7 Treasures of Awakening

1. Mindfulness: The Foundation of Awakening

"Mindfulness stays firmly with the object without wobbling or drifting off."

Stability of awareness. Mindfulness is the cornerstone of Buddhist practice, serving as the foundation for all other factors of awakening. It involves maintaining a steady, non-judgmental awareness of the present moment, whether observing the breath, bodily sensations, thoughts, or emotions.

Four qualities of mindfulness:

• Not forgetting or losing focus on the present moment
• Presence of mind, directly facing what is arising
• Remembering what is skillful and what is not
• Close association with wisdom through bare attention and clear comprehension

Mindfulness acts as a guardian, protecting the mind from unwholesome states and cultivating wholesome ones. By developing this quality, practitioners create a stable platform for deeper insights and spiritual growth.

2. Investigation of Dhammas: Discerning Truth

"It is the truth that liberates, not your efforts to be free."

Wisdom in action. Investigation of dhammas is the wisdom factor of mind, involving the discernment and illumination of truth through discriminating wisdom. This factor allows practitioners to explore the nature of reality, distinguishing between wholesome and unwholesome mental states.

Key aspects of investigation:

• Recognizing habit patterns of suffering
• Seeing personality as not-self
• Understanding the nature of thought
• Exploring the processes of mind and body

By cultivating this factor, practitioners develop the ability to see things as they truly are, free from delusion and attachment. This deep understanding forms the basis for liberation from suffering and the realization of ultimate truth.

3. Energy: The Power to Persevere

"Let only my skin, and sinews, and bones remain, and let my flesh and blood in the body dry up, I shall not permit the course of my effort to stop until I win that which may be won by human ability, human effort and human exertion."

Tireless determination. Energy, or viriya, is the driving force behind all accomplishment on the spiritual path. It manifests as strength, courage, and perseverance in the face of challenges and obstacles.

Aspects of energy:

• Shoring up wholesome states
• Courage to face difficulties
• Persistence in practice

Balanced effort is crucial, avoiding both excessive striving and laxity. By cultivating the right amount of energy, practitioners maintain steady progress on the path to awakening, overcoming hindrances and developing wholesome qualities of mind.

4. Rapture: Joy in the Dharma

"When insight is adorned with these qualities, attachment arises which is subtle and peaceful, and it clings to that insight and is not able to discern the attachment as being a defilement."

Exhilaration in practice. Rapture, or pīti, is a factor of awakening that brings joy and delight to the mind and body. It arises from the deepening of practice and the realization of Dharma insights.

Five grades of rapture:

1. Minor rapture (lifting of the spine)
2. Momentary rapture (sudden jolt of energy)
3. Wavelike rapture (thrilling sensations)
4. Uplifting rapture (feeling of levitation)
5. Pervading rapture (sublime happiness filling the body)

While rapture can be a powerful motivator in practice, it's important to maintain equanimity and not become attached to these pleasant experiences. Practitioners should recognize rapture as another impermanent phenomenon, using it as fuel for further insight rather than a goal in itself.

5. Calm: Tranquility of Mind and Body

"Breathing in, calm the breath; breathing out, calm the breath."

Serene composure. Calm, or passaddhi, is the soothing factor of mind that quiets disturbances and brings peacefulness to both mind and body. It plays a crucial role in deepening concentration and supporting the development of wisdom.

Ways to develop calm:

• Mindfulness of breathing
• Settling back into experience
• Relaxing bodily tensions
• Cultivating a non-striving attitude

As calm deepens, practitioners experience a profound sense of ease and well-being. This tranquility becomes the foundation for deeper states of concentration and insight, allowing the mind to see reality more clearly and peacefully.

6. Concentration: Unifying the Mind

"For one who is concentrated, one knows and sees things as they really are."

Mental unification. Concentration, or samādhi, refers to the unification of mind on a single object or on moment-to-moment changing objects. It is a key factor in developing deep insight and wisdom.

Two types of concentration:

1. Fixed-object concentration (leading to jhānas)
2. Momentary concentration (basis for vipassanā insights)

Four developments of concentration:

• Pleasant abiding here and now
• Knowledge and vision
• Insight and wisdom
• Uprooting the defilements

By developing strong concentration, practitioners create the conditions for deep understanding and liberation. The concentrated mind is able to see reality clearly, free from the distortions of scattered attention and mental agitation.

7. Equanimity: Balance in All Circumstances

"As a solid mass of rock is not moved by the wind, so a sage is not moved by praise and blame."

Unshakeable balance. Equanimity, or upekkhā, is the factor of awakening that brings balance and evenness to the mind. It allows practitioners to remain steady in the face of life's ups and downs, maintaining composure in all circumstances.

Three aspects of equanimity:

1. Balance in worldly vicissitudes (gain/loss, praise/blame, fame/disrepute, pleasure/pain)
2. Divine abode (brahmavihāra) of impartiality
3. Wisdom aspect of non-preferential awareness

By cultivating equanimity, practitioners develop the ability to meet all experiences with calm and clarity. This balanced mind becomes the foundation for deep wisdom and compassion, allowing one to navigate life's challenges with grace and understanding.

Last updated: November 7, 2024