To: K-list
Recieved: 1999/10/28 21:11
Subject: Re: [K-list] Using bodily sickness and pain as a path
From: Andy S. D.
On 1999/10/28 21:11, Andy S. D. posted thus to the K-list:
Using bodily sickness and pain as a path
Hindrance of bodily sickness and pain
Padmasambhava, the precious guru, advised us to use hindrances experiences
like sickness, pain, headaches, or intense fatigue as helpers for samadhi.7
One starts by understanding its transitional nature.... a temporary
experience. Without naming it as a faults or virtue, one simply allows it to
naturally occur and be liberated. Without clinging it does not a dwelling
ground.
Knowing his future listeners to be entangled by mundane concepts, the guru
advises on how to clear these bodily sickness and pain. In brief, the lesson
explains:
"Sickness abides laterally in the all-ground, in the manner of the
constitution of the channels and as habitual tendencies. Its causes are due
to unwholesome karma accumulated through ignorance and ego clinging. It is
activated by disturbing emotions, conceptual thinking, prana-winds, or gods
and demons. The matured results is the 404 types of disease, heated by heat
and cold, phlegm, aches, and swelling. In short, the disease of coemergent
ignorance is the chief cause and the disease of conceptual ignorance is the
chief circumstance."
In summary, all sickness (including those not related to meditation) posses
five factors:
unwholesome karma as the cause;
disturbing emotions as the circumstances;
conceptual thinking as the connecting link,
prana-wind as the concluding assembler,
gods and demons as the supportive factor.
Using Ignorance as an example, the process is:
Since the cause is Ignorance, recognise coemergent wisdom as the cure.
Since the condition is disturbing emotions, settle your attention to
evenness.
Since the connector is conceptual thinking, cut through the ties of thought.
Since the gatherer of the conclusion is wind, focus on the key point of
wind.
The back-support is the gods and demons: must abandon the notion of a demon.
By doing this you will be freed from all kinds of disease. (Other example
is seen in note 8.)
However, the cure for the essence of illness as instructed by the
enlightened master may be beyond our conceptual mind.9 (The full text is
described in the note 9) He went on to explain the alternatives:
Best to leave it to be self-liberated
That is to say, in the preliminaries, don't pursue the sickness.
During the main part, don't cultivate the sickness.
During the conclusion, don't dwell on feeling sick.
Through that, you will untie old sickness and remain unharmed by new ones.
(Living followers of this advice are those that understood)
Next-best is to abandon reference-points concerning exorcism or meditation
Transmuting adversity
Regard the sickness with gratitude and letting your mind be jubilant, eat
food that harms the illness and act in adverse ways towards it
Cutting directly
This process of illness vacating is the medicine of cutting through.
Equalising
At least you will not have to suffer with the thought of feeling sick
Last is to cure by meditation.
In general , resting in equanimity should be completely become the essence
of Non-Thought. You must cause all concerns far away and be free from doubt
and hesitation about what is exorcised or visualised. The visualisation and
your mind should be unified. It is important to rely and concentrate upon
these three points.
The Fear and Dread of Gods and Demons
The occurrence of this hindrances is universal. They exist in the mind of
the practitioner who has yet to be contact with a glimpse of reality.
But where do they come from?
The presence of demonic force and doubt arises from the indivisibility of
prana and the dualistic mind (It is nurtured by conceptual thinking).
The guru recommended the following method:
"When hindrances such as thoughts of fear and dread arises, we must identify
them quickly and bring them onto the path. If you let them run wild or fall
under their power and will later matured as an obstacle for your practice,
"The ground of evil forces and magical displays are within your own mistaken
mind. There are definitely no 'gods' or 'demons' outside of yourself. The
very moment you experienced evil forces and magical displays, apply the
vital point of understanding that they do not possess any true existence as
they are devoid of arising, dwelling and ceasing,.
"One start by assuming a yogic posture. Keeping one gaze, we look into its
identity. As soon as our thinking turns into empty cognisance, we will
possess the confident courage that thoroughly cut through fear and dread."
We are also warned that a self-assuring thought, like, "I cannot be harmed
by obstacles!" and "I wonder if I will meet with some obstacles!" may in
fact creates a welcome for demons.
