The 37 Facets of Spiritual Awakening

The teaching of the 37 Facets of Spiritual Awakening is the original system of practice that Sakyamuni prescribed to his disciples. It represents the core practice of the Two Vehicles.

A. First there are the four spheres of mindfulness (Smriti Upasthana), which are the subjects of the four meditations:

#1 The Body - One's observation of the body at first is largely cognitive, and only through cultivation of the practice of meditation does it become more intuitive and finally purely mindful. This gradual deepening of mindfulness applies for all four of the spheres - (for more on this refer to the four basic meditations and the seven braches of awakening described later here). As one becomes more mindful, aware of and in touch with one's body, internally and externally, one is better able to communicate with it.

o Internally there is observation of the signs of one's health; the breath, the vital energy (Ch'i), the pulse, and the internal organs systems (the Chinese stressed 5 major systems). The breath is the most obvious (the least subtle) of these and, because of this, when one loses one's focus, one should return to focusing on the exhaling and inhaling of the breath (S. Anapana) to regain one's focus so that one may return to the more subtle observations.

o Externally there is observation of one's posture, deportment, carriage, grooming, etc. as well as awareness of what one puts into the body.

 One becomes aware of the body's conditioning, its vulnerability to disease and the natural tendency of the body to produce things that are impure. As The Flower Garland Sutra says:

"One observes the inner body, the outer body, and both of them together, proceeding through it part by part in a methodical order with impartiality, equanimity and diligent mindfulness and recognition, while remaining free of worldly desires and sorrows."

This procedure of observing things 'part by part' or 'one at a time' is used for all four spheres. One never dwells on any one aspect too long, letting things arise and letting things go naturally. One must also try to understand all of this without the self (ego) getting in the way. To see purely with impartiality and equanimity one must not see one's body as being 'my' body. This is also true of all the spheres.

#2 Sensory Feelings - The six sense faculties (the eyes, ears, tongue, nose, body and thinking mind) are the gateways between the body and pure consciousness. The consciousness of sensory perception, the sense faculties and the sensations can all be distinguished. In order to achieve and maintain continuity of mindfulness, these gateways must be protected from cravings, attachments and aversions to the sensations (sight, sound, taste, smell, touch, and elements of spiritual reality or dharmas). Except for touch, these sensations are all entering through narrow portals in our head. While touch has a wide field of action through the whole length of the body inside and outside, the other senses only come into being in their own particular portals. One becomes keenly aware of these senses & of any sensory desires with their attendant pleasures, joys, pains & sufferings.

#3 The Thoughts of the Mind - the thinking mind interprets the sensory information and rationalizes and conceptualizes it. It tries to 'make sense' of the information coming in. In doing so it creates thoughts, which codify realities (dharmas) into sensory data. These codes come in many forms, music, images, symbols, but most significantly and powerfully in the power of the written and spoken word. Our minds are constantly producing a torrent of these thoughts to interpret and represent reality. They are usually adulterated with klesas (emotional desires/distress). One must be aware of the difference between the thoughts, which are fleeting & impermanent, and the reality they represent. At first sight, these thoughts may seem to explain reality completely but after sometime they are seen to only offer a partial explanation of it; later still, they are seen to actually distort the reality that they earlier seemed to explain.

#4 The Aspects of Spirituality - Spiritual Reality itself is impossible to know with the thinking mind - it is inconceivable. The limitations of our very self-existence stand in the way. The best we can do is to try to understand the juncture between our self and the infinite. The causality and conditions of the spiritual realms (the 'ten worlds') from the depths of hell to the enlightenment of the Buddha desribe this relationship.

 B. The Four Proper Exertions - creating the proper moral environment to free the mind from emotional troubles (klesas):

1. Preventing the birth of evils and bad states of mind that have not yet arisen

2. Eliminating those evils and bad states of mind that already exist

3. Producing good states of mind that have not yet arisen

4. Maintaining the already existing good states of mind and enhancing their further cultivation

C. The Four Causes of Spiritual Feet (Riddhipada) - These enable the mind to be or go anywhere at will. In order to properly practice with intensity of resolve and attain spiritual feet, one depends upon on dispassion, detachment, sublimation, and equanimity.

1. Concentration of desire

2. Concentration of diligence

3. Concentration of presence of mind (mindfulness)

4. Concentration of observation

D. The Five Spiritual Roots - Keenness of Spiritual Capacity

1. Faith

2. Diligence

3. Mindfulness or Presence of Mind

4. Mental Concentration

5. Spiritual Insight

E. The Five Spiritual Powers (Bala):

1. The power of faith destroying doubt

2. The power of diligence destroying laziness

3. The power of mindfulness destroying negligence (forgetfulness)

4. The power of concentration destroying distraction

5. The power of insight destroying delusion

F. The Seven Branches of Awakening (Sambodhyanga) - Steps in the attainment of deeper mindfulness (compare to the four basic meditations):

1. Discerning reality & so distinguishing truth from falsehood (pravicaya-dharma)

2. Diligence (Virya)

3. Joy (Priti)

4. Riddance of grossness, sublimation (prasrabdhi)

5. Mindfulness, presence of mind (Smriti)

6. Concentration (Samadhi)

7. Equanimity (Upeksa): freedom from & indifference to all subconscious disturbances including sufferings & joys

G. The Noble Eightfold Path (Arya Marga) - the essence of all that above

Three of Proper Morality (Sila):

1. Proper Conduct

2. Proper Speech

3. Proper Livelihood

Three of Proper Mental Concentration (Samadhi)

4. Proper Diligence

5. Proper Mindfulness

6. Proper Concentration

Three of Proper Spiritual Insight (Prajna)

7. Proper Views

8. Proper Intent

[SOURCE]