Kamalashila Stages of Meditation
Kamalashila Stages of Meditation
Kamalashila Stages of Meditation
By Kamalashila
Translated by Venerable Geshe Lhundub Sopa,
Venerable Elvin W. Jones and John Newman
Homage to Manjusri!
I will briefly explain the stages of meditation for those following the sutra
system of the Mahayana.
Intelligent people who wish to attain omniscience very quickly must
strive to cultivate its causes and conditions. Omniscience does not occur
causelessly; if it did everyone would be omniscient. If it occurred without
being dependent on something, there would be no obstacle to its occurring
everywhere, and why then would not everyone be omniscient? However, all
things are strictly dependent on causes because they only occur occasionally,
at certain times and under certain conditions. Since it does not occur at all
times, in all places, and for everyone, it definitely depends on causes and
conditions.
Moreover, you must develop causes and conditions that are not
incorrect or incomplete. If you create the wrong cause, even after a very
long time you will not obtain the desired effect -- it would be like trying to
milk a cow's horn. An effect will not arise if you do not cultivate all of
its causes, just as a sprout -- the effect -- is not produced when any one of
its causes -- the seed, etc. -- is absent.
Therefore, when you desire a particular effect you must cultivate all
of its causes and conditions. Should you wonder what are the causes and
conditions of omniscience, I will explain them. Just as a blind man is unable
to lead others, I am unable to teach on my own. Therefore, I will explain
the cause of omniscience as the Bhagavan Buddha taught them to his disciples
after he attained perfect awakening. The Bhagavan said [in the
Vairocanabhisambodhi Sutra]:
Master of Secrets Vajrapani, the gnosis of
omniscience arises on the basis of compassion,
from the cause of the mind of awakening,
and from the fulfillment of method.
Therefore, those who wish to obtain omniscience must train themselves
in these three: compassion, the mind of awakening, and method. When they
develop compassion, bodhisattvas take a vow to free all sentient beings from
the world. Then ceasing to think about selfish goals, they strive
continuously over a long period to acquire the accumulations of merit and
gnosis. Having thus begun, they will certainly complete the accumulations of
merit and gnosis.
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I will explain the stages of meditating compassion from the very beginning.
In the beginning you should meditate equanimity by clearing away attachment
and aversion. You should develop an impartial attitude toward all sentient
beings. You should think in this way:
All sentient beings desire happiness and do not desire unhappiness.
samsara, which is beginningless, there is no sentient being at all
who has not been my cherished friend hundreds of times. In that
respect what difference is there among them that I should be attached
to some and averse to others? I should have an impartial attitude
toward all sentient beings.
Thinking in this way you should meditate impartiality, beginning with neutral
persons, then friends and enemies.
Afterwards, upon achieving an impartial attitude toward all sentient
beings, you should meditate love. The seed of compassion will easily grow if
you plant it in fertile soil, the mental continuum moistened with love. Then,
when you have watered your mind with love, you should meditate compassion.
Compassion is the wish that all suffering sentient beings be free from
suffering. Since all the sentient beings in the three realms are tormented by
one or more of the three kinds of suffering, you should meditate on the
suffering of all sentient beings as follows.
The Bhagavan taught that sentient beings in the hells are incessantly
drowning in a river of manifold sufferings -- burning and so forth -- for a
vast period of time. The hungry ghosts also experience much intense
suffering: their minds are tormented and their bodies dried up by insatiable
hunger and thirst. You can see that animals also endure many different kinds
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Then, having conditioned yourself to great compassion, you should meditate the
mind of awakening. There are two types of the mind of awakening: the
phenomenal and the ultimate. The phenomenal mind of awakening is production
of the initial thought that wishes for true, perfect awakening: out of
compassion you vow to emancipate all sentient beings, and think "I must become
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a buddha in order to benefit beings." You should also generate this mind by
taking the bodhisattva vow before a master who holds the bodhisattva precepts,
following the ritual taught in the "Conduct" chapter of the Bodhisattvabhumi.
Once you produce the phenomenal mind of awakening you should strive
to generate the ultimate mind of awakening. The ultimate mind of awakening is
transcendent, free from all conceptual elaborations, radiant, the ultimate
cognitive sphere, unmoving, unwavering like the steady flame of an oil lamp in
a windless place.
