughts and follow them. But ifinstead of following our thoughts we look at their nature and see their emptiness, we are beholding the dharmakaya and thoughts melt back into the alaya-vijfiana. The alaya-vijfiana is like an ocean and the thoughts that arise in the mind are
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like waves. Ocean and waves are not separate from each other; waves are part of the ocean, they come out of it and return to it.
The purpose of this analogy is to explain how shamatha meditation is practiced in the mahamudra. One lets the mind rest in itself; if thoughts arise out of the ocean of the alaya-vijfiana, one looks at their nature without either fol- lowing or interrupting them. In this way thoughts dissolve back into mind like waves dissolving back into the ocean. If one practices in this manner, distractions or inner upheavals cannot arise. Resting in the nature of mind, that is, the na- ture of thoughts, is called shamatha meditation on nature as such, and is the highest form of meditation of mental calmness.
There are many ways to describe the states that one ex- periences in shamatha meditation. One way is to divide them into the so-called nine techniques of resting the mind, which one can read about in treatises on shamatha. Or they can also be described in accordance with the pith instruc- tions, which present the experiences graphically. For in- stance, the first stage is compared with a roaring waterfall plunging down a cliff face; this stage corresponds to expe- riencing the upheavals of mind. At a later stage, mind is compared to a broad river, quieter and less turbulent. How- ever, whether one follows the first or second explanation, the point is to achieve the actual fruition of shamatha med- itation, which is physical and mental flexibility.
Because of negative karma and afflictive emotions, one often finds it difficult to do positive actions. One must there- fore endeavor to cultivate positive thoughts and actions and avoid disturbing feelings. Flexibility in this context means overcoming not only the inability to act positively but also
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the struggle involved in doing so, until one achieves proper physical and mental conduct quite naturally and effortlessly. When one is free from afflictive emotions, proper behavior occurs spontaneously. Flexibility of mind and body is the ultimate fruition of mental calmness, at which point the ex- periences of joy, clarity, and nonconceptualization appear.
The experience of complete joy refers both to bodily sen- sations and to mental attitude. Any sense of heaviness dis- appears and one's body feels light and pleasant. This is sim- ilar to holding wool in one's hands-it feels nice and light. Mentally, one is full of joy and free from any form of dullness or distraction. Similarly, the experience of clarity also has a mental and physical component. It consists of a totally clear apprehension of sense perceptions, including the ability to distinguish the minutest details quite clearly.
The third experience, nonconceptualization is like expe- riencing space. Normally one thinks that things are the way one apprehends them. One hears sounds, sees forms, smells scents, and so on, and clings to these sense perceptions. One is caught up in the concept of the three times, the difference between male and female, and other dualities, and fixates on the characteristics that one attributes to phenomena. It is this particular form of fixation that nonconceptualization dissolves, giving one's experience the quality of space. One no longer fixates on the forms one sees, the sounds one hears, the concept of the three times, but instead one expe- riences space.
These three experiences of joy, clarity, and nonconcep- tualization occur mainly during meditation. During post- meditation one experiences everything as usual and fixates on the characteristics of phenomena. Only seldom do these three experiences occur outside of meditation.
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Vipashyana
What does vipashyana, or seeing the unseeable, refer to? According to the teachings, vipashyana is "the wisdom which discriminates all phenomena," the insight that arises as the fruition of shamatha meditation. This does not mean, however, that vipashyana insight arises by itself out of the shamatha meditation of remaining in calmness.
In shamatha, one focuses the mind one-pointedly on something, whereas in vipashyana one experiences the ac- tual nature of things. So vipashyana involves meditating on and investigating the nature of phenomena, or the fact that they have no real existence. Thus it can be said that shama- tha is meditation by focusing, whereas vipashyana is medi- tation by analyzing. There are various ways of applying sha- matha and vipashyana. For instance, one can first practice shamatha and then, once one has achieved mental calmness, proceed with vipashyana. Or else one can practice shamatha and vipashyaria in alteration: first one practices shamatha meditation for a while, then one concentrates on developing vipashyana insight, after which one goes back to shamatha and then again back to vipashyana, and so on. Combining shamatha and vipashyana, calm-abiding and investigation, is an extremely effective method of practice.
