Visit of Kunzig Shamar Rimpoche, Dhagpo Kagyu Ling, May 2005
http://www.dhagpo-kagyu-ling.org

3rd day, May 23

Meditation workshops

On Monday, May 23, 2005, Shamar Rimpoche continued his teaching on Vimalamitra's manual on the stages of meditation practice.

Vimalamitra describes four progressive stages of meditation practice:

1.Taming the mind: We must train until we are able to naturally rest the mind one-pointedly on whichever object we choose. This is the practice of stable abiding (Skt: Shamatha, Tib: Shiné).
2.Discovering the real nature of all phenomena: We need to get a first glimpse of discerning awareness through insight meditation (Skt: Vipassana, Tib: Lhaktong).
3.Stabilizing: Once we have had this first insight, we need to stabilize this experience of discerning awareness.
4.Perfection. The path will be achieved when this wisdom-awareness has become our reality in all circumstances.

«  How should we train in these four stages? » is the question which naturally arises.
Vimalamitra gives us further instructions on how to settle our mind on an image of the Enlightened One and how to understand the deeper meaning of his physical appearance. The practitioner is asked to study the enlightened qualities represented by the different distinguishing physical characteristics. Shamar Rimpoche recommended that we study texts like the « Sutra on the Recollection of the Three Jewels » or the « Ornament of Mahayana Sutras » (Mahayana Sutra Alankara) to this purpose.

Meditators whose level of realization resembled that of our lineage fathers Milarepa or Gampopa brought the practice of Shamatha to an incredible degree of perfection. Indeed, when they concentrated on the element fire, other people would perceive flames instead of their physical body; when they concentrated on the element water, others would see a pond of water.

Once the mind is made workable through the above mentioned meditations of Shamatha, the meditator can proceed with the techniques of Vipassana practice. In this phase, the meditator is no longer preoccupied with the outer appearance of a given object, but instead analyses its essence or true nature.

Obstacles to meditation are mainly dullness and agitation. Vimalamitra explains the main causes of and remedies for these difficulties.

Shamar Rimpoche asked the audience of practitioners to use the afternoons to put his meditation instructions into practice. Numerous groups were formed; under the guidance of Dhagpo lamas they meditated in the temple as well as under the shade of trees or in front of the stupa.

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