A yogi who wishes to accomplish tranquilization and insight easily and quickly
must first devote himself to acquiring their prerequisites. The prerequisites
for tranquilization are dwelling in a suitable place, having few wants, being
satisfied, giving up excessive activities, having pure conduct, and giving up
thoughts that are rooted in desire, etc. `A suitable place' has five favorable
qualities: clothing, food, etc., are easily obtained; wild or hostile
individuals do not live there; the land is free from disease; companions have
good conduct and harmonious views; few people pass by in the daytime and it is
quiet at night. `Few wants' means a lack of excessive attachment to having
lots of fine clothing etc. `Being satisfied' means always being content with
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What are the prerequisites for insight? They are: relying on a noble person,
striving for extensive learning, and correct thought. What sort of noble
person should you rely on? Someone who has extensive learning, who speaks
clearly, who is compassionate, and who is patient in the face of the
difficulties of teaching.
What is `striving for extensive learning'? It is respecting and
extensively listening to the definitive and provisional meanings of the twelve
branches of the Bhagavan's scriptures. Thus the Samdhinirmocana Sutra says,
"Not studying the noble beings' discourse as much as you need is an obstacle to
insight." The Narayanapariprccha says, "One who studies develops wisdom; one
who has wisdom pacifies mental afflictions."
What is `correct thought'? It is determination of the definitive and
provisional scriptures. When a bodhisattva has no doubt regarding this, the
meditation becomes certain. Otherwise, tangled up in doubt you will never have
certainty; you will be like a person who has come to a crossroads not knowing
the path.
Yogis should give up fish, meat, and so forth, should not eat wrong kinds
of food, and should not overeat.
A bodhisattva who has collected all the prerequisites for tranquilization
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At the time of meditation a yogi should first complete all his activities and
go to the toilet. Then, in a quiet and agreeable place, he should think, "I
will place all sentient beings in the state of awakening," producing the great
compassion wishing to emancipate all living beings. He should bow down to all
the buddhas and bodhisattvas in the universe. He should place a painting or
some other images of the buddhas and bodhisattvas in front of him or in some
other suitable place. He should offer whatever offerings he has, and should
praise the buddhas and bodhisattvas. He should confess his sins and rejoice in
the merit of all living beings. On a soft and comfortable seat he should sit
in the full lotus posture of Lord Vairocana or in the half-lotus posture. His
eyes, neither wide open or fully closed, should be directed toward the tip of
his nose. His body should be straight, neither bent nor twisted. His
attention should be drawn within. His shoulders should be even and his head
should not be tilted back, forward, or leaning toward the side -- his nose and
navel should be in line. His teeth and lips should be in a natural position
with his tongue placed at the front of his palate. His breathing should not be
noisy, panting, or agitated; rather, his inhalation and exhalation should be as
imperceptible as possible, very slow and effortless.
essence of mind.
You should analyze this as follows:
Ultimately even mind is not real. Since the mind that grasps the unreal
aspect of material objects appears in various forms, how could it be real?
Just as material objects are unreal, mind too is unreal because it does not
exist apart from them. Thus mind has a nature that is like an illusion.
Like mind, all phenomena have a nature that is like an illusion.
When you use wisdom to investigate the nature of mind in this way, mind is
not perceived within, without, or anywhere else; past mind is not perceived,
future mind is not perceived, present mind is not perceived. When mind arises
it does not come from anywhere; when it ceases it does not go anywhere. Mind
is not graspable. Should you wonder what is the nature of something that is
undemonstratable and ungraspable, the Ratnakuta says:
Kasyapa, when you seek mind you do not find it. That which is not found is
not perceived. That which is not perceived is not past, nor present, nor
future.
When you examine it in that way you do not see a real beginning of mind.
You do not see a real middle of mind. You do not see a real end of mind. Just
as mind has no limits or center, you should understand that phenomena have no
limits have no limits or center. Having understood that mind has no limits or
center, you do not perceive any nature of mind whatsoever. Also, you realize
that all ideation of mind is empty. Through this understanding you see that
material objects, whose nature is established by mind, have no real nature.
Thus, due to wisdom, by not seeing all phenomena as having a real nature
you will not think, "form is permanent," "form is impermanent," "form is
empty," "form is not empty," "form is defiled," "form is undefiled," "from
arises," "form does not arise," "form exists," "form does not exist." Just as
you do not think about form, you will not think about feeling, conception,
construction, and consciousness. And since the individual instantations of a
thing do not exist when the general category of the thing is nonexistent, how
could one think of particular real phenomena when all phenomena are unreal?
