Every arises we bad idea is essentially a delusion. To eliminate confusion, need wisdom. And not only wisdom, but a clear understanding and good concentration. Without a good concentration, with no sharp focus the mind is simply impossible to eliminate errors. In the process of meditation, concentration, the mind becomes clear and transparent so that we can see the tiny particles of this world, so calm and happy, it's impossible to compare with any other conditions of happiness.
When I was in the mountains, came to me one friend, who was engaged in the practice of unidirectional concentration. On it I saw that we really can do it. But for the Buddhist entry-level and at advanced stages of concentration - the most important practice. This man practiced meditation for three or four years in the mountains. A shamathoy he worked for two years and has already reached the fifth, that is "continuous" level of concentration. Sometimes, during meditation, he thinks that doing this short time, but in reality is a lot of hours. He - my good friend, and when I went to visit him, he always laughed and was happy. I asked him how he did, he said that he had no cause for unhappiness. He has a good sense of humor and we joked with each other. When I looked at him, I saw that this practice can give a promotion or at least, to bring happiness, joy and peace.
But if we talk about the practice, it is extremely important to know how to practice correctly. Otherwise, you will not advance.
What place is suitable for the practice shamathi? If you intend to engage intensively, it must be very quiet, secluded place, so there was no danger to life and could easily find food. In addition, you should be provided with everything necessary for the practice, that is - knowledge. But once we can not rush off somewhere in a secluded place. We can do little, and it is too bad. I'll show you how to engage in this practice in everyday life, to move slowly, step by step. Even in the mountains, where people sit in solitude, it is recommended to start with small periods of meditation. So before you retire to the solitude, it is useful doing this brief practice in everyday life, at least once a day.
When you do meditation, posture is very important. The legs should be crossed. Of course, initially it may be difficult, but if you talk about the future prospects are very useful. Yet, for some people it is almost impossible, so you can just sit on a chair, how convenient. In other cases it is recommended to cross his legs. Hands should be folded at the lower abdomen. Thumbs rest against each other, right hand placed on the left. For men and women are equal. The shoulders should be straight, head slightly bowed. Take this pose. Eyes half-closed. Roth should not be fully opened, or a fly can fly. (Laughter). But we must not and close it completely, so that the mouth does not appear in bad taste. Language should be raised to the sky. You should not be strained, and the back should be straight. In this manner, we sat down.
It is important to breath. If before you begin meditation, we do not do the 21 breath, the thoughts in your head left so much that we fail to concentrate on really. So first we are doing the meditation on the breath. Adopting a meditative posture (it is called posture Vairochana), we just focus on your breathing. When exhale, then intently watching what we exhale, the same - when we inhale.
The purpose of this meditation, I will explain with an example. For example, young children play with a knife. You want to pick up, but they do not give. You show them a more interesting thing, and they immediately drop the knife. The same thing with our mind. When we want to focus on the important objects and speak your mind: "Concentrate!" - He does not listen to us. And when we sit down to meditate, the mind wanders. To stop it, we must do the meditation on the breath. In the mind there are various thoughts, ideas. One thought, if we assume it generates a lot of other, and this happens endlessly. Therefore it is important to simply discard it and move attention to another. When we focus on the breath, our mind is distracted from their preferences, anxiety, anger, and gradually calms down.
So, we sit down and start concentrating monitor your breath: as we inhale, exhale, etc., and doing it for some time. When we exhale and inhale, we believe that "one", etc. And if you can stay in focusing on the breath, without distractions, without interrupting the concentration of thought up to 21 times, then your concentration perfectly.
This meditation on the breath is useful in daily life. Sometimes when people get angry and do not know how to cope with their irritation, they begin to drink vodka. Why do they do? Because, when drinking, they stop to think about their problem and believe that the problem is solved. This meditation - replacement of vodka! (Laughter). Think it's a good savings in the economy! - Saves money and does not violate health. If you are angry, they have fallen into anger, try to leave the room and make this "meditation, 21-second breath, and you will feel that they have become less irritable and more peaceful.
