Alan Wallace Shamatha Teachings Fall 2010

The core sense of grasping derives from a delusion that all sentient beings share. In this session Alan explains the causes of suffering, how it arises and how it may dissolve. In his guided meditation he shows us how bringing compassion to others and ourselves will break the cycle of suffering as we attend to reality and bring equilibrium and balance into the basis of our practice.v

With this morning’s practice of Settling the Mind in its Natural State, we shift attention to the background of the events of the mind – the space of the mind. This space is none other than the substrate seen, as one views the moon on a cloudy night, through veils of afflictions. Using a metaphor for this practice Alan asks why anyone would want to look at a blank screen on the TV when the third obscuration, laxity and dullness, is the habitual response. As Shamatha “always entails a flow of knowing,” the “beauty of the system” is that maintaining stability and vividness while attending to something as un-scintillating “is a great accomplishment.” To top it off, this practice is the best way to enter into lucid dreaming and relaxing the grip onto “I am”, especially “I am in charge.” You won’t want to miss the rest of the discussion. Here’s a taste of the topics: life force (Srog lung [TIB], jīva [SAN]), “Just being dead and loving it,” Stephen Hawking’s new book - The Grand Design, and rainbow body. Final

What are the real causes of suffering and what are the catalysts? Dukkha, the suffering of change, affects everyone. Even if samsara is turning out well for you now it’s inevitable that tragedy will happen. If your happiness is based on the notion that what you have won’t be lost, suffering will ensue. The introductory talk and meditation leads us to seek freedom from the five mental tendencies that obscure our birthright of luminous clarity: craving, malice, laxity, excitation/anxiety and uncertainty. Alan answered various questions: what to do when thoughts arise during meditation, definition of Alaya and Alaya-vijnana, and compassion for someone who commits suicide.

Alan begins the first session of this week by a useful explanation on the sources of suffering in Modernity and the impediments that arise in our path to bliss, luminosity and non-conceptuality. Modernity seems to be perfect to increase Obsessional-Compulsive-Delusional-Disorder (OCDD), through work, stress, entertainment... In this pathological context, OCDD is taken to be normal. Contemplative traditions (Buddhism has not the monopoly here) come to the scene by claiming: “this might be normal, but this is not healthy”. If the source of suffering is internal (in our own minds), -rather than external (lack of sufficient external stimuli/hedonic pleasure)- then there is no point in “trying to get the world to turn out right”. The hedonic row always ends in a tragedy. Comparatively, the Dharma path is a comedy, because it has a happy ending. Five obscurations can be obstacles in our meditative way to substrate consciousness: 1. Craving to sensual pleasures, 2. Ill will, 3. Laxity and dullness, 4. Excitation, (

When we experience suffering there is a risk that we will respond with grief or anger. Instead Alan guides us to meditate on compassion, which is the heartfelt yearning: “May we all be free of suffering and the sources of suffering.” Compassion is the response that guides our spiritual practice swiftly upward like a rocket. Today’s meditation focuses our compassion on the first of three levels of suffering, the “suffering of suffering” commonly known as everyday physical and emotional pain. Alan then answers student questions: How to distinguish an intuitive insight from a delusional thought? Is prana the same as the Tibetan word, lung? Can I lie down all the way to liberation?

Before the meditation, Alan explained to us the importance of this practice –Settling the Mind is a crucial Shamatha practice and also has qualities of Vipassana. The practice was introduced by the Buddha. Alan explained also that there are 2 types of ignorance: Cognitive Deficit Disorder, when the mind is distracted and we don’t perceive the reality of the moment. The other is Cognitive Hyperactivity, when we perceive something that is not there, but rather is a projection of our thoughts, images, ideas, etc. We project permanency into them and we create an illusion. Alan’s instructions for the practice were not to engage in grasping and aversion when we watch our thoughts. Like the Buddha said: In the seen there is only the seen; in the mentally perceived, just the mentally perceived.

Once again, Alan shared with us some very inspiring reflections about our own capacity and potential. Remembering a question from H.H. Dalai Lama: What is our deepest impulse? He answers that our deepest impulse is caring. Caring emerges from within, so the potential of wanting to have happiness and be free from suffering is already there, but it’s blocked, it has barriers. The cause of these barriers is grasping on “I”, “Me” and “Mine”. So besides the well known practices like Tonglen, the practice of Shamatha can let come out this limitless potential. Having said that, we should question ourselves: what can we do to help us and other people, to be more ethical, benevolent, to cultivate our minds and hearts? Are we going to be content just the way we are? How can I be of greatest benefit? Alan then continued with a beautiful meditation which culminated with a detailed response to a question about rebirth.