If, for instance, one is concentrating on the coming and going of the breath during shamatha meditation, mental calmness means focusing totally on the breathing without letting the mind wander. Practicing vipashyana would mean that after a while one not only focuses on the breath alone but also examines and achieves insight into the nature of the breath. After one has turned one's mind for a while to the nature ofthe breath, then one concentrates again one-point- edly on the breathing. This is one way of alternating be- tween shamatha and vipashyana practice. Although we
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When the blessings ofthe glorious guru
And one's karma come together,
One realizes one's nature like meeting an oldfn"end.
How does one attain the realization of the nature of mind? This realization cannot be forced. The Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis says that "devotion is the head of med- itation. " In order to recognize mind, the inspiration and blessings of one's teacher are necessary, and one can only receive these by having devotion for and trust in the teacher. This is the "head of meditation. " Without trust in and de- votion for one's teacher, one cannot receive the teacher's blessings and the entire lineage oftransmission, and without
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this inspiration one cannot totally recognize the nature of one's mind. By not recognizing it one will fail to understand that the nature of mind is dharmakaya and that all appear- ances are a manifestation of mind, the light of dharmakaya. Only by developing devotion for one's teacher can onere- ceive blessings in one's mind, allowing previously accumu- lated positive karma to ripen. This is the basis that enables one to recognize directly one's own mind and the nature of phenomena, like meeting an old friend.
In this section of the song, Jamgon Kongtriil Lodro Thaye explains how the nature of mind is recognized and mentions the factors on which this realization depends. These factors are extremely personal. One factor is the type of connection one has established with the teacher who introduces one to mahamudra and how long, that is, for how many kalpas, this connection has existed. Another factor is the trust in and devotion for the teacher. Only if the proper conditions are met will one recognize mind when the teacher points out its nature. In fact, one could meet many gurus, receive instruc- tions from them on the nature of mind, and practice numer- ous meditations and still not experience the nature of mind. This is actually the case for a large number of practitioners.
Thus, the experience of meditation depends not only on the meditation itself but also on the depth of trust and de- votion one has developed for one's teacher and on the exis- tence of a karmic connection with that teacher from a pre- vious lifetime. For this reason, one's root guru is of enormous importance, since only through the guru's in- structions can one achieve insight into the nature of mind.
There is no point in much talk,
But the beginner needs various things.
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If the aforementioned factors are lacking-if one does not have the trust and devotion that enable one to receive the teacher's blessings or ifone does not have a karmic con- nection with the teacher-all the instructions about the na- ture of mind will be to no avail, since they will not enable one to recognize mind's nature. This does not mean, how- ever, that one should simply wait without receiving instruc- tions until some unspecified time in the future when the proper connection to a teacher may perhaps finally occur. This is not what is meant at all.
On the contrary, for the beginner it is extremely impor- tant to start by acquiring the proper view with regard to the natureofthings. Thiswillha9penifonefirst receivesteach- ings and acquires the prajfia of hearing, then examines what one has learnt with the prajfia of contemplation and over- comes all extreme views. It is equally important to practice the preliminaries in order to purify obscurations and accu- mulate merit. However, the phrase "the beginner needs var- ious things" refers most particularly to inner renunciation of samsara, which is the indispensable foundation for de- veloping genuine meditation. This is why the Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis says that "revulsion is the foot of med- itation,'' since without inwardly turning away from samsara there will be no basis for meditation.
A common misunderstanding is that renouncing samsara means giving up everything. What renunciation really means is developing the certainty that the conditioned world of samsara is devoid of true value. It means under- standing that everything that seems pleasurable is actually suffering, that everything is transitory, in a constant state of change. Only when one truly feels that samsara is devoid of true value can one turn toward the dharma completely. Without this insight one will be unable to do so; one will
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lack the basis for true meditative experience, that does not set in as long as the mind is sidetracked by externals. The only way to overcome distractions is to renounce samsara.
