Foundation of Buddhist Meditation

33 Pages·1987·0.766 MB·English

by  Kalu Rinpoche

The Foundation
of
BuddhiMsetd itation
By
VenK.a luRi npoche
LIBRARY OFTI BET AN WORKS AND ARCHIVES
1987:
Copyright LibrarofyT ibetWaonr ks andA rchives
1973
Firsptu blishiend asa pamphlet
Four EssBeundtdihailTs etx ts1 9811,9 82
Publishiend in
1992
Reprint
1998
Reprint
ALLRI GHTS RESERVED
No portioofnt hipsu blicamtaiyob ne
reproducsetdo,r ienda r etriesvyaslt em,
ort ransmiitnta endyf ormo rb ya nym eans
withowurti ttpeenr missoifot nh ep ublisher.
Covedrr awinNgg:a wanCgh oephel
ISBN:8 1-85102-61-9
Publishbeyt dh eL ibraorfTiy b etaWno rkasn dA rchives,
Dharamsalaan,d p rintaetId n drapraPsrtehsa(s C BT),
4B ahadurshZaahf aMra rgN,e w Delh-i100 002.
Foreword
TheF oundatoifoB nu ddhiMsetd itatbiyo Vne n.K alu
Rinpocwhaes f irpsutb lishaesad p amphlbeytu si n1 97.3I n
1981i tw asi ncludienad n a ntholo(gFyo uErs senBtuidadlh ist
Textwsh)i chw asr eprintiend1 9 82O.n cea gaiwne are
pleasteodo ffeirti ndependenwtiltyhm inorr evisiionn s
respontsoep ersistednetm and.
TheF oundatoifBo und dhiMsetd itatoiuotnl intehseb asic
meditatpiroanc ticcoemsm ont oa lsle ctosf Ti betaBnu d­
dhism.
Ven.K aluR inpochteh,ep resehneta do ft heS hang-pa
Kagyu traditiisoo nn,eo fT ibetf'osr emolsitv imnegd itation
masterasn,d h asg uidehdu ndredosf d isciptlherso ugh
three-yreeatrr eiantm sa nyc ountries.
Iti sh opedt hatth imse ditatmiaonnu awli lplr ovitdhee
readewri tha deeper inisnitgtohh te c omplesxc opoef
TibetaBnu ddhitshto ughatn dp ractice.
GyatshTos hering
DirectoLrT,W A
Decemb,e1 r987
lntruocd� otin
In thimsa nualt,h ef outre achinwghsi cmho tivarteel i­
gioupsr actiacnedt hea ttribuotfte hse T hreeJ ewelasr e
explainIedfo. n ec ompletuenldye rstatnhdess i gnificoafn ce
altlh esteh ingosn,ewi ll tum awayf romt hec ycloefe xist­
encea nds tritvoep rocufrree edowmi,l ble lieivnea ction
andr esu(lkta rmaa)n,d w ileli thoebrt aiBnu ddhahooidn
thilsi foerw ilblec omef reoeft hicsy cleet,cM .o reovwehre n
manyp ositqiuvael itairecesu ltivaotneewd i,l clo nsoliad ate
basifso rt heh olyD harma.So , pleasdeo,n 'jtu spte netrate
thes ignificoafan lctleh reteh ingbsu,ti ,na dditisotnr,i avte
Dharmap ractice.
Thibso okw,a sw rittebny m yselKfa,l Riun poch(eK arma
Drub-gyuTde n-dzifno)r tbheen efoifat l wlh op racttihcee
Dhamra.K enM cLoedo fC anaddai dt het ranslaftrioomn
theT ibetainn toE nglisahf,t ewrh ichK ungoL osang
Lhalungcphae ckeadn dc orrecttehde t ranslamtainoun­
script.
May thiwso rkd elivmearn ys entiebneti ngfsr omt he
oceaonf s ufferintgh,ic sy cloefe xistenmcaey;t heayt tain
theC astolfeB uddha.
KaluR inpoche
TheF oundoantio fB uddhMiesdti otna ti
byT heV erVye nerabKlael uRi npoche
Now ino rdert oe mbarukp onr eligiporuasc tircieg,h t
from thes taratn,a wareneosfst hed ifficulotfim eese ting
witthh eo pportuniatnidbe lse ssionfgt sh isl ifweil la nchor
them inda ndl eaodn et oe nter reltihgeinto hnr;o ugthh e
contemplaotfii omnp ermanenclea,z inwesisl blea bandoned
ando new ilslt riavtse u cphr actibceel;ii ensf e eadn dr esults
wilcla useev itlob er ejectvedi,r ttuoeb et akeunp ,a ndo ne
toa ctw ith proprainedwt hye;n t hem iseroyf tchyec loef
existeisn cuen derstoboedc,a uses torfo nrge vulsioonne
wilwla ntt op rocuornel fyr eedom.
