Calm Abiding Retreat

A report by Marika Lontis, as printed in the November/December 2002 Buddha House Newsletter

Group photo of the retreaters. Click to enlarge - 56 Kb. Prints 5 X 3 Cm @ 300 dpi

For some students, it was their first connection with De Tong Ling Retreat Centre and also with Geshe Pema Tsering's wonderful teachings.

Over the week-end, Geshe-la gave frequent invaluable instructions on 'How to train in concentration' as presented in 'Liberation in the Palm of your Hand', assisted by Ruth Gamble's most delightfully lucid translation. (see page 2 for Ruth's story). The teachings were adorned with jewels, such as this tip on the sure fire way to accumulate the vast merit needed to reach Enlightenment. One, always rejoice in the virtues and good works of all beings, and two, generate the Enlightenment thought and sustain it in your mind. These two things become a powerful force to achieve Buddhahood.

Geshe-la explaining a point to translator Ruth Gamble Click image to enlarge - 36 Kb. Prints 5 X 3 Cm @ 300 dpi

Geshe-la very skillfully guided us, letting us work our way through the meditations, practising what we thought calm-abiding was, and this, in combination with the lively discussions and clarifying question and answer sessions ensured that, by the end, it became very clear to us all, exactly what calm-abiding wasn't!

We learnt that it's not sitting perfectly posed whilst the mind rushes wildly hither and thither, and nor is it dozily daydreaming in Noddyland. It's not just watching your breath, although this is the essential preparation, allowing you to bring your focus away from external objects and begin to concentrate it within, so that you encounter the unruly mad elephant mind, and become aware of how many images and thoughts charge through, often alarmingly toxic! And ultimately it's not an end in itself.

The makeshift gompa in the Ecolodge Click image to enlarge - 47 Kb. Prints 5 X 3 Cm @ 300 dpi

It's a process of training the mind to focus single-pointedly on one conceptual object, whether visual (such as a mental image of the Buddha) or intellectual (such as the thought to attain Buddhahood), with a concentration imbued with the qualities of steadfastness, clarity and vividness. You have to take hold of your chosen object and not let it slip from your memory, holding a tight rein on the mind so you don't lose focus on the object.

Obstacles will arise and you have to be able to identify them and apply the necessary techniques to counteract them. Our greatest enemies are dullness and excitement. Dullness is an inward sinking, like a veil drawn across the mind, causing it to lose clarity so that it's not sharp, fresh and alert. Excitement is a form of distraction outwards, which cause us to lose concentration as the mind is attracted to something desirable.

We have to cultivate a 'self-watcher' or sentry of vigilance to guard against these pitfalls. Then, learn to 'tighten' our mind and increase clarity to ward off dullness; and cut short excitement, 'loosening' the mind and concentrating on steadiness to stop the mind wandering. Geshe-la said that without using the specified methods, our practice can never be a cause for calm-abiding , but only a cause for pretending.

Persevering with the juggling act, the aim is to develop spontaneous, effortless single-pointed concentration, and then, through becoming repeatedly familiar with this state, you then attain true calm-abiding. This is a bliss of mental and physical pliancy which is the necessary tool for developing realisations. One thing we certainly realised is that we all have a long way to go!

Still, despite the rugged windy weather and the deprivation of home comforts, as many 'camped out' in the clearings around Kimball's Castle; despite the rude awakenings at 5am as the bell ringer did the rounds, rousing us to our torchlit trudge up the hill to the gompa; despite the discipline of precepts and the constraints of silence; despite the pains and aches from long days of sitting; despite the fact that for some, the euphoria of a wonderful retreat quickly changed into the agonies of seasickness on the rough crossing back to the mainland; despite all this, the consensus was unanimous - it was a most enjoyable, illuminating week-end, and everyone was eager to come back again soon, hopefully for a longer period, so as to be able to spend more time in the wilderness setting and reap even more benefit. Thank you BH and DeTong Ling!

- Marika Lontis