One should abandon either welcoming or sending off thoughts ofpast andfuture.
Mahamudra concerns ordinary awareness, the present moment of awareness; it involves resting in and experienc- ing that moment of nowness. One should neither reflect on the past nor make plans for the future, but let the mind experience the current moment of awareness. One should let it experience the thought that is naturally and spontane- ously present, without expecting or looking for anything, and without avoiding or repressing anything-simply rest- ing the mind in that moment ofexperience. There is no form of mahamudra meditation that does not involve experienc- ing the freshness of the present moment of awareness or thought. It is not a matter of attaining something different and better. When one rests in that moment of nowness, one's awareness is "ordinary awareness," it is the normal moment of awareness in which mind is aware of itself, in which mind simply rests in itself as it happens to be at that moment.
The instantaneous mind ofnowness Is the unfabricated innate nature.
In general, everybody strives to reinforce positive thoughts and reduce negative thoughts. This is not the point of this type of meditation. Nothing new is created, nothing is changed, nothing is judged. Without influencing the mo- ment of nowness one rests in its original nature. Even
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though this does not involve an object of meditation, the mind does not stray hut remains undistracted in the expe- rience ofthe natural and ordinary awareness ofthe moment.
In meditation, there should be no trace ofdeliberateness. One should not stray /or an instant in confusion. Nonwandering, nonmeditation, non/abrication are the
point.
With freshness, looseness, and clarity,
In the space ofthe three gates ofliberation,
One is mindful establishing proper watchfulness.
Always keeping the mind balanced between tight and relaxed,
One pacifies the accumulation o f subtle, tangible, and gross thoughts.
Rest in the state o/natural, unfabricated mind.
Whenever a thought arises, whether positive or negative, one should avoid deliberately concerning oneself with it, and let the mind rest spontaneously in the nature of the thought; without being sidetracked by the thought one should rest in the mind of nowness. Nonwandering means maintaining a fresh and full awareness of the moment of nowness without straying, resting in the freshness of the in- stantaneous mind of nowness without altering it. Non- meditation means that resting does not involve meditating on an object, hut simply relaxing in the nature of mind. Nonfabrication means that whatever arises in the mind, for
instance thoughts and feelings, should not be judged as be- ing good or bad. One should not strive to push thoughts away in order to make space for something else, hut just rest in the moment of awareness. This is the meaning of non-
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wandering, nonmeditation, and nonfabrication, which are known as the "three gates of liberation. "
If one practices in this manner, then all hopes, fears, views, and concepts related to the three times-past, pres- ent, and future-dissolve and one enters through the three gates of liberation, having properly realized ground, path, and fruition. With regard to the ground, one realizes that there is no arising; with regard to the path, one sees that it possesses no distinctive features; and with regard to the fru- ition, one is free from the desire to achieve anything.
Nonwandering is extremely important. This is why the Supplication to the Takpo Kagyiis states that "awareness is the body of meditation. " To this end, two elements are nec- essary in meditation. The first is composure or mindfulness in order to achieve one-pointedness of mind, and the sec- ond, watchfulness to prevent mind from straying once again into distraction. It is essential to maintain both composure and watchfulness so that mind can experience its original nature. Without them, one is subject to habitual patterns; as soon as one thinks of something mind starts to wander. Only through composure and watchfulness can one achieve nonwandering and rest in the nature of mind.
The song also says that one should keep the mind bal- anced between being tight and relaxed. It often happens in meditation that one either becomes sleepy and dull or else one's mind is very distracted. The point is to find a middle path. This means neither tensing up in one's efforts to achieve composure, since this leads to distractions, nor be- ing too relaxed, since one's mind will become sluggish. Such a balance is essential in order to rest in the nature of mind, since only in this way can one pacify the three types of thoughts: subtle, tangible, and gross.
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The/our levels ofexperiences arise in succession, And the sun ofluminosity continually dawns. The root ofmahamudra meditation is established.