Hello to All You Worldwide Sweeties, This morning, Alan returned to instructions on Mindfulness of Breathing at the nostrils. He had one word of caution. This is very important. If any pressure starts to build up in the head, immediately bring your attention to the rise and fall of the abdomen or go to the infirmary - full body. He emphasized the importance of observing the breath if it is long or short. Don’t manipulate or try to control the breath in any manner. Solely be an observer. Mindfulness of Breathing is displaying itself as a whole system that can heal itself. The whole system calms down and the substrate takes place. The pranas of the body can start to function properly. Big Worldwide Hug to All of You, Darlene

This afternoon we revisit some of the main points of Immeasurable Loving-Kindness, and also the issue of how to develop one’s practice of all Four Immeasurables in a natural way, both in and out of formal meditation sessions. Then Alan answers some very practical questions relating to transitory meditation experiences, loving-kindness, mindfulness of breathing and settling the mind in its natural state.

This morning we were honored with the visit of Klaus Hebben, founder and director of PIA. After expressing his gratitude to him, Alan gave an explanation of bala, which literally means power. Referring to the five powers (panchabalani), which are developed by strengthening the five roots or controlling faculties (indriya): faith or devotion (shraddha) which overcomes doubt and false beliefs; enthusiasm or zeal (vidya) which overcomes laziness; mindfulness (sati) which overcomes forgetfulness; perfect concentration (samadhi) which overcomes distractedness; and wisdom (prajña) which overcomes ignorance. He emphasized the balance between enthusiasm and zeal in the case of Vidya, the balance between wisdom and confidence in the case of Prajna and the importance of Sati or Mindfulness, which enables to balance all the other 4 elements. In this second round of meditations after having developed relaxation at the infirmary the day before; we continue today with the cultivation of stability in the practice of Mindfu

Loving-kindness should be saturated with wisdom, that is, knowing what’s conducive to well being. So we need to envision a conducive place to live, including partners for who you feel genuine affection, respect and trust. Instead of asking what I love to receive from the world, we need to ask what I truly need. So be content with merely the adequate. Loving-Kindness involves an internal transformation, to end with craving and hostility. After the meditation, Dr. Wallace answered questions that dealt with levels of happiness: Hedonic pleasure, eudemonic well being that comes from a virtuous life, and the deeper level coming from wisdom. He finished with an explanation of prāṇa, energy and its effects in body and mind.

Here we go again! Alan turns the wheel of dharma from the beginning of the cycle emphasizing the great benefits of the infirmary practice and the supine position, which we can use to make a habit out of relaxing around everything and anything that comes up (yes, even bliss). With the understanding that all mental afflictions are carried over by the conceptual mind, we take every exhalation as an opportunity to silence the inner chatter. Quiet conceptual mind equals dormant mental afflictions, equals Shamatha. Thus Alan once again showed us how the beginning is the end. After a guided infirmary session Sean, who is directly involved with actualizing the PIA vision, kindly shared with us some of the details around the invitation of the King’s Brahmin to consecrate the building site. Today’s picture represents the Mind Centre Spirits House, which was built on that occasion as a gesture of courtesy and respect towards Thai traditions. Enjoy!

Breaking down the barriers to others and our preferences for some over others is the basis of the practice of equanimity. We find ourselves in the grip of our own mental afflictions unless we are able to unlock our limited views of the people we meet in our daily encounters. Seeing without attachment and aversion creates a view where it is possible to value all sentient beings with equanimity.