Firtsotp ossetshsee ight opportmuenaintsni oetts o b e
born int hee ighutn restefxuils tenwcheisc ha re theh ell,
pretaan da nimarle alms taolrlm entbeyds uffereixncgl u­
sivelpyr;i mitive ttowr hiibcenhso r elighioansa ppeared;
thel ongl ivedg odsa driofntt hec urrenotfds e sirteh;o1s e
humanb eingwsh oh avew rongv iewsb,e lievnienigt hienr
relignioorni nt hel awo fa ction and trheossbueol rnt i,n a
darka eonw henB uddhhaa sn ota ppeareadn;dt hosweh o
cannoutn derstatnhdem eaninogf r eligdiuoent or etarda­
tioonr d efectisns peeceha,r osr e yes.
To posstehsets e nb lessimnegasn sf irtsoth avet hef ive
blessiwnhgisc ha ccruet hrougohn eselif.;et .oo btain the
bodyo fa h umant,o b eb orn ina c entrcaolu ntwrhyi chha s
religitoohn a,v ea lfilv es enseisn tatcotr ,e vertsheet idoef
karma,a ndt oh avef aitihnt heT hreeJ ewelasn;ds econldy,
toha ve thefi veb lessiwnhgis�;: ahc cruet hrougoht heris.;e .
thea ppearaonfcB eu ddhat,h tee achionfrg e lig(iDohna rma),
thes tabiloiftt yh eD octritnhee,e xitsencoef m anyw ho
follotwh eDoc trinea,n dt hrougthh ek indneasnsd f aitohf
othertsoh avef avoracbilrec umstafnocrre esl igious prac­
ticTeo.g ethetrh,efi veb lessinfrgosm, o nesealnfd t hef ive
througoht hecrosm pritsheet enb lessinTghsu.st ,op ossess
6 KaluR inpoche
theseei,g hteoepnp ortunaintdib else ssifnogrsm,ts h eh u­
manb irth.
Thed ifficouflm teye tiwnigt ih ti si llustriantt herde e
waysb:y c onsidetrhienc ga usteh,e n umberasn,d a ne x­
ampleT.h ek armicca usiest hec ultivaotfai coonm pletely
pureet hiccaold eS.u chi ndividauraevl esr rya rNeu.m ber
meantsh awth ilhee lble inagrse a sn umerouasst hed ust
particolfte hsee artphr,e taasst hesa ndo ft heG anges (the
sacrreidv eirnI ndiaa)n,i maalsss nowf laktehso,s ient he
celesatnidaa nlt i-rgeoadl amsst he sattan risg htth,o sweh o
havaep reciohuusm anb irwtiht ohp portunaintdib else ss­
ingasr e ldiakyet ismtea rFso.re xamplieit,s t augthhta itaf l l
thweo rlwde rwea tearn da w oodeyno kwee rteh ereutpoo n
bet ossebydt hew indsa,n da blintdu rtsluer facoendc e
everhyu ndreyde arfso,rt hattu rttloep uti tnse cki nt he
yokew ouldb ee asitehra tno o btatihne p reciohuusm an
birth.
Thusa,t t hitsi mweh ent hep recious hbuimrathnha s
beeon btainneodtt, o s eotu tt of olltohwe p attho f reedom
ands ow,h enc ompletferlefyer otmh es ufferionftg h e cycle
ofe xistetnooc bet atihnep ermanepneta coefB uddhahood,
ism orew astetfhualnf ,oe rx amplaep ,o omra nw ho,fi nding
asm anyj ewewlosu ldfi lal housem,a kesn ou sea nds o
loses them.
Son ow,r esoltvode i smiaslswl o rldwloyr kw,h icihs
greaatc tivfiotlryi tptulrep soea,n dd on'dte ceiovnee seolrf
pretendo tnehu antd erstaDnhdasr moar tohnaetc anm edi­
tatOeb.t atihnne e ctoafrr e ligfiroonam q ualiftieeadc h(eorr
spiritual afnrdti heenandf )t,ce orm pletceolmyp rehending
thes ignifiocfat nhceHe o lyD harman,e vedre pafrrto mt he
resoluttoic oonm plettheep ractoifcD eh armbay a ccumu­
latesdp iritmuearli tesl,i minamteinntga ilm puritaineds ,
applying thmreoduigtha ttiroann sformaantdis opni ritual
perfection.