If one practices meditation with composure and watch- fulness, one's mind will spontanteously rest in its own na- ture and the various stages of experience on the path will arise progressively one after another. Having established the root of mahamudra meditation, then gradually the four stages of experience on the path-one-pointedness, free- dom from illusion, one-taste, and nonmeditation-will come forth, and the sun of luminosity of mahamudra will shine continually.
Without it, one's talk ofhigher realization
Is like building ahouse without afoundation.
If one is unable to practice meditation with composure and watchfulness yet claims to practice mahamudra medi- tation and to have realized the unity ofsamsara and nirvana, one is just uttering empty words because one's meditation lacks a proper foundation. Only on the basis of composure and watchfulness will the mind come to rest and the gross or subtle thoughts be pacified. In this state of resting, mind can remain in its innate spontaneous nature and give rise to the various stages of experience. This is why shamatha med- itation, "remaining in cahnness," is so important: if one is unable to let the mind come to rest through composure and watchfulness, then vipashyana, "clear seeing," will never arise.
However, excessive desirefor this is the work ofMara. Those who persevere but have little learning
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Are deceived by superficial virtues
And lead themselves and others along the way to the lower
realms.
Even the good experiences ofbliss, luminosity, and
nonthought
Are the cause ofsamsara ifonefixates on them.
Various experiences arise in meditation; without the basis of composure and watchfulness, one will rapidly fixate on them. Although one may have the impression that one has realized emptiness or achieved profound insight into some- thing or other, fixation will have turned the experience into an obstacle for development, preventing further experi- ences from arising. Fixation on mere experiences creates sidetracks, and this is why it is called the work of Mara.
Some people do not have enough theoretical knowledge about the path and the proper view and thus practice with- out an adequate foundation; for all their diligence, they end up wandering off the path and misleading themselves. They mistake illusory experiences for actual experiences and con- tinue their practice although they have taken a wrong turn. Far from leading them to liberation, their practice will lead them to the lower realms. Practicing mahamudra without the proper view can cause one to misunderstand one's ex- periences and harm oneself. Ifin addition one speaks about one's experiences to others, believing in the apparent depth ofone'sownrealizationandwantingtoshowotherstheway and impart one's knowledge to them, then one is also harm- ing others.
Therefore, mahamudra meditation should not be prac- ticed haphazardly, just sitting in the meditation posture Without having the certainty of the proper view. It is very ::important first to acquire the proper view on the true nature
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of mind in order to practice meditation on this foundation. Otherwise, one not only strays off the path of liberation, but alsoleadsoneselfandotherstowardthelowerrealms. Ifone practices the path properly, the experiences of bliss, lumi- nosity, and nonthought arise; yet if one clings to these ex- periences, they become a further cause for conditioned ex- istence.
When you intensify devotion in your heart, Rock meets bone in insight,
And the ultimate lineage blessing is received.
Through total devotion which penetrates one's heart, one's mind is filled with the blessings of the guru and the previous teachers of the Kagyii lineage. When one experi- ences such devotion and inspiration, "rock meets bone. " This means that total devotion makes the guru's blessings so intense that, just as rock destroys bone, the blessings pre- vent any possible wrong turns. Thus one should cultivate deep devotion in order to experience the freshness of the present moment.
Not straying into the four strayings,
Not falling into the three misunderstandings, Transcending the/ourjoys, free from the three
conditions, . . .
After practicing for a certain time, experiences of empti- ness arise. It is possible to adopt wrong views with regard to these experiences. This is what the song calls "the four strayings": straying into the ground of emptiness, the path of emptiness, the antidote of emptiness, or the idea of emp- tiness.
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Straying into the ground of emptiness means fixating on the essence of emptiness, emptiness as such. Having achieved a slight understanding of emptiness, one develops a nihilistic point of view, thinking that phenomena are only empty and that nothing exists. Straying into the path of emptiness means fixating on the experience of emptiness. Having experienced that all phenomena are empty, one thinks one has understood emptiness and that one no longer needs to accumulate merit, purify obscurations, perform positive actions, and avoid negative ones, and so on. Through ones' meditation one has achieved a slight insight into emptiness and mistakes it for a great realization. Stray- ing into the antidote of emptiness means imagining, incor- rectly, that by meditating on emptiness one will not attain any ultimate results. Not realizing the unity of luminosity and emptiness, one thinks that the fruition is not in the mind, in emptiness itself, but somewhere else. Failing to un- derstand that means and wisdom are inseparable, one per- ceives emptiness and disturbing emotions as two separate things and attempts to use emptiness as an antidote against
disturbing emotions.