Or another. Some had difficulty falling asleep, poor sleep. Why is it difficult? Because there's plenty of thought. One thought comes after another, and they can not stop. They are trying to sleep, but thoughts continue to appear and to appear.
If you really want to go to sleep, try to lie down and not think about anything. If you stay at any one situation, to think about it, this will prevent you from falling asleep. And do not focus on the thought "I need to sleep", this idea will generate other ideas. Instead, concentrate on your breathing. Do not try to particularly concentrate. If a thought comes into your mind, let her appear and go away. And so, watching the thoughts, allowing them to leave, you gradually fall asleep, and you from meditation on the breath will be a good sleep.
Let's go back a little back to the theme of the posture for meditation. The pose is very important, it should be clear and well remembered. I want to briefly tell about the real motive is correct posture. The back should be straight, because if you bend forward or backward, it can interfere with concentration. How to explain this at the level of tantra, the central channel, Avadhut should be straight. If it is at least slightly bent, then these places may appear more wind-energy, which would distort the process of meditation. The head should not be raised high and should not be omitted. If the head is raised higher than it should, it would appear overexcited or, if too much is omitted, there will be a spreading of ideas, drowsiness. Shoulders need to stretch. It is important that pillow on which you sit, was flat. In this case the back part of it should be slightly higher than the front. But if the bag is tilted, then after sitting so long, there was tension in the body and it will interfere.
Someone who wants to seriously practice shamathu for any specific purpose, should think about diet. Do not eat too much or too little, it will interfere with concentration. One has to choose some measure of its food. Sometimes the concentration is very promotes meat, but a small amount and only sometimes. For those who meditate in the mountains, live mostly on a vegetable diet, and in the body appears a lot of energy - wind power, which leads to imbalance. To balance the energy of a few, it is necessary to use a little meat.
Earlier, we talked about meditation on the breath. In meditation on the breath is an ordinary and special practice. Usual practice, I have already explained, and seeing your interest, decided to tell a little about the special meditations on the breath. Special meditation on breathing associated with yoga. In addition, they are good for health if you do them in everyday life.
It is necessary to visualize the three internal channels in the body. The average channel - white. It goes like this: start with "third eye", encircles his head, runs along the spine, ending below the navel. Channels are small, they are very thin and twisted. Center channel a little bit thicker. Right channel - the red color. It starts at the nose and runs along the spine with the right side. In all the chakras, he is tied in knots. That is, the center channel directly, but the side in the chakras curved and tied to the nodes. Left channel - blue. He goes straight from the nose, is tied in a knot at the crown chakra, and then is tied in a knot at the throat chakra, then the heart and navel. This should provide some picture of these three channels. It is not so difficult. Then you visualize what your left channel is in the right channel, as one tube to another.
Now we add up the hands. First, the thumb, then bends all the rest, except for demonstrative - they remain. And put them on their knees. And then, raising his right hand, we first close the right channel right index finger. Before you start breathing, we try to clearly visualize the channel. Three times we inhale. Inhaling the triple breath, we visualize all the good energy white. All the good merits of the Buddha are we breathing, and passing on the left channel down to a level below the navel, purify the channel from all contaminants. Then exhale triple exhalation through the right nostril, closing the left nostril with his finger and visualizing that now go up pollution along the right channel and from the right nostril are leaving our body. So we do three.
Now we start on the other side. Close the left nostril with your finger left and repeat the same process. Inhale through the right nostril and inhale all the pollution drove a white light, go down the right channel to the point of connection channels. On the exhale, they rise on the left channel and in the process of triple expiratory leave our body through the left nostril. That is, the same process Repeat three times on the other side.
And now, for the third time, we visualize these two and the central channel. Then inhale triple breath through both nostrils, while the white part of the good energy through both nostrils into right and left channel, and falling on them, expels all impurities. Then, we visualize that the left and right channels are in the central channel. Contaminants are on them in the central canal, go up the central channel and the exhaled breath leaves the body through a hole on the crown. And before we begin to exhale, lifting these pollution through the central channel, we are literally at the moment are holding the breath, then exhale.
