Toh 808The Section on the Higher States of Meditative Absorption
Pāli / Sanskrit:Dhyānottarapaṭalakrama
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Explanation of the Sūtra Section on the Higher Levels of Meditative Absorption
Context
The Section on the Higher Levels of Meditative Absorption (Dhyānottarapaṭalakrama) belongs to the Northern canon and is found in the Sūtra canon of Tibetan Buddhism. This scripture focuses on a detailed analysis of levels of meditative absorption that go beyond the basic levels of concentration, states of mind called dhyāna in the Mahāyāna tradition.
In the Northern Mahāyāna tradition, the levels of meditation are regarded as essential tools of practice for progressing toward liberation. Unlike views that regard meditative absorption merely as a temporary state of mind, the Northern tradition emphasizes that higher levels of meditation are an extremely important foundation for developing transcendent wisdom (prajñā) and for maintaining the mind in stillness, from which one may apprehend the true nature of phenomena.
Main Content
This sūtra teaches that the higher levels of meditation go beyond the four basic absorptions (Rūpajjhāna). They include meditative states in the formless realm (Arūpajjhāna): Infinite Space, Infinite Consciousness, Nothing Whatsoever, and Neither Perception nor Non-Perception, absorptive states in which the mind functions at an extraordinarily subtle level.
Each higher level is characterized by the gradual restraint of mental defilements and the growth of meditative power. The sūtra teaches that each level of meditation has its own characteristics in relation to feeling, thought, and specific aim. In particular, the Northern tradition emphasizes the coordination of śamatha (mental concentration, stability of attention) and vipaśyanā (clear observation, deep insight). It is not enough merely to regulate the mind; this must be combined with wisdom that penetrates the nature of all dharmas in order to attain true awakening.
Practical Meaning
In the context of modern practice, this sūtra provides precious guidance on how to develop the levels of meditation step by step.
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