Straying into the idea of emptiness means simply imagining that all external phenomena are empty, without really having understood the emptiness of phenomena at all. These four types of straying occur espe- cially in vipashyana meditation, since in this form of medi- tation one is preparing oneself to realize emptiness.
It is equally important to avoid falling into "the three mis- understandings. " These refer mostly to shamatha medita- tion, since they involve fixating on experiences that occur when mind remains in calmness-the experiences of bliss, luminosity, and nonthought. Clinging to the experience of bliss leads to rebirth in the realm of the senses; clinging to the experience of luminosity leads to rebirth in the form
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realm; and clinging to the experience of nonthought leads to rebirth in the formless realm. Thus, fixation on the vari- ous meditative experiences is a cause for samsara.
"The four joys one should transcend" are joy, great joy, extraordinary joy, and inherent joy. These are the four joys that are sometimes described in empowerments as the "wis- dom of example. " Through these joys one recognizes one's own wisdom, that is, the state in which the understanding of emptiness, bliss, and nonthought are united. It is hardly possible to describe the four joys, since they refer to a sid- dha's experience, that can only gradually be achieved through one's own practice.
"The three conditions that one should be free from" are the same experiences that arise in shamatha meditation: bliss, luminosity, and nonthought. One should consider them as mere experiences and go beyond them.
Realizing through the three stages ofbirth, Untouchedbythemindofthethreegreatones,0 ? ?
"Realizing through the three stages of birth" refers to the speed with which practitioners develop on their way to bud- dhahood, in accordance with their capabilities. A distinc- tion can be made between practitioners with low, middle, and high capabilities. Those with low capabilities follow the path step by step until they finally attain enlightenment. Those with middle capabilities skip over several stages of development; for instance, they can simultaneously realize the first two bhumis of the bodhisattva path, and then the third and fourth together, and thus attain enlightenment sooner. Those with the highest capabilities can attain en- lightenment in one moment, that is, they simultaneously achieve realization and liberation.
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"Untouched by the mind of the three great ones" means that ultimate nature-insight into one's original mind-oc- curs neither in the realm of understanding through hearing, nor in the real of experiencing through contemplation, nor in the realm of meditation. The original nature of mind is beyond these three.
This is the self-existing nature, undefiled by experience. Like the center ofa cloudless sky,
The self-luminous mind is impossible to express.
It is wisdom ofnonthought beyond analogy,
Naked ordinary mind.
Direct experience of the self-existing, primordial, unde- filed nature of mind is like a cloudless sky, in which lumi- nosity-the blueness of the sky-exists by itself. Mind is complete in its self-awareness and self-luminosity, nothing else is necessary. This experience is inexpressible in words, and transcends analogies and descriptions. The wisdom of nonthought is the natural and fresh experience of ordinary mind.
Not keeping to dogmatism or a"ogance, It is clearly seen as dharmakaya.
"Not keeping to dogmatism" means that it is impossible to express this state in words. "Not keeping to arrogance" means that notions about the nature of mind are irrelevant. Free from the tendency to conceptualize experience in ei- ther words or thoughts, one rests in ordinary mind and ex- periences its nature as luminous dharmakaya.
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The appearance ofthe six sense objects, lzke the moon in water,
Shines in the state ofwisdom.
Whatever arises is the unfabricated innate state. Whatever appears is the nature ofmahamudra. The phenomenal world is dharmakaya great bliss.
By its very nature, ordinary mind, that is, awareness of the present moment, is the dharmakaya. Through this ex- perience one realizes that everything that the six senses come into contact with-appearance, sound, smell, and so forth- is like the reflection of the moon in water; although the moon can be seen quite distinctly it is not really present. Having acknowledged this, one is no longer subject to the confusion of thinking that things really do exist and one experiences all that arises in the light of this wisdom.
