Cutting the Root
By Michael Erlewine
The Venerable Thrangu Rinpoche had this say:
“Delusion is like a dream and an illusion, but we have not realized this when we are resting in the state of peace known as Shamata (Tranquility Meditation). There’s less delusion in the state of Shamata (Tranquility Meditation), but the nature of the mind and the nature of the delusion have not been realized.
“For this reason, Shamata (Tranquility Meditation) does not serve as an antidote for delusion. It’s a temporary solution, though a steppingstone on the way to a deeper understanding. The mind becomes very relaxed in Shamata (Tranquility Meditation), and the delusion relaxes, too, but the ‘nature’ of that delusion has not been realized.
“In Vipassana (Insight Meditation), the mind and delusion are realized to be empty, like a dream or an illusion. In this sense we say that Shamata (Tranquility Meditation) suppresses delusion and Vipassana cuts it from the root.”
The above quote says what has to be said and is very clear about it, the difference between Tranquility Meditation (Shamata) and Insight Meditation (Vipassana), suppressing delusion and cutting the root of delusion once and for all.
The act of suppression, and the effort required to do that, eventually gives way to removing that effort which cuts the root of delusion.
[Midjourney graphic prompted by me.]
EMAIL Michael@Erlewine.net
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As Bodhicitta is so precious,
May those without it now create it,
May those who have it not destroy it,
And may it ever grow and flourish.
