Cultivating Meditative Concentration: Calm Abiding (25 January 2011)

0:00 You are here, and everything is good, huh? We're glad you had it. We were in a very good place. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. We won't run into you. We had a great deal of sense. Well, I don't have any experience with bicycles. There's a bicycle to train. I just expect people to follow the rules. Oh, yeah, no, like people. Report an error in the passage at 0:00 Highlight the passage at 0:00

0:35 You know, it's my expectations. Do you bike? Oops! Report an error in the passage at 0:35 Highlight the passage at 0:35

0:54 Oh, it's easy to get some hate. Report an error in the passage at 0:54 Highlight the passage at 0:54

1:01 if you want to go ahead and frustrate all of you. Except for me. That's what I do to you. Just be careful. Report an error in the passage at 1:01 Highlight the passage at 1:01

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1:42 Oh yeah, it's like sitting in the front row at the movie theater. Report an error in the passage at 1:42 Highlight the passage at 1:42

1:52 It's fine. Report an error in the passage at 1:52 Highlight the passage at 1:52

1:56 Look, Report an error in the passage at 1:56 Highlight the passage at 1:56

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2:42 we have a new student. Report an error in the passage at 2:42 Highlight the passage at 2:42

2:58 I don't think I've ever seen you before. Report an error in the passage at 2:58 Highlight the passage at 2:58

3:04 Okay, so let's spend a minute and set our motivation for this evening. Report an error in the passage at 3:04 Highlight the passage at 3:04

3:13 Trying to imagine countless beings around us. Trying Report an error in the passage at 3:13 Highlight the passage at 3:13

3:35 to set a bodhicitta motivation. I Report an error in the passage at 3:35 Highlight the passage at 3:35

· · · silence, 1 minute

4:55 will start with the Praise to Shakyamuni Buddha, page 73. Report an error in the passage at 4:55 Highlight the passage at 4:55

5:18 To the Founder, the Endowed Transcended Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being, Perfect in Knowledge and in Good Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Supreme God of Human Beings to be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Human Beings, to You, the Completely and Fully Awakened One, the Endowed Transcended Destroyer, the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shaky Clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. Report an error in the passage at 5:18 Highlight the passage at 5:18

5:48 To the Founder, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being, Perfect in Knowledge and in Good Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Supreme God of Human Beings to be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Human Beings, to You, the Completely and Fully Awakened One, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shaky Clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. Report an error in the passage at 5:48 Highlight the passage at 5:48

6:17 To the Founder, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the One Gone Beyond, the Foe Destroyer, the Completely Perfected, Fully Awakened Being, Perfect in Knowledge and in Good Conduct, Sugata, Knower of the World, Supreme God of Human Beings to be Tamed, Teacher of Gods and Human Beings, to You, the Completely and Fully Awakened One, the Endowed Transcendent Destroyer, the Glorious Conqueror, the Subduer from the Shaki Clan, I prostrate, make offerings and go for refuge. Report an error in the passage at 6:17 Highlight the passage at 6:17

6:47 When, O supreme amongst humans, you were born on this earth, you paced out seven strides, then said, I am supreme in this world. To you who are wise, then I prostrate. With pure bodies formed supremely pure, wisdom ocean like a golden mountain, fame that blazes in the three worlds, winner of the best, Lord, to you I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 6:47 Highlight the passage at 6:47

7:09 With the supreme signs faced like spotless moon, color like gold, to you I prostrate. Dust free like you, the three worlds are not. Incomparably wise one, to you I prostrate. The savior having great compassion, the founder having all understanding, the field of merit with qualities like a vast ocean. Report an error in the passage at 7:09 Highlight the passage at 7:09

7:30 To you, the one gone to thusness, I prostrate. The purity that frees one from attachment, the virtue that frees one from the lower realms, the one path, the sublime pure reality, to the Dharma that pacifies, I prostrate. Those who are liberated and who also show the path to liberation, the holy field qualified with realizations, who are devoted to the moral precepts, to you, the sublime community intending virtue, I prostrate. Report an error in the passage at 7:30 Highlight the passage at 7:30

7:58 Homage to the Supreme Buddha. Homage to the Dharma refuge. Homage to the great Saṅgha. To all three, ever-devout homage. To all worthy of respect, bowing with bodies as many as all realms, atoms, and all aspects, with supreme faith I pay homage. Do not commit any non-virtuous actions. Perform only perfect virtuous actions. Subdue your mind thoroughly. This is the teaching of a Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 7:58 Highlight the passage at 7:58

8:23 A star, a visual aberration, a flame of a lamp, an illusion, a drop of dew or a bubble, a dream, a flash of lightning, a cloud. See conditioned things as such. Through these merits may sentient beings attain the rank of all seeing, subdue the foe of faults, and be delivered from saṃsāra's ocean. Perturbed by the waves of aging, sickness and death. And then on page 98, refuge in bodhicitta. Report an error in the passage at 8:23 Highlight the passage at 8:23

8:57 I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I'm enlightened to the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma. Report an error in the passage at 8:57 Highlight the passage at 8:57

9:18 May I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. I go for refuge until I am enlightened. To the Buddha, the Dharma and the Supreme Assembly. By the merits I create through listening to the Dharma, may I become a Buddha in order to benefit all sentient beings. Actually, are there tissues somewhere? Report an error in the passage at 9:18 Highlight the passage at 9:18

9:42 Alright. Alright. Oops. I have allergies. Report an error in the passage at 9:42 Highlight the passage at 9:42

9:55 No, I was sneezing all the way up. From Santa Cruz. No, it's not the beautiful flowers. Alright, so welcome back to the calm abiding class. Report an error in the passage at 9:55 Highlight the passage at 9:55

10:15 So we've gone through what calm abiding is. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 10:15 Highlight the passage at 10:15

10:25 We've gone through the importance of Report an error in the passage at 10:25 Highlight the passage at 10:25

10:35 concentration without some level of... sniffle in front of it. Report an error in the passage at 10:35 Highlight the passage at 10:35

10:39 Calm abiding, it's not possible to gain realizations. We talked about that. And then we also talked about what calm abiding is, being able to focus on the object as long as you want, as well as being sustained by physical and mental pliancy and the bliss of physical and mental pliancy. Report an error in the passage at 10:39 Highlight the passage at 10:39

11:05 And then we covered the prerequisites of calm abiding. How it's important to have the right conditions so that we'll be able to concentrate, like a conducive place and having a contented mind and a few desires, etc., ethical discipline. Report an error in the passage at 11:05 Highlight the passage at 11:05

11:24 And then we talked about the importance of doing the six preparatory practices, cultivating some level of bodhicitta and training in the small and intermediate scopes of the lamrim, all those preparations. Report an error in the passage at 11:24 Highlight the passage at 11:24

11:39 And then Geshe Loden says if you've prepared your mind with all of these conditions with good discipline and the six prerequisites, then you will definitely be able to attain the realization of calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 11:39 Highlight the passage at 11:39

11:55 And then we talked about the body posture, the seven points, the legs. Oh, yes. Report an error in the passage at 11:55 Highlight the passage at 11:55

12:14 So you said that you... When you sit in a chair, you have to have your legs straight. I didn't say you have to have, but it's preferable. Well, if you sit on the floor, your legs are crossed. I'm wondering why you can't sit. Oh, you can sit cross-legged. Oh, you mean crossing one leg over the other? The same as when you're sitting on the floor, but you're sitting. I'm wondering if that's a... Report an error in the passage at 12:14 Highlight the passage at 12:14

12:48 You know, I don't know. I haven't read anything about that. You know, I mean, generally they say to sit with your legs straight if you're in a chair and don't cross your legs, right? And I assume that's because of the winds. But if you cross your feet, I don't know if there's an issue. I was wondering if they're talking about crossing your legs up, you know, high. Report an error in the passage at 12:48 Highlight the passage at 12:48

13:06 Well, like that, I hear, yeah, that's not good. But if you just cross your ankles, I don't know. I don't know. know. Report an error in the passage at 13:06 Highlight the passage at 13:06

13:20 But what's the difference in that and then you're sitting on the floor with your legs crossed is my question. It doesn't seem fair. Report an error in the passage at 13:20 Highlight the passage at 13:20

13:31 Yes, much easier because the chair is kind of low and my legs are long. Report an error in the passage at 13:31 Highlight the passage at 13:31

13:39 But we're speculating. I haven't actually heard a Lama say, if you sit in a chair, don't sit with your ankles crossed. So we can speculate. Stability. So if you're stable with Report an error in the passage at 13:39 Highlight the passage at 13:39

13:37 whatever makes you stay close with us. Report an error in the passage at 13:37 Highlight the passage at 13:37

13:53 To be sure, I would ask like Chodin Rinpoche when you're at, you know, if you go to Vajrapani, he would be a good authority. Report an error in the passage at 13:53 Highlight the passage at 13:53

14:11 Okay, okay. Yeah, I mean, generally they say, right, keep your feet flat on the floor and all of that, and I guess it's for stability. Report an error in the passage at 14:11 Highlight the passage at 14:11

14:21 Yeah, Peter. Report an error in the passage at 14:21 Highlight the passage at 14:21

14:24 Chucky has a lot of issues, you know, physical issues, and one of her lamas said it's okay also to sit in the Tara position where you have one, your right leg in front of your left, which is very comfortable for a lot of people, so that's one that might work for you too. Right, yeah, yeah, I've heard that as well. I mean, it's like cross-legged except for one leg, like if you have knee problems or something, when you're sitting on a cushion, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 14:24 Highlight the passage at 14:24

14:55 Yeah. Yeah, I mean, we do have to take into consideration our physical limitations, right? So, you know, not to force ourselves in a position that's going to harm our bodies, right? But, yeah, but then certain positions, right, are more conducive to, like, the winds flowing freely through the body. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 14:55 Highlight the passage at 14:55

15:16 So the main, right, the main part that they say that's really important is the straight spine. Yeah. Okay. And then we had a question about number eight, the breath, right? We had a question about the translation. So I put the translation from the Lamrim Chenmo here. So he says in that translation, your inhalation and exhalation should not be noisy, forced or uneven. Report an error in the passage at 15:16 Highlight the passage at 15:16

15:49 Let it flow effortlessly. Ever so gently, without any sense that you're moving it here or there. So this is not controlling your inhalation and exhalation, letting it be natural. So this eighth point is primarily to settle our minds when we first sit down. So this is like a preparation for your calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 15:49 Highlight the passage at 15:49