When a yogi examines things with wisdom in this way, he does not grasp at a
thing as having any ultimate essence. He enters into nonconceptual meditative
concentration and realizes the essencelessness of all phenomena. Someone who
meditates by merely abandoning mental fixation without ever using wisdom to
analyze the essence of things can never eliminate conceptualization because he
does not have the lamp of wisdom. Thus, the Bhagavan said:
When the fire that knows reality as it is arises from analysis of reality,
it incinerates the wood of thought just as the fire produced from
spinning a fire-drill consumes the wood of the drill.
This is also taught in the Ratnamegha Sutra:
One who understands faulty thinking engages in the practice of meditation
on emptiness to become free from all conceptual elaboration. Through
extensive meditation on emptiness his mind takes delight in whatever
objects appear, and through seeking the essence of those delightful
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objects, he realizes that they are empty. And when he seeks the essence of
the mind that realizes this, he understands that it too is empty.
Realizing it in that way, he enters into the yoga devoid of signs.
This shows that thoughtful reflection is the preparation for entering into the
signless. It very clearly teaches that it is impossible to enter into
nonconceptuality by merely abandoning mental fixation without using wisdom to
analyze the essence of things.
Thus, practice concentration by using wisdom to correctly examine the true
essence of things such as physical objects. Do not practice concentration by
dwelling on physical objects, etc., or by dwelling on the things of this life
or future lives, because these physical objects and so on are not
objectifiable. In this way you are a `practitioner of nonabiding meditative
concentration.' Since you use wisdom to investigate the essence of all things,
you practice concentration without objectification. Therefore, you are a
`practitioner of the concentration of supreme wisdom' as it is taught in the
Gaganaganja, the Ratnacuda, and other sutras.
Dwelling solely in that selflessness of persons and phenomena you have nothing
further to examine or view. Free from thought and analysis, without verbal
expression, you should naturally, without effort, enter into a single focal
point of attention and remain clearly meditating on reality. Abiding in that,
you should not allow your mind to be distracted.
When on occasion your mind is distracted towards external objects due to
desire and so forth, you should recognize the distraction and quickly meditate
on disgust, etc. Having thus pacified the distraction, you should quickly
return your mind to reality. When you see that your mind is tired, you should
consider the benefits of meditative concentration and meditate enthusiasm.
Also, you should pacify tiredness by considering the faults of distraction.
When you see that your mind is sinking or about to sink, when its movement is
unclear due to being overcome by drowsiness and sleep, you should quickly
alleviate the sinking by fixing your attention on a delightful object, as
previously explained. Then you should again focus very tightly on the
meditative object -- reality. When you see that your mind is wandering or
about to become unruly due to recollection of former sport and amusement, as
previously explained you should fix your attention on a topic that gives rise
to renunciation, such as impermanence, and pacify the distraction. Then once
more you should strive to enter your mind into effortless meditation on
reality.
When you are in equipoise free from sinking and distraction, and your mind
naturally enters into reality, relax your effort and your mind naturally enters
a state of equanimity. If you make effort while your mind is in equipoise your
mind will become distracted. If you do not make the effort when your mind is
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sinking, it will completely sink and your insight will disappear as if your
mind had become blind. Therefore, when your mind is sinking you should make
effort; when it is in equipoise you should not make effort.
When your wisdom becomes excessive due to meditating insight, your mind may
waver like the flame of a lamp in the wind due to insufficient tranquilization.
If that occurs you will not be able to see reality clearly, and you should
meditate tranquilization. Likewise, when tranquilization becomes excessive you
should meditate wisdom. When both are entered into equally, you should effortlessly
remain in that state for as long as you experience no physical or mental
discomfort. If physical or mental discomfort arises, you should suspend
meditation and view the entire world as being like an illusion, a mirage, a
dream, a reflection of the moon in water, and a mistaken vision. Think like
this:
Sentient beings are tormented in samsara because they do not
comprehend the profound Dharma. I must immediately cause them to
comprehend reality.
Thinking this way you should activate great compassion and the mind of
awakening. Then, having rested, you should again enter into the meditative
concentration that is devoid of the appearance of all phenomena. You should
also rest like this when you become depressed.
