Five-fold Procedures for Quieting the Mind

Week of Nov 14, 2004 – Five-fold Procedures for Quieting the Mind

The Five-fold Procedures for Quieting the Mind, also known as The Five Contemplations for Settling (“stilling" or "stabilizing") the Mind are the five methods used to stop the five faults or defilements arising from the mind. These five faults or defilements are: greed, hatred, ignorance, unsettledness or restlessness and karmic disturbance.

These five-fold procedures are:

Contemplation on the impurity of the body to stop greediness arising from the mind;
Contemplation on compassion to stop hatred arising from the mind;
Contemplation on dependent origination to stop ignorance arising from the mind;
Contemplation on the counting of breath to stop restlessness arising from the mind;
Contemplation on Buddha to stop karmic disturbance arising from the mind.

Some versions of these five-fold procedures substitute “Contemplation on Realms” in place of “Contemplation on Buddha” to stop selfishness arising from the mind. Another version puts breathing last, and there are many other minor differences.

A thorough practitioner should learn or understand all five procedures, but should pick one, in particular, to work on. In our meditation class we work on the counting of the breath, also known as Anapana, exhalation and inhalation.

Breathing is a very ordinary yet marvelous thing. Without breath, the physical body can no longer function and one may die – so one’s physical life is very much dependent on breathing. However, one’s Dharma Life is everlasting and is not dependent on breathing the way one’s physical life is. In some ways, breathing is the fine connection between the physical life and the dharma life. We are still breathing therefore our physical lives still exist. Can you sense your physical existence through your breath? Can you sense your dharma existence through your breath too? Observing breathing can give you much insight into your body, mind and lives. Control over your breathing enables you to overcome many difficulties arising from your body and mind. Wind is one of the four elements that make up our physical body. What is the relationship between this wind element and our breathing? Investigate!!!

Respiration is a voluntary as well as an involuntary system. Digestion and circulation are totally involuntary systems for most people, whereas the movement of our limbs and eyes are generally under the voluntary system. Respiration is something that we can control voluntarily or leave it to work on its own. Thus it can be compared to the working of the mind. Our mind can be totally under our control or it can work on its own without our noticing of it.

Sense, observe and contemplate on breathing, it will lead you back to your True Nature. Do not ask “HOW” Raise the existential doubt and experience it!