Saturday, November 17, 2012

SAMATHA AND VIPASANNA: Progressing with Caution

Speaking Tree, Sun, 09.12.2012


In my journey as life coach using Siddhartha’s Way of Awakening, students often ask me such questions: ‘how does one meditate?’ and ‘what is vipasanna meditation?’ While this column is not dedicated to describing methods of meditation, it is to bring out fundamental differences in the two most commonly used approaches to meditation and the wise manner in which we need to use them in order to derive benefit from them.


Shamatha and Vipasanna.


The Tibetan word for Shamatha, is ‘shyine’ or calm abiding. Essentially this practice begins with turning the mind inward and trying to understand what really is going on inside it. Recognizing the mind’s tendency to distraction; that the mind is prone to getting disturbed and unsettled with arising thoughts and emotions; that there is some kind of mental chatter is indeed the first step to meditation. As the practitioner perseveres further, thoughts settle down and the mind becomes calm with distractions reducing to some extent. Initially it is important to consciously keep the mind alert without grasping at arising thoughts yet not drift into a dull, dark and slothful state. We slowly begin to sense the mind resting in alert and spacious calm. Some kind of aware and quiet collectedness envelopes us. The mind rests in calm abiding or shamatha. Shamatha meditation is used as an antidote to distraction. Once the mind reaches this state, self-grasping and self-clinging dissolve. Now the mind is ready to explore further without taking the support of the spacious calmness it has reached. It is said that Shamatha is the calm ocean of the mind in which the investigative fish of Vipasanna swims.


In Tibetan the word ‘lhaktong’ is used to describe Vipasanna. It simply means insight or investigative meditation, the outcome of which is wisdom generation. Only when a practitioner is fully skilled in resting her/his mind in calm abiding is it possible for her/him to begin probing deeper through investigation. Just as trying to swim in rough waters is not easy, so also attempting to undertake enquiry when the mind is in a distracted state will yield unsatisfactory results. Naturally questions that arise are: How does one undertake investigation? What should one investigate on? Tibetan Buddhist masters have described three methods one can rely on to generate wisdom. Widely known as the Three Wisdom Tools, they are: Hearing and listening (or reading) to the teachings, contemplating on these teachings to understand their logic (which includes mentally debating them) and finally meditating upon them, in order to make the realization achieved through contemplation into one’s continuous mind stream. One can investigate on a number of issues some of which are: causes and effects of our actions and emotions on us and surroundings, ever presence of impermanence (anicha), non-self (anatta) and suffering (dukkha), inter-dependent nature of all life forms and all phenomena, advantages and responsibilities of our human life over other life forms, logic of compassion, harmful effects of limitless desire and insatiable ego, antidotes to negative emotions and their benefit and so on. Infact, the pristine state of alert and spacious calm can be used at times to investigate and find solutions to problems at work and home too!


Using these two techniques of meditation, a practitioner can progress well in understanding his/her mind better and in the process gain wisdom. Both approaches bring immense benefit when used appropriately.


It is very important to note therefore that every practitioner should first begin with Shamatha meditation and upon stabilizing it, progress towards Vipasanna can be made. Such an approach will result in bringing about enduring and lasting benefit.
 

Saturday, November 10, 2012

A G.O.O.D Feeling!

Last three days saw Khenpo Sonam Tsewang of Namdroling Monastery visit Pune and share the light of Buddha's teachings with few interested Punekars. It was an amazing experience to have an enlightened Tibetan Buddhist Master stay with us and give tips to the family on day to day life and living and how we can effortlessly improve the 'peace quotient' of our private life. Some press/media links here.
http://www.punemirror.in/article/2/201211082012110808272990024f9c971/In-pursuit-of-happiness.html http://www.indianexpress.com/news/a-spiritual-sojourn/1028023/1


G.O.O.D, which stands for Group for the Outreach of Omniscient Dharma, as some of you may know is a group that has been convened by yours truly, solely for the purpose of bringing the wisdom of Siddhartha and great Nalanda masters to Puneites on a sustainable yet 'no profit all benefit' format with the purest and most uncontaminated intention and motivation. This is not a business venture! :) We are hoping to keep the Master Teaching Series sustainable through corporate an individual donors/sponsors.


A full time Dharma teaching centre is the objective, given the rising interest amongst Punekars over the past two years, in the relevance and logic of Buddhism in our approach to and better understanding of life & living, death & dying.


That's all for now. Greetings for the festive season. Lv, cheers and prayers to you and your lovely families, May all of us continue to create causes for peace.