Seconldyi,if m permaneinscc oen templastterdo,n g cling­
ingt ot hilsi fdei minisahnedos n ei sa blteoc ultivvaitret ue.
Whati si mpermaneAnlcle ?g atheorfri incghse s, enjoyment
TheF oundaotfiBo und dhMiedsitt ation 7
ands plendaorrei ,nt hee ndd,i spersientd h;ee ndb,u ild­
ingrsu ineidnt; h ee ndt,h osweh oh aveg athered together
arsee paraitnetd h;e etnhdo,sb eo rnd ieT.h use vertyh inigs
buti mpermanent.
In addititohnee, x ternwaolr lwdh icshe emsso liadn d
firimsi mpermanaenndtw ilbled estroiynes dt agbeysfi re,
watearn dw indT.h ef orceo ft hec ominsgp ricnagu stehse
earttho b es ofatn dr eddish-birnoc wonl outrr;e easn d
planbtrsi nfgo rsthho oatnsd b udsB.u tt hiissi mpermanent,
fotrh ef orcoeft hec omings ummecra ustehs ee artthob e
moisatn db lue-grience onl ogrr;a stsr,e easn dp landtes­
velolpe avaensd p etalTsh.ef orcoeft hec ominagu tumn
causetsh ee arttho b efi rma ndr eddish-yienlc loolwo r;
grastsr,e aensd p lanrtisp einnf ruiTth.e f orocfet hceo ming
wintcearu stehse e artthob eh aradn dg reiyn c ologrr;a ss,
treaensd p lanbtesc omder ya ndb ritatnldes ;oo ns easboyn
seasoTnh.es un and mroiosnia nngds ettairnagel siom per­
manenAtt.d ayi its claendab rr igahttn ;i ght balnaddc akr k.
Moreovheoru rasn dm inutaersei mpermanean pta,s sing
momentI.m permaniesnl ti kaec ontinwuaatle fra lslo:m e­
thinegl ssei milaarri ses.
Alls entibeenitn gtsh/ei nnecro ntenotfts h ee xternal
worlda,r ei mpermaneAnltlt. h osweh oc ameb efohraev e
dieda,l tlh aatr en owa red yinagl,tl o c omew ilblu td ie.
One'sse lifne ahcy eamro,n thd,a ,yh ou,ra ndm inutder aws
closteodr e atThh.o ugbhr avaen dg reatcloyu rageoounse,
cannottu mb ackd eatthh;o ugsht ronagn df leoeftf oot,
theriesn ofr eedomi nfl ightth;o ugchl evaenrd e loquent,
erudidties coucrasnde o n oughBtr.a vter oopssh,a rwpe ap­
onsp,o wearn d influecnlceevsc,eh re mesw,e altohrr iches,
ab eautigfiurllb 'osd, ya ltlh eswei lnlo tt urni ta wa.yW hen
thes ung oebse hintdh em ountatihne,r iesn oo new hoc an
possidbellya oyrd etaiitn.
Nori st hilsi cfeer tianii ntl se ngtDhe.a tcha nc omei nt he
motherw'osm b,o ra tb irtohrw, h eno nec anj usbte gitno
crawolrw alk,i nt het imoef y outohr,a ftoelrda get:h tei me
ofd eatihsn otc ertaAilnst.oh erarete h cea usoefsd eatfihr:e
8 KaluR inpoche
andw aterw,i nda ndl ightnienagr,t hquakes, avalanches,
fallihnogu sesw,e aponsp,o isodne,m onsb,a df oode,t c.
Whicho ft hese caoufds eeast whi lclo me niostc ertaTihni.s
lifiesl ikaeb uttlearm pi na h urricaanb eu,b blienw ateorr,
ad ropo fd ewo na bladoef g rass.
Theriesn oy earning ofroj ro ya tt hec ominogf d eathI.t
isl oatheFdo.r , aofnteeh ra ss eta sidlea nadn dh ousaen d
farmp,r operatnydp ossessions, arnedlc altoisfvere ise nds,
fathaenrd m othecrh, ildren, brother taongde tshpeoru se,
witho ne'osw n body,o nem ustg o powerelssa,l onaen d
friendlteoas nsu nfamilrieaarl mt,h et errifByairndg(o t he
stagbee tweedne atahn db irtShi)n.c wei thotuhte slightest
exceptitohneb, a sifso trh idse partuwrhee,t heera rloyrl ate,
isp arotf e verythiwnhge,n eveorn es eesh,e arosr t hinokfs
anotehr'dse atohn,e m ustm akei tp arotf o neself.