This is the path that engages tranquilization and insight in an integrated
fashion: its meditative object is a conceptual and nonconceptual image. A
yogi should remain meditating on reality by means of this process for an hour,
a half-watch, a watch, or as long as he desires. This is the meditative
concentration that correctly investigates its object; it is taught in the
Lankavatara Sutra.
Then, when you wish to rise from meditative concentration, without uncrossing
your legs, think as follows:
Although these phenomena are ultimately without essence, they exist
phenomenally. If this was not so, how could actions be related to their
effects, and so forth? As the Bhagavan has said, "Things arise
phenomenally; ultimately they are devoid of inherent existence." Childish
sentient beings become confused due to falsely attributing existence, etc.,
to essenceless things, and they wander for a long time in the cycle of
samsara. Therefore, I must immediately perfect the supreme collections of
merit and gnosis. Then I must achieve omniscience and cause them to
understand reality.
Then slowly rise from the cross-legged position, bow to all the buddhas and
bodhisattvas of the ten directions, make offerings to them and praise them, and
recite extensive prayers such as the Bhadracari. Then you should strive to
accomplish the collections of merit and gnosis through the practices of giving
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force of wisdom bodhisattvas do not fall into samsara; by force of method they
do not fall into nirvana. Thus the Gayasirsa Sutra says, "In brief, the
bodhisattva path consists of two things. What are the two? They are method
and wisdom." Also, the Sriparamadya says, "The perfection of wisdom is the
mother and skillful means is the father." Likewise, the Vimalakirtinirdesa
Sutra extensively explains this:
What is bondage and what is liberation for bodhisattvas? Clinging to life
in the world without method is bondage for bodhisattvas. Living in the
world with method is liberation. Clinging to life in the world without
wisdom is bondage for bodhisattvas. Living in the world with wisdom is
liberation. Wisdom not embraced by method is bondage. Wisdom embraced by
method is liberation. Method not embraced by wisdom is bondage. Method
embraced by wisdom is liberation.
If a bodhisattva relies on wisdom alone, he falls into the nirvana sought
by the sravakas and is not freed through the nirvana without fixation.
Therefore, wisdom without method is called `bondage' for bodhisattvas. Thus,
like a man chilled by wind resorting to a fire, a bodhisattva resorts to
emptiness by means of wisdom endowed with method to alleviate the chill of
mistaken views. However, a bodhisattva does not actualize wisdom in the same
way as the sravakas. As the Dasadharmaka Sutra says:
Noble son, suppose there is a man who worships fire. Although he
respects and reveres the fire, he does not think, "Since I respect,
revere and honor fire, I ought to take it up in my hands." Why?
Because he thinks, "That can cause me physical and mental pain."
Likewise, a bodhisattva thinks of nirvana but does not actualize
nirvana. Why? Because he thinks, "That can prevent me from achieving
awakening."
Also, if a bodhisattva relies only on method he will not surpass the state
of an ordinary person, he will be completely trapped in samsara. Therefore, a
bodhisattva must rely on method endowed with wisdom. Just as a magic spell
transforms poison, bodhisattvas are able to use the power of wisdom to meditate
on the mental afflictions and transform them into the nectar of immortality.
This being so, it is obvious that the practices of giving and so forth, which
by their nature result in high states of existence, can be transformed. The
Ratnakuta Sutra says:
Kasyapa, poison that is transformed by a magic spell and herbs cannot
kill. Likewise, the bodhisattva's disturbing emotions transformed by
wisdom cannot cause him to fall into the wrong way.
Therefore, due to the force of the method the bodhisattva does not forsake
samsara; he does not fall into nirvana. Due to the force of wisdom he casts
away all false objectification; thus he does not fall into samsara. In this
way he obtains nirvana without fixation -- buddhahood. Thus the Gaganaganja
Sutra says:
Because of his knowledge of wisdom he thoroughly gets rid of all
disturbing emotions. Because of his knowledge of method he does not
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Thus you must train yourself in method -- giving and so forth -- that is
dedicated to the supreme, true perfect awakening whose essence is emptiness and
great compassion. As previously explained, you should constantly condition
yourself as much as possible to the yoga of tranquilization and insight in order to
generate the ultimate mind of awakening.
The Gocaraparisuddha Sutra teaches that you should recall the benevolence
of bodhisattvas who are constantly engaged in helping other sentient beings.
