Categories: Maintaining Mindfulness
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
Welcome. In our ongoing series of teachings on establishing mindfulness, we turn our attention today to a very specific, and very important, aspect of your own mind. Many of you are practically engaged with these teachings, following the path laid out by the Buddha, whether you call it the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, the method of insight meditation, known as Vipassanā, or simply, the way to transcend the cycle of suffering. Through this practice, you are learning to cultivate mindfulness, or what we call sati.
As you continue on this path, many of you have begun to develop a deeper understanding of your own mind. This growing understanding is what we refer to as insight, or avabōdhaya. As this insight blossoms, your wisdom, prajñā, expands and deepens.
This allows you to clearly see the inner workings of the mind and to recognize, one by one, the mental states the Buddha taught us about: attachment (ālīma), aversion (gæṭīma), and the various mental defilements, or kleshas. As you apply yourself to this practice, you realize it is a delicate investigation, a subtle task that requires great patience to cultivate. This journey can sometimes lead to an unexpected and challenging phase: the meditation plateau.
When the Practice Becomes ‘Tasteless’: Understanding the Spiritual Desert
As you practice establishing mindfulness, a certain moment can arrive. It is similar to a phase we’ve discussed in tranquility meditation (Samatha), where practice can feel stagnant or even become tiresome. In the same way, as you investigate the mind through insight meditation, a time can come when the entire process starts to feel empty.
It might seem as though there is no longer any pleasure or ‘taste’ in it, which we call āsvādaya. You might even feel it’s pointless. Thoughts and attitudes can arise, like, ‘What is the use of this meditation?’
The reason for this is simple: our five senses, the eye, ear, nose, tongue, and body, are constantly seeking and experiencing gratification. We are always feeling various forms of attachment and aversion, but we much prefer the pleasant feeling of attachment. As we practice mindfulness on the activities of these senses, we start to gain some insight. All the information from these senses comes into the mind, creating thoughts.
As we develop a deeper understanding of these mental processes, a realization dawns: ‘There is no real pleasure here, no lasting taste in this world.’ A feeling of emptiness or disenchantment arises. This is the beginning of the meditation plateau, and how you navigate this period is crucial.
The Inner Tempter: Recognizing the Mind’s Rebellion on the Meditation Plateau
When these feelings of emptiness, loneliness, and disenchantment arise, it is essential to recognize them for what they are: a natural state of the mind. At first, you might identify the stage you are in: ‘Ah, this is that feeling of emptiness.’ But if this thought repeats and turns into a state of melancholy or distress, if you start lamenting, ‘Oh, what is this meditation method? There is no joy in this mindfulness,’ then something else is happening.
If this feeling persists and grows, it is a sign that the mind is trying to pull you back down. The defilements within the mind, which can be personified as the Klesha Mārayā or ‘the tempter of defilements,’ will try to drag you back to your old state. It will whisper, ‘See? After all this meditation, all you feel is emptiness and boredom.
There’s no pleasure from your senses. You should go back to the life you enjoyed before, back to the world of sensory pleasures.’ If you are not mindful and wise at this moment, this inner tempter will surely take hold of you. This is the critical test of the meditation plateau.
The Wise Response: Patience, Equanimity, and Clear Comprehension
So, what should we do when faced with this challenge? The key is to understand this state of mind. As I always say, ‘This, too, is a nature of the mind.’ If you find yourself slipping into sadness and frustration because of these recurring feelings, you must watch carefully. You need to ask, ‘Is this an aversion (gæṭīma) arising in me?’ The mind operates on two main principles: attachment (positive) and aversion (negative). You are now seeing the negative side at work.
The wise person reflects, ‘The Klesha Mārayā is using this feeling to drag me down, preventing me from understanding this state of mind.’ To think this way, at the right moment, is wisdom, or prajñā. When this wisdom is combined with sustained mindfulness, it is what we call Sati Sampajañña in the Pali language, mindfulness with clear comprehension.
This is the crucial skill you must develop. You simply need to observe: ‘Is my mind reacting with aversion to this feeling?’ This requires immense patience (ivaseema) and equanimity (upekkhā). By remaining neutral, patient, and mindful, you allow yourself to pass through this phase and advance to the next level of practice.
The ‘Snakes and Ladders’ of the Mind: Avoiding Setbacks on the Path
If we fail to handle this stage correctly and get caught in aversion, our downfall is certain. I want to remind you of a game like snakes and ladders. You climb up the board, moving toward the goal of 100, and the ladders help you advance quickly. But what happens if you land on a snake? You slide all the way back down to where you started.
This is what can happen in meditation. Getting caught by the ‘snake’ of aversion on the meditation plateau can cause a significant setback, undoing the progress you have painstakingly made over days, weeks, or even months.
Therefore, it is vital to understand this process. If you can identify the aversion arising in your mind, the recurring thoughts of ‘I’m lonely,’ ‘this is tasteless,’ ‘this meditation has no point’, and simply watch it without getting entangled, those thoughts will gradually begin to fade. Their frequency and intensity will diminish.
From Barren Plateau to Expansive Vista: Signs of Progress
When you notice these difficult thoughts and feelings weakening, you should understand: ‘I am now gaining insight into my current state. My meditation, my insight practice, and my mindfulness are all developing.’ This is Sati Sampajañña growing stronger. Even if the feelings intensify for a time, do not panic.
Continue to watch with mindfulness. It may take a few days, weeks, or even months to pass through this stage; the duration depends on how quickly each individual grasps the technique.
If those feelings are still strong, it simply means you haven’t fully understood that particular stage yet. As they gradually decrease, it shows you are beginning to understand. When they disappear completely, it means you have understood it deeply and have moved on to the next stage.
This journey is like that of a traveler crossing difficult terrain, mountain passes and dense forests. Your spiritual exploration will also have difficult moments you must face. This is the way of the path, whether it’s insight meditation or the journey to liberation, or Nibbāna. Recognizing these challenges is the path itself.
The Value of Guidance on a Difficult Journey
Now you can see how important it is to mindfully observe what is happening within you at each stage. You must gain an understanding of these experiences and act accordingly. If you can apply this teaching to your practice, you will be able to move forward correctly without issues. To understand this, however, requires experience.
Otherwise, you must learn from a teacher who has that experience. Some may develop this wisdom on their own, but for a person walking the path alone, it can take a long time, months or even years, to break through this meditation plateau. For others, due to their accumulated virtues from past lives (pāramī), the insight may come very quickly. It is relative to each individual.
Therefore, take advantage of the opportunities you have. If you have the chance to learn from a teacher or from teachings like these, use them to understand your practice. Many have used these teachings as their guide, and when they hear this explanation, they will know how to proceed. Continue to practice, and let your understanding grow. This was the practical insight I wished to share with you regarding this crucial stage of the path.
Conclusion: A Blessing for Your Journey
Today, we conclude this teaching in our series on establishing mindfulness. By the power of the Triple Gem, may all of you gain the strength to practically realize these truths for yourselves.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!.