Anym ana ta lwlh oh asa s ounbdo d,yg oodc omplexion,
andf eelhsa ppya ndc omfortahbalsne o t houghfto rd eath.
Whent hes ickneosfds e atsht rikheissb, o dy'sst rength ebbs
andh ec annot esviietnn a c roucthh:eg lowo fh ealwtahn es,
andh el ooklsi kae c orpshee;s ufefrsw ithn o meanst o
prevetnhtet hornosfp ainm;e dicirniet,u aolrcs e,r emonies,
noneo ft hesieso fa nyb enefaintd,h ek nowsh ei st od ieh;i s
sufferainndfg eairn creaansdeh ed espaiorfls e avienvge ry­
thinagn dh avintgog oa lonAes.t hel asmte ali st akeann d
thel aswto rdasr uet tertedh,i n,k" Ia lsdoo n otp asbse yond
thinsa ture."
Onced eathha sc omee,v ena persownh o lovehdi m
verym uchd oesn otw antt ok eeph isc orpsleo ngetrh ana
dayo rt woe;v eryoinses ickenaedn dl ookosn i nf eaTr.h e
corpscea rricearrsr y ahcirmo tshse t hreshaonldda wayt o
beb uriedi na cemetecrry,e matehdi,d deinn a creviocre
givetno b irdosrd ogse tcA.f tearl tlh ahta st akepnl acneo,
eyewsi ll esveeehr i ma gaiTnh.i nk",Ia lswoi lclo met ot he
same end."
Att hat time, tPhreec itohuJrsee wee lasn3dt heLa ma are
thefr iendwsh oc anp rovirdeef ugSei.n cvei rtauned v icaer e
TheF oundaotfiB ound dhMiedsitt ati9o n
theo nltyh ingtsh abtr inbge nefiotr h arms,t rinvoew t o­
wardsp uraen dp erfecrte ligiporuasc tice.
Sincteh ibso dyi sm adef rotmh efu sioonf v ariopuasr ts:
blacakn dw hitkea rma,s ecretiofnrso mt hem othearn d
fathetrh,ef ouerl emenstpsa,c ceo nsciousentecsa.sn,,d a ll
compoundtedh inagrsei mpermanesnoit s,t heb ody.
In addititohneh, i gbhec omel o,wt hel owh ighm,i ghty
becomep auperposo,r becomer ihc,e nemiecsh angteo
friendfsr,i entdose nemieisn:a ltlh esceh angenso thing
goebse yonidt ess sentniaatlu roefi mpermanenSoc,e t.h is
holditnogt hei mpermaneasnp te rmaneinslt i keex istiinn g
thed elusioofna sm adman.
Thisp reciohuusm anb irtnho w obtainceda nc onvey
andc ompreheindde ahsa,s a fulclo mplimeonfct a pabili­
tiehsa,sm ets pirittueaalc heanrdsfr iendasn,d h asu nder­
stootdh ei mplicatoifro enlsi giIfo ints. h oulgdo t ow aste,
evena fttehre s ufferoifnt ghsec yclhea veb eene xperienced
intensfeolray l ongti mes,u cha foundataisot nh ibso dy
mayn otb eo btainaegda iTnh.u ss,i ncteh et imoen eh ast o
livies l ikteh es unp eepintgh rough clouds, think about
practicing religioann dvc oowmt podl oes toed liyl igently.
Contemplatoifio mnp ermaneinncte h iwsa yl eadtso
comprehenosfit ohnie mpermaneonfca elc lo mpostihtien gs.
Thenm,a nifeasttt achmteont th ilsi fdeec reasetsh,ep ower
oft hed efileme(ntdse siarvee,ro sni,e tci.sd) e stroyfeda;i th
inr eligiinocnr eaasnedso ,n ew orkwsi tdhi ligeHnecw eh.o
practices riesnl eivgeidroe np ressoerdw earya ndw ill
finalrleya litzheem eaninogft heu nbornu,n dyinnga tuorfe
minda ndo btaitnh ep erfecatc complishomfet nhteG reat
Symbol.
Thirdl,iy ti sn ecessartyo c ultivmaitned fulnoefst sh e
failionftg hse c yclAel.t houtghhe rbeed eatahn di mperma­
nencei,fl ,i kae fi red yinogr w ateerv aporatniontgh,i ng
happenasf terwairdtsw, o uldb ee asyb;u tm indw,h ose
naturiese mpty,n evedri esT.h ea ggregaotfem si nda nd
bodyw hichh avec omef rom strcolnign gianngdi st he
manifestaotfdi eolnu siborne akuspa ndi sd ispersTehde.n