In summary, one is advised to cut the stream of conceptual thinking! This
includes offering your aggregates as a feast offering or as food. This is
the sure way to cast away ego-clinging. One simply applies the vital point
and practice!
One may like to try practices like meditation on "Loving kindness" or Chod.
The latter is a method developed in Tibet (13th century) by Lady Machig
Ladron. An expedient means that combines the sutra and esoteric teaching.
Integrating Meditative experience into the 5 noble paths
Padmasambhava said the Five Paths are included within Three Experiences
(Bliss, Clarity and Non-Thought)10 of samadhi.
The instructions are:
1. Having cut these pitfalls (from the 4 Formless States of serenity - 4
Dhyanas), one practices a flawless meditation by remaining serenely and
vividly in this clarity and non-thought during the meditation state. In the
post meditation state; appearances arise unobstructedly and are as in
substantial as a dream or magical illusion. You understand the nature of
cause and effects, fill the measure of merit to the brim, attain the 'heat
of samadhi'; and thus perfect the Path of Accumulation.
2. By practising this for a long time, you see in actuality, locationless
and self-cognisant, the nature presence in yourself. Recognising your
natural face in the Path of Seeing.
3. Experiencing appearance, awareness and emptiness to be locationless and
self-cognisant, you see directly the unconditioned innate nature. The
obscuration of disturbing emotions is destroyed at its root. Realising that
cause and effect are empty, samsara has no solid existence. The meditation
state is indivisible from Buddhahood and everything in the post meditation
arises as magical illusion. - Path of Joining.
4. Growing familiar with this state and sustaining it steadily, all
phenomena become nondual. Recognising them as self-display, appearance and
mind mingle as one. When emptiness arises as cause and effect, you realise
dependent origination. During the meditation state all phenomena are
locationless and present as the essence of awareness. The slight presence of
objective appearance during the post-meditation state is the Path of
Cultivation.
5. Maintaining this for a long time, you realise that all samsara and
nirvana is nondual, beyond arising and ceasing, unmixed and utterly perfect,
locationless and self-cognisant. The cognitive obscuration totally vanishes,
and the very moment everything dawns as original wakefulness is the Path of
Consummation, the State of Buddhahood.
[End]
Note:
1.
>From "A Spacious Path of Freedom" by Gyatrul Rinpoche:
a. If the posture tilted to the right, first a sense of clarity arises, then
hatred occurs in the mind stream, and there is a danger of being harmed by
grahas and pãrthivas and the like.
b. If you lean to the left, first there is a sense of joy, and then strong
attachment occurs, and grahas, nãgas, and mãtrikãs, and so forth inflict
harm.
c. If you lean forward, at first non-conceptuality arises effortlessly, but
afterwards it turns into delusion, and ksamãpatis and so forth inflict harm.
In particular, if you were to see two or more people in conversation, you
might think, "These two are slandering me a lot," [leading to] unhappiness
and so on. These are also many problems of the life-sustaining vital energy
being misdirected.
d. If the posture leans backwards, at first there effortlessly arises a
sense of vacuity {voidness?), then such afflictions such as pride occur, and
thoughts of the previous spirits arise. In particular, attention cannot be
sustained, conceptualisation proliferates (multiply), the body becomes
bluish and thin, and there occur problems of the vital fluids seeping out.
grahas, nãgas, mãtrikãs and ksamãpatis are all classes of entities that may
be malevolent to human beings.
2.
The Nine Stages of Abiding Mind (sems.gnas.dgu) are:
a. Focussing the mind (sem.'jog.pa) or literally 'mind placement'. - One's
attention is focused on one object. This stage is attained when one's
concentration can be maintained for twenty-one breaths.
b. Continual Focussing (rgyun.du.'jog.pa). Here one constantly returns to
the object where the mind wanders.
c. Patch-like Concentration (glan.te.'jog.pa). Here, as soon as mental
wanderings occur one is aware of it.
d. Close Focussing (nye.ba.'jog.pa). The mind is no longer wandering, mind
and object have become almost inseparable. The obstacle here is gross mental
dullness.
e. Taming (dul.ba.byed.pa). Subtle dullness is dealt with.
f. Pacifying (zhi.ba.byed.pa). Subtle agitation is dealt with.
g. Total Pacification (rnam.par.zhi.ba.byed.pa) of dullness and agitation.
h. Single-Pointed Concentration (rtze.gcig.tu.byed.pa). One's object remains
as long as desired.
i. Focussing with Equanimity (Mnyam.par.'jog.pa). This stage is the highest
concentration attainable in the Realm of Desire. The full attainment of
Samatha goes beyond into the Realms of Form and Formlessness.