We enter the final day of the first 10-day cycle of meditations in this retreat and the last phase of Awareness of Awareness in which we “expand our sense of our space of the mind.” The practice comes from Natural Liberation, by Padmasambhava. We are then graced with a wide ranging discussion including: the philosophies of mind - materialism and Cartesian dualism, a modern version of relative and ultimate truth, a description of who (from each person’s own philosophic or religious perspective) achieves liberation, what it is that is both physical and not material, and two approaches to a rich Buddhist education. Descartes’ illustration of dualism. Inputs are passed on by the sensory organs to the epiphysis in the brain and from there to the immaterial spirit. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartesian_dualism

At first glance, Equanimity seems anticlimactic after Loving Kindness, Compassion and Empathetic Joy. In fact, Equanimity is the culmination of the Four Immeasurables. It is an emotional state of balance…deep composure. When the Dalai Lama was asked, “What is our most primary impulse?” He answered CARING. Caring is the root of Loving Kindness & Compassion. The meditation guides us to shift places with others to realize that we all equally want to be well and happy, free from suffering and the causes of suffering. The question and answer period dealt with questions about the Awareness of Awareness meditation instructions from the morning session.

By clearly stating “Nobody has direct access to the mind as you do” Alan speaks briefly about science and Buddhism, especially in terms of defining who we really are, where the scientific conclusions lead generally to disempower the individual experience. He invites us, then, to watch the nature of our own awareness. He affirms that the reason why the mind has the appearance of movement is because of grasping. If you relinquish all grasping, awareness is by nature still and luminous. Even when dullness arises we can be vividly aware of it, by not grasping to it. And these are the characteristics of achieving shamatha: stability and vividness. After a 10–minute introduction to today’s practice, we went into the 3rd round on meditating on awareness of awareness. He guided us by asking questions about our mind, about the agent or the observer… but, it is better if you listen to this meditation session! NOTE ON THE PICTURE: The name of this lovely dog who resides in the Mind Centre is Joy. She was particularly i

Alan leads a guided meditation on Empathetic Joy, the third of the Four Immeasurables. This is the practice of rejoicing in our and others’ happiness, kindness, and virtuous actions. This practice counteracts the self-centered attitude of “I win!” Instead, we feel joy due to the existence of all the good in the world. A question and answer session follows the meditation. Alan gives practical advice on meditation practice. A technical discussion is given on the integration of Shamatha and Bodhicitta practices with Mahamudra and Dzogchen. A conspiracy is revealed between musicians and elevator manufacturers to hide the true nature of our minds. Alan tells us what to expect from eight weeks of practice. The session ends with a motivational talk on how the path of Shamatha stops the spin cycle of Samsara.

Alan’s introduction to today’s practice aimed to differentiate Awareness of Awareness from Settling the Mind in its Natural State. The culmination of any Shamatha method is the dissolution of the mind in substrate consciousness. In Settling the Mind, the object of meditation is the space of the mind and whatever mental events arise within it, and the practice consists in letting these events be. In Awareness of Awareness, the interest is the nature of awareness itself. The practice consists in letting go any mental event, in releasing the thoughts. Alan explains that this is like “taking the fruit as the path” because you are releasing your mind as if you were ready to transcend the mind immediately. By being aware of being aware, you can indeed have a taste of the three characteristics of the substrate consciousness: bliss, luminosity (not to be equated to brightness, but rather to a sense of being awake) and non-conceptuality.

This afternoon Alan started giving a brilliant lecture about the third of the Four Immeasurables, empathetic joy, which means taking delight from other’s joys, fortunes and virtues. He addressed that nowadays more than ever we should practice on this immeasurable, knowing that around 90% of the news we read on the web are bad news and recalling one of his favorite phrases from William James: “At the moment what we are attending to is reality”, then we should focus and take delight from all the bandwidth of people having joys, fortune and those, independent of beliefs or religions, who are devoting their lives bringing happiness to others. We continued with a marvelous meditation, practicing the above, and finally ended with Q&A, one of them regarding to the practice of Shamatha settling the mind in its natural state, two questions about the practice of awareness of awareness and one last question about Buddha Nature. Enjoy it!!

Hello All you Lovelies out in Computerland or iPodland, This morning’s meditation technique is Awareness of Awareness. Padmasambhava, in his book Natural Liberation, calls this meditation technique the cultivation of ‘Shamatha without a sign’. Then, Alan went into some of the history of how different scientific disciplines have thought about the mind according to how their discipline measures things. Each one has a specialized language. He gave instructions on how to do the meditation of Awareness of Awareness and I will refer you to his books ‘The Attention Revolution’ and ‘Genuine Happiness’ for details. Alan believes in radical empiricism. Let experience lead you to the theory. This is what Padmasambhava is saying when he gave us the meditational technique of Awareness of Awareness. Darlene