This is truly useful for health meditation. When I meditated in the mountains, I did not apply to doctors. It was my medicine. Since I went, I was less time for meditation, and I have in Moscow from time to time to see a doctor. This is a preliminary exercise for the development of concentration is very good for health.
Development shamathi, that is, the serenity of mind, extremely important. Without the development shamathi, neither the implementation of the understanding of emptiness, or the practice of tantra, or the practice of Mahamudra, or practices of Dzogchen. Therefore shamathu can be called the foundation, the foundation of all other implementations.
Great Atisha said that the development shamathi useful both for themselves and for the benefit of other beings. He explained that it can not fly without wings, bird, well and practicing without shamathi can not fly either for its own benefit or for the benefit of others.
Shamatha is, in essence, a common practice for Hinduism and Buddhism. But in Buddhism, various techniques to achieve samadhi are better. Compared with other achievements shamatha easier, but not so easily attainable, as it may seem. It also requires effort and constant practice. In addition, you need to know how to develop it properly. Also, if you rush from one method to another, running across from one road to another, you did not come. Pick one method and take possession of them as follows. Then he will lead you to where you want.
First, about the object of meditation. There are many objects of meditation for shamathi. And the great masters, from the standpoint of the sutras, offer usually choose meditation Buddha. At the level of tantra is sometimes recommended to concentrate on the letter A or B on the bright light, but it will be difficult for us. It is easier to meditate on the image of the Buddha. And it is not easy to represent within itself and outside, because we are all accustomed to thinking about the external world.
My approach is to do something relatively easy. Then we will enjoy it and quickly move on. If we start immediately with the difficult, then we simply will not work.
Therefore, although in terms of Mahamudra, Dzogchen need to meditate on his mind, but the first step consists in the fact, to understand what the mind is a great difficulty. Although, in terms of Dzogchen, this first step is the easiest. And in the highest sense to understand the nature of mind is even harder. So first you need to do more simple things. I would not want you to think that I criticize Dzogchen. On the contrary, I'll try to practice Dzogchen, but I find it extremely difficult. Practices of Dzogchen or Mahamudra that the Gelugpa school is essentially the same - it is very difficult practice. If you master the first level shamathi, then Dzogchen, Mahamudra, the comprehension of emptiness, the development of Bodhicitta and denial, everything will become much easier. This will greatly assist in any area of practice.
In the old days shamathu reached during the six months to a year and a half years. First, because it makes a very intense practice, and secondly, because we knew how it should be done. Now one of my friends who tried to implement shamathu been able to do this for three years. And this is also considered to be very fast. Achieving shamathi substantially superior to any other human achievements. Million dollars compared with the achievement shamathi - nonsense. Because with shamathi achieved a peace of mind, such clarity of mind that you never for a million dollars do not buy. Already in this life is extraordinarily beautiful. What can we say about the future lives!
Thus, the object of meditation, the image of the Buddha, should be small, the size of a thumb. Yellow. And you should feel like the rays emanate from it. In this case, you should not visualize it as a statuette. You have to visualize the living Buddha of the present, to feel that he has the weight. It is up to you somewhere at arm's length. In addition, it is recommended to visualize the Buddha is not too high nor too low - at the level of the forehead. His need to visualize the radiating rays, because it serves as a radiation antidote to dullness of mind. And its hard to visualize because it prevents wandering mind. Because it is heavy, it compels us to hold that the Buddha more intensively. As the teacher says, if we tie an elephant to thin the column, he can easily pull it up with a rope. If you post a heavy, strong, then a wrest pole elephant of our mind is more difficult.
Why is the image of Buddha is visualized so small? It also has a cause. In visualization there is no random details. Little we visualize it in order to improve the concentration: if we visualize a large image of Buddha, the attention would dissipate. So - is the object of meditation for the development shamathi.