3.
a. An experience of exhilaration
Symptom: Feel like weeping (strong compassion welling up)
Cause: Maturing of the natural compassion; a magical display by a magical
spirit.
Action: Abruptly cut that attachment; understand that the key point of the
view is to recognise awareness; don't indulge in experiencing its taste, but
simply maintain in continuity; this could be
b. Dullness
Symptom: Lethargy, drowsiness or a mixture that lead to sleepiness.
Cause: Failure to arise the natural wakefulness and radiant awareness;
failure to combine the inseparable entity of emptiness and clarity.
Action: Raising the gaze; direct the attention to the heart chakra (Not the
heart or its beating);
remain focused and concentrated one-pointedly and unwaveringly.
c. Agitation
Symptom: Two types; 'Agitation by something other' and 'Agitation by
oneself'
Cause: For the first cause: The consciousness becomes agitated due to some
circumstances. For the second cause, there is a subtle feeling of thinking,
"It's quiet! It's clear!" enters the meditation state.
Action: Direct the attention chakra below the navel, remained focused and
concentrated. One tries to be completely one-pointed and utterly collected.
4.
'Nine Serene States Of Successive Abiding' are:
Four Dhyana States of Serenity:
First Dhyana - to be Free from conceptual thinking of perceiver and
perceived, but to still be involved in discerning an object of and act of
meditation;
Second Dhyana - to be Free from conceptual thinking and discernment, while
fixating on savouring the taste of the Samadhi of Joy;
Third Dhyana - is to attain unmoving mind, but with inhalation and
exhalation;
Fourth Dhyana - involves being totally free from conceptual thinking with
unobstructed clear perception.
The four states are the "Shamatha that produces Vipashyana", thus its
samadhi is in line with the innate nature and the most eminent of all
samadhi.
Four Formless States of Serenity eliminates the conceptual thinking of the
realm of form.
Dwelling on the thought, "All phenomena are like space!", you stray into the
"Perception Sphere of Infinite Space"
Dwelling on the thought, "Consciousness is infinite and directionless!", you
stray into the "Infinite Consciousness"
Dwelling on the thought, "The Clear Cognisance of perception is not present,
not absent, and cannot be made an object of the intellect!", you stray into
the "Neither Presence Nor Absence"
Dwelling on the thought, "This Mind does not consist of an entity
whatsoever, it is non-existent and empty!", you stray into the "Perception
Sphere of Nothing Whatsoever ".
They are also known as "Pitfalls of Samadhi".
Shravaka's Samadhi of Peace (also known as "Serenity of Cessation")
However, these formless states still posses the slight defilement of
conceptualisations, mental fascinations, and experience of dualistic mind.
The final discard is being carried out.
Analytical cessation is the ceasing of the 6 consciousness' engagement with
their objects. This involves evenly resting in the interruption of the
movement of breath and dualistic mind. Non-analytical cessation is to arrive
at your innate nature. That is the ultimate indifference.
By recognising these 9 states, you can distinguish different type of
samadhis, clear the hindrances in meditation practices and avoid going
astray.
5.
By looking into the essence of desire and resting in that state, you
experience bliss, which becomes the Vinaya Pitaka. You turn away from
ordinary desire which is the training of discipline.
By looking into the essence of anger and resting in that state, you
experience clarity, which becomes the Sutra Pitaka. You turn away from
ordinary anger which is the training of samadhi.
By looking into the essence of stupidity resting in that state, you
experience Non-Thought, which becomes the Abhidharma Pitaka. You turn away
from ordinary anger which is the training of discriminating knowledge.
You should recognise all disturbing emotions that arise and in this way
bring them onto the path.
6.
