Transcript of teachings by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi on the Heart Sutra and Stages of the Path (the Six Perfections) Lesson September 2013

Transcription

1 Transcript of teachings by Khen Rinpoche Geshe Chonyi on the Heart Sutra and Stages of the Path (the Six Perfections) The root text, Middle Length Lam-Rim, by Lama Tsongkhapa, translated by Philip Quarcoo, FPMT, Inc., May 2012, is indented. All page references refer to the root text, unless otherwise stated. Where applicable, page numbers of corresponding sections in the Lam Rim Chen Mo (LRCM) are indicated in footnotes; they refer to The Great Treatise on the Stages of the Path to Enlightenment, Volume 3, by Tsong-kha-pa, translated by The Lamrim Chenmo Translation Committee, Snow Lion Publications, September 2013 How the order of calm abiding and special insight is definite. How to train in calm abiding. How to generate flawless meditative stabilisation (or concentration).(from the root text, pages ). HOW THE ORDER OF CALM ABIDING AND SPECIAL INSIGHT IS DEFINITE The order of developing calm abiding and special insight is definite. First calm abiding is developed followed by special insight. The development of special insight comes after the development of calm abiding. In Engaging in the Bodhisattva Conduct it says: Having understood that special insight Conjoined with calm abiding destroys the afflictions, First seek calm abiding Thus you first accomplish calm abiding and then cultivate special insight based on it. (Page 202) 1 Qualm 1 The text then presents an argument from an opponent who states that there is no definite order and that calm abiding and special insight can be developed simultaneously. 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-5B1 Setting out an objection: If you meditate observing emptiness from the beginning, since you have reality as the observed object of calm abiding, calm abiding and special insight will arise simultaneously so that the two do not need to be sequential With regard to that you may wonder: In Stages of Meditation I, Its object of observation is indefinite the observed object of calm abiding is said to be indefinite, and as explained previously, both phenomena and reality are among the objects of calm abiding. Therefore it should actually be all right to understand the meaning of selflessness and then simultaneously generate both calm abiding, 1 LRCM, 23. Page 1 of 13

2 a meditation observing that understanding due to which the mind does not get distracted, and special insight observing emptiness. Why first seek calm abiding and then cultivate special insight? (Page 202) 2 The position of the opponent is this: The object of calm abiding can be emptiness. As such, first one gains an understanding of emptiness and based on that understanding, one focuses on the object, emptiness, in order to develop calm abiding. Calm abiding will eventually be attained. At the time when calm abiding observing emptiness is attained, special insight will also be attained. The reply Lama Tsong Khapa replies: A For an understanding of emptiness and a mere experience of mental transformation to arise, prior calm abiding is not necessary Now, this is the manner in which calm abiding precedes special insight: For an understanding of the view realizing selflessness to arise, prior calm abiding is not necessary because the view is also seen to arise in the absence of calm abiding. For an experience of mental transformation concerning that view to arise, prior calm abiding is not necessary either because even without calm abiding there is nothing contradictory in an experience of mental transformation arising through familiarization with repeated analysis by means of individual investigation. [245] If it were contradictory, it would absurdly follow from the same reason that the experience of mental transformation arising with respect to impermanence, the faults of cyclic existence, or the training in the mind of enlightenment 3 also depends on calm abiding. (Page 202) 4 One of the things that Lama Tsongkhapa said was that you do not need a prior realisation of calm abiding in order to gain an understanding of selflessness or a mental transformation concerning that view. These can be attained without having achieved calm abiding. Lama Tsongkhapa said that prior to developing calm abiding, one can gain an understanding of selflessness through the wisdom of discernment. Therefore you do not need the prior realisation of calm abiding before gaining an understanding of the view of selflessness. If you disagree, this would lead to the absurd consequence of the assertion that prior to gaining calm abiding, you cannot realise impermanence or the faults of samsara and you cannot meditate on bodhicitta. So prior to developing calm abiding, you can develop an understanding of the view and you can realise emptiness with the wisdom of discernment. But that realisation is not special insight. For that reason, when you do develop calm abiding with 2 Ibid., The mind of enlightenment is also translated as bodhicitta. 4 Ibid., 24. Page 2 of 13

