Audio recorded at Buddha House Adelaide. Transcript auto-generated and AI-corrected; may contain errors.
About this talk. In this 43-minute teaching, HH Sakya Trizin presents a comprehensive guide to calm-abiding meditation and insight practice grounded in the Sakya approach. He begins with the five hindrances to concentration and their eight antidotes, then walks through nine progressive meditation methods: placing the mind, continual short sessions, conscious recognition of distraction, and ultimately effortless stability. He identifies the two main obstacles—sinking and scattering—and gives specific techniques to counter each (eating less, sitting higher for sluggishness; wearing heavy clothes, sitting lower for restlessness). He then describes five experiential stages from recognizing the waterfall of thought through to the mind becoming like a waveless ocean. In the second part, he introduces insight wisdom through three interconnected realizations: all appearances are projections of mind; mind and appearances are both illusory, like dreams; and ultimately, both vision and emptiness are inseparable. He concludes with bodhicitta practice—cultivating loving-kindness and compassion starting with one’s mother, extending to all beings—and emphasizes that method and wisdom must develop together, alongside proper merit dedication. This is pitched at serious practitioners ready to engage the full path of Tibetan Buddhist meditation and philosophy.
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File: 17 FfK.mp3
UUID: c89cf3f4-82bd-47e7-b5ed-513887580522
Teacher: HH Sakya Trizin
Collection: Freedom from the Known (HH Sakya Trizin)
Date: 1988 (exact day not recorded)
Recorded at: Buddha House Adelaide
Duration: 43.2 minutes
Words: ~3,348
Because if you want do not apply the antidote, then it will ruin your concentration. So immediately when one as soon as that one knows that one’s mind is into going into these wrong directions, then to apply the antidote. And the fifth fault, which is over application, antidote for this is to to apply equanimity. That by over application, that it instead of helping, that it if it disturbs your concentration, then at that time to to apply equanimity so that things should be balanced. And by balancing the things, the problems will be able to solve.
So before you do the concentration, the first thing is to recognize the five faults and to learn the eight antidotes. The there are five faults. First fault has four antidote. Remaining four each has one antidote each. So together, there are eight antidotes.
Then the actual concentration is to do there are nine methods. And the first one is called the placing the mind or the setting the mind, which means on the the object of concentration, which should be fixed firmly without you with your body in the meditation posture, without blinking your eyes in a clear on the clear concentration object. And that you should try to bring your mind over there, not to think about the qualities or the shape or the color of the object. Just but you bring it and try to remain there without going in any directions by looking your eyes, mind, everything on the same direction. Even by staring it, that even like tears come from your eyes, one should not touch it and let it go until as until you could remain as long as one could remain.
And then the second method is called continual placing, which means for the beginners that it is difficult to do this kind of concentration for a long period of time. So try to do this short sessions, but many sessions. Short, short sessions, but try to do it many, many as more sessions. More sessions, but shorter sessions. Shorter bit of time, but many sessions.
And then the third one is called consciously placing or settling, which means that while you are concentrating like that, if distractions rise by remembering, by recognizing the distraction, For example, when you are doing concentration like this, if you hear a sound, immediately your your thought goes to this sound, then you must know that now my thought is going after the sound. So instead of following the sound, you must bring it back to the object. And fourth one is called the perfect placement, which means that settling the mind through awareness of the danger of destruction. By remembering that if one’s mind falls, if one one’s mind goes distract on other things, that there are many bad consequences. So just remembering this that all the time try to bring back to the object.
Fifth one is called the subdued mind or the taming the mind through awareness of the benefits of the Samādhi, benefits of the the concentration. But if you want if you wanna concentrate, then there are great benefits temporarily and ultimately. So by remembering this, that one should not fall into the the opposite the obstacles of the concentration, which are scattering and sinking. So in this way, try to to tame your mind by bringing back your mind again to the object of concentration. And the sixth one is called pacification, which means that pacification or the calmness to remove the feelings, dissatisfaction which have arising due to the distraction, etcetera, due to the lack, for example, sound or something coming or some things that your mind all the time goes everywhere and it disturbs your concentration, then try to bring if it brings if your mind is sort of, like, shakes, then try to to remove that kind of agitation by, again, placing the mind over the object of concentration.
And seventh one is called enhanced pacification, which means that if complete opposite of the concentration such as lust, desire, hatred, etcetera, rises to you, then by remembering their consequences, if one indulges the defilements, then one will have a very terrible consequences. And by remembering this, they try to bring remove these these opposite thoughts by bringing back to the concentration object and try to to calm your agitated mind. And the eighth one is called the one pointedness. Placing the mind one pointedly, avoiding the extreme application of antidotes. Due to the over application that if your mind is again agitated and disturbs, that also by bringing back again to the concentration object that try to remove it.
And then the ninth one is called effortlessly placing or setting, which means that to doing this again and again, that once you used to it, then that without much efforts that one could remain in in this concentration and have a great experience of calmness. So this way, they try to to practice it. But the main thing to remember here, the main hindrance is sinking and scattering. So if one has a sinking, then one should do like eating less food, sit on a high seat, wear thick cloth, recite refuge and bodhicitta loudly. And by making waking you up, sort of very lively, very alerting, that helps.