Now that you have correct posture and you have an object of meditation, we begin to deal with concentration. In this case the eyes should be half closed. Imagine that your eyes are completely open: you can visualize your own home? Perhaps this? When you close your eyes, it is much easier to visualize. But it has its disadvantages, if we bear in mind the long-term studies, ultimately it will be worse. So we try to close my eyes halfway and then visualize the image of the Buddha. It will also be very difficult at first. To make the process easier for meditation, very good for the first time have before him the statuette. You look at this statue from time to time, and then try to reproduce it with visualization. As soon as the mind will get used to the image will be easier to visualize.
Probably, nobody will not be difficult to imagine the image of a friend whom you know and remember. Your mind is well acquainted with him. Also here: the more your mind will get used to the way of statues, it will be easier to visualize it. Therefore recommended that you use the statuette. Try not to strain your body, relax, and in this state of focus. It does not matter if you do not see it clearly. Initially, it is not necessary. If you present it in front of your mind's eye, at least with any degree of clarity, try to restrain him and stay on it. If it disappears, try to still hold, then the clarity will return. Do not try to make it clear through their efforts, - this will be a hindrance. If you still forfeit the clarity, still hold him, just try to stay on it. Feel that this is not a statuette, a living Buddha. And in any case do not strain - will focus from the state of relaxation. If you tense up your mind shrinks from the effort, as well as the body. Relax. Do not apply too much effort. Hold hands behind his knees. Feel that the reset voltage? Mind clear, fresh. Now define for themselves the need to focus for one or two minutes only on the image of Buddha, and more on anything.
This process is not easy, so after a while you learn only in the ground, roughly visualize the image of the Buddha. And when his eyes half closed, you can keep in front of this picture, it means you have reached the first level, which is called "discovery of the object of meditation."
This - the first success. You appeared quite some achievement. I'm talking about these technical details, because when we begin to engage in, any attainment of a designated level gives us the inner satisfaction. We feel that we are moving, that we are on track.
One American, for example, has now reached the seventh level of samadhi, that is, when an elephant is on the last corner on the right (see picture). This should give us all hope. If she could do it, why can not we? If this was achieved by some of the Tibetans, we could say: "Well, that Tibetans - they have the tradition and culture. Maybe, in their blood that something special." And if it made people from the West, the same as you, then you should understand that you too can.
Why she was able to achieve such success? Because very ably in this approach. She worked with a great spectator in Dharamsala, Geshe Lamrimpoy. Before she was teaching shamathi from another teacher, but when you start to engage in practice, very well, if there is an experienced master, because during practice raises a lot of small issues.
Well, now we move on to the point. So, the first stage - the discovery of the object of meditation. It is preceded by practice, which we call "search the object of meditation." First, when we look at the statue, and then try to visualize, - called search. Then, when we found the object of meditation is called discovery. Next we need to hold the object of meditation - is the third stage: "Hold the object of meditation." And the fourth stage - "stay with the object of meditation." Thus, all four stages: search, detection, retention and stay.
These four stages are very important. For they will help achieve the first stage of the first level of concentration. If you can keep the object of meditation a moment, consider that reached the first stage of concentration. Perhaps you will succeed for one or two weeks. Of course, you will be satisfied and will say: "Oh, I reached the first stage. With this you will gain confidence in the correctness of instructions. But in order to achieve the first stage, one must know what constitutes an error of meditation. In order to achieve samadhi, we have to go through all the steps one by one. And to come to the first of these steps, it is necessary to overcome the obstacles. In order to overcome them, we must understand that they are. And if you do not know what are the mistakes of meditation, the benefits of your meditation no. It will be a waste of time.
So, if you are repairing a TV, do not know that it spoiled, you can solder the end of the day to end, and all this work would be a waste of time. Therefore, when we see teachers who can concentrate without any effort, and compare themselves, inept, with them, it is clear that for this difference have any reason. I'm telling you that in Buddhist teaching main idea is that everything is progressing as a causal diagram.
