Professor Lin Chong-an: The Essentials of Śamatha and Vipaśyanā in the *Śrāvakabhūmi* of the *Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra* 1: The Nine Mental Abidings for Cultivating Śamatha
The Essentials of Śamatha and Vipaśyanā in the Śrāvakabhūmi of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra
The Essentials of Śamatha and Vipaśyanā in the Śrāvakabhūmi of the Yogācārabhūmi-śāstra
Compiled by Professor Lin Chong-an
Table of Contents
(1) The Nine Mental Abidings for Cultivating Śamatha
(2) The Four Types of Vipaśyanā
(3) The Four Objects of Focus in Śamatha and Vipaśyanā
(4) The Seven Types of Mental Application and the Sixteen Aspects of the Four Noble Truths
(5) The Sixteen Steps of Mindfulness of Breathing
(1) The Nine Mental Abidings for Cultivating Śamatha
◎ Cultivating śamatha is the same as cultivating samādhi. It proceeds through nine sequential mental abidings.
◎ By means of these nine mental abidings, śamatha is attained.
[The Nine Mental Abidings]
What are the "nine mental abidings"?
They refer to a monk who abides within, abides continuously, is re-established, abides closely, is tamed, is pacified, is thoroughly pacified, is single-pointed, and attains balanced placement. These are called the nine mental abidings.
1. Placing the Mind Within
What is placing the mind within?
It means drawing the mind back from all external objects of focus and holding it within, so that it does not scatter. This initial binding of the mind causes it to abide within without scattering outward; therefore it is called placing the mind within.
2. Continuous Placement
What is continuous placement?
The mind initially bound is coarse and restless, unable to rest evenly or continuously. Therefore, one applies methods of continuity and purification to the object of focus, calming the mind and refining it until it is subtle, then gathering it to abide evenly. Thus it is called continuous placement.
3. Re-establishment
What is re-establishment?
Even though the mind has been placed within and continuously settled in this way, it may still scatter outward due to a lapse in mindfulness. One then gathers it back and re-establishes it upon the internal object; thus it is called re-establishment.
4. Close Placement
What is close placement?
One should first continually draw near to mindfulness. Through this mindfulness, one repeatedly applies attention, keeping the mind dwelling within and not allowing it to wander far outward; thus it is called close placement.
5. Taming
What is taming?
Various objects cause the mind to scatter—namely the appearances of forms, sounds, smells, tastes, and tangibles, as well as concepts such as greed, anger, delusion, male, and female. One should first reflect upon the faults and drawbacks of these appearances.
Through the power of such reflection, one subdues the mind regarding these appearances, preventing it from flowing outward and scattering; thus it is called taming.
6. Pacifying
What is pacifying?
Various unwholesome discursive thoughts—such as desire, malice, and harmfulness—along with secondary afflictions—such as the hindrance of desire—perturb the mind. One should first reflect upon the faults and drawbacks of these phenomena.
Through the power of such reflection, one stills the mind with regard to these discursive thoughts and secondary afflictions, preventing it from flowing outward and scattering; thus it is called pacifying.
7. Thorough Pacification
What is thorough pacification?
Due to a lapse in mindfulness, when either of those two categories temporarily arises, one does not tolerate any unwholesome discursive thoughts or secondary afflictions that may appear, but immediately eliminates, dispels, and transforms them. Thus it is called thorough pacification.
8. Single-Pointed Focus
What is single-pointed focus?
Through active effort and exertion, one abides continuously in samādhi without gaps or interruptions. Thus it is called single-pointed focus.
9. Balanced Placement
What is balanced placement?
Through repeatedly cultivating, familiarizing with, and extensively practicing, one attains a path that operates spontaneously without active effort or exertion. Then, without striving or exertion, the mind's samādhi continues spontaneously without scattering. Thus it is called balanced placement.
[Correlation with the Six Powers]
These nine mental abidings are accomplished through six powers.
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The power of hearing; 2. The power of reflection; 3. The power of mindfulness;
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The power of clear comprehension; 5. The power of diligence; 6. The power of familiarization.
1. Through the Power of Hearing and Reflection
Initially, through the power of repeatedly hearing and reflecting, one first causes the mind to dwell on the internal object;
and through methods of continuity and purification, one causes it to remain evenly placed.
2. Through the Power of Mindfulness
Having tethered the mind within in this way, through the power of mindfulness, one repeatedly applies attention, gathering the mind to prevent scattering and achieving re-establishment and close placement.
3. Through the Power of Clear Comprehension
From this point onward, through the power of clear comprehension, one regulates the mind, preventing it from flowing and scattering among various external appearances, unwholesome discursive thoughts, and secondary afflictions, achieving taming and pacifying.
4. Through the Power of Diligence
Through the power of diligence, if those two categories temporarily manifest, one does not tolerate them but immediately eliminates, dispels, and transforms them, achieving thorough pacification and single-pointed focus.