But if you have the the other problem of scattering or agitating, going into different directions, then you should try to remove. Do the opposite. Like,. Wear thick cloth, sit in a low seat, recite the prayer in silence and sort of more settling, more more calming way one could avoid the obstacles. So by doing this way, did one do do the med meditation, the concentration. And the first experience is called recognizing the thoughts like a mountain waterfall, which means that although normally we have so many thoughts one after another coming, but normally since we are not watching, we do not even notice it.
But when we are trying to meditate, then you see that you first experience is that you notice the normal thoughts. So that means it one will have so many thoughts. It seems as a more thoughts are coming one after another just like a mountain waterfall steep. Mountain waterfall. And so that’s this kind of experience, one should not discourage.
It is a good sign. It is the first experience, and it is called recognizing the thoughts. The experience of recognizing the thoughts. And then the second experience is called you have so many thoughts coming, but then also there are gaps without thoughts. And then while one is remaining in without thought, again so many thoughts one after another come.
Then there are also gaps. And this is the second experience which is known as the thought resting. Thought is resting. And the third kind of and continues to to meditate, to concentrate. And then the third kind of experience is called the the thought settled.
It means that you have one who remain in the clarity of the mind for quite a period of time. But at the same time, then again while it is remaining in this clarity, again the thoughts start rising. And again, continue to practice. And the fourth experience is called the experience with the waves, which means most of the time that one could remain without any thought in a very calm way. But occasionally, the one or two thoughts rise just like the ocean.
The ocean is normally very calm and but at the same time there are some waves. So it is called the experience with the waves of thoughts. And again, with the continuing, continuous practicing, the old thought cease and that one could remain one pointed mind with a great clarity, and that is called the fifth experience, which is like a ocean without waves, where all the thoughts are calm down. And so in this kind of even though one could remain one’s mind one pointedly, but it is important to see the clarity of the mind. Just like light.
On the clarity of the light, this is the base to practice the the insight wisdom. So that is how you practice the the concentration. And then now to do the insight wisdom. And that alone is, of course, not enough. In order to to attain enlightenment that one needs to know, one needs to realize the true nature of all things.
So the insight wisdom. Now to practice the insight wisdom has three steps. The first is to establish all the visions as a one’s own mind, and then the mind to establish mind as a illusion, and then to establish illusion as a essenceless or the the without entity or the without its its own nature. So first, all the vision that we see, the life that we go through, the forms that we see, sound that we hear, smells, etcetera. All this is not without a cause.
All this is not created by any anyone else. All of this is not the creation of the elements. All this is not creation of the the atoms. All this is not created by the Buddha, etcetera, that it is just projection of one’s own mind. One’s own mind has the imprint of these visions.
The propensity is one’s own own one’s own mind. So all this is actually one’s own mind due to the inner mind that we could see the all the outside things. So there’s no outside creator other than one’s own mind. So in this is the first step. And, also, this is the meaning of many sutras.
And then secondly, to establish this also as a illusion. All the visions that we see is like actually illusion. Just like the the things that we see in our dreams. In our dreams that we see many different things, many different countries go through many different experience. By seeing this, by hearing in the in the dreams, by seeing in the dreams affect our mind.
Our mind gets scared. Our mind get afraid. Our mind feel happy. Our mind all sorts of things. But when you awake from your your dream that there is a nothing, not even a sign of what you saw in your dream.
Nothing to afraid, nothing to fear, nothing to feel happy. There’s nothing. So similarly, all the relative things that we see are like a dream. The only difference is that we have a this is a has a more stronger stronger clinging. And the longer the time longer and the stronger clinging.
So that why that we see the dream as it is a easy to understand dream as are not true and it is difficult to understand the present life is not true. Since all these outside object is not existing, there is not a mind also because the mind and mind is subject. All these visions are object. A subject object is depend on each other. If there’s no object, they can’t have subject.
And so the mind is also actually like a illusion. And then the third thing is to to is to meditate on the without nature or without self in independently existing. Because all the things that we see that no thing can independently existing. Everything is depend on each other. Everything cause and effect.
Everything is depend on each other. And so so relatively that we can see things, we can still accept things, but in absolutely that we examine in absolute way, then one could not find anything, even the slightest thing called in this way or that way. So in it is just like reflection of mirror. Reflection of mirror or the rainbow that you can see clearly yet when you try to search, when you try to catch, try to hold that one could not hold. So that it is the vision and void are inseparable.
Although, normally, the vision and void are separate things. Two separate two completely different thing. Vision means the things to see. Void means empty. Yet they are two combined thing just like example like rainbow.
So in this way and finally to Finally, to realize the all things as a void and the thought that is realizing all things as a void also also absorbed to the object so that there’s no duality. It is just like water is mixed with water that subject and object are all merged together. So in this, try to remain meditate. And by meditating on continuously on these things that then one will gradually be able to realize the ultimate truth or the true nature of of one’s mind. And in the meantime, those sentient beings who have not realized this kind of this realization, due to not realizing the void, the true nature of all things that they are suffering.