One should not consider anything that arises in the mind, such as thoughts, as being either positive or negative, and one should avoid attaching hope or fear to it. Free from rejecting or hoping, one should rest spontaneously in one's primordial nature. Thus the entire world of appearances is recognized as luminosity, the expression of dharmakaya, and mind itself is seen as dharmakaya. Everything, whether internal or external, is seen to be of the nature of mahamu- dra. However, in order to recognize this, shamatha and vi- pashyana are necessary.
Both shamatha meditation ofnatural resting And vispashyana, which sees the unseeable, Should not be separated but unified
In stillness, occurrence, and awareness.
On the basis of proper view, or ground mahamudra, one practices path mahamudra. The core ofthe practice consists
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in letting mind dwell in its natural freshness. This leads one to the realization that, by its very nature, the entire world of appearances is mahamudra. In order to let mind rest in its own nature, one practices shamatha meditation or mental calmness, and vipashyana or seeing the unseeable. In prac- ticing shamatha, one should avoid the three types of errors (the three misunderstandings) mentioned earlier, and in vi- pashyana one should avoid the four strayings.
Shamatha
What should one know about shamatha, a form of medita- tion that involves letting the mind rest in itself? Mahamudra means being free from mental activities: mind rests in itself and one experiences ordinary mind. In order to do this, one first needs mental calmness. Why does one need mental calmness, if the idea is to experience ordinary mind? Since one is constantly distracted by external objects and sense perceptions, mind is unable to rest in its own nature even for an instant; this is why one must first overcome distrac- tion. To avoid constant distraction, one practices mental calmness meditation and concentrates one-pointedly. Only when the mind is able to remain undistracted and calm can one rest in its nature.
There are many increasingly subtle techniques of shama- tha meditation, that is, ofletting mind rest in its own nature: meditation with a support, meditation without a support, and meditation on nature as such. The first form of shama- tha meditation involves the use of a support. As long as one's awareness fixates on one object after another, mind is continually distracted. In order to take advantage of mind's tendency to fixate, one first practices shamatha meditation with a sense-object as support by placing an object in front of oneself either as a "general support" or as a "pure sup-
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port. " A general support might be a small stone or a piece of wood, whereas a pure support might be a likeness of the Buddha, such as a picture or a statue. Once one is familiar with this type of meditation, one can proceed with shamatha without a support.
Shamatha meditation without a support involves focus- ing on a mental representation, without resorting to an ex- ternal or material object. This representation could be an image of the Buddha. First one should visualize certain de- tails of appearance, such as the face, and then the entire figure. Once one is quite familiar with this method, then one can move on to shamatha meditation on nature as such.
The type of shamatha meditation that Jamgon Kongtriil Lodro Thaye is referring to in this song is meditation on nature as such, the highest form of resting the mind. It in- volves letting mind rest in its own nature, without any object of concentration; if thoughts arise, one looks directly into their nature without suppressing or following them. In this way, thoughts disappear by themselves and one rests once
again in the nature of mind.
This is expressed in the line of the Supplication to the
Takpo Kagyiis that says: "The nature of thoughts is dhar- makaya. " Although thoughts arise from mind, their real na- ture is emptiness. Thoughts are the natural manifestation of mind; by looking at their nature, which is the nature of dhar- makaya, or emptiness, one can see that they arise from mind and dissolve back into mind.
However, in our confusion, we regard our thoughts as real; we cling to our thoughts and follow them. But ifinstead of following our thoughts we look at their nature and see their emptiness, we are beholding the dharmakaya and thoughts melt back into the alaya-vijfiana. The alaya-vijfiana is like an ocean and the thoughts that arise in the mind are
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like waves. Ocean and waves are not separate from each other; waves are part of the ocean, they come out of it and return to it.