3 emptiness as your object of observation, at the time of achieving calm abiding, you cannot say that you have achieved special insight. This is Lama Tsongkhapa s answer to the qualm. The manner in which calm abiding needs to precede special insight The manner in which calm abiding needs to precede special insight: What, then, is the manner in which calm abiding precedes special insight? Here the context for the generation of special insight is that of ordinary beings without a previous realization arisen from meditation who newly generate it. In this regard, there is a method of meditation on selflessness with a special consciousness that realizes emptiness. Its peculiarities will be explained below. Apart from that, in the context of the Pāramitāyāna and the three lower classes of tantra, analytical meditation is necessary because special insight, which is a realization born from meditation, does not arise unless you have examined the meaning of selflessness by means of individual investigation and then engaged in analytical meditation sustaining it. If you seek an understanding of selflessness and repeatedly analyze its meaning before accomplishing calm abiding, it will be impossible to accomplish calm abiding in dependence on that because calm abiding has not been accomplished. If you perform non-analytical stabilizing meditation, even though you accomplish calm abiding in dependence on it, this will only be a method for sustaining calm abiding, and you will not have a method for sustaining special insight apart from that. Therefore you must seek special insight afterwards. That is why you do not deviate from the order of seeking calm abiding first and then cultivating special insight in dependence on it. So if this system did not understand the method for generating special insight to be the generation of pliancy by means of the analytical meditation of individual investigation, there would be no good reason to seek calm abiding first and then meditate on special insight in dependence on it 5. (Pages ) This is a difficult point and needs time to sort out. You have to read the text and think about it. Generally speaking, in the context of the Perfection Vehicle and the three lower classes of tantra, special insight must be preceded by calm abiding. In the Perfection Vehicle and the three lower classes of tantra, it is not possible to actualise special insight without calm abiding. Why must calm abiding precede special insight? In order for it to be special insight, there must be the bliss of pliancy induced by the force of the analysis done by individual investigation (also translated as wisdom of discernment). 5 The implication here is that analytical meditation generates a level of pliancy exceeding that of calm abiding, which, however, does not come about without the latter. Cf. Wallace 1998: 125 as well as Thurman 1993: 114 and 235. (Footnote in LRCM, 203). Page 3 of 13

4 In order for that bliss of pliancy to arise, first there must be calm abiding. Without calm abiding, you cannot have special insight, because special insight is a wisdom that is conjoined with the bliss of pliancy that is induced through the force of analysis by individual investigation. As it says in the text, So if this system did not understand the method for generating special insight to be the generation of pliancy by means of the analytical meditation of individual investigation, there would be no good reason to seek calm abiding first and then meditate on special insight in dependence on it. Question: When I use a mental image of selflessness as the object of meditation to achieve calm abiding, the object of meditation is a mental image of selflessness. Based on that, I develop calm abiding. So that state of mind is still calm abiding, not special insight? Khen Rinpoche: Correct. You have to read this section a few times in order to get a clearer idea. I also have to think about it in more detail so as to put everything together in a coherent package. The point being made here is that calm abiding must precede special insight. The development of special insight must be preceded by calm abiding. Any assertions contrary to this are assertions that contradict what the trailblazers had presented. C How it contradicts the texts of the great trailblazers to assert an order other than this It is completely inadmissible not to meditate in accordance with that order. As mentioned earlier it says in the Sūtra Unraveling the Intended Meaning that you cultivate special insight in dependence on the attainment of calm abiding. [246] This is because the order of the concentration and wisdom forming part of the six perfections In dependence on the former the latter arises and the order of the higher training in meditative stabilization in dependence on which the higher training in wisdom arises is an order in which you first cultivate calm abiding before special insight is cultivated. In Bodhisattva Levels and Śrāvaka Levels (Śravakabhūmi) it also says that special insight is cultivated in dependence on calm abiding. Essence of the Middle Way, Engaging in the Bodhisattva Conduct, and the three volume Stages of Meditation, as well as Jñānakīrti and Śāntipa, set forth that you seek calm abiding and then cultivate special insight. (Page 203) 6 The fact that special insight is cultivated after calm abiding is stated clearly by the Buddha in the Sutra Unravelling the Intended Meaning and the Indian masters who subsequently commented on his thought are all in agreement as well. 6 Ibid., 25. Page 4 of 13

