The Buddha once instructed the bodhisattvas from the Realm of Fragrance Accumulation: “Regard all states of meditative absorption as the sufferings of hell.” With these words, he cautioned them against becoming attached to the bliss of meditative absorption.
Many people equate dedicated meditation practice with spiritual cultivation, unaware that they are merely seeking physical comfort and emotional reassurance. To believe that this alone can lead to liberation is nothing short of self-deception.
Someone might object: 'Did not the venerable Milarepa attain realization by practicing precisely like this, alone in a cave?' Indeed, he did. But the prerequisite was that he had completely forsaken all worldly attachments and then withdrawn alone to a barren mountain cave. We, on the other hand, have endured almost no genuine hardship. In our daily lives, so many things are already comfortably arranged for us by others; even for our three daily meals, we can simply sit back and enjoy the fruits of others' labor without lifting a finger. We take the perks and comfort born of favorable conditions for granted, often without a shred of gratitude. This is a form of foolish selfishness—even if not overtly expressed, it remains selfish nonetheless. To indulge in such a life while expecting effortless liberation is a sheer delusion—it is simply impossible.
“Very well, then—I too will follow the venerable Milarepa’s example!”—You are welcome to try; we will gladly help dig a cave for you. The prerequisite, however, is that you can truly practice as he did: meditate joyfully with barely enough to eat, and remain unwavering in your dedication to the Dharma while living alongside venomous snakes and wild beasts.
How extraordinarily profound Milarepa’s renunciation was! Do we possess it? Hardly—let alone bodhicitta. We are simply accustomed to sitting quietly, relishing a fleeting sense of comfort and ease, while our self-grasping remains concealed beneath all manners of favorable circumstances. Milarepa’s self-grasping, however, had long been obliterated through the sheer severity of his ordeal.
Furthermore, what did Milarepa endure before retreating to the mountain wilderness? What grueling trials had his guru, the venerable Marpa, subjected him to? He commanded Milarepa to build towers and stone fortifications, repeatedly building them up only to tear them down again and again. Milarepa’s hands and feet were rubbed raw, his flesh worn away to the bone, his wounds festering until maggots crawled from them. So severe were these ordeals that even Dagmema—Marpa’s spiritual consort (ḍākinī)—could not bear the sight. She pleaded with Marpa, “Why must you torment this child so? No human being should have to live like this.” Yet throughout it all, Milarepa never uttered a single word of complaint.
Now turn to examine ourselves: in daily life we seek every advantage, and in meditation we expect complete physical comfort. How does this differ from the practice of qigong? This is not to deny the value of meditative absorption, but to emphasize that it must be paired with right view. One must not remain satisfied with a mere state of quietude and ease; such contentment falls short even of the meditative experiences of “bliss, clarity, and non-thought,” attachment to which is itself a pitfall on the path. It is nothing more than a rudimentary sense of physical comfort.
“Regard all states of meditative absorption as the sufferings of hell.” This was Śākyamuni Buddha’s instruction to the bodhisattvas of the Realm of Fragrance Accumulation. Would anyone really dare claim that this teaching does not apply to us “bodhisattvas here on Earth”? In truth, this instruction applies fully to every bodhisattva!
This article is a preliminary translation draft and has not yet been reviewed or proofread by the speaker.
Comments (0)