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In this way you should always meditate skillful means. When you meditate
compassion, method, and the mind of awakening like that you will definitely see
improvement in yourself. You will always see buddhas and bodhisattvas in your
dreams, and you will have other auspicious dreams. The gods, being delighted
in you, will protect you. Every moment you will amass an extensive
accumulation of merit and gnosis. You will purify the obscurations and the
karmic propensities of disturbing emotions. Your pleasure and happiness will
constantly increase. Throughout many lives you will be attractive, and you
will not be afflicted by illness. Your mind will be exceedingly facile, and
thus you will attain special qualities such as psychic powers. Then, by means
of your miraculous powers you will visit countless world systems, worship the
blessed buddhas and listen to them teach the Dharma. When you die you will
definitely see the buddhas and bodhisattvas. In your future lives you will be
born into distinguished families in lands where buddhas and bodhisattvas are
present, and you will effortlessly fully perfect your accumulation of merit and
gnosis. You will be wealthy and have many servants. By means of your acute
wisdom you will mature many living beings. In all your lives you will recall
your previous lives. You should understand these limitless benefits as they
are taught here and in other sutras.
If you continually and devotedly meditate compassion, method, and the mind
of awakening for an extended period in this manner, gradually your mind will be
fully matured through the occurrence of moments of complete purity. Then, like
fire erupting from a fire-drill, you will attain the culmination of the highest
meditation on ultimate reality. Transcendent gnosis will arise: it is free
from the net of conceptual thought, it clearly realizes the sphere of phenomena
without conceptual elaboration, it is stainless and unmoving, unwavering like a
flame in a windless place, it is authoritative, it encompasses the path of
seeing that realizes reality -- the selfless nature of all phenomena, and it is
the essence of the ultimate mind of awakening.
When that occurs you are engaged in the meditative object that is the limit of
things. You are born into the family of the tathagatas. You are engaged in the flawless
understanding of the bodhisattvas. You have turned away from all worldly destinies and
dwell in the realization of the bodhisattvas’ reality and the sphere of phenomena. You
have achieved the first bodhisattva stage. You should understand these benefits in more
detail as they are explained in the Dasabhumika and other sutras.
This meditative concentration that focuses on reality is taught in the Lankavatara
Sutra. It is the bodhisattvas’ engagement in non-conceptuality free from elaboration. At
the stage of practicing through mere aspiration you engage in meditative concentration on
reality through your aspiration, but you do not realize it. After the previously mentioned
gnosis arises you really enter into it. After you have accomplished the first bodhisattva
stage, you meditate wisdom and method on the path of meditation by means of both
transcendental gnosis and the gnosis of the post meditational period. Progressively
meditating in this way you purify even the most subtle obscurations and obtain the
highest unique good qualities. Through purifying the lower stages you eventually engage
the gnosis of the tathagatas, enter the ocean of omniscience, and completely fulfill your
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aims. The Lankavatara Sutra teaches the purification of mind in just this process.
Likewise, the Samdhinirmocana Sutra says:
On the higher stages the mind is gradually purified like gold, and you
achieve perfect buddhahood up to the supreme, true, perfect awakening.
When you enter the ocean of omniscience, like a wish-fulfilling jewel you possess amass
a good qualities that sustains all sentient beings. You actualize the fruit of your former
aspirations. Your nature becomes great compassion. You possess manifold spontaneous
methods. With limitless emanations you fulfill every aspect of the aims of all living
beings. You perfect all excellent good qualities. Having cleared away all stains together
with their propensities, you remain in the world for as long as there are sentient beings.
Understanding this to be so, you should develop faith in the Bhagavan Buddha as the
source of all good qualities, and you should make an effort to accomplish those qualities.
Thus, [in the Vairocanabhisambodhi Sutra] the Bhagavan said: “The gnosis of
omniscience arises on the basis of compassion, from the cause of the mind of awakening,
and from the fulfillment of method.”
13 Conclusion
Noble people distance themselves from envy and the other defilements. They can never
get enough good qualities, as the ocean is never filled up with water. They carefully
examine good instructions and take them up, just as swans are delighted to draw milk
from water.
Thus wise people cast away prejudice and contentiousness. They take up all good
instructions even if they are being taught by children.
May all living beings obtain the Middle Path by the merit I have acquired from
explaining it.
This was translated, revised, and finalized by the Indian master Prajnavarman and the
Tibetan translator Ye shes sde.