Simple Meditation Guide

A Simple Meditation Guide
by Geshe Gedun Tharchin

A. Prerequisites

1) Dwelling in an appropriate environment favorable for meditation

2) Simplicity

3) Contentment

4) Completely giving up unnecessary activities

5) Peaceful

6) Completely getting rid of negative thoughts

B. Preparation

1) To clean the room and arrange the objects symbolizing the Perfection of body, speech and mind.

2) To acquire offerings through appropraite means and arrange them beautifully.

C. Meditation posture

1) Sit in a full lotus or half lotus posture on a comfortable cushion.

2) The body should be straight and not bending forward or backwards, turn the attention inwards.

3) The shoulders should rest in their natural position.

4) The head should be in line with navel, neither leaning backward, forward nor either side.

5) The eyes should be neither wide open nor too far closed, and they should be softly looking on the tip of the nose.

6) The teeth and lips should rest in their natural state and tongue touched the upper palate.

7) The left hand placed on the palm of right hand and thumbs should be touched each other at the level of navel.

D. Nine times breathing practice of purification

3 times breathing in from the 
right nostril, then out from the left,

3 times breathing in from the left nostril and out from the 
right.

And 3 times from both nostrils breathing in and out.

E. Breathing practice for Mindfulness

1) Balancing the length of breathing in and out.

2) Mentally counting breathing in and out, from left to right nostril 7 times and vice verse 7 times. And again 7 times from left to right.

3) Inhalation and exhalation should not be noisy, forced or uneven; let it flows effortlessly and gently.

F. Setting up a proper intention

1) a) Taking refuge in Tri-Ratna

b) Generating Boddhicitta motivation

2) a) Immeasurable Compassion

b) Immeasurable Love

c) Immeasurable Joy

d) Immeasurable Equanimity

G. Seven branches purification practice

1) Humbly arranging alter and paying respect and homage to the Three Jewels and all sentient beings.

2) Generously doing offerings.

3) Gently developing remorse to negative actions committed.

4) Respectfully admiring positive deeds of others and oneself.

5) Honestly requesting to the merit fields to show the Dharma path.

6) Wholeheartedly praying to the merit fields for their omnipresence and protection.

7) Compassionately dedicating the merits for the benefits of all sentient beings.

H. Mandala offering

Offering one's body, speech and mind, and belongings and virtues of three times (past, present and future) and the universe to the merit fields and dedicating for the benefits of all sentient beings.

I. Invocation blessings

Calling upon Buddhas and Boddhisattvas and merit fields to bless one's own mind stream that transforming all worldly desires into Dharmic intentions. (One also recites mantras and prayers here)

J. Mental development practices

Lam Rim / Lo Jong

K. Single pointed concentration

To set up the Object for Concentration

Fixing the Mind on the Object

Tiding up the Mind to the Object by Mindfulness

Be guarded the Mind by Introspection

L. Samatha, Calm Abiding meditation

Five obstacles and Eight remedies:

1) Laziness                                                   1) Conviction

                                                                        2) Aspiration

                                                                        3) Perseverance

                                                                        4) Pliancy

2) Forgetfulness                                           5) Mindfulness

3) Mental dullness                                       6) Alertness

4) Mental excitement                                  7) Conscientiousness

5) Unnecessary application of antidotes 8) Correct Application

Nine stages of meditation, Six forces, Four required attentions:

1) Mental placement          1, hearing                            1, strictly evolved

2) Continuous placement  2, reflecting

3) Patched placement        3, mindfulness                     2, interrupting

4) Close placement                                                             3, un-interrupting

5) Taming                            4, vigilance

6) Pacification

7) Complete pacification   5, enthusiasm

8) One-pointed attention

9) Balance placement        6, thorough acquaintance  4, spontaneously

M. Vipasana, Special Insight meditation practices

The Four principles of Buddha-Dharma

a) All the composed phenomenas are nature of transient.

b) Any thing that involved with Selfish delusion becomes source of pain and burden.

c) All phenomenas are Empty of inherent existence and Self is devoid of Ego.

N. Dedication

Whatever merits have accumulated during the meditation may become the causes and conditions of happiness of all sentient beings and for their enlightenment.