16:16 Because the breath is said to be the recommended object of meditation if we have a lot of discursive thought, which most of us don't, but in case we did, to settle the mind, to settle and purify the impure conceptions and things like that. Yeah. So. Report an error in the passage at 16:16 Highlight the passage at 16:16

16:45 So I said something last week that I want to correct. I said, most of the time you hear, you know, when you count the inhalation and exhalation, inhalation, exhalation one, inhalation, exhalation two. And then I immediately went home and saw all of these commentaries that said, count inhalation one with inhalation. So I thought, okay, well. Report an error in the passage at 16:45 Highlight the passage at 16:45

17:08 So different commentaries say different things. I don't know that it's that important which one you count, the inhalation and exhalation. I haven't heard a reason for why you count the inhalation versus the exhalation. But I've seen both practices. So there's that. Report an error in the passage at 17:08 Highlight the passage at 17:08

17:29 Okay. Report an error in the passage at 17:29 Highlight the passage at 17:29

17:37 So and then we talked about maintaining the balance between the tension of holding and the softness of relaxation. So meditating on the breath, too, is to help. Relax the mind as well. And Alan Wallace talks about that quite a lot in his Attention Revolution. All right, so now the stages of meditation themselves. Report an error in the passage at 17:37 Highlight the passage at 17:37

17:59 We've talked about the prerequisites, the preparatory practices for calm abiding. Now, calm abiding meditation itself. So first of all, I wanted to share with you these words of wisdom from Gen Lam Rimpa. He says, throughout the practice, it is important to cultivate. A sense of equanimity and acceptance. If you find some meditation sessions going well and concentration is good, do not respond with great satisfaction. Report an error in the passage at 17:59 Highlight the passage at 17:59

18:31 As soon as the, oh boy, this sure is a good session attitude arises, it will immediately halt whatever good is happening. If, on the other hand, meditations go badly, if your concentration was bouncing all over the place, do not be depressed. Accept what seem to be good and bad sessions as a natural and inevitable aspect of the practice and maintain equanimity. Because when we do retreat, it's so easy to get really high and then depressed and then high and depressed and high and depressed depending on how well the session went. Report an error in the passage at 18:31 Highlight the passage at 18:31

19:09 But that's not the recommended way to go about it. Try not to be attached. Right. You know, and just. Just go with whatever's happening. And if we have a terrible session, it doesn't mean the next session will go terribly. And if we have a great session, it doesn't mean that the next session will go well either. Report an error in the passage at 19:09 Highlight the passage at 19:09

19:31 It just naturally ebbs and flows. Report an error in the passage at 19:31 Highlight the passage at 19:31

19:40 It's totally about grasping to results, right? Yeah. And judging, right? That was good. That was bad. That was good. That was bad. It just is, right? Let it go. Exactly. And this whole grasping business, you know, during a retreat is definitely loom producing, right? It just really creates a lot of tension in our retreats. And so we just need to learn to just let go and just do our best, right? Report an error in the passage at 19:40 Highlight the passage at 19:40

20:14 And just not expect, you know, not expect anything, right? To just do our best. Report an error in the passage at 20:14 Highlight the passage at 20:14

20:25 Okay. And then Lama Tsongkhapa says there are different explanations of how to attain calm abiding by means of the abandoning the five faults, by means of the eight antidotes, by means of the six powers, the four attentions and the nine mental abidings. So we're going to get into all of these different methods in the coming weeks. Report an error in the passage at 20:25 Highlight the passage at 20:25

20:48 Betty. slides for these today? I did. Is there a chance that out like Report an error in the passage at 20:48 Highlight the passage at 20:48

21:01 that's your answer Why is that? Report an error in the passage at 21:01 Highlight the passage at 21:01

21:08 I just can't get them done before this afternoon. I will send them out to you as soon as I can. I'm teaching a class on Monday nights right now that's a totally different class. For me, I just can't get to finishing the slides before Tuesday. They're for next week. Yeah, yeah, it wasn't, you have two Two hours to do your homework. Report an error in the passage at 21:08 Highlight the passage at 21:08

21:42 No, I'm not that bad. All right. Okay, so this is what Lama Tsongkhapa is saying about these various methods and who introduced which method. Oh, gosh, that's interesting. Okay, so the five faults and the eight antidotes. The five faults are the five obstacles, main obstacles to calm abiding. Our laziness being the first one. Report an error in the passage at 21:42 Highlight the passage at 21:42

21:38 That didn't work. Report an error in the passage at 21:38 Highlight the passage at 21:38

22:07 Then forgetting the instructor, well it's literally forgetting the instruction or the precept, but it's actually forgetting your meditation object when you're in meditation. Then there's laxity and excitement. Non-application is laxity or excitement arise and you don't apply an antidote, you just let it go. Report an error in the passage at 22:07 Highlight the passage at 22:07

22:33 And then over-application is when laxity and incitement don't arise, but you apply the antidote anyway. So some of us are addicted, right, to applying antidotes. So we'll talk about the first fault, laziness first, and the four antidotes to laziness being faith or confidence, aspiration, joyous effort, and pliancy. Report an error in the passage at 22:33 Highlight the passage at 22:33

23:02 So, with regard to laziness, Lama Tsongkhapa says, if you cannot stop the laziness of being disinclined to cultivate concentration and of enjoying things that are not conducive to it, from the outset you will not gain entry into concentration. Even if you do attain it once, you will be unable to sustain it, so it will quickly deteriorate. Therefore, it is most crucial... Report an error in the passage at 23:02 Highlight the passage at 23:02

23:30 Crucial to stop laziness in the beginning. So the laziness that doesn't really want to sit on the cushion and meditate and would much rather do anything else. Usually entertainment, turn on the TV or watch a movie or go for a walk or anything. So if we have this strong attraction to... Report an error in the passage at 23:30 Highlight the passage at 23:30

23:54 You know, entertainment and doing something other than sit on the cushion, then we need to try to overcome that right from the beginning. Otherwise, that'll be a constant obstacle. Report an error in the passage at 23:54 Highlight the passage at 23:54

24:09 So the four antidotes, well, they say the main antidote to laziness is pliancy. And when you attain pliancy in which your body and mind are full of delight and bliss. You will stop laziness inasmuch as you will be able to cultivate virtue all day and night without weariness. So when we get to that point, we're just excited to go sit down and experience bliss. Report an error in the passage at 24:09 Highlight the passage at 24:09

24:39 But that's not really going to help us right now. So how do we get to that point to develop pliancy? finished. Right? Right? Report an error in the passage at 24:39 Highlight the passage at 24:39

24:49 You must first be able to have continuous enthusiasm or joyous effort for the concentration that causes pliancy, right? So if we have enthusiasm, then we'll make the effort so that we'll attain pliancy. But then how do we get enthusiastic about the practice? You need a continuous intense yearning or aspiration that is intent on concentration. Report an error in the passage at 24:49 Highlight the passage at 24:49

25:16 So this, oh yeah, I really want calm abiding. Oh yeah, wouldn't that be great to have calm abiding? But how do we get that aspiration? Report an error in the passage at 25:16 Highlight the passage at 25:16

25:27 As a cause for this aspiration, you need steadfast confidence or faith in and fascination with the good qualities of concentration. So we need to start with cultivating again and again a confidence that is aware of the good qualities of concentration. Report an error in the passage at 25:27 Highlight the passage at 25:27

25:48 So we need to reflect on the good qualities of meditative concentration again and again to get that kind of state of confidence that, oh yeah, I really want to attain this. This is really worth attaining, first of all. And then based on having this confidence that it's worth attaining, then I develop an aspiration to attain it. Report an error in the passage at 25:48 Highlight the passage at 25:48

26:10 And then I develop enthusiasm or joyous effort based on that. We attain pliancy. And again, Lama Rinpoche gets into this little discussion about pliancy and how we get glimpses of pliancy along the way, right? It's not a matter of just getting pliancy once you're at the ninth mental abiding, right? We get glimpses of that along the way, so that kind of keeps us going, right? Report an error in the passage at 26:10 Highlight the passage at 26:10

26:39 It's like, ooh, that was nice. Okay, so what are the good qualities of concentration? Meditative stabilization. So first, since uncontrolled distraction to wrong objects has subsided, you are not frequently involved in wrongdoing. Well, whatever virtue you do is very powerful. So once we have a strong degree of meditative stabilization, we have a controlled mind, and so we don't have all of these distractions that are arising, this wish, craving for this. Report an error in the passage at 26:39 Highlight the passage at 26:39

27:18 Annoyance at that, right? With this meditative stabilization, we just don't have really a lot of manifest mental afflictions. So we don't get involved in a lot of non-virtue. And whatever virtue we do is very powerful. So we've talked about that. If we're actually able to sit down and do our practice with a completely focused mind, that's much more powerful than sitting down and doing our practice when our mind's wandering all over the place. Report an error in the passage at 27:18 Highlight the passage at 27:18

27:53 Also, secondly, independence on calm abiding, positive qualities such as clairvoyance and miraculous powers can be achieved. So if that's something that we're wanting to read minds. See past and future lives and fly in the sky. We do that independence on calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 27:53 Highlight the passage at 27:53

28:17 And then thirdly, so the main benefit is the realization of special insight that realizes emptiness rises independence on it. So that the root of cyclic existence can be cut quickly. So we talked about this quite a bit. So we can't get special insight until we have calm abiding. And special insight, realizing emptiness really is the ticket out of saṃsāra and suffering. That's how we end our mental afflictions and suffering forever. Report an error in the passage at 28:17 Highlight the passage at 28:17

28:53 So we reflect on these again and again and really develop this. The sense of, yeah, I want to attain it. It's worthwhile attaining it and I want to attain it. Report an error in the passage at 28:53 Highlight the passage at 28:53

29:19 You said the pliancy, you get glimpses and I was going to ask because I felt like here and there, you know, you have the special insight. Do you have to be, do you get bits of it along the way? I mean, you can get like a similitude, what they call a similitude of special insight before you have real calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 29:19 Highlight the passage at 29:19

29:42 The full-blown, the real special insight comes after you attain calm abiding. I mean, but we do get insights, right, along the way. I mean, if we do analytical meditation with, yeah, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 29:42 Highlight the passage at 29:42

30:03 So if you reflect on any of these good qualities, you will become aware of and meditate upon things that strengthen your inclination to cultivate concentration. When this inclination arises, you will be continually prompted from within. To cultivate concentration so it will be easy to attain concentration. Right, so once we really meditate on these good qualities again and again, you know, along with our... Report an error in the passage at 30:03 Highlight the passage at 30:03

