Integrating Bodhicitta with Skilful Means #3
by Venerable Shangpa Rinpoche

3 - Samatha and Vipassana Meditation
Now, we shall talk a bit on the subject of meditation. Meditation means establishing a peaceful, stable and calm mind. With that calm mind, one sees the clarity of the mind. There are two stages in meditation, 'Samatha'and 'Vispassana'. In Sanskrit, Samatha is called 'Samadhi'. In Tibetan, it is called 'Shinay'which means 'remain in peace'. This is the practice or method to let our mind remain calm and peaceful. If our mind is not calm, we cannot see the nature of our mind, just like a lamp being placed in a windy place will not be able to brighten up the whole place, and the flame will also be blown off. In order to brighten up the place and for the lamp to illuminate itself, we need to put it in a place where there is not so much wind. Similarly, we meditate to rest our mind, to free it from emotion. With that we will be able to see the true nature of phenomena, as well as our own mind. If we do not meditate, then we will be subject to attack by our defilements at anytime. It is just like lying in between the jaws of a fierce animal. We are at the mercy of the 'animal' (which is our defilements). Once it closes its mouth, we will be destroyed. That is the kind of danger that we are in at the present stage.

With a good base of Samatha meditation, if one does Vipassana meditation, one will be able to purify all the defilements that one has accumulated. Ultimately, one will be able to see the clarity of the mind.

The Mahamudra master from India, Saraha in one of his poems, mentioned that :
"The mind is the seed of everything in the Universe. It can create Samsara and it can also create Nirvana. The mind is like the Wish- fulfilling gem, and I pay homage to the mind."

That means to attain Enlightenment we do not have to look elsewhere, we just need to unfabricate the fabricated mind. The ultimate nature of Buddha is the unfabricated mind.

There are seven obstacles for 'Shinay' or 'Samatha' meditation. The first two are agitation and regret. These two obstruct the mind from remaining calm and still. The next three are dullness, very dull and sleepiness. These three obstruct the clarity of our mind. Next is attachment, which can give rise to emotions. Once you feel emotional, your mind is not in the right state for meditation. And the last one is doubtful. As long as you have doubt, your mind cannot be one-pointed. Whenever any of these obstacles arise, we must recognise it first and apply the antidote accordingly.

Generally, to succeed in our meditation, we have to have favourable conditions. We detach ourselves from anything that can give rise to attachment and distraction. These include pleasures, worldly comforts etc. We have to avoid them and let the mind be contented with minimum requirements.

Our Kagyud masters always said,
"When you meditate, you do not think of the past because the past is not within you and therefore it is not part of you. You should also not think of the future as future has yet to come. It is also not part of you. You should remain as what you are now, in the present state of mind, without fabrication, just as it is."

Right View
When a person develops right view, he realises that the self and phenomena do not exist in themselves. They exist interdependently. For example, the sound of the flute does not just come from the bamboo or the structure of the flute itself, nor does it comes from the person who is blowing or his fingers or his lips. Sound will only come when all the favourable conditions exist together. The existence of each condition is also dependent on many other conditions. Therefore, in the highest sense, this shows that all things and phenomena are dependent on each other and hence lack inherent existence. Without investigation, all things and phenomena that happen around us appear to be real and firm. However, if we were to investigate, we will realise that there is no inherent existence. They do not truly exist at all. They appear just as an illusion created by a magician. So long as we are in the relative level, we have to experience the cause and its effect. With the development of right view, we will know that there is nothing to crave or fear, since ultimately all things do not exist and cannot be found. In order to develop right view, one should practice the advance meditation of Mahamudra. It is important that one should always keep in mind that the realisation of the Mahamudra is very much dependent on one's basic preliminary practice.

Mahamudra Meditation
Actually, there are many different methods of meditation. The following explanation is related to the Mahamudra way of meditation. In the practice of the Mahamudra meditation, we should not put effort to develop the meditation because when we put an effort to do something, expectation and apprehension will tend to develop. This will cause agitation and emotions in our mind. We should let the realisation arise effortlessly. By meditating on the natural state of the mind, we will gradually find that the gross and subtle thoughts come and dissolve into the mind itself, just like the waves in the ocean. If we go to the beach and observe, we will see that are many big and small waves that arise from the ocean; they too subside into the ocean itself.

Gradually, when we develop our mind, the emotions become lesser and lesser. The mind becomes calm and ultimately one can see the mind that is stainless and uncontaminated. The ocean is an example that can illustrate our state of mind.

The second stage of meditation according to the Mahamudra way is through seeing one's own nature of the mind. When we look for the mind, we cannot find it, as the mind does not exist as we think it does. Even the Buddha himself has not seen our mind. Our mind is also not non-existent because it is the basis of Samsara and Nirvana. So the mind is free from existence and non-existence. Thus when we observe and check whether the mind really exists, we will find that the mind does not "really" exist. Then, if we check whether the mind is really non-existent, we will also find that it is not non-existent. This means that the mind is beyond existence and non-existence. The existence and non-existence of the mind do not contradict each other. The two extremes, eternalism and nihilism are just conceptualised by our mind. One day when we break through the grasping towards duality, we will realise the true nature of our mind.

Once realisation takes place, one will go beyond the state of confusion because one has seen the ultimate state of the mind. One will not have any doubt and there will be no need for clarifications.

By seeing the ultimate state of the mind, one can also use similar methods to see the ultimate state of phenomena. Because the appearance of phenomena is also a projection of the mind, it is inter-related. That is the moment you get to know who you really are.

However, what you have realised, others may not have realised yet. You will have a strong urge for all sentient beings to realise this Truth and be freed from confusion. This is the unconditional loving kindness and compassion for all sentient beings. The unity of compassion and ultimate realization of the nature of our mind, produces the two types of enlightened bodies, which are 'Dharmakaya'and 'Rupakaya'.

'Dharmakaya' is the ultimate state of the Buddha, that is the transformation of our mind to the Enlightened state. 'Rupakaya' is the wisdom state of the Buddha, that is the transformation of our thoughts to the functions of benefiting others. From this Rupakaya, Buddhas and Bodhisattvas are constantly being manifested to liberate sentient beings unconditionally.