5. Through the Power of Familiarization
Through the power of familiarization, balanced placement is fully perfected.
[Correlation with the Four Types of Mental Application]
Within these nine mental abidings, there are also four types of mental application.
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Mental application driven by intense effort; 2. Mental application operating with interruptions;
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Mental application operating without interruptions; 4. Mental application operating spontaneously without effort.
1. Mental Application Driven by Intense Effort
Placing the mind within and continuous placement involve mental application driven by intense effort.
2. Mental Application Operating with Interruptions
Re-establishment, close placement, taming, pacifying, and thorough pacification involve mental application operating with interruptions.
3. Mental Application Operating without Interruptions
Single-pointed focus involves mental application operating without interruptions.
4. Mental Application Operating Spontaneously without Effort
Balanced placement involves mental application operating spontaneously without effort.
◎ These four types of mental application within the nine mental abidings belong to the category of śamatha.
◎ Furthermore, once inner śamatha has been attained, these same four types of mental application are used to cultivate vipaśyanā. Thus they also belong to the category of vipaśyanā.
[Supplement] The State of Attaining Śamatha and Further Practice
1. The Stage of Preparatory Practice
(1) The Initial Phase
When one first engages in such correct preparatory practice, one-pointedness of mind and physical and mental pliancy arise faintly and are hard to perceive.
(2) The Intermediate Phase
Through further cultivation of superior śamatha and vipaśyanā, the body and mind become clarified, pliant, and light.
The previously faint one-pointedness of mind and physical and mental pliancy gradually increase, giving rise to a strong, easily perceptible one-pointedness of mind and physical and mental pliancy.
(3) The Later Phase
Through the power of these causes and the sequential process of induction, one will soon give rise to strong, easily perceptible physical and mental pliancy and one-pointedness of mind. Even before then, a preliminary sign appears: a sensation of heaviness at the crown of the head, which is not an afflictive or painful sensation.
2. The Stage of Direct Realization
(1) Physical and Mental Pliancy
Because this sign arises within, the coarse heaviness of the mind—which hinders the joyful abandonment of the afflictions—is entirely eliminated.
Its antidote, the pliancy and lightness of the mind, arises.
Because this arises, physical pliancy is facilitated. The wind element becomes predominant, and the various great elements permeate the body. Because these great elements enter the body, the coarse heaviness of the physical body—which hinders the joyful abandonment of the afflictions—is entirely expelled.
Its antidote, physical pliancy and lightness, fills the entire body as if overflowing.
When this first arises, it makes the mind exhilarated and joyful. Accompanied by gladness, it fills the mind with delight, and the object of focus manifests clearly within the mind.
(2) One-Pointedness of Mind
From this point on, the force of the pliancy that initially arose gradually subsides. A subtle pliancy pervades and circulates within the body. Consequently, the mind's exhilaration gradually fades. Sustained by śamatha, the mind rests serenely upon the object of focus.
◎ From this point onward, a beginner in yogic practice is called "one possessing mental application," for they now belong to the category of those possessing mental application. Why? Because they have initially attained a subtle and wondrous degree of correct mental application belonging to the form realm meditative absorption. Due to this, they are called "one possessing mental application."
○ A beginner who has attained this mental application exhibits the following signs:
Having attained a small measure of meditative mind belonging to the form realm, and having gained some physical and mental pliancy along with one-pointedness of mind, they possess the strength and capacity to properly cultivate the preparatory practices focusing on the purification of afflictions. This allows the mind to flow smoothly and continuously, safeguarded by śamatha, capable of purifying all mental factors.
○ Even when encountering various attractive objects, intense greed does not arise; or if it arises slightly, relying on a slight, weak antidote, a momentary application of attention suffices to dispel it.
The same is true for repulsive objects, objects that cause delusion, objects that provoke arrogance, and objects of discursive thought.
○ When sitting quietly in a secluded room and briefly holding the mind, physical and mental pliancy arises swiftly. They are not greatly troubled by the coarse heaviness of the body, nor do the hindrances arise often. They do not often experience longing, displeasure, or thoughts and attentions accompanied by anxiety. Even upon rising from meditation to walk outside, a residual pliancy continues to accompany the body and mind.
Such characteristics are the pure signs of one possessing mental application.
◎ Yogis who have attained this mental application have entered into this minor joy of abandonment. From this point on, there are only two possible directions. What are the two? The worldly path and the supramundane path.
○ Through this mental application, beginner yogis may think: "I should proceed toward the worldly path," or "I should proceed toward the supramundane path." They then cultivate this mental application extensively.
○ The more they cultivate, the more their pliancy and one-pointedness of mind expand over days and nights. When this mental application becomes firm, continuous, and strong, they generate clear insight into pure objects of focus. Having rightly grasped the characteristics of śamatha and vipaśyanā, they will then engage in the preparatory practices for either the worldly path or the supramundane path, as they are inclined.