30:34 Renunciation from saṃsāra and all of that. Then more and more from within will really want to attain calm abiding. It's not something like Geshe Dagpa says that I should attain calm abiding or Lama Tsongkhapa says I should do it so I should do it. Like, oh yeah, I better do it, right? But from within, we really want to attain it because we really see that this really is our way to develop more and more happiness, right? Report an error in the passage at 30:34 Highlight the passage at 30:34

31:02 And more and more good qualities and our virtue will be stronger, etc. So I have this friend who... Spends a lot of time doing calm abiding meditation and it's just so exciting for him. He's just like, there's nothing else I'd rather do than sit down and meditate and do retreats. So I think that's the kind of mind that we're trying to cultivate. And that comes from really understanding what is the cause of suffering and what is the cause of happiness. Report an error in the passage at 31:02 Highlight the passage at 31:02

31:39 right? Not Letting go of that belief that all of these external things cause our happiness, but really seeing from deeply within that happiness really comes from developing our own inner qualities. Report an error in the passage at 31:39 Highlight the passage at 31:39

32:02 And then since we'll cultivate it repeatedly even after attaining it, we'll be unlikely to lose it. Report an error in the passage at 32:02 Highlight the passage at 32:02

32:12 Alright, so objects of meditation. So this is a presentation of... Objects of meditation in general. Not necessarily calm abiding meditation, but it could be calm abiding or special insight meditation. Report an error in the passage at 32:12 Highlight the passage at 32:12

32:28 And these are four types of objects. Pervasive objects, objects for purifying one's conduct, objects for developing skill, and objects for purifying the mental afflictions. So the first one, pervasive objects. Pervasive or in the Lamrim Chen Mo they... Or the great treatise, they translated this as universal objects. Basically, this is just saying anything that exists can be an object of observation for your meditation. Report an error in the passage at 32:28 Highlight the passage at 32:28

33:05 And then there's this discussion about the four types of pervasive objects. And I'll just go through these very quickly. In the commentaries, I didn't find a lot of information on this. Report an error in the passage at 33:05 Highlight the passage at 33:05

33:18 And Gishy Lodro in his book has kind Kind of a detailed commentary that seems to be a little bit different from what Lama Tsongkhapa is saying. So first of all, they're the analytical and non-analytical images. Report an error in the passage at 33:18 Highlight the passage at 33:18

33:39 So these are analytical images are basically the objects of special insight. They're whatever our object is, we're analyzing it. So it might be like the Four Noble Truths. Or the 12 links or emptiness. If we're doing analytical meditation on the object, it's considered an analytical image. Report an error in the passage at 33:39 Highlight the passage at 33:39

34:06 Whereas if we're doing stabilizing meditation on the object, it's considered a non-analytical image. Like a calm abiding meditation on the object is considered a non-analytical image. Report an error in the passage at 34:06 Highlight the passage at 34:06

34:23 So what determines whether it's an analytical or non-analytical image is the kind of meditation we're doing on it. Are we analyzing the object or are we placing our minds on the object without analyzing? Report an error in the passage at 34:23 Highlight the passage at 34:23

34:38 So for example, let's say if we're meditating on a Buddha image, that could be an analytical or a non-analytical image. If we're just placing our mind on the Form of the Buddha without analyzing it, it's a non-analytical image, right? But if I'm thinking, oh, you know, about the qualities of the Buddha and what all, you know, the meaning and how it's, you know, the Buddha is inseparable from our guru, all that kind of thing would be more analytical, right? Report an error in the passage at 34:38 Highlight the passage at 34:38

35:18 So what makes it analytical or non-analytical? Analytical, if I can say that, image is how we're meditating on it, right? By analysis or through placement. Report an error in the passage at 35:18 Highlight the passage at 35:18

35:39 I just had a question because the top, the heading here is types of objects of calm abiding. So now we're having an analytical image with an analysis as calm abiding meditation. How does that work? Yeah, so that's a good catch. I need to... Change this heading. Because when I first read this, I was really confused about this too because I thought these were objects of calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 35:39 Highlight the passage at 35:39

36:13 And then I went back to what Lama Tsongkhapa actually said, which is these are the four objects of yogis. He didn't say these are four objects of calm abiding. So I had to look at it really carefully. So when I first developed the slides, I thought they were objects of calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 36:13 Highlight the passage at 36:13

36:31 And I guess I didn't go back and change the heading. So, yeah, yeah, good catch. So, yeah, so there are other objects like the 12 links that you would think that's an analytical object, right? But that's also listed as a possible object of calm abiding. Right. So I've always been always I've been confused about that for for quite a while. And I've asked a couple of of Geshe's about it, including Geshe Dagpa. Report an error in the passage at 36:31 Highlight the passage at 36:31

37:07 And, you know, and the main thing is that you can meditate on the 12 links. I mean, it's mainly an analytical object. Right. But you can then stop and just focus on one aspect of it. Like, OK, ignorance is the. Root of all of our suffering, right? And then just stabilize on that. So in that way it can be an object of calm abiding. Like you analyze and then you focus on one part and then you stabilize on that. Report an error in the passage at 37:07 Highlight the passage at 37:07

37:39 But as you'll see later, it's very difficult to attain calm abiding on something like the 12 links. know. Report an error in the passage at 37:39 Highlight the passage at 37:39

37:58 are we? How are we? How are we? How are we getting it? I think it's very difficult. And Geshe Lodro says objects like the 12 links, they're listed as objects of calm abiding, but those are for people who have already attained calm abiding and are trying to strengthen their calm abiding. You know and they they go Because it's recommended once you have calm abiding, then you switch to different objects to strengthen your calm abiding. So objects like that are really objects for those who have already attained calm abiding and not for those who are newly attaining calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 37:58 Highlight the passage at 37:58

38:40 Anyway, so there is this presentation of analytical versus non-analytical objects. And then there's this third thing. Pervasive object called the Limits of Existence. Where does Lama Tsongkhapa say? He says it's their mode and the variety. So this is basically conventional truths and ultimate truths. We can meditate on conventional truths or ultimate truths. And then the accomplishment of purpose. Report an error in the passage at 38:40 Highlight the passage at 38:40

39:17 Is transformation through meditation by way of the previous two meditation methods that observe the meaning of the moan and the variety. So this means transforming your mind by means of meditating on emptiness and conventional truths. So for example, if we meditate on emptiness, that's how we get rid of our mental afflictions and transform our minds. Report an error in the passage at 39:17 Highlight the passage at 39:17

39:49 So this would be an object that we meditate on in order to, for example, let go of our mental afflictions or maybe let go of our anger. Report an error in the passage at 39:49 Highlight the passage at 39:49

40:06 So in general, then Lama Tsongkhapa doesn't get into these any further. But then he says in his great treatise that the image is not the actual... I'll talk about what specifically characterized means. Specifically characterized object upon which your mind is focused, but rather the appearance of that object's aspect to your mind. Report an error in the passage at 40:06 Highlight the passage at 40:06

40:33 So the image of your meditation, let's say, isn't the actual clock, but it's the image of the clock in your mind. The object of your meditation isn't the clock itself. It's the image of the clock in your mind, the appearance of the clock to your mind. Does that make sense? And so we'll get into this a little bit later. Report an error in the passage at 40:33 Highlight the passage at 40:33

41:03 But in general, when we're meditating on calm abiding, we're not meditating by looking at an image and trying to concentrate on it by looking at it. Our eyes are supposed to be mostly closed. And then we're meditating on the image of the object that's in our minds, which is using our mental consciousness as opposed to our eye consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 41:03 Highlight the passage at 41:03

41:34 So we're developing our mental consciousness, not our ability to see very clearly. That's how I meditate. I bet, yeah. That's actually quite strong. Yeah, I bet. One advantage. One advantage. Report an error in the passage at 41:34 Highlight the passage at 41:34

41:56 Yeah, Anna. So the word image and appearance, to me, I could say are almost one in the same. So I guess I'm a little confused. Report an error in the passage at 41:56 Highlight the passage at 41:56

42:15 Yeah, I mean, it's, how Report an error in the passage at 42:15 Highlight the passage at 42:15

42:21 do I address that? The appearance versus the image. Well, you can say the appearance of the image to your mind, right? The image, there's an image. saying. Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Report an error in the passage at 42:21 Highlight the passage at 42:21

42:34 a Buddha appears to your mental consciousness. So those are Report an error in the passage at 42:34 Highlight the passage at 42:34

42:56 the four types of pervasive objects. Lama Tsongkhapa goes into a lot more detail on the objects for purifying one's conduct or behavior. So these are used by persons in whom one of the afflictive emotions predominates and are named for their ability Temporarily to pacify afflictive emotions. So these are recommended for if we have one particularly strong mental affliction. Report an error in the passage at 42:56 Highlight the passage at 42:56

43:33 So here it said there are five meditation objects serving as antidotes to one's predominant conduct in previous lives. Attachment, hatred, ignorance, pride and discursive thought. So the antidote for attachment is to meditate on the repulsive. The antidote for hatred is to meditate on love. The antidote for ignorance is dependent arising. The antidote for pride is the divisions of the elements or constituents. And discursive thought is to meditate on the breath, the respiration. Report an error in the passage at 43:33 Highlight the passage at 43:33

44:06 So I put that in a little bit. So we'll talk about this. All right. So if we have... Really strong attachment or desire. It's recommended to meditate on, sometimes it's called the repulsive, sometimes it's called the ugliness or the unpleasant, to reduce our attachment. So, in general, like if we have a lot of attachment for samsar, let's say a lot of attachment to a particular person's body. Report an error in the passage at 44:06 Highlight the passage at 44:06

44:44 So it's recommended to meditate. I mean, there are a lot of different meditations. You can meditate on their body as a skeleton. Report an error in the passage at 44:44 Highlight the passage at 44:44

44:56 You can meditate on their body with maggots coming out, especially if you're attached to the tangibility, like the softness of the skin, to meditate on maggots coming out. Or, you know, you can meditate on like the organs of the body, right? So something like that, right? Because when we have a lot of desire attachment, we see the object as being very attractive, right? Report an error in the passage at 44:56 Highlight the passage at 44:56

45:26 And then we really long for that. So this is to reduce that, right? And to not see the object as being quite so attractive, right? So with anger or hatred, to meditate on love as the antidote. Report an error in the passage at 45:26 Highlight the passage at 45:26

45:43 Ignorance or confusion, to meditate on dependent arising. That's pretty self-explanatory. Pride, right? Pride, you know, pride tends to be, well, pride is the mental affliction that's said that really prevents us from learning and progressing on the path, right? Because we think we already know it all, right? So the recommendation is to meditate on the 18 constituents, you know, or really anything that you don't. Report an error in the passage at 45:43 Highlight the passage at 45:43