5 Therefore the assertions of some Indian masters that without seeking calm abiding separately, you generate special insight from the beginning out of an analysis with the wisdom of individual investigation, are in contradiction to the texts of the great trailblazers. Therefore it is inappropriate for the intelligent to rely on them. The order of calm abiding and special insight is like that when you newly generate them. Later on the order is undefined, for having cultivated special insight, you still cultivate calm abiding. (Page 203) 7 Qualm 2 Next is the qualm stating that the position that claims calm abiding must be cultivated prior to special insight contradicts certain texts. 1 The objection that there is a contradiction to scripture in this But then, how is it that the Compendium of Knowledge says: Some have attained special insight but have not attained calm abiding. They strive for calm abiding in dependence on special insight. (Page 203) 8 The reply 2 The response that abandons the fault pointing out the need to distinguish between the actual level and the calm abiding included in the preparatory stage This does not refer to those who have failed to attain the calm abiding included in the preparatory stage of the first concentration but to those who have failed to attain the calm abiding of the actual level of the first concentration and above. Upon direct realization of the four truths, calm abiding of the first concentration and above are in fact attained in dependence on that because in Actuality of the Stages it says: Furthermore, someone who has fully understood suffering and so on up to the path as they really are and who has not attained the first concentration and so forth [247] places the mind and does not perform any thorough differentiation as soon as he attains it. In dependence on just that superior wisdom he applies himself to a superior state of mind. In general, to put it simply, nine minds may be called calm abiding and four investigations, 9 thorough investigation and so forth, may be called special insight. However, actual calm abiding and special insight, as explained here, must be posited after pliancy has arisen. (Pages ) 10 7 Ibid., Ibid. 9 Investigation of phenomena from the point of view of their nature, their performance of functions, dependence, and logical establishment. 10 Ibid., Page 5 of 13

6 We talked about the mind or consciousness of the higher realms in terms of the preparatory stage (also translated as access ) and in terms of the actual level. While the preparatory stage and the actual level are not the uninterrupted path and the path of release as presented in the context of the paths and grounds, we can relate to the preparatory stage and the actual level of concentration in a similar way. These two the preparatory stage of concentration and the actual level of concentration refer to minds of the higher realms, for example, the form realm. There is a certainty in their order. First, the preparatory stage must be attained before one can attain the actual level of concentration. With regard to the mind of the higher realms such as the form realm, there are different concentrations and there are: the preparatory stage of a concentration the actual level of a concentration There are two kinds of preparatory stage of a concentration: 1. There is the preparatory stage that is calm abiding. 2. There is the preparatory stage that is special insight. You must understand this first. Then how do you explain this qualm? The opponent here quoted Asanga's Compendium of Knowledge that states, "Some have attained special insight but have not attained calm abiding. What this quotation means is that the actual level of concentration is attained in dependence on actualising the preparatory stage that is special insight. By depending on the preparatory stage that is special insight, one attains a calm abiding that is included in the actual level of a concentration. Therefore this quotation does not mean that special insight can be achieved without having achieved calm abiding first. Khen Rinpoche: All right. This is just to leave some imprints there. As I mentioned before, in one way the material in the lamrim genre is not easy because it condenses the subject matter of the five great treatises. Regarding this particular topic, without having learnt or understood the Ornaments of Clear Realisations eight categories are covered there and, in the first category, there is the discussion about the minds of the higher realms, the form and formless realm and the different levels of concentrations, what they are, the ways to achieve them and so forth it is difficult to understand this discussion here. This is because great meanings from many topics are condensed into one short paragraph. HOW TO TRAIN IN CALM ABIDING 1 Attending to the prerequisites of calm abiding 2 How to cultivate calm abiding in dependence on the prerequisites Page 6 of 13