Desire: Rest in the state that the external factor and its impulses are free
from duality: desire thereby becomes the essence of nondual bliss and
emptiness. The innate nature of emptiness is not made out of anything
(separate from) its expression, which arises as bliss. This is the
perfection of desire, the individually discriminating wisdom
Anger: By looking at the essence and resting in that, one realises the
nondual essence of clarity and emptiness. The innate nature is empty and its
expression is clarity. That is the perfection of anger, the mirror-like
wisdom.
Stupidity: By looking into the essence and resting in that state, one
realises a nonconceptual wakefulness. The innate nature is empty and its
expression is nonthought. This perfection of stupidity is the dharmadhatu
wisdom. In the same way, Pride becomes Wisdom of Equality and Jealousy
become All-accomplishing Wisdom.
7.
The refereed text comes from the book, "Advice from the Lotus Born", Erik
Pema Kunsang (Rangjung Yeshe Publication). The name of the chapter is
"Treasury of Precious Jewels to dispel Hindrance". This is terma (hidden
treasure) discovered by the Terton, Rigdzin Goden (1337-1408). The teaching
is an extract from the cycle of teaching called Gongpa Sangtal. It appears
as a recorded dialogue between Padmasambhava (The Lotus Born) and his heart
female disciple, Yeshe Tsogyal in the eighth century.
8.
Example of how diseases manifest (Treasury of Precious Jewels to dispel
Hindrance) :
If a 'Coldness' disease manifests, it is caused by habitual tendencies for
desire lying present in the all-ground, and is activated by the
circumstances of intense desire. The connecting link is made by the
conceptual thought, "I am sick! I am disabled! What shall I do if it gets
worse?". This cause the "Downward Clearing Wind" to malfunction, opening up
to attack from the female class of evil influences.
The seed of Anger as the cause is activated through the circumstance of
intense anger connected with the link of conceptual thinking. This causes
the "Fire-Equalising Wind" to malfunction, opening you up to attack from the
Male Class of evil influences, resulting in the heart diseases.
The seed of Envy as the cause is activated by the circumstances of strong
stupidity, connected with the link of conceptual thinking. This causes the "
Life-Upholding Wind" to malfunction, opening you up to attack from the
'tsen' of evil influences, resulting in the aching diseases.
The seed of Pride as the cause is activated by the circumstances of strong
envy, connected with the link of conceptual thinking. This causes the
"Pervading-Wind" to malfunction, opening you up to attack from the 'gyalpo'
class of evil influences and resulting swelling diseases.
9.
The cure for all illness is in term of effectiveness(Treasury of Precious
Jewels to dispel Hindrance):
Best to leave it to be self-liberated
Don't even take one single dose of medicine. Don't chant one syllable of a
healing ceremony.
Don't regard the illness as a fault, or see it as a virtue. Leave your mind
unfabricated and spontaneous. Totally let be in the natural thoughtfree
state of simplicity.
By doing so, the flow of conceptual thinking is cut; Thought-free
wakefulness dawns, and the illness is cleared away. The sickness and the
thought are liberated simultaneously.
That is to say, in the preliminaries, don't pursue the sickness.
During the main part, don't cultivate the sickness.
During the conclusion, don't dwell on feeling sick.
Through that, you will untie old sickness and remain unharmed by new ones.
Next-best is to abandon reference-points concerning exorcism or meditation
Transmuting adversity
Regard the sickness with gratitude, thinking again and again, "How wonderful
that by means of you, sickness. I can cut through the conceptual demon!"
Let your mind be jubilant, eat food that harms the illness and act in
adverse ways towards it
Cutting directly
Next, eat some fresh 'solid fragrance.' By meditating on the prana-wind, the
disease in the upper part of the body is vomited out, and the disease in the
lower part is purged out. This process of illness vacating is the medicine
of cutting through.
Equalising
To equalise, you must utilise as your path as soon as it arises. Brighten
your awareness and remind yourself of spiritual practice. Don't meditate on
a visualisation to counter the illness, and don't look into the identity of
who feels sick!.
By resting in that continuos state, when an experience occurs, it vanishes
by itself, and when realisation occurs, it dawns as empty cognisance.
At least you will not have to suffer with the thought of feeling sick
Last is to cure by meditation.
