ESSENTIALS OF THE

ANALYTICAL MEDITATION

Tomasz Szczygielski

NITARTHAEUROPE

I Budddhological Conference „Faces of Buddhism in the East and in the West”

23th - 25th October 2014, Centre for Comparative Studies of Civilisations, Cracow, Poland

for Higher Buddhist Studies

Dźju Mipham Rinpocze

Mipham Rinpoche says: At first, analysis is important. Without encouraging it with good analysis, How could good certainty ever arise?

If good certainty does not arise, How will bad superimpositions ever dissolve?

If bad superimpositions do not dissolve, How will the bad karmic winds ever cease?

If the bad karmic winds do not cease, How will you ever abandon bad samsara?

If you don’t abandon bad samsara, How will bad suffering ever be exhausted?

Buddhism begins with questions, whereas religion begins with answers. Buddhism is a science of mind, and the key emphasis of this science of mind is on wisdom. Wisdom at the end is the only one that will lead us to enlightenment and freedom from samsara.

The path of Buddhism is one of wisdom and compassion. For that reason, no journey to enlightenment on the Buddhist path takes place without the cultivation and development of genuine wisdom.

The Buddha said:

Mendicant and scholars Like the burning, cutting, and rubbing of gold, Should adopt my teaching only after thorough examination— Not simply out of respect.

Buddha told that practitioners should thoroughly examine and analyse teachings, and only after that analysis and examination, if one finds the teachings to be suitable, should one accept and practice them.

Essence of this practice is mixing of the logical reasoning with experience. Investigate the nature of phenomena. Encompass of the learning, contemplation and meditation.

Sources for studies of analytical meditation:

• „Treasury of Knowledge” by Jamgön Kongtrul • „Jewel Ornament of Liberation” by Gampopa• „Beacon of Certainty” by Lama Mipham• „The Wheel of Analysis and Meditation” by Lama Mipham

• KTGR and DPR teaching• Nitartha Institute teaching

Preliminaries for analytical meditation

First sit and have the sense of calmness.

The four reminders is reflect on:

1. This precious human birth. 2. Impermanence. 3. Karma, or cause and effect. 4. The shortcomings of samsara.

Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamts Rinpoche says:

Erring and erring, I walk down the unerring path. We learn from our errors, we correct our errors, and then we walk down the unerring path. Each time you catch your mistake, you already walking down the unerring path.

Practice of letting go

The name “accumulation of merit” is misleading, in particular, when we say “accumulation.” The accumulation of merit is actually the practice of letting go. We let go of our clinging. We let go of our fixation on material things and we let go of our fixation on mental phenomenon. We begin by letting go of material things and then we let go of mental phenomena.

Letting go of a physical object can be very symbolic.

Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche

Analytical meditation does not only bridge study and meditation, but also it is the bridge between our dharma journey on the path and study and meditation and the post meditation world.

The skills can be applied to our work, our daily life, our relationships,

The three wheelsThe wheel of learning The wheel of meditationThe wheel of activity

 Application:

1. Harmonizing the three wheels2. Bring the engagement with the three

wheels to your life

Nagarjuna in Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way says:

That there is a self has been taught, And the doctrine of no-self, By the buddhas, as well as the Doctrine of neither self nor non-self.

Three stages of analysisNo analysis, Slight analysis Thorough analysis.

Application:1. Do not to mix the stages 2. Proper understanding of the key instructions

from realized masters support genuine practice.

3. Practice of analytical meditation is combined with resting meditation

4. Results of the practice are prajnia of understanding, experience and realization – sincere certainty

BASIC GUIDELINES FOR ANALYTICAL MEDITATION

1.The reason we practice analytical meditation,

2.Develop calmness from mundane activities and thoughts

3.Focus on a particular object of analysis and stay with it

4.When distracted, return to the original analysis

Chandrakirti in the Madhyamakavatara said:

Ordinary beings are bound by conception And yogins free from conception are liberated. The wise ones teach that the reversal of conception Is the result of analysis.

Milarepa’s students said to him:

When I analyse it, I cannot find it, And when I don’t analyse it, The thoughts are just like bubbles all over the place.

Gendun Chopel said:

When you analyze, You think it does not exist. But when the needle meets the hand, You think it exists.

Shantideva says:

Wanderers, these dreamlike beings, what are they? If analysed, they are like a banana tree. One cannot make definitive distinctions Between transcending misery or not.

Shantideva says:

The kleshas do not abide in objects, They do not abide in the collection of faculties, And they do not abide in between those two.

Mipham Rinpoche says:

As long as certainty has not been born, One should induce it with skillful means and analysis If certainty is born, one should meditate In that state without separating from that certainty.  … the lamp like continuity of certainty Causes false conceptuality to subside.

Mipham Rinpoche says:

Finally, if even without analysis Certainty arises naturally, rest in that very state; Since it has already been established through analysis, There is no need to accomplish it again

The whole presentation based on teachings given by Khenpo Tsultrim Gyamtso Rinpoche and Dzogchen Ponlop Rinpoche with quotation from accomplished masters of the Tibetan tradition.

Thank you for your attention to masz …