7 3 The measure for the accomplishment of calm abiding through meditation (Page 204) 11 Attending to the prerequisites of calm abiding You must be in a good place for cultivating calm abiding. In Ornament for the Mahāyāna Sūtras it says: A place for intelligent people s attainments Has good access, a good location, Good ground as well as good companions, And conveniences 12 for yoga. (Page 204) 13 This is quite straightforward. If you read the text you should be able to understand this easily. One of the biggest hindrances to cultivating calm abiding is noise. The place where you are living to cultivate calm abiding has to be very quiet. The six preconditions for cultivating calm-abiding are: 1. to stay in a favourable place 2. to have few desires. 3. to have contentment 4. to completely abandon many activities or a busy life 5. to have pure ethics 6. to completely abandon discursive thoughts of desire In order to cultivate calm abiding, you must get rid of thoughts of desire. Without getting rid of the thoughts of desire, it is not possible to develop calm abiding. On top of that, you need pure ethics and guard yourself against the causes of misdeeds of body and speech. To completely abandon discursive thoughts of desire and the like: you should abandon all discursive thoughts of desire by meditating on their disadvantages for this life, such as being killed or arrested, and for future lives such as going to the lower realms. Or you should meditate thinking All the pleasant and unpleasant things of cyclic existence are impermanent and subject to destruction. If I will certainly be separated from all of them before long, why do I get overly attached and so on? (Page 205) 14 The meditation on impermanence is crucial; thinking how everything in life, whether pleasant or unpleasant, are all in the nature of disintegrating moment by moment. It is this meditation on impermanence that is very helpful in stopping thoughts of desire. In Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment it says: 11 Ibid., Tib. bde ba i yo byad 13 Ibid., Ibid., 29. Page 7 of 13

8 Even if you exert yourself greatly, Even for a thousand years, if Calm abiding s limbs 15 are impaired, Stabilization 16 will not be accomplished. For those with the heartfelt wish to accomplish the meditative stabilization of calm abiding and special insight, it is therefore essential to put effort into the thirteen prerequisites 17 and the like set forth in Śrāvaka Levels. (Page 205) 18 The quotation from the Lamp for the Path to Enlightenment is saying that it is very important to have the preconditions for cultivating calm abiding before you cultivate calm abiding. Their importance is emphasised because when you do not have the preconditions nothing will happen even if you try to meditate for a long time. This advice is directed particularly at those who sincerely wish to achieve the meditative stabilisation of calm abiding and special insight. How to cultivate calm abiding in dependence on the prerequisites A The preparation B The actual practice 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2A The preparation You should long cultivate the six preparatory practices explained earlier as well as the mind of enlightenment and, as part of that, also train in the core meditation topics shared with lesser and intermediate beings. 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B The actual practice This has two points: 1 What body posture to meditate in 2 Explanation of the stages of meditation themselves (Page 205) 19 We will not go through the body posture as this is quite straight forward. If you read the text, you should be able to understand it. Anyway many of you already know this. In short, the meditative posture to be adopted when cultivating calm abiding is the seven-fold Vairocana posture. When you add the aspect of breathing, you have the eight points of physical conduct. Those who are meditators should meditate while adopting this posture. The main purpose of teaching the meditative posture for cultivating calm abiding is 15 Tib. yan lag is usually translated as here as limb, but it can also be translated as prerequisite, like the word Tib. tshogs in the following sentence. 16 Tib. ting nge dzin, usually translated here as meditative stabilization. 17 The thirteen are: (1) the chief prerequisites, i.e. familiarity with the teaching and inner discipline; and, additionally, (2) excellence of one s own aims; (3) excellence of others aims; (4) desire for the teaching; (5) renunciation; (6) vows of ethical discipline; (7) restraint of the senses; (8) moderation in eating; (9) the practice of wakefulness; (10) dwelling vigilantly; (11) solitude; (12) cleansing of obscurations; and (13) proper basis of concentration. (LRCM: Chapter 2, Note 51, 396). 18 Ibid., Ibid., Page 8 of 13

