The Seven Enlightenment (Awakening) Factors
Sutra
Again, one dwells contemplating mind-objects (dhammas) as mind-objects (dhammas) in terms of the seven enlightenment factors. And how does a bhikkhu dwell contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the seven enlightenment factors?
Here, if the tranquility enlightenment factor is present, a one knows: “There is tranquility enlightenment factor in me”; or if the tranquility enlightenment factor is not present, one knows: “There is no tranquility enlightenment factor in me”; and one also knows how the unarisen tranquility enlightenment factor can arise, and how the arisen tranquility enlightenment factor can be perfected by development.
Insights
“In this way, one dwells contemplating tranquility as tranquility internally (in our self), or one dwells contemplating tranquility externally (in others), or one dwells contemplating tranquility both internally and externally.
Or else one dwells contemplating tranquility its arising factors, or dwells contemplating in tranquility its vanishing factors, or dwells contemplating in tranquility both their arising and vanishing factors.
Or else mindfulness that “there is tranquility”(dhammas) simply established to the extent necessary for bare knowledge and continuous mindfulness. And one abides independent, not clinging to anything in the world.
That is how one abides contemplating mind-objects as mind-objects in terms of the seven enlightenment factors.
Tranquility (calm) – Enlightenment Factor #5
The fifth enlightenment (enlightening) factor is tranquility or calm. (We will use both of these words synonymously.) It is the calming of both the mind and body. When the mind calms the body calms as a consequence.
Tranquility arises as a result of having cultivated the kind of joy that is without the underlying tendency towards excitement or greed. If greed is at the root of joy, the mind becomes agitated, restless, and excited as it continues to look for additional or more intense experiences of joy.
Many people’s minds are in a state of agitation much of the time. Their minds are filled with restlessness, worry, fear and dread. This disturbed state of mind is comparable to what happens when a rock is thrown into a pile of ashes and the ashes scatter. The agitated mind is always scattered and can lead to unskillful speech and actions.
It can be difficult to tranquilize or calm the mind. The mind is typically unsteady, difficult to guard, and it wanders at will. It “quivers like a fish taken from its watery home and thrown on dry ground.”
It is easy to be calm when circumstances are favorable. Tranquility enables us to be composed even in the midst of unfavorable circumstances. The person with a calm mind does not get upset, confused, or excited when confronted with the eight vicissitudes of life (gain and loss, good and ill repute, praise and blame, pain and pleasure).
The enlightenment factor of tranquility is the antidote for the hindrance of Restless and Worry. It occurs when mental agitation has been silenced. Its function is to suppress the heat of the mind which arises due to agitation, and replace it with coolness and ease. The mind is in a calm state and the movements of the mind and body become gentle, smooth, and graceful.
When the mind is tranquil or composed, great sincerity, genuineness, or authenticity arises. We are able to be totally honest and true because we feel fully at ease.
The experience of calm is so pleasant that we need to be careful not to practice just to experience tranquility. The mind can get attached to
almost anything. Tranquility is still a constructed state of mind to which we need to bring mindfulness.
The tranquility factor of enlightenment naturally follows from joy, the previous factor of enlightenment. Unless tranquility is cultivated, concentration, the next enlightenment factor, cannot be cultivated successfully.
Sutra
Here, if the tranquility enlightenment factor is present , one knows: “There is the tranquility enlightenment factor in me”; or if the tranquility enlightenment factor is not present, one knows: “There is no tranquility enlightenment factor in me”
Daily Practice
We need to be aware when the tranquility factor is present and when it is absent. Is it present in you at this moment? Take a few calmng breaths and see for yourself!
The main cause for the arising of tranquility is wise attention directed towards this mental state. Great calm comes from a focused mind that is filled with joy. Tranquility is not a mind state that endures without repeated practice. In fact, if meditation is not practiced consistently, tranquility disappears.
Sutra
”…and one also knows how the unarisen tranquility enlightenment factor can arise, and how the arisen tranquility enlightenment factor can be perfected by development.
Practice 1st
In the Satipatthana sutra the Buddha gave specific instructions on how to make the mind tranquil. You received these directions when we began with the body meditations and following the breath. Please give one day to practicing each of the following four steps during formal meditation and throughout the day.
1. “…establishes mindfulness in front of oneself, ever mindful one breathes in, mindful one breathes out…”
This refers to keeping the mind and awareness temporally in the present moment. It is to breathe in and out aware of what is happening with each breath as it arises and falls away. We do not focus on the breath that has passed or the breath that is yet to arise. We maintain our mindfulness from one moment to the next. Mindful we breathe in and mindful we breathe out.
It is similar to a person sawing a log of wood. One’s attention will be focused on the point of contact of the saw’s teeth with the log. He will naturally be aware of the coming and going of the saw beyond that point, but will not be paying any particular attention to it.
2. “…Breathing in long, one knows: “I breathe in long”; or breathing out long, one knows; “I breathe out long.” Breathing in short, one knows; “I breathe in short”; or breathing out short, one knows; I breathe out short.”
We are not trying to control the breath. It does not matter what the length of each breath is. We are just aware of whether each in and out breath is long or short. We find that the length and quality of breaths change as we continue with our meditation practice owing to the mental and physical tranquility that ensues.
“He (or she) knows” means that knowing is thorough and not superficial. It is a non-cognitive awareness of the length of each in and out breath. There is no need to have inner dialogue intentionally naming each breath as long or short. You may find, however, that the mind names some breaths as long or short without your intention to have it do so.
3. “…One trains thus: “I shall breathe in experiencing the whole body”; one trains thus: “I shall breathe out experiencing the whole body.”
