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The first
panel depicts several mental functions during
the first phase of concentration practice, when the meditator repeatedly
attempts to focus attention one-pointedly on a single object, either external
or internal. The meditator starts out on the path of well learned instructions
equipped with shackles and goad which represent short term memory and the
monitoring function, to catch and subdue the wild elephant of mind. The
elephant's black color represents undergrousal of mind, which hinders clear
perception of the object and eventually leads to drowsiness. The monkey
represents distraction, and its black color is caused by overarousal of
mind. After each failure to maintain one-pointed attention on the object
the meditator must determine wether it was due to over- or under- arousal
and take corrective measures for the next trial. The fire, decreasing in
size from the first to the seventh stages, and absent thereafter, indicates
the degree of effort required at each stage until concentration becomes
'spontaneous'. |
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The second
stage is achieved mainly through development
of short-term working memory and involves lengthening the period of unbroken
concentration.
From the second stage on, the blackness
of monkey and elephant begins to diminish, indicating the decreasing tendency
toward over- and under-arousal and resulting in less distractibility and
a clearer grasp of the object. |
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By the
third stage the meditator has fastenend the
shackle (short-term- memory) firmly to the elephant of mind but is still
pulled along behind. Lacking full control, the meditator must continue
to refocus attention after each lapse. However, the period of unbroken
concentration is longer and less effort is expending. A hare appears for
the first time, symbolizing a subtle aspect of the hindrance of over-arousal
due to the effort required to establish concentration. |
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At the fourth
stage, development of the monitoring function
(a goad-a sence for the level of activity of the nervous system) and the
extension of the period of short-term memory permit finer control during
concentration. The factors of over- and under-arousal are greatly reduced
both during and in-between the actual state of absorption, as is the effort
required to establish the absorption state. At this stage normally positive
mental functions will distract the mind from the object and must be suppressed
during concentration practice. It is no longer necessary to reset the mind
again, since the developed short-term memory and the monitoring function
acting together permit correction of over- and under-arousal before losing
the object. |
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By the fifth
stage the mind tends to be drawn automatically
toward the object, and thus the monitoring function itself, which tends
to increase arousal and lead to distraction, must be released. The fire
of effort is small and the hare is absent, the mind is said to be pacified. |
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At the sixth
stage, the monkey of distraction has faded
out, and the blackness of mental sluggishness has almost disappeared from
the elephant of mind. Only the slightest over- or under-arousal disturbs
the absorption state and this is easily corrected with slight effort before
concentration falls. |
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At the seventh
stage the monkey is completly gone, the elephant
is completely white and is untouched by distraction or sluggishness. Gone
also are shackle and goad, because short-term memory and the monitoring
function are needed only to establish the actual absorption state, which
is now 'effortless'. Finally the meditator seated and at rest, has achieved
perfect mental euqanimity. This is attended by mental and physical ecstasy,
the latter felt as a pleasurable lightness symbolized by flying. The resulting
perfect control on mental functioning (riding on the elephant) serves as
a basis for advanced practices such as 'analytic Insight' (Vipassana).
This again requires effort (fire) and analytic thought (sword in the hand
of Manjushri, with whom you can identify now) firmly combined with perfect
concentration. Substantial development of concentration skill can be achieved
in as little as six months with proper condition, instructions and guidance.
However, developed concentration alone tends to degenerate unless it is
applied to advanced analytic techniques as mentioned above. |