46:13 much about, right? It really reduces your pride, right? right? So at the time of Lama Tsongkhapa it was the 18 constituents or you know Vasubandhu talked about the 18 constituents in his Abhidharma Kosha and and those are basically the six The six consciousnesses, the six objects and the six sense powers. Report an error in the passage at 46:13 Highlight the passage at 46:13

46:49 And then, for example, you go through your body and you try to identify all of the 18 constituents within your own body and what the causes of each of those are. And then you figure out that you don't really know very much about your body at all. And then that's to subdue your pride. But I think there are a lot of things that we can meditate on to subdue our pride besides the 18 constituents. And then discursive thought is we have a lot of thinking. Report an error in the passage at 46:49 Highlight the passage at 46:49

47:25 We just can't stop our thinking. We sit down and we try to meditate and our mind just keeps going. That happens to all of us in the first few minutes. But even if we just can't stop our... are thinking even after 15 minutes, 20 minutes, you know, it's just, it's just ongoing. So we can look at these objects in two different ways. Report an error in the passage at 47:25 Highlight the passage at 47:25

47:56 I've seen two different presentations. So if we have a predominant affliction, we'll talk a bit more about one really dominant. Mental affliction that kind of dominates our personality. Then we can use one of these objects as the object for calm abiding. I can use that object to start with and carry it all the way through until you attain calm abiding. That's one way of using these objects. Report an error in the passage at 47:56 Highlight the passage at 47:56

48:24 And then another way is let's say we're using the image of a Buddha as our... Object of calm abiding. But then we notice that we have this constant distraction. Like we keep thinking about chocolate cake again and again. We let it go and then we think about chocolate cake again and we let it go and we think, you know, and the mind keeps obsessing and going back to that object. Then at that point, then it's useful to go, like stop your meditation on the Buddha image and then go and apply the antidote to Your attachment to chocolate cake, right? So we can meditate on, let's say, what happens to the chocolate cake once it's in your mouth and you digest it, right? Report an error in the passage at 48:24 Highlight the passage at 48:24

49:13 To reduce your attachment to it. And then once you've pacified that attachment, then you can go back to your object, right? The Buddha image. So there's two different ways of doing that. Report an error in the passage at 49:13 Highlight the passage at 49:13

49:31 Okay, make sense? Report an error in the passage at 49:31 Highlight the passage at 49:31

49:39 Thirdly, objects for developing skill. Report an error in the passage at 49:39 Highlight the passage at 49:39

49:44 The feature that by training in them one becomes skilled. And so these are five different kinds. We can meditate on the aggregates, the five aggregates, form, feeling, discrimination, compositional factors, consciousness, or the elements, the sense fields, the 12 links of dependent origination, as well as the established and the unestablished. Report an error in the passage at 49:44 Highlight the passage at 49:44

50:16 I just blanked out as to what those are. So for example, meditating on the five aggregates, like the five aggregates within our own mind and body and seeing that we don't exist as separately from our body and four aggregates of the mind, etc. So in general, these objects are more objects of calm abiding. I mean, special insight than calm abiding, right? Report an error in the passage at 50:16 Highlight the passage at 50:16

50:54 Because they really require more analysis. Report an error in the passage at 50:54 Highlight the passage at 50:54

50:59 I have to look up this established and not established. I just blanked out as to what that is. Report an error in the passage at 50:59 Highlight the passage at 50:59

51:08 Oh, this is, oh, that's because this translation is a little different. Sometimes it's translated as the sources and the... The non-sources. So this would be, what is the source of happiness? What is the source of suffering? What is a non-source of happiness? What is a non-source of suffering? So, for example, meditating on the fact that it's virtue that is the source of happiness and non-virtue that's the source of suffering. Report an error in the passage at 51:08 Highlight the passage at 51:08

51:43 And then finally, the objects for purifying afflictions. So how much do I want to talk about this? So there's two different ways we can... Purify mental afflictions or abandon mental afflictions. One way is by abandoning temporarily the mental affliction and the other way is abandoning it from the root. Report an error in the passage at 51:43 Highlight the passage at 51:43

52:19 So to abandon mental afflictions temporarily, you meditate on the peaceful and coarse states of the higher and lower levels. I don't really want to get into this in much detail, but according to Buddhism, there's the desire realm, there's the form realm, and there's the formless realm. There's desire realm, and then there are four concentrations of the form realm, and there are four absorptions of the formless realm. Report an error in the passage at 52:19 Highlight the passage at 52:19

52:52 And what you can do is you can meditate. You know in order to Abandon the mental afflictions of the desire realm. You try to develop a form realm concentration, like the first concentration of the form realm. And you do that by meditating on the good aspects of the form realm. Or the form realm, the first concentration is being peaceful and the desire realm is being coarse. Report an error in the passage at 52:52 Highlight the passage at 52:52

53:22 So it's like anything, like we want to attain something, we look at... The good qualities of one thing and the bad qualities of the one where we're at kind of thing. So that's what you do. You meditate on the... Report an error in the passage at 53:22 Highlight the passage at 53:22

53:41 How peaceful the first concentration is and how coarse the desire realm is. And then you go through these seven steps, these seven preparations, and then you get to the first concentration. Once you get to the first concentration, you no longer have desire realm afflictions. They don't have the kind of attachment that we have, anger, etc. Report an error in the passage at 53:41 Highlight the passage at 53:41

54:06 You don't have them. As long as you're in the first concentration, right? But then the first concentration, you know, is impermanent. So once you fall from the first concentration, guess what? Those mental afflictions come back, right? So that's, you know, pacifying the mental afflictions temporarily, but not from the root. Report an error in the passage at 54:06 Highlight the passage at 54:06

54:31 Whereas if we meditate on the 16 aspects of the Four Noble Truths and basically... realize emptiness that's how we eradicate our mental afflictions from the root because right the mental afflictions have as their basis right without ignorance no more mental afflictions Report an error in the passage at 54:31 Highlight the passage at 54:31

54:53 Does that kind of make sense? Report an error in the passage at 54:53 Highlight the passage at 54:53

55:00 Does that work better for certain lives? Report an error in the passage at 55:00 Highlight the passage at 55:00

55:15 You know, I mean, there's, and it's... It's interesting. I mean, in certain traditions, it's... Do you want me to restate the question in the microphone? For the recording. I mean, go ahead. Basically, I was just wondering if this, what you just described, works better for certain minds that need to do it in this staged way rather than just trying to go for the gusto and go and have the direct perception of emptiness and eliminate all of the obscurations all at once. Report an error in the passage at 55:15 Highlight the passage at 55:15

55:42 Yeah, well... Well, there are different levels of concentration are said to be optimal for a direct realization of emptiness. Or like sometimes they say, you know, I mean for certain realizations they say the first concentration of the form realm is the optimal. You know, some say the fourth concentration of the form realm is optimal. So, you know, not to say that you can't directly realize emptiness based on calm abiding, but... Report an error in the passage at 55:42 Highlight the passage at 55:42

56:10 But there are different concentrations that are said to be optimal for certain types of realizations. And then also in certain traditions, they kind of do, you know, they really emphasize getting these different levels of concentration. And people actually think that they're liberated from cyclic existence, you know, once they get to the top formless absorption, because there are no mental afflictions, you know, you're at peace, you can stay there for... Report an error in the passage at 56:10 Highlight the passage at 56:10

56:40 Thousands of years. And then it said that, you know, then when these people are about, these people, these beings are about to die, they see, oh no, oh no, I'm, you know, I'm going to suffer again. And then they think, okay, well, liberation isn't possible because they thought they attained liberation. Report an error in the passage at 56:40 Highlight the passage at 56:40

57:11 And when indeed it ended. So there are misconceptions, I guess, too, about people who practice these, thinking that this is the path to liberation. And maybe like at the time of the Buddha with the five ascetics, I think that that's what they were practicing, these higher and higher levels. But the Buddha saw, okay, well, that's not eradicating afflictions from the root. So do you get stuck in the bliss, essentially? Report an error in the passage at 57:11 Highlight the passage at 57:11

57:40 It's very easy to get stuck in the bliss, isn't it? Well, I mean, not that I have that experience, but I would think it would be. And they say that, I mean, you know, because the first three concentrations, there's a lot of, like, there's a lot of joy and bliss. And actually, they say the fourth concentration is free of joy and bliss, and that's why it's optimal for certain realizations, because then you don't get attached to the joy and bliss. Report an error in the passage at 57:40 Highlight the passage at 57:40

58:07 But that's all like words to me. I can't even imagine what those states of mind are like. Report an error in the passage at 58:07 Highlight the passage at 58:07

58:22 Is bodhicitta operating for the foreign realm or the foreignless realm or whatever realm we're talking about? I mean, do they have bodhicitta? Why? Because that would be... Hi Louis, thank you. Report an error in the passage at 58:22 Highlight the passage at 58:22

58:34 To me, what's the driver for keeping them in those concentrations? Well, I mean, you can, but you don't need them, right? I mean, there's two different ways of looking at the concentrations in terms of a level of attainment, like you have a desire realm body, but your mind is in the form realm or the formless realm because you have that level of concentration, right? Report an error in the passage at 58:34 Highlight the passage at 58:34

59:00 So that's considered very desirable as a basis for... Let's say meditating on emptiness or something. But then there's also being reborn in those realms. If you've attained that level, then once you die, you can be reborn in those realms. And so that's not optimal, right? To be reborn in those realms because you don't get Tantra teachings, all of that kind of thing. Report an error in the passage at 59:00 Highlight the passage at 59:00

59:27 but, but. Lama Tsongkhapa emphasized the importance of meditating on bodhicitta right before you get calm abiding. So I would think that's to help us not get stuck in the bliss. Report an error in the passage at 59:27 Highlight the passage at 59:27

59:47 But I think if we do a retreat like on calm abiding, we get glimpses of bliss and it's very easy to get intoxicated by that. right? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 59:47 Highlight the passage at 59:47

1:00:07 Peter, that's an obstacle. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:07 Highlight the passage at 1:00:07

1:00:17 Okay, so Lama Tsongkhapa emphasizes, right, the objects for purifying one's conduct are special in that the attachment and the like of those who act with attachment and the like more than usual is easily stopped and meditative stabilization is easily achieved in dependence on that. Right, so if we have a particularly strong attachment, it's like, I was going to say like killing two birds with one stone, but that's really not a nice expression. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:17 Highlight the passage at 1:00:17

1:00:59 But, you know, you're accomplishing two things at once, right? You're accomplishing calm abiding and you're pacifying your strong mental affliction at the same time, right? So that can be really good. Report an error in the passage at 1:00:59 Highlight the passage at 1:00:59