In an interesting change of language, the Buddha now talks about “training.” This does not mean that the meditator should make a conscious and intentional effort to experience the whole body. Efforting defeats the purpose of calming the mind and body.
The whole body refers to the breath body (although some interpret this to mean the entire physical body). We simply maintain awareness of the entire breath from the beginning, through the middle, to the end of each in breath, and from the beginning, through the middle, to the end of each out breath. The awareness flows with each part of the breath. Two things are always present and never separated – the breath and the awareness of the breath.
We are not trying to follow the breath as it goes into the body and out of the body. We stay focused exclusively on the touch sensation as the breath goes in and out of the nostrils by the tip of the nose or upper lip. If you cannot follow the breath at these points then you may use the rising and falling of the chest or abdomen.
We are also aware of the pause in-between each in and out breath. The pause and our awareness of it are never separated.
As our sustained attention to the flow of breath increases, we will notice more and more details of the process being observed. We will realize that even a fleeting breath has extension in time. It also has a distinct beginning, middle, and end. One may notice that mindfulness is not equally clear during each phase of a breath’s duration. Along with noticing these fluctuations in the application of mindfulness, we make an effort to maintain our awareness throughout the entire breathing process.
If you would like to try the other interpretation of “breathing in and out experiencing the body” as the entire physical body, of course this is fine. You would breath in and out accompanied by a body scan at the same time. To do this slowly move your attention from the top of the head to the feet noticing any physical sensations that arise during this scan.
4. “…One trains thus: “I shall breathe in calming the bodily formation”; one trains thus: “I shall breathe out calming the bodily formation.”
Once again the Buddha uses the term “training.”
The bodily formation refers to the breath as well as the physical body. This does not mean that the meditator should make a conscious and intentional effort to calm the breathing or the physical body. Efforting defeats the purpose of calming the mind and body.
The breath body subtly influences the physical and mental body. As we follow the in and out breaths with mindfulness and the breaths become more calm and relaxed, they automatically make the physical and mental bodies more calm and relaxed. Become aware that this is occurring.
Sometimes the breathing becomes so subtle and refined that we cannot even feel it. At that time we just maintain our awareness at the touch point waiting to catch the next breath as it arises.
Practice 2nd
There are ten other specific conditions or circumstances that lead to the arising of tranquility or calm. Please spend one full day with each of these practices deeply engaged in discovering how you can put each of these factors into place. Please become so familiar with them that at any point they can become the condition for the arising of the enlightenment factor of tranquility. It is essential that they are not approached in a rigid way. We need to connect our heart to these suggestions.
1. Proper Food
Nutritious food is very important. If food is not nutritious enough, our physical strength will not be sufficient for us to make progress in meditation. Food should also be suitable to our tastes without creating an issue around our diet. We should become aware of which food tend to support a calm and concentrated mind.
2. Good Climate
Everyone has preferences in terms of climate and temperature. Try to meditate where you are feeling comfortable. It may involve the use of a fan, air-conditioner, heater, or adjusting our clothing.
3. A Peaceful Atmosphere
Finding a place to practice which is conducive to a calm mind is important. A quiet place where there are few distractions. We must be careful, however, not to fall into the trap of looking for the “ideal” place in which to practice, since it certainly does not exist! Once we find a situation that is generally
favorable, we need to cultivate patience in the face of adverse circumstances, which inevitably arise.
4. A Comfortable Posture
Make sure your posture is suitable to the needs of the body. Sitting on a meditation cushion or using a meditation bench provides the proper support for the body. However, if body limitations prevent some degree of comfort, it is perfectly fine to use a chair. Comfort does not mean luxurious such as lying in bed or sitting on a heavily cushioned chair. Sitting up straight is one of the most important aspects of posture.
5. Neither Over-enthusiasm nor Sloppiness
This refers to maintaining a balanced effort in practice. We avoid the extremes of over trying or too much laxity. If we push too hard we will miss the meditation object and become tired. If we are lazy about the practice we will not make any progress.
6. Contemplating kamma
Reflecting on kamma, the law of cause and effect, further promotes the arising of tranquility. We can consider that our current state of mind is the result of the words, thoughts, and deeds we intentionally committed in the past, and that the degree of calm we will be able to achieve in the future is being influenced by the words, thoughts, and deeds we are intentionally committing in the present.
7. -8. Avoid Restless friends and Choose those who are Calm and Kind
Avoid ill-tempered, angry, or restless people whose minds are frequently agitated. Make the effort to associate with those who are calm and quiet in body and mind.
9. Incline the Mind towards Peacefulness
Always orient your practice towards achieving tranquility and peace. If we are vigilant in cultivating mindfulness, investigation, effort, and joy, tranquility will arise quite naturally.
10. We can practice cultivating tranquility while moving about
Joseph Goldstein suggests that whenever you feel yourself walking without being present or composed, simply say to yourself, “When walking just walk.” This helps us let go of striving and efforting and calms the mind and body. You can continue this process throughout the day with statements such as “While eating just eat, while seeing just see,” and so forth.”
Finally, tranquility comes from living the practice rather than doing it. I was told by my teacher that:
“you can’t think yourself into a new way of living. You must live yourself into a new way of thinking”.
The happiness that comes from tranquility is a more refined happiness than the happiness that comes from joy. It is this more refined happiness that is the basis for the arising of concentration (the next Factor of an Awakening Mind). By cultivating tranquility and the consequent arising of happiness, desire ceases and concentration automatically occurs without “efforting,” which can be a significant impediment to concentration.
Please spend time this month working with these exercises Imagine what life would be like with Tranquility constantly present. Is this really possible?
Buddha said that if this were not possible he would not teach the Dhamma, but since it is possible he taught the Dhamma.
See for yourself. May you be well, happy and peaceful.