By means of visualisation, start by generating bodhichitta, assume the
cross-legged position and visualise yourself as the yidam deity. (The
description of the visualisation practice is intentionally omitted)
In general , resting in equanimity should be completely become the essence
of Non-Thought. You must cause all concerns far away and be free from doubt
and hesitation about what is exorcised or visualised. The visualisation and
your mind should be unified. It is important to rely and concentrate upon
these three points.
10.
"The three qualities of bliss, clarity and non-thought are basic attributes
of the nature of mind and not pitfalls in themselves. When the attention is
directed towards these qualities, apprehends them and become suffused with
them as an 'experience,' as something worthy to pursue and maintain, a
subtle attachment is formed; it is this subtle fascination which is a direct
cause for further samsaric existence." - Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Appendix
Mediation Sickness - a former article by the writer.
On the worldly level, Meditation Sickness can basically can be categorised
into four groups:
1. Physiological problems - traceable to the brain (our mind office) and
nervous system;
2. Psychological problems;
3. Personal or internal karmic obstruction;
1. Physiological Problem
Symptoms:
visible during meditation and post-mediation
Probable causes:
problems existed before meditation;
attitude/motivation related: an aspiration for iddhi (supernatural power),
youth retention, sexual powers, etc.;
Incorrect posture and breathing;
Improper nutrition;
Lack of sleep( one possible cause is believing the practice can substitute
sleep);
Lack of exercise and general movement (may leads to blocking of channels);
Believe that meditation will improve health within a short period.
Suggested remedy and preventive advice:
Do a personal evaluation on one's health and attitude.
Excess Heat dispensation: Use a cut bamboo as a palm support; walking
meditation; dedication of merit with visualisation.
Muslce on the neck and shoulder: use of meditation stick to lossen the
tightened muscle; post-meditation exercise.
2. Psychological problems
Symptoms:
Self-explanatory.
Probable causes:
Anxiety for quick result, such as iddhi and enlightenment;
Main problem comes from klesas (vexation) such as greed, hatred, pride,
etc.;
Suggested remedy and preventive advice:
A qualified teacher or spiritual companion;
Examination of prime motivation to practice;
Analytical meditation on the 'Four Thoughts"
3. Personal or internal karmic obstruction
Symptoms:
Problems manifest when one practice and may not be visible in daily
activities. Examples can be seen in frequent headaches, migrant, tightening
of the chest, upset stomach, fearful hallucination, etc.
Probable causes:
Prior karmic actions that matured from present and past lives;
Mind created obstacles.
Suggested remedy and preventive advice:
Reduce the intensity of practice;
Usage of repentance verses with sincerity - for past action;
Usage of vows as a supportive practice - for future action. This may include
the generation of bodhicitta for the liberation of all sentient beings;
Purification and confession practices such as Vajrasattva, Medicine Buddha,
etc.
{end of Article}
----- Original Message -----
From: David Bozzi <david.bozziATnospamsnet.net>
To: <HarshaSatsanghATnospamonelist.com>; <kundaliniATnospamList-Server.net>
Sent: 29 Oktober 1999 8:36
Subject: [K-list] Conversation With A Psychologist
> Had a conversation with a psychologist. Apparently the approach of this
field is largely
> talking and exposing 'schemas'. (aka mental constructions or patterns) I
remarked, 'No one
> has ever thought their way out of depression.' He strongly disagreed. I
proposed perhaps the
> talking is an aspect of the healing but there's more. There's healing on
an energy level
> beyond the intellect. Intellect is just a small part of it. He said what I
was talking about
> was 'philosophy'.
>
> Is it just me, or is the general approach of today's psychology naive and
limited?
>
> The sense I got was that if something is not within the realm of the
rational (very
> limited) than it is not valid.
>
> I'm writing this, I suppose, because it disturbs me somewhat, that a field
that is dedicated
> to healing depression seems so antediluvian.
>
> David
> (venting)
>
DISCLAIMER!
Home | Archive Index | Search the archives | Subscribe
K. List FAQ | Kundalini FAQs | Signs and Symptoms | Awakening Experiences | K. list Polls | Member Essays | Meditations | List Topics | Art Gallery | Cybrary | Sitemap | Email the moderators.
symbol.