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Buddhist-Meditation-Systematic-and-Practical

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practices give fifteen methods. However, although these<br />

are good on their own level, they do not even have the<br />

slightest flavor of the Vajrayana. Mindful breathing in<br />

the Hinayana progresses by way of the following stages:<br />

Long breathing in <strong>and</strong> out<br />

Short breathing in <strong>and</strong> out<br />

Experiencing the whole body through inhalation <strong>and</strong><br />

exhalation<br />

Tranquilizing the bodily form<br />

Experiencing happiness<br />

Experiencing bliss<br />

Experiencing mental formations (samskara)<br />

Tranquilizing mental formations<br />

Experiencing consciousness<br />

Gladdening consciousness<br />

Concentrating consciousness<br />

Liberating consciousness<br />

Contemplating cessation<br />

Contemplating relinquishment<br />

Contemplating impermanence<br />

All these breathing meditations only lead one to partial<br />

attainment <strong>and</strong>, we may note, they say nothing about<br />

complete sunyata. This, however, we shall know well<br />

after studying the Vajrayana meditations on breathing.<br />

One of the Tian Tai lists may also be given here for<br />

comparison (we have already mentioned these sixteen<br />

excellences in Chapter III):<br />

305

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