Śamatha Meditation | Khorchak Tulku

Enjoy this excerpt from Khorchak Tulku’s Meditation in the Himalayan Buddhist Tradition, translated by Boyce Teoh. Full copies of this book can be obtained from our online bookshop.

Śamatha Meditation

Śamatha is clearly explained in many Indian and Tibetan scriptures, such as: 1) the sūtras taught by the Buddha, including the transcendent wisdom sūtras,4 Sūtra Unraveling the Definitive Intent, and Sūtra of the King of Samādhis; 2) the Ornament of Mahāyāna Sūtras and Distinguishing the Middle and Extremes, taught by the Protector Maitreya; 3) Asaṅga’s Stages of Yogic Practice in general, especially its Śrāvaka Stages10 section; 4) Engaging in the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, taught by Śāntideva; and 5) Stages of Cultivation,12 composed by Kamalaśīla.

However, most of these texts merely state that śamatha is a single-pointed mind that does not fall under the influence of dullness and excitation, and that one needs to place the mind in a single-pointed state during meditation. They do not seem to specify whether this means placing the mind in a non-conceptual single-pointed state or in a conceptual single-pointed state.

Those with sharp faculties who have studied the philosophical systems of the scriptures extensively might be able to understand this topic merely through the direct explanations presented in these texts. However, my experiences have proven that those of dull faculties, such as myself, cannot understand the subject of meditation unless each and every related point is individually explained. Therefore, I shall explain this topic by using the teachings given in the sūtras and their commentarial treatises, slightly clarifying them with the ornament of my gurus’ pith instructions.

The place for meditation

In his Treasury of Pith Instructions, the Omniscient Longchen Rapjam states:

The location should be secluded, with all the right conditions.

It should have been frequented by siddhas in the past.

Being a place where no samaya was breached, oath-bound protectors will convene.

There should be no circumstances to distract or divert you,

With supportive conditions easily available, supplies easy to find,

And no threat from humans or spirits.

This is the type of place that is needed. However, if such a place is unavailable, it is important for beginners that the place of meditation is quiet and peaceful. It should be without any noisiness or clamor, as these can interrupt meditative states. If the place of meditation is dark, the mind can become dull and meditation will not progress well. Therefore, whatever building or place we use, it should be bright and clear.

Posture during meditation

It is important to understand how to maintain physical posture during meditation. The great lamdré scholar-adept Zhalu Losel Tenkyong said that the obstacles to meditation—that is, physical discomforts, illness, pain, and so forth—mostly come from having deviated from the critical points of the correct physical posture. As this is so, how should we keep a correct physical posture? Many sūtras, tantras, and their commentaries state that one should sit in the posture of Buddha Vairocana called “the seven-point Vairocana.” Ideally, sit with your legs in the vajra posture, and if you cannot, you should try to sit in the sattva posture. However, if one is not able to sit in a cross-legged posture because of one’s age, sickness, being overweight, or lacking such a habit, it is also possible to sit on any comfortable seat, such as a stool.

The hands should be placed four finger-widths below the navel, with the right hand over the left and the tips of the thumbs touching. The spine should be straight—like a vertical stack of coins. When the body is erect, the channels will become straight; when the channels are straight, energies will flow straight; when energies flow straight, it will make the mind upright. Thus, the gurus have said that the critical points of physical posture are important. The upper arms should be extended outward like a vulture’s wings. The chin should be slightly tilted downwards and one’s gaze should rest downwards toward the tip of the nose. The tongue should touch the upper palate. Alternatively, it can be positioned according to the explanation of the great scholar-adept Ngorchen Könchok Lhündrup, “Rest the teeth and lips naturally. Likewise the tongue should be left where it is.” The great Vidyādhara Jikmé Lingpa also mentioned this in his dzokchen manual, and since this is an exceptional point of the pith instructions, it is also appropriate to do so here.

Focal supports

In Ngorchen Könchok Lhündrup’s instruction manual on the three perceptions, he cites a verse from the Sūtra of the King of Samādhis:

The magnificent Lord of the World,

With a body gold in color—

Those whose minds are focused on this image

Are bodhisattvas in meditative equipoise.

He then commented that the focus should be a picture or statue of the Tathāgata’s body that is wondrous and attractive, or that attention should be placed unwaveringly on a blue piece of clothing, cloth, or the like, which is placed in front at a suitable distance. Furthermore, the one born from the stream of realizations of both lamdré and dzokchen, Lord Khyentsé Wangchuk, states in his Instruction Manual on the Three Perceptions, “According to the approach of the Lord of Yogis, Mahāsiddha Virūpa, we should concentrate on a blue flower.” We might wonder, “What kind of blue flower is needed?” He writes, “It can be a blue flower that is painted on materials such as silk or cotton. It should be the size of about four finger-widths, with a bluish dark center, and four blue petals. It should be placed directly in front at a distance of seven hand-spans, at the same level as the tip of one’s nose and supported by materials such as a stick of bamboo, so that it is free from any movements. The point here is that the flower is easier for the mind to deal with, and the color blue does not hurt the eyes.”

Some scriptures also say that one should observe the flower at about the distance of a yoke beam. This shares the same crucial point as the explanation above, where the focal support has to be placed at a distance of seven hand-spans; because, according to Khyentsé Wangchuk, a yoke beam comprises seven hand-spans. Refuting this approach, some later Tibetan scriptures state that one should concentrate on a pebble, stick, or sphere.21 However, the great scholar-adept Dakpo Trashi Namgyel said that they have not realized the crucial point of this pith instruction, and I think his is a valid point.

___

Khorchak Tulku Rinpoche, Meditation in the Himalayan Buddhist Tradition