7. The Signless State - Calming
“Again and further, Ananda, a practitioner, having removed attention of the mind from perception of ‘no something-ness’, and having removed attention of the mind from perception of ‘neither perception nor non-perception’, places attention on the focal point dependent upon perceiving ‘the signless state’. One's perception is only of ‘the signless state’, and in it they become clear and calm, become stilled and established, and are fully drawn into and settled upon it.
“One thus understands there is no longer the three-fold tether due to one's perceiving ‘no something-ness’, and he also understands there is no longer the three-fold tether due to one's perceiving ‘neither perception nor non-perception’. There is now only a more subtle tether, because one is an embodied being with six sense bases.
“One understands that their field of perception is now empty of any perception of ‘no something-ness’, and one understands that their field of perception is now empty of any perception of ‘neither perception nor non-perception’. All that remains is a provisional entity, namely the focal point resulting from being embodied with six sense bases.
“One now sees that whatever entity is not in one's field of perception, that field is therefore empty of that entity. One also sees that whatever entity remains in one’s field of perception, that entity does exist in one’s field of perception. This has again been an unmistakable and clear establishment of emptiness in accordance with what is true.”
The six previous steps have been about narrowing what we perceive, and even how we perceive. Particularly with the formless layers, it is as if we have been walking backwards down a long hallway, closing perceptual doors behind us and making sure they are closed. Closing the door of “space making”, we realize that all that is happening is “consciousness making”, and so on down the line, until we reach the end of the hall and have to stop. At the stage of neither perception nor non-perception, there can be an unmistakable sense of “this is it – you're done: nothing else can cease”.
Here, it can feel like there is a wall behind you at the end of the hall. In essence, all of the aspects of phenomenal experience have been at least temporarily set aside: space, consciousness, somethingness and perception. There is thus nothing more to let go of in the perceptual realm once “neither perception nor non-perception” is reached. And yet, there is more to do, and more to understand.
To “exit” the layer of neither perception nor non-perception, we can essentially turn toward our experience, and observe what is happening rather than noting what is no longer present. When we do, we realize there is nothing which we can grasp after, and there is no sign of something that we can or should attempt to contact and discern. There are no traditional words or phrases to repeat in order to make this transition, but rather one just drops everything and experiences what is(n't) there.
The transition is subtle, a rather slight shift in perspective. By simply turning towards experience, we see that we no longer have to respond to or recognize “signs”, whatever it is that might normally signify a “something” that can be discerned or known, even though it seems like we should be doing just that.
This is the first of two stages of the Shorter Discourse on Emptiness in which we are instructed to “be” in the signless state. This first stage is therefore about settling into this rather new experience and being able to abide in it. A suggestion is to passively observe what is happening, rather than trying to fully comprehend what is happening since, by definition, there is nothing in particular to see or comprehend. In this, try to get a sense of how it seems as though you should be perceiving something here, but don’t - you can also sense any fascination or panic at not actually doing so. Thus, it’s not just that there is nothing to perceive; also allow the urge to perceive to subside. It may help to experience this meditative state enough times until the novelty of it wears off.
Here in the signless state, we can’t help but notice that “the seen”, "the heard", "the felt", etc. is happening, although at this point it’s simply what is seen (perhaps random bits of color against your eyelids), noises in the room, or sensations in your knees. In other words, there is no longer the experience of something in particular that is seen or otherwise sensed. The experience of a seer is probably still here, though: this typically manifests as “I Am” and the sense that there is some sort of interior aspect to experience. This is a more fundamental illusion or belief that remains even when the formless layers go away. So, just allow that sense of underlying consciousness, awareness or identity to be what it is.
As described in the instructions, the intent is that you have as a focal point the fact that you are currently in this temporary meditative state, as opposed to letting go of all awareness of what is or isn’t happening. As comfortable, novel or “spiritual” as this signless state may seem, the goal is not to embrace and be in it; rather, like all previous stages of the meditation, the goal is to be aware of how this current abiding is different from those previous stages, what is here, and what (i.e., signs or indicators of anything) is now missing.
“One thus understands there is no longer the three-fold tether due to one's perceiving ‘no something-ness’, and he also understands there is no longer the three-fold tether due to one's perceiving ‘neither perception nor non-perception’. There is now only a more subtle tether, because one is an embodied being with six sense bases.
“One understands that their field of perception is now empty of any perception of ‘no something-ness’, and one understands that their field of perception is now empty of any perception of ‘neither perception nor non-perception’. All that remains is a provisional entity, namely the focal point resulting from being embodied with six sense bases.
“One now sees that whatever entity is not in one's field of perception, that field is therefore empty of that entity. One also sees that whatever entity remains in one’s field of perception, that entity does exist in one’s field of perception. This has again been an unmistakable and clear establishment of emptiness in accordance with what is true.”
The six previous steps have been about narrowing what we perceive, and even how we perceive. Particularly with the formless layers, it is as if we have been walking backwards down a long hallway, closing perceptual doors behind us and making sure they are closed. Closing the door of “space making”, we realize that all that is happening is “consciousness making”, and so on down the line, until we reach the end of the hall and have to stop. At the stage of neither perception nor non-perception, there can be an unmistakable sense of “this is it – you're done: nothing else can cease”.
Here, it can feel like there is a wall behind you at the end of the hall. In essence, all of the aspects of phenomenal experience have been at least temporarily set aside: space, consciousness, somethingness and perception. There is thus nothing more to let go of in the perceptual realm once “neither perception nor non-perception” is reached. And yet, there is more to do, and more to understand.
To “exit” the layer of neither perception nor non-perception, we can essentially turn toward our experience, and observe what is happening rather than noting what is no longer present. When we do, we realize there is nothing which we can grasp after, and there is no sign of something that we can or should attempt to contact and discern. There are no traditional words or phrases to repeat in order to make this transition, but rather one just drops everything and experiences what is(n't) there.
The transition is subtle, a rather slight shift in perspective. By simply turning towards experience, we see that we no longer have to respond to or recognize “signs”, whatever it is that might normally signify a “something” that can be discerned or known, even though it seems like we should be doing just that.
This is the first of two stages of the Shorter Discourse on Emptiness in which we are instructed to “be” in the signless state. This first stage is therefore about settling into this rather new experience and being able to abide in it. A suggestion is to passively observe what is happening, rather than trying to fully comprehend what is happening since, by definition, there is nothing in particular to see or comprehend. In this, try to get a sense of how it seems as though you should be perceiving something here, but don’t - you can also sense any fascination or panic at not actually doing so. Thus, it’s not just that there is nothing to perceive; also allow the urge to perceive to subside. It may help to experience this meditative state enough times until the novelty of it wears off.
Here in the signless state, we can’t help but notice that “the seen”, "the heard", "the felt", etc. is happening, although at this point it’s simply what is seen (perhaps random bits of color against your eyelids), noises in the room, or sensations in your knees. In other words, there is no longer the experience of something in particular that is seen or otherwise sensed. The experience of a seer is probably still here, though: this typically manifests as “I Am” and the sense that there is some sort of interior aspect to experience. This is a more fundamental illusion or belief that remains even when the formless layers go away. So, just allow that sense of underlying consciousness, awareness or identity to be what it is.
As described in the instructions, the intent is that you have as a focal point the fact that you are currently in this temporary meditative state, as opposed to letting go of all awareness of what is or isn’t happening. As comfortable, novel or “spiritual” as this signless state may seem, the goal is not to embrace and be in it; rather, like all previous stages of the meditation, the goal is to be aware of how this current abiding is different from those previous stages, what is here, and what (i.e., signs or indicators of anything) is now missing.