The purpose of this analogy is to explain how shamatha meditation is practiced in the mahamudra. One lets the mind rest in itself; if thoughts arise out of the ocean of the alaya-vijfiana, one looks at their nature without either fol- lowing or interrupting them. In this way thoughts dissolve back into mind like waves dissolving back into the ocean. If one practices in this manner, distractions or inner upheavals cannot arise. Resting in the nature of mind, that is, the na- ture of thoughts, is called shamatha meditation on nature as such, and is the highest form of meditation of mental calmness.
There are many ways to describe the states that one ex- periences in shamatha meditation. One way is to divide them into the so-called nine techniques of resting the mind, which one can read about in treatises on shamatha. Or they can also be described in accordance with the pith instruc- tions, which present the experiences graphically. For in- stance, the first stage is compared with a roaring waterfall plunging down a cliff face; this stage corresponds to expe- riencing the upheavals of mind. At a later stage, mind is compared to a broad river, quieter and less turbulent. How- ever, whether one follows the first or second explanation, the point is to achieve the actual fruition of shamatha med- itation, which is physical and mental flexibility.
Because of negative karma and afflictive emotions, one often finds it difficult to do positive actions. One must there- fore endeavor to cultivate positive thoughts and actions and avoid disturbing feelings. Flexibility in this context means overcoming not only the inability to act positively but also
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the struggle involved in doing so, until one achieves proper physical and mental conduct quite naturally and effortlessly. When one is free from afflictive emotions, proper behavior occurs spontaneously. Flexibility of mind and body is the ultimate fruition of mental calmness, at which point the ex- periences of joy, clarity, and nonconceptualization appear.
The experience of complete joy refers both to bodily sen- sations and to mental attitude. Any sense of heaviness dis- appears and one's body feels light and pleasant. This is sim- ilar to holding wool in one's hands-it feels nice and light. Mentally, one is full of joy and free from any form of dullness or distraction. Similarly, the experience of clarity also has a mental and physical component. It consists of a totally clear apprehension of sense perceptions, including the ability to distinguish the minutest details quite clearly.
The third experience, nonconceptualization is like expe- riencing space. Normally one thinks that things are the way one apprehends them. One hears sounds, sees forms, smells scents, and so on, and clings to these sense perceptions. One is caught up in the concept of the three times, the difference between male and female, and other dualities, and fixates on the characteristics that one attributes to phenomena. It is this particular form of fixation that nonconceptualization dissolves, giving one's experience the quality of space. One no longer fixates on the forms one sees, the sounds one hears, the concept of the three times, but instead one expe- riences space.
These three experiences of joy, clarity, and nonconcep- tualization occur mainly during meditation. During post- meditation one experiences everything as usual and fixates on the characteristics of phenomena. Only seldom do these three experiences occur outside of meditation.
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Vipashyana
What does vipashyana, or seeing the unseeable, refer to? According to the teachings, vipashyana is "the wisdom which discriminates all phenomena," the insight that arises as the fruition of shamatha meditation. This does not mean, however, that vipashyana insight arises by itself out of the shamatha meditation of remaining in calmness.
In shamatha, one focuses the mind one-pointedly on something, whereas in vipashyana one experiences the ac- tual nature of things. So vipashyana involves meditating on and investigating the nature of phenomena, or the fact that they have no real existence. Thus it can be said that shama- tha is meditation by focusing, whereas vipashyana is medi- tation by analyzing. There are various ways of applying sha- matha and vipashyana. For instance, one can first practice shamatha and then, once one has achieved mental calmness, proceed with vipashyana. Or else one can practice shamatha and vipashyaria in alteration: first one practices shamatha meditation for a while, then one concentrates on developing vipashyana insight, after which one goes back to shamatha and then again back to vipashyana, and so on. Combining shamatha and vipashyana, calm-abiding and investigation, is an extremely effective method of practice.
If, for instance, one is concentrating on the coming and going of the breath during shamatha meditation, mental calmness means focusing totally on the breathing without letting the mind wander. Practicing vipashyana would mean that after a while one not only focuses on the breath alone but also examines and achieves insight into the nature of the breath. After one has turned one's mind for a while to the nature ofthe breath, then one concentrates again one-point- edly on the breathing. This is one way of alternating be- tween shamatha and vipashyana practice. Although we
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