1:01:17 Whereas the objects for developing skill are good because they negate a self of persons apart from those phenomena, are therefore concordant with the arising of special insight which realizes selflessness. So by meditating on the five aggregates and how there's no person separate from the five aggregates, then we develop a certain skill with regard to the selflessness of persons. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:17 Highlight the passage at 1:01:17

1:01:43 person's meditation. Meditation, objects for purifying mental afflictions, which is the last one, right? Coarseness and peace, as well as Four Noble Truths, are of great significance in that they become antidotes to mental afflictions, so those are good in general. And then there are no pervasive objects apart from those other three, he's saying. Report an error in the passage at 1:01:43 Highlight the passage at 1:01:43

1:02:10 So each of these four types of objects has a particular purpose, basically. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:10 Highlight the passage at 1:02:10

1:02:23 So therefore, this meditative stabilization should be accomplished in dependence on the meditative objects, meditation objects of calm abiding with their specific purposes. And those who practice meditative stabilization in dependence on pebbles, pieces of wood and the like, he says, clearly do not know the presentation of objects of meditative stabilization. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:23 Highlight the passage at 1:02:23

1:02:44 So, right, so we can, right, use, right, a rock as our object of calm abiding. You can attain calm abiding, but... You know, it's not very useful, right? Yeah. Okay. Are you ready for a break or? Yeah, definitely. Okay. All right. Okay. So there are wonderful cookies that Betty baked as well as these lovely raspberry bars that Leslie baked back and back down there. Report an error in the passage at 1:02:44 Highlight the passage at 1:02:44

1:03:19 So we have lots of sweet treats. That we can enjoy without attachment. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:19 Highlight the passage at 1:03:19

1:03:37 Yeah, there are a lot of wires in my class, I'm sorry. Yes. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:37 Highlight the passage at 1:03:37

1:03:43 a very quiet Shantideva class. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:43 Highlight the passage at 1:03:43

1:03:51 sometimes, sometimes, yeah. Sometimes, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:03:51 Highlight the passage at 1:03:51

1:04:01 I figured that you were doing retreat. I thought you were doing retreat. Well, I learned I can't do it in my apartment anymore. And let's put it this way right now. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:01 Highlight the passage at 1:04:01

1:04:21 Oh well. Yeah, yeah. Well, yeah, we can't do a call on Biden. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:21 Highlight the passage at 1:04:21

1:04:30 Yeah, thank you. Baby practice. Stay tuned to places where you want to meditate quietly, right? Like going to the Dharma guys. I know, right? And then I'm going to take a base. Oh, what do you call that? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:30 Highlight the passage at 1:04:30

1:04:53 I just have this. Oh, my God. I just need a dough to chocolate. Yeah. I have to go to work tomorrow, so I need to get some rest. Oh, my gosh. But I did my This is my homework. homework! You can give it to me if you want. Maybe I better look it over again. I like to grade them or anything. I don't do grade them or anything. I know. Well, actually, I'll turn it in next week, but this one, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:04:53 Highlight the passage at 1:04:53

1:05:24 And that way you can give me insight into my answers. Special insight. You need a lot of special insight into my answers. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:24 Highlight the passage at 1:05:24

1:05:42 I know, so that, so it wasn't, I mean, you've got to see him. Right. But, yeah, I mean, it was a very different retreat than I normally do because I couldn't just do the script. It was the first time I've done that. It was actually very interesting. It was interesting, you know, once I got over that. Report an error in the passage at 1:05:42 Highlight the passage at 1:05:42

1:06:11 It was very useful because there's a lot of juicy things to bring into my meditation because I was trying to do a lot of meditation. I'd get annoyed and then I'd get to meditate. Man, Report an error in the passage at 1:06:11 Highlight the passage at 1:06:11

1:06:30 oh man, I went to my karma group who was in maybe 24 hours. that's what I was doing. You know, all of that. So, man, Report an error in the passage at 1:06:30 Highlight the passage at 1:06:30

1:06:36 which I so find myself to do in my life. What? The appearance of this is what it means. Yeah. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:06:36 Highlight the passage at 1:06:36

1:07:06 Empty song like that. I saw gossip, senseless speech, you know, chatty. Yeah, he doesn't. Right. But harshly. I read harsh words of his sermon long time. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:06 Highlight the passage at 1:07:06

1:07:37 And look, immediately, here it is, like, wah, wah, wah. This is so cool! Dakinis, bring it! Thanks. Yeah. Jesus Christ. You know, so. I'm like, oh, wow, cool, and yikes, I don't like this. And so when I found out I was not the only one instructor, meaning the downstairs neighbors, parents, their bedroom, their home and family free to the living room, they couldn't find comfort except on the floor. Report an error in the passage at 1:07:37 Highlight the passage at 1:07:37

1:08:13 I had a job, my bedroom, when I practiced that, to go in. to sleep in my living room as far as a way to sleep. Because when it's not, it's not sad. It's a vibration. It's weird. That's a moment. I was like... Now, I wasn't scared for a moment. I wasn't worried enough. But even so, I'm feeling quick now. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:13 Highlight the passage at 1:08:13

1:08:38 This is my first day of my life. So, but anyway. You know what I'm talking about. You're sensitized. Yeah, and it makes you nervous, doesn't it? That's awesome. Oh, anyway, because that was my job. That was my job. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:38 Highlight the passage at 1:08:38

1:08:58 And then I thought, no. Yeah, I love it. Yeah, that's right. Report an error in the passage at 1:08:58 Highlight the passage at 1:08:58

1:09:06 to the New York Times. This is the New York Times. She's been brought to the New York Times. She's been in an obsession with her. She doesn't see anything else in her house as well. Speaking of which, forget all this. Did you know that people can leave these and so far, it was like her. Did I shoot So she's going to move. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:06 Highlight the passage at 1:09:06

1:09:26 When I'm thinking about sound, she's happy acting in a crowd like that. And I know that she gets really jangled when she's first out. She likes to talk a lot, but she's the same thing, so she's tough. Yeah, I know. Wait, never mind. We'll find out. The worst thing that Kevin happened is she doesn't know that she's gone. Report an error in the passage at 1:09:26 Highlight the passage at 1:09:26

1:10:08 So is that guaranteed for the rest of her life? No, actually he did it one day later. wanted it darker because she is too light so that she didn't make sense. She makes sense. She's happy to have this in the same way. Right. So you're able to pay electricity. Keep this in mind for your older age. I have to find the immortalization. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:08 Highlight the passage at 1:10:08

1:10:32 Yeah, well. The thing is, you're in the age where you would... Thank you. Thank you. Anybody can go in there, like families. You don't want that for instance. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:32 Highlight the passage at 1:10:32

1:10:55 She's already, she's already, and I'm, she copied me on an email that she sent it. I think this answer is yours. Report an error in the passage at 1:10:55 Highlight the passage at 1:10:55

1:11:16 She got some really good attention. She's clear, she's concise, and then she jokes. And she's on, I'm sure I didn't know all that, but hey, this is it. Yes, you can get your bed next to a passage, I mean, to a window. Oh, that was so hard. So, anyway. And she's going to be right next door. Well, apparently. And then who brought me this? Report an error in the passage at 1:11:16 Highlight the passage at 1:11:16

1:11:45 And she said, yes, I have two. Yeah. So, she's got. So, anyway, yeah, here's this. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:45 Highlight the passage at 1:11:45

1:11:53 She knows they're going to be noisy, so I got it. The thing is, I've been an instructor, and I've said to you, mom, this is the first step. You have a choice, what you want, you have a choice, what you want, you have a choice after you want hair. Report an error in the passage at 1:11:53 Highlight the passage at 1:11:53

1:12:12 She's just going to use it. Yeah. Yeah. Six times? A tangible plan? Report an error in the passage at 1:12:12 Highlight the passage at 1:12:12

1:12:22 And you know who lives upstairs. Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:22 Highlight the passage at 1:12:22

1:12:44 That'd be great. Of course, right now I've got the songs. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:44 Highlight the passage at 1:12:44

1:12:53 You know what, as soon as you stop looking, that's always that. Just give up. You give up and then you're like, you lick a little bit. I'm just going to have to get it. Report an error in the passage at 1:12:53 Highlight the passage at 1:12:53

1:13:14 Please show up to me. And then I was like, as soon as I thought that... Oh, isn't that awesome? Report an error in the passage at 1:13:14 Highlight the passage at 1:13:14

1:13:42 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:42 Highlight the passage at 1:13:42

1:13:49 Thank you. Report an error in the passage at 1:13:49 Highlight the passage at 1:13:49

1:14:17 Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so I'm kind of like that too. Yes, I have that too. All this stuff's going through my mind, so I'm kind of like saying, oh my god, I've got so much stuff. It's so hard. hard, it's hard, it's hard, it's hard, it must be possible. That's true, I mean, you can't, you know, yeah. Report an error in the passage at 1:14:17 Highlight the passage at 1:14:17

1:15:19 So, at the same time like that, ask your questions. It doesn't matter, Thank you. It's good. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:19 Highlight the passage at 1:15:19

1:15:30 It's answering a lot of questions. Oh, is it? Yeah. Yeah, I mean, this topic, it's just so cool. Lama Tsongkhapa just goes into so much detail, you know, all of this stuff. I know. You just don't get elsewhere. I've gotten it from many other classes, so this is wonderful. It's actually helping. Yeah, I mean, you don't get this information, except in cloud-abiding class, right? You don't. It's not in the general. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:30 Highlight the passage at 1:15:30

1:15:56 When have you ever had a class, well you had a class like this, I haven't had a class like this. I've never taught a class like this. Report an error in the passage at 1:15:56 Highlight the passage at 1:15:56

1:16:06 What a good group, look what a big group we have. It's a great group. And it's tons of people. I'm loving it. And they're all socializing. Come on little budists, come on little seekers. Oh my god. Yeah, but... Report an error in the passage at 1:16:06 Highlight the passage at 1:16:06

1:16:24 Dedicated students and bikers in the same class. How lucky are we. Practicing the... I'm being summoned to support the desire realm. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:24 Highlight the passage at 1:16:24

1:16:35 No, to eliminate desire realm. I hear a pretty sound. I must follow it. Damn it. This is what happened the last time I was reading my writings. Hey, seekers, class is starting. it. That's it. Seekers. Seekers. Whatever you call yourself. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:35 Highlight the passage at 1:16:35

1:16:57 Our numbers have dwindled. Report an error in the passage at 1:16:57 Highlight the passage at 1:16:57