So, there are five major mistakes of meditation. The first of them - laziness. It is easy to stop all of us. Second mistake - forgetting the object of meditation. This happens because the mind goes somewhere to the side, and we forget that we contemplate. Then the dual obstacles: on the one hand - excitement, on the other hand - drowsiness and blurred, when the mind dissolves and ceases to be clear. The essence of the first lies in the fact that, as we have affection, the mind begins to digress from the subject of meditation and should be in the usual way, heading, for example, to family, home or to other, familiar to the objects themselves. When the mind is excited by stereotypical thinking, this error is called the mental stimulation. A mental dullness, if literally translated - is the disappearance of clarity of mind. When dullness becomes stronger, we fall asleep. Then we have an hour is a very good meditation. (Laughter). - Without any interruptions and interference. These two problems together constitute a third error of meditation.
The fourth is that we do not use an antidote against the errors when you need to apply. For example, in the fifth, sixth and seventh phases will happen next: we keep the object of meditation in the mind, but at some point feel that there is a loss of clarity. We see how it appears, at first small, but do not use an antidote. This error is typical for relatively high levels of meditation. At first it did not happen.
The fifth error of meditation is that we continue to apply the antidote, when this is no longer necessary. This may be the eighth or ninth stage, although at these stages there is no need to apply the antidote. This is only hindering meditation. You relax and the mind must be paralyzed. This is just like an eagle soars. As soon as it rises, it uses its wings, but when it reaches the desired height, it just floats, it need not flicker. Also at the eighth and ninth stages of meditation.
These are the five basic vices of meditation. If you win these five mistakes, it means you have reached shamathi. If you are not precluded to reach this level, you reach it. On the first and second stages shamathi goal actually is to eliminate the interference. When they are removed, you are progressing. So if the repair of the TV out of five faults, you have eliminated the first two, the screen has something to appear. And when you eliminate the rest, the TV will work fine.
It is important to know about the antidote to these five mistakes. People who are really seriously involved in meditation, with pleasure pay a hundred dollars, without hesitation, that I told about these antidotes.
By the way, I note that Tibetan teachers always taught free of charge, so students sometimes do not value teaching, believing that it is always available. So I think that sometimes it makes sense to somehow emphasize the value of teaching. Here in the old days, when Tibetan Buddhists went to the teachings in India, they had to overcome a lot of obstacles, and no one gave them the words so easily as you. Typically, the teacher replied: "I do not know, go on." Take the famous example from Marpa-Lotsawa. How much work he had suffered, until finally, Naropa has not begun to teach him little by little! Prior to that, he made Marpa lot of work to gain virtue. And only after that began to open his teachings. It seems to me that, thus demonstrating their compassion, the Indian teachers have demonstrated a very clever method, and should use it now. So, when I'm going to tell, please do not take this as something that is dragged along the road. Please treat these doctrines as things are extremely valuable. Okay?
To overcome the errors, there are eight antidotes. The first four of them belong to the first error - laziness. It is very difficult to remove. But if you have the antidote, then simply remove laziness.
The first of the antidotes - a reflection of the benefits that can bring the achievement shamathi - faith. The more you think about the merits shamathi, the stronger becomes the conviction that you must cultivate it. And when you have faith and belief in the virtues shamathi, then naturally arises inspiration to practice.
This inspiration and is the second antidote. It derives from the belief in the dignity shamathi. The better you understand what shamatha - this is fine, the stronger the desire to strive for its attainment. And when there is inspiration, then increases and enthusiasm.
Enthusiasm, third antidote, in this case we call pleasure, the pleasure of training this practice. Those who do not like football, do not believe that playing football is important. If they were forced to play, they would consider it a punishment. Must run, someone can knock your foot hurt, it's torture! And if the boy to tell about how cool to be able to play football? You can tell him: "You're going to play like Maradona!" And he was filled with enthusiasm and will chase the ball, in spite of fatigue, either at the injuries. And if the claw, he did not even notice and say: "I enjoy!"
You can use several different poses, and practice must experiment to determine which of them suits him best. If the student is able to maintain stable, fixed position of the body without feeling any inconvenience from twenty to thirty minutes, not so much matter what position he takes in this. Clothes should be free, not to embarrass any body parts. 