So at the off times that you practice the loving kindness and the compassion, which helps to realize the ultimate truth. So in this kind of balanced practice of method and wisdom together, method alone is not enough. Wisdom alone is also not enough. Method is like a vehicle. Wisdom is like eyes.
If you even you have a vehicle, if you do not have eyes, one could not reach the one’s destination. Even you have eyes while you do not have the vehicle, one will also not be able to reach your destination. So in order to reach the destination, you need both eyes as well as the vehicle. So together, that one will be able to reach the ultimate enlightenment where all these illusory visions will turn into the transcendental wisdom and all these impure visions will turn into the pure vision and obtains a great great quality where one will attain the three kayas and could act benefit immense sentient beings. So in this way, that we conclude the main part of the teaching.
And then the final part is to dedicate the merits that each session that you do, each meditation, each teaching, that it is very important to dedicate the merits. Otherwise, if one do not dedicate the merits, the merits that we earn could be destroyed through a very strong opposite such as anger. But the one says it is dedicated, then it could not destroy by such as anger and instead that it is always increasing the merits. So the each session you do, the whatever virtuous deeds that one does such as, like, listening to teachings or meditation,, contemplations, whatever you do, as well as all the virtuous deeds that one’s done, all combined together, dedicate to attain ultimate enlightenment for the sake of all sentient beings who are as wide as space. How we dedicate?
We dedicate just like with the understanding of all as dream or illusions. All as with the understanding of dream and illusions. So with this kind of thing that we dedicate the merits. So we will have a short break and then we’ll do meditation. So now we’ll do the meditation with the refuge and creation of enlightenment thoughts first and then do the the meditation with the same way as I have explained this morning.
So now, to go through the actual main part of the meditation. The first is difficulties of obtaining the precious human birth, then impermanence and the suffering of saṃsāra and the cause and effect which we have already done. So now the third one is that if you have attachment to your own purpose, you do not have enlightenment thought. So to this to practice, first we have to have a base to rise the enlightenment thought. So base to rise the enlightenment thought is first is to do the loving kind loving kindness.
And for to meditate this that one visualize first one’s own mother who is either passed away or alive and remember the her whole appearance and remember all the kindness that’s in the beginning she gave you body. She gave you life. She gave you all her belongings and try everything to make us as human beings. And today that we have opportunity to practice Dharma is also If we go through all the how we have brought up to now that actually due to the one’s own mother that we today, we have a chance to practice Dharma. If she did not give birth or if she did not give the life, even if she did not to look after, even if she did not thought anything, we won’t be able to to practice Dharma.
So what she needs is happiness. So we give her may she be happy and she be with the cause of happiness. And this you do it with the creation of enlightenment thought and with the strong will and with the prayers. And finally, to pray and make a very strong will that until you can do this, that one will diligently practice. And then once you can do this, then you do with the other relatives, then indifferent, and then to the enemies, and eventually to all sentient beings.
So we for a moment, you meditate on the loving kindness. And then again with the same meditation posture that you should meditate on the compassion. Starting with one’s own mother who have who has given you much benefit, not only in this life, but for many, many lifetimes. Becoming mother through becoming mother and due to me that she have gone through many different types of sufferings, due to due to looking after me that today she did not been able to escape from the suffering of saṃsāra. And so we must although she does not want sufferings, but at the moment she is experiencing great suffering and she is although the aim is to be free from suffering, but due to the ignorance, due to not realizing the true nature of all things, that still clinging as if it is real.
She is going through many different sufferings. So may she be free from sufferings with the same way, first to the mothers and close ones, then indifferent, then to enemies, and eventually with the every sentient beings that you should meditate. Then after the The relative bodhicitta, the wishing bodhicitta that one’s own root father and mother as well as all sentient beings wish to have happiness. But due to ignorance that they are experiencing great suffering, some of them are already experiencing great suffering, and some are creating more suffering. And they are completely blind with ignorance and nothing to hold on and far away from the spiritual masters so that they are going through the the edges of the lower realms, just tottering over the edges of the the lower realms.
So one must have a compassion to these sentient beings, but mere compassion will not help. We must rescue them from the suffering and put them into the path of happiness. But at the moment, we do not have the power. Who has the power? Only the fully enlightened Buddhas who possess the infinite quality that even issuing by one rays of light from their body or just giving one line of teaching can save countless sentient beings.
So in any case, in brief, either by sight or by hearing, by remembering, or by touching, or directly or indirectly, anyone who are linked with the Buddha could benefit immensely. So, therefore, for the sake of all sentient beings that I must attain such enlightenment, and I must make inner urge. Inner urge. Real inner urge. Just like a thirsty man is wishing for water.
And then I will work ceaselessly for the sentient beings. Wherever they are fit in any of the three yanas, the Śrāvakayāna, Pratyekabuddhayāna, and Bodhisattvayana. Wherever they are fitting, wherever they are karmic connections that I will put them into the the right path and be able to to help. So this kind of thing first, meditate on the the wishing enlightenment thought.