9 to be able to sustain the practice over a long period of time. Calm abiding is cultivated over a long period of time. Therefore you need to have a good posture. If you were to adopt a posture that is incorrect or unsuitable, it would be impossible to actualise calm abiding. For that reason, the seven-fold Vairocana posture is taught and emphasised. Those who are meditators should train in adopting this posture. Explanation of the stages of meditation themselves This has two points: A B Transition The actual explanation 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B-2A Transition In most expositions of the stages of the path it says that calm abiding is accomplished by way of the eight factors 20 set forth in Separation of the Middle from the Extremes (Madhyāntavibhāga) that abandon the five faults. The instructions from Geshe Lagsorwa s lineage explain that on top of that, the six powers, the four attentions, and the nine minds explained in Śrāvaka Levels need to be accomplished. In his Ornament for the Mahāyāna Sūtras and Separation of the Middle from the Extremes the venerable Maitreya also sets forth the nine methods for mental abiding and the eight factors for abandoning the faults. Following them, Indian scholars such as Haribhadra, Kamalaśīla, and Śāntipa also set forth many stages of accomplishing meditative stabilization. In the Mantrayāna you also need to know them. In particular, faults 21 of meditative stabilization such as the five faults 22 and the way to eliminate them are presented extensively in scriptures from the collection of sūtras. 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B-2B This has two points [250]: The actual explanation 1 How to generate flawless meditative stabilization 2 The stages of quiescence that arise in dependence on it HOW TO GENERATE FLAWLESS MEDITATIVE STABILISATION This has three points: A What to do before focusing the mind on the object B What to do while focusing the mind on the object C What to do after focusing the mind on the object (Page 206) 23 What to do before focusing the mind on the object Laziness is said to one of the obstacles for developing concentration. If you want to develop concentration, first you must eliminate laziness. As with many things in life, prior to cultivating concentration, first you must have a very strong yearning to be able to do so. You must really want to achieve concentration from the depths of your 20 Tib. du byed brgyad, i.e. the eight antidotes. 21 Tib. skyon 22 Tib. nyes 23 Ibid., Page 9 of 13

10 heart. Such a yearning must not be just a fleeting one but have to be sustained over a long period of time. So before you can even start to develop concentration you have to overcome laziness. How do you generate this strong sustained yearning for achieving concentration? By first seeing for yourself the benefits of achieving concentration and the qualities of concentration. Only when you see the benefits and qualities of concentration will you have a very strong and stable faith in it. To have this strong stable faith in concentration, you must sustain in reflection, over and over again, the benefits and qualities of concentration. You must gain an understanding of the benefits and the qualities of concentration through learning, studying and reflection. Through this constant process, you will develop a stable faith in the benefits and qualities of concentration. On that basis, you will then be able to develop a strong sustained yearning to achieve concentration. When you have the strong sustained yearning to achieve concentration, you will be able to apply joyous effort. Your application of joyous effort in achieving concentration will not be intermittent but sustainable. You will be able to continuously exert joyous effort in cultivating concentration until it is achieved. When you have achieved pliancy, your body and mind become serviceable so that you will not experience any difficulty in cultivating concentration. When pliancy is achieved, laziness is stopped. 3 The scriptural source for this In Separation of the Middle from the Extremes it says: The basis and that which is based on it, The cause and the effect itself. Here the basis is aspiration, the basis of endeavor. That which is based on it is endeavor or joyous effort. The cause of aspiration is the faith of conviction with regard to the positive qualities. The effect of endeavor is pliancy. 4 How to reflect on the positive qualities of meditative stabilization The positive qualities of the meditative stabilization to be cultivated here are as follows. Once meditative stabilization has been accomplished, mental happiness and physical comfort greatly increase, so that you stay happy in this lifetime. Due to the acquisition of physical and mental pliancy, the mind is fit to make use of any virtuous object at will. Since uncontrolled distraction [251] toward mistaken objects has subsided, faulty conduct does not occur much while whatever virtue you do has great strength. In dependence on calm abiding, positive qualities such as clairvoyance and miraculous powers can also be achieved, and in particular, the realization of special insight that realizes emptiness arises in dependence on it so that the root of cyclic existence can be cut quickly. If you consider any of these and other positive qualities, the power of your enthusiasm for Page 10 of 13