1:17:22 Yo, spiritual sikas. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:22 Highlight the passage at 1:17:22

1:17:33 All right. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:33 Highlight the passage at 1:17:33

1:17:39 Okay, how are we doing so far? The raspberry bar has made us all the time. And a great cookie. We're a little unconscious. This is not that important, but what are the names of the four form, four concentrations and four absorptions? Well, it's pretty easy. First concentration, second concentration, third concentration. Well, yeah, fourth concentration. Report an error in the passage at 1:17:39 Highlight the passage at 1:17:39

1:18:11 But then the four formless realms are, gosh, I haven't looked at them for so long, but I think it's infinite space, infinite space, Report an error in the passage at 1:18:11 Highlight the passage at 1:18:11

1:18:21 Infinite space, infinite consciousness. Peak of cyclic existence is the fourth. Nothingness. Oh, infinite. Yeah, I think it's infinite space, infinite consciousness, then nothingness, then peak of cyclic existence. But gosh, you're really testing my memory. It's been so long since I've looked at those names. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:21 Highlight the passage at 1:18:21

1:18:41 Yeah. So if you want to learn more about the concentrations and formless absorptions, There's a book called Meditative States by Lati Rinpoche that talks about those. And actually, Charles was just showing me a book before class that's called, what's it called again? The Stages of... I'll bring it up, but it's like meditation. Report an error in the passage at 1:18:41 Highlight the passage at 1:18:41

1:19:08 Yeah, or stages of meditation. Anyway, yeah, and it's by Lee Zoller, who was one of the authors of Meditative States as well. So that seems to be a specialty area for her. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:08 Highlight the passage at 1:19:08

1:19:29 So here in this sūtra, it's taught that persons ranging from those in whom attachment predominates to those in whom discursive thought predominates should rely on the individual objects specified. Ranging from the repulsive to one's respiration respectively. So here this sūtra is saying if we have a predominant affliction, like a really dominating affliction, then it's really highly recommended to meditate on one of those five objects that we talked about rather than something else. Report an error in the passage at 1:19:29 Highlight the passage at 1:19:29

1:20:08 So we'll talk about what predominant means. I mean we all have all five of them, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:20:08 Highlight the passage at 1:20:08

1:20:21 Well, we do, yeah. Whereas those whose conduct is balanced and those whose mental afflictions are small can concentrate on any object we're happy with. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:21 Highlight the passage at 1:20:21

1:20:35 So being dominated by an affliction or a predominance by desire, for example, means that in a previous life you were fully involved in that affliction. Right. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:35 Highlight the passage at 1:20:35

1:20:49 Became accustomed to it and expressed it frequently so that now, even if there's a minor object of desire, or another one of the five, that that affliction arises in a strong, long-lasting form. So even a small, let's say if it's desire or attachment, it's just a small object, it's a strong desire and it lasts for a long time. Report an error in the passage at 1:20:49 Highlight the passage at 1:20:49

1:21:19 So that's pretty, right, that's not just our run-of-the-mill attachment. Whereas balanced behavior means that you were not fully involved in desire in the others in your previous lives. You did not become accustomed to them and you did not express them frequently. But still, you have not recognized that they are false and you have not suppressed them or abandoned them. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:19 Highlight the passage at 1:21:19

1:21:48 So while desire and such are not predominant or of great duration, it's not as though they do not occur. Report an error in the passage at 1:21:48 Highlight the passage at 1:21:48

1:22:02 Whereas having small or slight afflictions means that you were not fully involved and so on in desire or the other ones in your previous lives. You do see their disadvantages. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:02 Highlight the passage at 1:22:02

1:22:19 Therefore, with respect to the objects of desire and such that are major, many or intense, your desire and such arise slowly, while for moderate or minor objects they don't arise at all. So that's small afflictions. So do we kind of know where we fall? Report an error in the passage at 1:22:19 Highlight the passage at 1:22:19

1:22:52 So Tsongkhapa is saying, you know, if one of your afflictions is predominant, then you take a long time to realize stability. With balanced behavior, you do not take an excessively long time. Just a couple of weeks. Whatever that means. And with minor afflictions, you do so very quickly. So that makes sense. Report an error in the passage at 1:22:52 Highlight the passage at 1:22:52

1:23:15 If we have minor afflictions, it'll be much quicker to get calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 1:23:15 Highlight the passage at 1:23:15

1:23:23 Alright, so I went through that section fairly fast. Are people having any questions on that? Report an error in the passage at 1:23:23 Highlight the passage at 1:23:23

1:23:46 If you have a pervasive affliction and you work very hard on it and you actually make progress with that affliction, is it possible then that something that you maybe didn't think was a pervasive affliction would start arising as you cope with the one you just dealt with? Report an error in the passage at 1:23:46 Highlight the passage at 1:23:46

1:24:04 Oh dear. It's Report an error in the passage at 1:24:04 Highlight the passage at 1:24:04

1:24:10 possible. I mean, usually when we have one, like we all have one, usually one affliction that's our strongest affliction, right? And so when we work on that and that reduces, then we see, oh, I have this other affliction too that we never really noticed before because that wasn't the big, like in your face mental affliction. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:10 Highlight the passage at 1:24:10

1:24:11 If we're... Report an error in the passage at 1:24:11 Highlight the passage at 1:24:11

1:24:37 So that happens. But if you have a predominant affliction in the way that Tsongkhapa was saying, maybe it would be something that you would have noticed before. If you have a lot of desire, a lot of this mental affliction that lasts a really long time, even with a small object, it's probably not. Report an error in the passage at 1:24:37 Highlight the passage at 1:24:37

1:25:04 Something that would have been hidden. So for most of us, probably we're like more balanced behavior. I don't know. I mean, some of us may have like really, really strong mental afflictions, but I don't think that that's the average that he's talking about. But I'm just speculating, though. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:04 Highlight the passage at 1:25:04

1:25:34 Yeah, go ahead. You have a question? No? Oh, you just had that quizzical look. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:34 Highlight the passage at 1:25:34

1:25:44 Yours and mine, baby. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:44 Highlight the passage at 1:25:44

1:25:49 Okay. So Lama Tsongkhapa is just saying, okay, well, so which, on independence, on which object is combating accomplished in general? It's as he explained. But then he, he said, and Jessica, I was going to address a question you asked last week. I was looking for my dissertation. No, that's okay. Report an error in the passage at 1:25:49 Highlight the passage at 1:25:49

1:26:13 So he's making the point that those with predominant discursive thoughts should meditate on the breath is important. So we had a discussion last week about, well, what if we have a problem with the breath? Is it important to meditate on the breath? And I kind of said, well, if you really have a problem with the breath, maybe that's not your object. But then I was thinking more about it and reading more about it. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:13 Highlight the passage at 1:26:13

1:26:39 And it seems to be really emphasized if you have a lot of conceptualization. Meditating on the breath is important. So there are different meditations on the breath, and we did one last week of counting. And maybe that counting the breath brings up more tension. So there are other meditations where we can meditate on the breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:26:39 Highlight the passage at 1:26:39

1:27:06 Actually, we can do one now. We meditate on the breath more to relax the body and the mind. So we can try the different meditations. Just because we have a hard time with one of them doesn't mean that it's the wrong object. Tsongkhapa seems to be saying that. Don't just say, well, it's not the breath because I have a hard time with that one. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:06 Highlight the passage at 1:27:06

1:27:33 And Alan Wallace really emphasizes how meditating on the breath is very useful. So maybe, do you want to spend a few minutes and meditate? Sure. Well, we still have the sugar high before we crash from the sugar high. Report an error in the passage at 1:27:33 Highlight the passage at 1:27:33

1:27:57 So Report an error in the passage at 1:27:57 Highlight the passage at 1:27:57

1:28:08 we'll do just ten minutes. So sitting. Alright, with our spine straight, with the seven points. So Report an error in the passage at 1:28:08 Highlight the passage at 1:28:08

1:28:41 in this meditation we'll start by taking three slow, gentle, deep breaths. Report an error in the passage at 1:28:41 Highlight the passage at 1:28:41

1:28:52 Breathing through our nostrils and Report an error in the passage at 1:28:52 Highlight the passage at 1:28:52

1:29:00 letting our awareness permeate our entire body. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:00 Highlight the passage at 1:29:00

1:29:14 Luxuriating in these breaths as Report an error in the passage at 1:29:14 Highlight the passage at 1:29:14

1:29:21 if the breath is massaging our bodies. And Report an error in the passage at 1:29:21 Highlight the passage at 1:29:21

1:29:55 just letting our body really relax. Report an error in the passage at 1:29:55 Highlight the passage at 1:29:55

1:30:05 Letting go of any tension with the exhalation. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:05 Highlight the passage at 1:30:05

1:30:31 Also trying not to fall into sleepiness or dull mind. So keeping an alert mind and yet just really relaxing with our breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:30:31 Highlight the passage at 1:30:31

1:31:03 So letting our breath fall into its natural rhythm and Report an error in the passage at 1:31:03 Highlight the passage at 1:31:03

1:31:29 then just noticing the sensations of the respiration wherever they arise in our bodies. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:29 Highlight the passage at 1:31:29

1:31:43 Just noticing when we're inhaling, noticing if it's a long inhalation or a short inhalation, and same with the exhalation, without trying to impose a particular rhythm on the breath. Just noticing. Report an error in the passage at 1:31:43 Highlight the passage at 1:31:43

· · · silence, 8 minutes

1:39:40 Answer questions on that? Report an error in the passage at 1:39:40 Highlight the passage at 1:39:40

1:39:48 That should have been more relaxing than the counting one. Since Report an error in the passage at 1:39:48 Highlight the passage at 1:39:48

1:39:58 it was like originally directed at me anyway. No, it is. I think that was easier for me. You know, I've been working on meditation with the breath for like, you know, years now since I first started going to centers and stuff. So I have been working on it for a long time. And I think what I'm realizing is I'm like entering a difference. Like what I need now is different than what I used to need. Report an error in the passage at 1:39:58 Highlight the passage at 1:39:58

1:40:24 So I learned it the way that you mentioned earlier today, which is counting in and then out, which is. Kind of what I've always done and I think that it's getting in my way now for some reason because I think that what I noticed is that I'm better off if I just count what you did last week which is because I was experimenting this week with it a little bit like you know either counting the in-breath as one and then letting the rest and then counting the next in-breath as two not counting each one or just not counting and I think I used to really need those. Report an error in the passage at 1:40:24 Highlight the passage at 1:40:24

