Śamatha Meditation on the Breath

Guided Meditation on Breadth, 21 cycles| Ven. Geshe Dorji Damdul | Tibet House

Instructions:

Meditation is a system of habituating one’s mind to bring about

virtuous transformation. It is of two kinds – stillness meditation and

analytical meditation, referred to as insight meditation. Of the many

versions of stillness meditations that may be undertaken, the one

focusing on one’s breath is good for beginners. To simplify matters,

it may be conceived in four important points:

I. [Seven features of Buddha Vairocana’s] Posture

II. Focal point

III. Identifying the two common errors of meditation

IV. Applying the antidotes to overcome the errors of

Meditation

I. [Seven features of Buddha Vairocana’s] Posture

1. The legs are crossed in the vajra (lotus) posture, full or half. If

that is difficult for the practitioner, it is also okay to sit upright

in a chair.

1. The right hand is placed on the left hand, palms upwards,

with the tips of the thumbs slightly raised and gently

touching.

1. The back is straight and does not touch the backrest.

2. The tongue touches the upper palette. The lips and the teeth

are in their natural position.

1. The head is tipped slightly forward.

2. The eyes are neither wide open nor completely closed, but

remain half open and are cast downwards at a 45 degrees angle.

1. The shoulders are level and the elbows are held a little away

from the sides of the body.

II. Focal Point

The focal point is a white dot of 1 mm or 2 mm diameter, visualised

in the space between the nose and the upper lip. Multitasking,

mentally count the breath – a single inhalation and exhalation

is one cycle – at the end of each cycle count 1, 2, 3 and so on.

Remember, one should always meditate with one’s mental

consciousness and not the eye sense consciousness (and this is the reason why it is important from the beginning to keep one’s eyes slightly open during meditation and not closed, so the practitioner gains proficiency in separating the two – sensory consciousness from the mental consciousness).

III. Identifying the Two Common Errors of Meditation

(1) Mental excitement (when the mind is scattered, flitting and

wandering from here to there) and

(2) Mental laxity (when the mind becomes dull and lethargic).

IV. Applying the Antidotes to Overcome the Common Errors

of Meditation

(1) Introspection is the awareness which examines whether or not

the focal point is lost due to mental excitement or mental laxity and

(2) Mindfulness is the mental factor which seeks to return the focus

of the mind to the object of meditation.

The analogy given for introspection and mindfulness is that the

former is like discerning one’s pet dog has wandered off, and the

latter is akin to finding it and tethering it to a pole with a rope.

To begin the meditation, focus the mind on the focal point which

is the breath being inhaled and exhaled, at the point between the

nose and the upper lip. Breathe naturally and do not belabour the

breath, either slowing it down or speeding it up. Simultaneously, so that you are multitasking, begin counting the cycles of your

breath, with one cycle comprising an inhalation and an exhalation.

The practitioner may begin by doing breathing meditation for

twenty-one cycles or five minutes and not more. One can prolong

the duration gradually as one stabilises in the quality of meditation.

Note: Written based on Geshe Dorji Damdul’s teaching on

Śamatha