11 cultivating meditative stabilization will increase. You should get to know them and meditate on them. Once this has arisen, it will constantly urge you, from within, to cultivate meditative stabilization so that you will easily attain it, and, upon its attainment, since you engage in the meditation again and again, it will be very difficult for it to degenerate. (Page 207) 24 Without the ability to place our mind single-pointedly on a chosen object, the mind moves here and there powerlessly. This is what karma is the mind moving about and always engaging in something. We are constantly accumulating karma. Think about how much non-virtue is accumulated all the time. And think about their ripening effects as mentioned in the earlier discussion on karma; not just karma in general but each specific karma has four results. So we accumulate numberless karma all the time and all of them have their own respective results. When you think about this, it is quite unbearable. Until we have single-pointedness of mind, there is really no way for non-virtue and the accumulation of karma to stop on their own accord. In addition, we have seen how the root of cyclic existence is ignorance. In order to destroy ignorance, we must develop special insight. Without special insight, there is no way to overcome ignorance. Knowing that in order to have special insight, first you must have calm abiding. This is how important achieving concentration and calm abiding is. You have to think about the benefits of concentration over and over again to develop this interest and yearning. You have to think over and over again the purpose and benefits of concentration. When your mind is captivated by this kind of faith in concentration, when you see from your heart that there is no other choice, I really have to develop concentration. I will do it no matter how long it takes, i.e., when you have this kind of captivating faith and intention from the heart, only then does it makes sense to go into isolation. When you go into isolation, you lead a simple life where you cultivate all the preconditions for generating calm abiding mentioned above. When all these factors come together, then there may be a chance of you actualising calm abiding. Khen Rinpoche: At that time, you pack your luggage and go. Otherwise, it is not possible. Lama Tsongkhapa explains how important this is. In the root text, he says in order to cultivate calm abiding: You need to have very strong faith. You need to have very strong sustained yearning. On that basis you generate strong joyous effort. When you cultivate calm abiding with these three factors from your own side, your 24 Ibid., 34. Page 11 of 13

12 very strong determination combined with the coming together of external conditions such as being able to find a suitable place and so forth, you will attain calm abiding without taking too long. This is difficult for us, is it not? We study and we talk about these things. This is all good advice. We are said to be practising the Dharma. But it is extremely difficult to produce this heartfelt faith and yearning. In the teachings, it is said that faith is the root of and precedes all qualities. When you have faith, everything comes. So whether it is developing concentration or some other quality, faith is said to be the root. 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B-2B1B the mind on the object This has two points: What to do while focusing 1 Identifying the basis which the mind is placed on, the object 2 How to direct the mind toward it 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B-2B1B-1 the mind is placed on, the object This has two points: A General presentation of objects B Identification of objects for given situations 2B4B-2A2C-2C3A-3C2B-6A2B-2B1B-1A objects This has two points: Identifying the basis which General presentation of 1 Indication of the actual objects 2 Indication of what person should make what his object (Page 207) 25 We will look at this in the next lesson. In general there are four objects of meditation. It is stated in the sutra that there are: universal objects of meditation objects of meditation for purifying one s behaviour objects of meditation for the skilful objects of meditation for purifying mental afflictions As much as possible, please try your best to read the root text before coming to class. ~~~~~~~~~~~~ Question: It was mentioned that the preparatory stage and the actual level of the first concentration apply to the higher realms. Does that mean they do not occur in the human realm? Answer: There are three realms: the desire realm, the form realm and the formless realm. When we talk about the mind, there are the mind of the desire realm and the mind of 25 Ibid., Page 12 of 13

13 the higher realms. For the mind of the higher realms, there are the mind of the form realm and the mind of the formless realm. With regard to concentration, the preparatory stage of concentration is necessarily a mind of the higher realms, not a mind of the desire realm. In achieving calm abiding, there are nine mental states that are called the singlepointed minds of the desire realm. These nine mental states are not the actual calm abiding. Actual calm abiding comes after the nine states. When one achieves calm abiding, that mind no longer belongs to the desire realm. Question: If it is not a mind of the desire realm and human beings are part of the desire realm, does that mean it can only be achieved by one being reborn in the higher realms? Answer: What is the mind of the desire realm? Is the mind of a person in the desire realm necessarily a mind of the desire realm? The answer is no. The mind of a person in the desire realm is not necessarily a mind of the desire realm. We have a human body. That is the basis. We are still in the desire realm but the mind of calm abiding is not the mind of the desire realm. As a human being, we are all in the desire realm. When you achieve calm abiding, your mind is not included in the mind of the desire realm but it is the mind of the higher realms. On the basis of calm abiding preceded by the preparatory stage, you actualise the actual level of concentration. Only then is there rebirth in the higher realms, i.e, the form and formless realms. Question: With regard to cultivating special insight with investigation and analysis, the two seem similar. What is the distinction between them? In cultivating special insight, is there an order such as investigation coming first followed by analysis? Answer: I mentioned the difference between investigation and analysis before. Investigation is a rough analysis of the object. Analysis is a detailed examination of the object. These are two separate mental factors but I would think that it is possible for them to operate simultaneously. Interpreted by Ven. Tenzin Gyurme; transcribed by Phuah Soon Ek, Patricia Lee and Julia Koh; edited by Cecilia Tsong. Page 13 of 13