1:41:01 Like I feel like I used to use the counting really to kind of get rid of other stuff and maybe now I'm focusing too much on it because I think what was happening is like I was like one, two, okay. You know, like I was too focused on the number or something. And I don't know, I'm trying to play with it, I guess. That's good. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:01 Highlight the passage at 1:41:01

1:41:25 I don't know what. What to do exactly, but I'm just kind of experimenting with different things to see what works. But this was useful. Yeah, yeah. I mean, excellent. I like this one today. Yeah, I mean, I think that's a very good point. We do find that certain meditations are useful for a while for us, and then it's, you know, it's not the right object for us. Report an error in the passage at 1:41:25 Highlight the passage at 1:41:25

1:41:47 And oftentimes counting is recommended at the beginning, right, to help us be able to focus our minds for... For 21 breaths. But it's not that, you know, once you're, you know, at the eighth mental abiding, close to calm abiding, you're like, one, two, right? So, Report an error in the passage at 1:41:47 Highlight the passage at 1:41:47

1:42:14 yeah. So, yeah. Yeah. So oftentimes it's at the beginning until you, you know, develop some ability to stay on the object. And then at that point, oftentimes it's, you know, advised to let go of the counting. Like last week we counted to 21, you know, until your mind is kind of settled and then let it go. Sometimes they say to count to 10, you know, I mean, it's, there are different instructions and it really, as you were saying, it's good to just play with it and see what works for you. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:14 Highlight the passage at 1:42:14

1:42:47 In the Calm Abiding Special Insight book, I think it's in this week's reading, he talks about different techniques and progressions in breathing like one and counting to sort of like eliminate discursive thoughts and whatnot, but then also then at some point then just kind of riding with the experience of each breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:42:47 Highlight the passage at 1:42:47

1:43:13 Like the counting helps to sort of wipe out the grosser level of conceptualizations and dialogue that takes place and your dominant side jumping all around in your brain. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:13 Highlight the passage at 1:43:13

1:43:25 And then that experience of sort of like as they're going in and out. Because I think eventually that just sort of gets a space that as you're breathing in and out, it's more sort of an expansive space or experience as opposed to... Because the idea is eliminating the dialogues, and so eventually, like you're saying, the counting, you've eliminated those dialogues, but then the counting becomes its own dialogue. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:25 Highlight the passage at 1:43:25

1:43:49 Yeah, I find that I want the numbers to have the same duration, but then my breath, then I really am controlling my duration of each inhalation and exhalant. So it kind of like starts to tweak me. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And focusing on the sensations of the breath is a preliminary practice. Actually, for calm and biting, you're not focusing on the sensation of your breath because you're ceasing your body consciousness. Report an error in the passage at 1:43:49 Highlight the passage at 1:43:49

1:44:18 So there are different meditations that you do at different levels. Like the lamas say, just experiment with them and see what works as you're doing. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:18 Highlight the passage at 1:44:18

1:44:34 And I find it interesting, I mean Alan Wallace's book I find is very interesting because he's studied in this tradition, he's studied in other traditions and he's done quite a number of shamatha retreats. So in his conclusion, and as it's good for Westerners, he recommends to do meditation on the breath because it's really helpful for relaxing when we're not. Report an error in the passage at 1:44:34 Highlight the passage at 1:44:34

1:45:03 So good at that in general. And then at a certain point he recommends to change the object. I find it kind of interesting. Because what we'll go into next is, anyway, Report an error in the passage at 1:45:03 Highlight the passage at 1:45:03

1:45:24 there's a few more slides, but then using the Buddha as your object. The image of a Buddha is another option. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:24 Highlight the passage at 1:45:24

1:45:36 So these objects, Lama Tsongkhapa is saying you can use these objects of meditation, these four that we just talked about, The pervasive, etc. Both for analytical meditation with special insight and for stabilizing meditation with calm abiding. So they're not exclusively objects of meditation for calm abiding. But still, since some service objects of meditation for newly achieving calm abiding and others are used for special purposes after attaining calm abiding, then I'll explain them here in the section on the objects of meditation of calm abiding. Report an error in the passage at 1:45:36 Highlight the passage at 1:45:36

1:46:11 Okay, so those objects aren't necessarily all for calm abiding. And Gishi Lodro says, for the most part, any of those objects explained above can be an object of observation for those newly achieving calm abiding. However, there are hardly any people who newly achieve calm abiding by taking emptiness, the 12 link to dependent arising, love. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:11 Highlight the passage at 1:46:11

1:46:38 The twelve sense spheres, the eighteen constituents, or analysis of all the five aggregates as an object of observation, right? All of these analytical objects. These are mostly used as objects of observation by persons who have already attained calm abiding in order to make further progress. This was very helpful for me to read this. Report an error in the passage at 1:46:38 Highlight the passage at 1:46:38

1:47:03 Okay. Then he continues meditation. On the unpleasant or on the body of a Buddha and so forth are suitable to be used by those newly achieving calm abiding. So like meditating on everything as a skeleton, us, ourselves and others, you know, we can stabilize on that, right? Report an error in the passage at 1:47:03 Highlight the passage at 1:47:03

1:47:25 So in general, Geshe Loden says there are countless objects of meditation that can be used to attain calm abiding, but because every practitioner is different, there is no right or wrong. Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:25 Highlight the passage at 1:47:25

1:47:36 Object of concentration. He says you should choose an object that suits your personality and inclination and that you enjoy meditating on because that will help you to retain your enthusiasm and energy for the practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:36 Highlight the passage at 1:47:36

1:47:51 So that you enjoy meditating on, right, with the caveat that it should pacify your mind, right? Not increase your desire. I'm not answering a Jolie or something. Right. Right, or ice cream or something like that, right? So something that you find attractive but not like an object of attachment. I think we've talked about that. Then he says, you know, a number of categories of meditation objects are given, but developing Kamal Biding by meditating on the image of a Buddha is said to have special advantages. Report an error in the passage at 1:47:51 Highlight the passage at 1:47:51

1:48:28 So Lama Tsongkhapa says, you know, these various sources. Talk about accomplishing meditative stabilization with the Buddha or the Tathāgata's body as the object. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:28 Highlight the passage at 1:48:28

1:48:44 And the benefits of doing that is that limitless merit arises through recollection of the Buddha. So if we're meditating on the image of a Buddha, we're getting merit while we're doing that, as opposed to if we're meditating on a rock. Report an error in the passage at 1:48:44 Highlight the passage at 1:48:44

1:49:03 For example. Don't even use the word rock. I mean, this sounds interesting what you're saying. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I mean, you know, or skeletons. I mean, meditating on skeletons, let's say. I mean, that's, or the breath. The breath. I mean, they have certain advantages, right? But you don't, like, you're not getting merit by meditating on the breath. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:03 Highlight the passage at 1:49:03

1:49:28 You're getting merit by meditating on the image of a Buddha. And if the body is clear and stable. In its aspect, the image in our mind, it makes a great difference with regard to visualizing the field for accumulating merit through prostrations, offerings, prayers and so forth. So it makes it much easier to visualize the Buddha as we do like seven limb prayer, mandala offerings, things like that. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:28 Highlight the passage at 1:49:28

1:49:57 As well as recollecting the Buddha like at the time of death it makes it much easier. As well as the field for purifying obscurations through confession, restraint and so forth. Report an error in the passage at 1:49:57 Highlight the passage at 1:49:57

1:50:13 Also the positive quality that one's recollection of the Buddha does not deteriorate at the time of death. And the great difference it makes to deity yoga when you cultivate the path of mantra and so forth. It says it's very purposeful. So this is very helpful for our practice of tantra, especially the generation stage. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:13 Highlight the passage at 1:50:13

1:50:32 right a lot of Advantages to using the body of a Buddha as our object of meditation. Carla. Carla and then Peter. My recollection after reading the book by Alan Wallace is that, or from a talk of his, I'm sorry, is that you cannot go through all of the nine stages meditating on the Buddha because it can arise attachment. Report an error in the passage at 1:50:32 Highlight the passage at 1:50:32

1:51:03 so I'd like to, do you recollect anything as such? No, I mean, Alan Wallace does mention that a lot of meditators find that meditating on, well, meditating on an image that we're creating in our minds is more difficult for most of us than just the breath, for example. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:03 Highlight the passage at 1:51:03

1:51:29 Because it's more of a strain, right, to try to create an image and maintain it and get the details and all of that. But I don't recall seeing anything about you can't go through all the nine stages. Actually, it's recommended, actually, to meditate on the Buddha's body. But, you know, maybe I missed that. I haven't... Yeah, I think I'll go back and look if I find anything. Yeah, if you do, you know, let me know. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:29 Highlight the passage at 1:51:29

1:51:59 But, yeah, Lama Tsongkhapa doesn't say anything about that. He's... He and actually a lot of lamas like Geshe Tekchok recommends using the body of a Buddha and Geshe Loden, you know, a lot of them. None of them say you can't go through the nine stages. It actually doesn't make sense to me that you wouldn't be able to go through the nine stages with it, but I could be missing something. Report an error in the passage at 1:51:59 Highlight the passage at 1:51:59

1:52:29 Would there be any Buddha image that would be inappropriate for this? Like, say, a wrathful deity or something along those lines? Or would any Buddha image be appropriate? I mean, I think it can be any Buddha image. You know, it could be Shakyamuni Buddha or it could be your main deity. I mean, it's very useful for it to be your main deity, right, if you're practicing Tantra. Report an error in the passage at 1:52:29 Highlight the passage at 1:52:29

1:52:54 And, actually, I think, right, so... So Geshe Loden says you can visualize the deity in front at the crown of your head or visualize yourself as the deity, right? So visualizing yourself as the deity would be like your generation stage practice in Tantra. But you can visualize the deity, like one, I think Geshe Tekchok says a meter in front of you, but then... Report an error in the passage at 1:52:54 Highlight the passage at 1:52:54

1:53:27 Other commentaries I've read said, you know, it can be closer or further, you know, depending on what works for you. Right. In like three feet. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:27 Highlight the passage at 1:53:27

1:53:39 Around three feet. We're in the United States. We don't use the metric system. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:39 Highlight the passage at 1:53:39

1:53:50 Sorry. So, you know, so we can. What's wrong with your arm? Report an error in the passage at 1:53:50 Highlight the passage at 1:53:50

1:53:56 We can play with, you know, how big the object is. You know, in general, they say the smaller, the better. But, you know, but if we have to visualize it big, you know, that's fine, right? So it can be in front of you. It can be in front of you, like at the level of your eyes or at the level of your navel. And it's interesting, Gin Lama Rinpoche says, and I really noticed this, it really makes a difference if you visualize it higher or lower. Report an error in the passage at 1:53:56 Highlight the passage at 1:53:56

1:54:24 Higher. Is more prone to excitement, right? And he says tension too. But also I think it's, you're more prone to lung, higher, like lower, you know, is more grounded, right? So we can play with the height as well. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:24 Highlight the passage at 1:54:24

1:54:49 David. The crown of your head, I think that would, that would. It would be more likely to give you a headache, I think. You know, but I don't know. It's actually cool. You do? Okay. I read a description and it was, imagine the Buddha. Report an error in the passage at 1:54:49 Highlight the passage at 1:54:49

1:55:08 Visualize the Buddha, small, made of light and heavy. Yeah. And you can feel some vibes. I can't anyway. I think a lot of people can't. The little aperture of Brahma, twittering. I'm not twittering. Good Lord, I did not mean that. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:08 Highlight the passage at 1:55:08

1:55:34 Okay. Yeah, so different things work for different people. For me, definitely lower helps me rather than higher, but everybody is different. If you think also as you're sitting, if you're drawing your attention down the plane of the bridge of your nose about a mile's length away, And kind of visualize something there. That's naturally where you can sort of draw your attention. And it would be helpful too because there's some commentaries that'll say you can sort of look at an object and hood your eyes and then look at it to kind of help retain the image. Report an error in the passage at 1:55:34 Highlight the passage at 1:55:34

1:56:14 And so if you have something in that plane, then you're going to draw your attention to that space also naturally. So, you know, I don't know if you sit, you know, you've noticed that as your eyes will kind of move around, you know, you can start with like that, but they'll, you know, if you have activity going on in different parts of your brain, you can like start looking up at that or something, they move all around. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:14 Highlight the passage at 1:56:14

1:56:38 So kind of keeping your attention down there can help physically just like keeping your posture because your eyes, you know, are in part of keeping your posture, just like keeping your brain as part of that posture. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:38 Highlight the passage at 1:56:38

1:56:55 Hmm. Okay. Yeah, and even though we're not using our eyes, it's very interesting how it, I don't know, we're so eye-driven. I'm sorry, Peter. But, you know, many of us are very eye-driven. Like, His Holiness the Dalai Lama says, like, some people find it much easier to visualize, like, if they wear glasses, if they have their glasses on than off. Report an error in the passage at 1:56:55 Highlight the passage at 1:56:55

1:57:22 Even though you're just visualizing, right, you're not using your eyes, but, you know, and I'm not sure why, you know, that all works, but there's some sort of association maybe, you know, even though you're not using your eyes. So maybe, you know, what you're saying, David, as well. But I haven't heard anything. Yeah, Carol. Actually, I think you just answered my question because I was... Report an error in the passage at 1:57:22 Highlight the passage at 1:57:22

1:57:45 Thinking in terms of what David was saying and looking down sort of as part of that posture. But what's really happening is it's the mental image in the head. But I was also thinking at times it's hard to project a height on that away from where the eyes are pointing as well. So it's part of the practice. Report an error in the passage at 1:57:45 Highlight the passage at 1:57:45

1:58:06 Yeah, I mean, if we think about it, like trying to imagine an image up here, if we close our eyes and try to imagine an image up here at the eye level versus at the navel level, is there more of a strain at the eye level versus the navel level? Yeah, or... I have a hard time... No, I was just going to say, I have an easier time with my eyes closed, adjusting the location of the image. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:06 Highlight the passage at 1:58:06

1:58:31 But when my eyes are open, I have a harder time doing that. Ah, interesting. But my understanding is we are supposed to have our eyes partly open, right? Yeah, I mean, that's in the seven-point posture that, you know, it's, you know, partly open, allowing the light. And it's interesting because Alan Wallace says, oh, you can close your eyes or you can keep them open or whatever. Report an error in the passage at 1:58:31 Highlight the passage at 1:58:31

1:59:00 But the instruction is specifically to keep your eyes. Partly closed. And Gen Lam Rimpa was asked that question, well, but my eyes really want to close. And he says it's an obstacle to meditate with the eyes closed later on as you progress. So in the beginning, even though it's a lot easier for a lot of us to meditate with our eyes closed, he says still make effort to keep them partially open because you'll run into obstacles later. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:00 Highlight the passage at 1:59:00

1:59:34 Read those different things. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:34 Highlight the passage at 1:59:34

1:59:42 Carla and then Peter, sorry. Report an error in the passage at 1:59:42 Highlight the passage at 1:59:42

1:59:51 I just wanted to mention that I had a class with Dorje Dandu, Geshe Dorje Dandu, and he was so emphatic about having your eyes partially open. he just because Report an error in the passage at 1:59:51 Highlight the passage at 1:59:51

2:00:09 Especially later on, it's much easier to catch the dullness. Yeah, exactly. And I mean, through my practice, I also recognize that when you notice there's the action of the eye starting to close and then you can catch dullness much easier than if you have it closed. You can just start enjoying this nice meditation. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:09 Highlight the passage at 2:00:09

2:00:37 Oh, this is a lovely state when it's really just dullness. So that's the whole catch. Yeah, thank you. That makes complete sense. And with our eyes closed, we're more prone to sleepiness, we're more prone to dullness. And then laxity, we don't even identify laxity yet until we're further along in our concentration, but that becomes one of the big obstacles later. Report an error in the passage at 2:00:37 Highlight the passage at 2:00:37

2:01:05 Yeah, Peter. Oh, I was just wondering, so do you study the object really intensely, looking at it first before you begin meditating and visualizing the object? How does this work? Nice segue into the next slide. She didn't pay me, I promise. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:05 Highlight the passage at 2:01:05

2:01:22 Yeah, so here Lama Tsongkhapa says when you're researching your object, the basic... don't know. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:22 Highlight the passage at 2:01:22

2:01:31 You should first find a good painted image, statue and the like of the teacher's body, if you're going to use the Buddha. Look at it again and again, and then having captured the features, get used to its appearance as an object of the mind. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:31 Highlight the passage at 2:01:31

2:01:50 So finding a really good image and looking at it, not when you're meditating, but beforehand getting accustomed to it. You know, or he says, or else you should reflect on the meaning of a description, right? So if you don't have an image, right, by some spiritual master that you have heard and then make it appear to your mind. Report an error in the passage at 2:01:50 Highlight the passage at 2:01:50

2:02:13 So getting used to it. So like, for example, the word mindfulness, right? Being mindful of an object, right? Using mindfulness in calm and binding meditation is very important. And mindfulness is defined as... Non-distraction with respect to a familiar object. It's an object that you've already become familiar with. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:13 Highlight the passage at 2:02:13

2:02:40 So we become familiar with the object before we sit down to meditate on it and then we meditate using our mental consciousness, not looking at the object. Actually, we're going to get into that. And I just see that it's 8.30. So we'll get into all of this stuff next week about how to meditate on the Buddha image and all that. Report an error in the passage at 2:02:40 Highlight the passage at 2:02:40

2:03:17 So we'll dedicate with Shantideva on page 246. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:17 Highlight the passage at 2:03:17

2:03:34 May all beings everywhere, plagued by sufferings of body and mind, obtain an ocean of happiness and joy by virtue of my merits. May no living creature suffer. commit evil or ever fall ill may no one be afraid or belittled with a mind weighed down by May the poor find wealth, those weak with sorrow find joy. Report an error in the passage at 2:03:34 Highlight the passage at 2:03:34

2:04:12 May the forlorn find hope. constant happiness and prosperity. May there be timely rains and bountiful May all who are sick and ill quickly be freed from their ailments. Whatever diseases there are in the world, may they never occur again. May the frightened cease to be afraid and those bound be freed. May the powerless find power and may people think of benefiting each other. Report an error in the passage at 2:04:12 Highlight the passage at 2:04:12

2:04:43 For as long as space remains, for as long as sentient beings remain, until then may I too remain to dispel the miseries of the world. Report an error in the passage at 2:04:43 Highlight the passage at 2:04:43

2:05:02 So I emailed you the homework, but I also have hard copies of it if you want one. If you have the previous homework, if you've done it and you want me to look at it, you can give it to me. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:02 Highlight the passage at 2:05:02

2:05:26 Thank you. If Report an error in the passage at 2:05:26 Highlight the passage at 2:05:26

2:05:32 you'd like. Everyone, tomorrow evening 6 p.m. Thank Karate, Nello has passed away. Oh, 49th day? Yeah. Oh. That'll be tomorrow at 6. Report an error in the passage at 2:05:32 Highlight the passage at 2:05:32

2:05:49 And also, originally we were going to, Report an error in the passage at 2:05:49 Highlight the passage at 2:05:49

2:05:56 so it'll start to Report an error in the passage at 2:05:56 Highlight the passage at 2:05:56

2:06:04 do, but this will be a study group on. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:04 Highlight the passage at 2:06:04

2:06:20 Right. Now, and, is so, does it take, do we do anything? I think it takes, I think it takes just as long. Because we recited in English and some of the Tibetan we recite slowly. Yeah, yeah. Well, I just need to know. Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:20 Highlight the passage at 2:06:20

2:06:38 And this Sunday, an LDP student and volunteer, Keith Hendricks, he's going to do the Dharma talk. He works at Folsom Prison, which is like one of the most dangerous prisons in California. And he's been applying to learn Buddhist techniques to his work. Report an error in the passage at 2:06:38 Highlight the passage at 2:06:38

2:07:04 Yeah, and he works with the worst of the worst prisoners in Folsom. Just recently he was transferred there. He requested it, actually. Wow. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:04 Highlight the passage at 2:07:04

2:07:18 You know, it's not, you know, not fun and games. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:18 Highlight the passage at 2:07:18

2:07:25 All right. Not at 10. .30? Yeah. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:25 Highlight the passage at 2:07:25

2:07:39 All right. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:39 Highlight the passage at 2:07:39

2:07:44 except on the days we meditate on common doing a task you might as well it's actually written in murder did it in murder Great. Thank you. Makes it easier to read. Report an error in the passage at 2:07:44 Highlight the passage at 2:07:44

2:08:02 Great. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:02 Highlight the passage at 2:08:02

2:08:07 Thank you. Read. Yeah. Here's extra. Thanks. So mine's kind of, you know. real close. It's great. It's great. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:07 Highlight the passage at 2:08:07

2:08:11 Thank you. You guys are just trembling right by me on your way out the door. Trimble. Trimble ahead. Trimble ahead. Good to see you. I won't see you Friday night. Alright, we'll see you soon. Carol and Emily. Report an error in the passage at 2:08:11 Highlight the passage at 2:08:11