Engaging with the Formless Layers
Kelly
If we “enter” the formless layers, we can watch as the four illusions mentioned previously are peeled away in reverse order, starting with the illusion of finite, three-dimensional space. As the “shallowest” of the precursors of form, accessing the layer of “no finite space” means that one has, by definition, left the world of form and entered that of the formless, since the projection of space is necessary for the illusion of form to persist.
Each of these four mental interpretations are really just projections, and can be temporarily released, which results in the corresponding layer consisting of “what’s left” when a given projection is no longer in place. For example, in the “layer of no finite space”, the interpretations of consciousness, something-ness and perception still remain, but the sense of “space” as a finite or knowable aspect of experience is remarkably absent. We still perceive and are conscious of our legs and arms as particular things, even though they don’t have a specific position in space at the moment. And of course, we don’t forget what “space” was like, by which the term “no finite space” has an obvious meaning to us. In the language of the Shorter Discourse, we have conditioned ourselves to perceive and name this temporary state as a particular something, based on what is temporarily missing.
What we call “space” is therefore not a finite property of experience of which we become aware, but rather a creation of the mind that, though useful for daily life and something everyone else believes they experience as well, is something that we cannot conclusively know or experience. Similarly, what we call “consciousness” is really an inference, something we overlay on the continuous spectrum of experience that, though conventionally broken up into finite things such as thought, sight and sound, has no such inherent limits. Underlying this is the fact that phenomena such as trees external to the body, or thoughts that arise, aren't actually able to be discerned as discrete “somethings”: it only seems that way. Finally, we can see that there is no faculty called “perception” by which we could discern discrete “somethings” in the first place: it is merely the illusion that gives rise to the other three.
At each of the stages of the meditations in the Shorter Discourse, the Buddha exhorts us to see that experience is now empty of space, consciousness or whatever was ostensibly there only a few moments ago. As described earlier, while this is not necessarily the type of emptiness we might be familiar with, it is the type of emptiness we need to directly see and know in order to awaken. And at the end of the Shorter Discourse, we recognize that all of these layers of experience that can seem like they are inherent to reality are not permanent fixtures; in other words, they are all impermanent. It’s not that space or “something-ness” changes, which is often what “impermanence” is taken to mean; rather, it’s simply that they are no longer present.
Thus, what might be called “formless layer practice” is a matter of investigating these four aspects of experience and seeing their illusory nature. As we progress through the steps of the practice, one layer is abandoned for the next. While a noticeable sense of there being no such thing as space (finite or otherwise) or other formless aspects of experience may be accessed during other forms of meditation, or even during daily life, the intent of formless layer practice is to provide a stable and unmistakable experience of them. Formless layer practice is primarily a samatha or “calming” type of meditative practice, though the peace and clarity they afford makes them suitable vantage points for vipassana or “insight” practices as well. This is because the formless layers deal with some of the most subtle illusions we hold, especially about ourselves; therefore, being able to set such illusions aside even temporarily can provide an ideal perspective from which insights into who we are(n’t) can arise.
The Shorter Discourse instructs us to go through the formless layers and eventually “reach” the signless state; therefore, accessing the formless layers isn’t an end in and of itself. However, engaging with the formless layers as a stand-alone “practice” can be very beneficial, since it may take some time to have a sufficiently stable experience of them before attempting to experience the signless state. Also, what we learn in the formless layers regarding these four apparent building blocks of experience is valuable in its own right, and something we can’t easily “un-see”.
As a stand-alone practice, I should note that accessing the formless layers does not necessarily require that one first enter the jhanas of form (i.e., the first four meditative states, discussed below), especially once one becomes familiar with accessing the formless layers. Instead, at some point one can just start with “no finite space”, or maybe even “no finite consciousness” (which I eventually found to be the most accessible starting point). Initially, however, traversing the jhanas of form can be very helpful, since the result is a mind that is calmed to a substantial degree.
Each of these four mental interpretations are really just projections, and can be temporarily released, which results in the corresponding layer consisting of “what’s left” when a given projection is no longer in place. For example, in the “layer of no finite space”, the interpretations of consciousness, something-ness and perception still remain, but the sense of “space” as a finite or knowable aspect of experience is remarkably absent. We still perceive and are conscious of our legs and arms as particular things, even though they don’t have a specific position in space at the moment. And of course, we don’t forget what “space” was like, by which the term “no finite space” has an obvious meaning to us. In the language of the Shorter Discourse, we have conditioned ourselves to perceive and name this temporary state as a particular something, based on what is temporarily missing.
What we call “space” is therefore not a finite property of experience of which we become aware, but rather a creation of the mind that, though useful for daily life and something everyone else believes they experience as well, is something that we cannot conclusively know or experience. Similarly, what we call “consciousness” is really an inference, something we overlay on the continuous spectrum of experience that, though conventionally broken up into finite things such as thought, sight and sound, has no such inherent limits. Underlying this is the fact that phenomena such as trees external to the body, or thoughts that arise, aren't actually able to be discerned as discrete “somethings”: it only seems that way. Finally, we can see that there is no faculty called “perception” by which we could discern discrete “somethings” in the first place: it is merely the illusion that gives rise to the other three.
At each of the stages of the meditations in the Shorter Discourse, the Buddha exhorts us to see that experience is now empty of space, consciousness or whatever was ostensibly there only a few moments ago. As described earlier, while this is not necessarily the type of emptiness we might be familiar with, it is the type of emptiness we need to directly see and know in order to awaken. And at the end of the Shorter Discourse, we recognize that all of these layers of experience that can seem like they are inherent to reality are not permanent fixtures; in other words, they are all impermanent. It’s not that space or “something-ness” changes, which is often what “impermanence” is taken to mean; rather, it’s simply that they are no longer present.
Thus, what might be called “formless layer practice” is a matter of investigating these four aspects of experience and seeing their illusory nature. As we progress through the steps of the practice, one layer is abandoned for the next. While a noticeable sense of there being no such thing as space (finite or otherwise) or other formless aspects of experience may be accessed during other forms of meditation, or even during daily life, the intent of formless layer practice is to provide a stable and unmistakable experience of them. Formless layer practice is primarily a samatha or “calming” type of meditative practice, though the peace and clarity they afford makes them suitable vantage points for vipassana or “insight” practices as well. This is because the formless layers deal with some of the most subtle illusions we hold, especially about ourselves; therefore, being able to set such illusions aside even temporarily can provide an ideal perspective from which insights into who we are(n’t) can arise.
The Shorter Discourse instructs us to go through the formless layers and eventually “reach” the signless state; therefore, accessing the formless layers isn’t an end in and of itself. However, engaging with the formless layers as a stand-alone “practice” can be very beneficial, since it may take some time to have a sufficiently stable experience of them before attempting to experience the signless state. Also, what we learn in the formless layers regarding these four apparent building blocks of experience is valuable in its own right, and something we can’t easily “un-see”.
As a stand-alone practice, I should note that accessing the formless layers does not necessarily require that one first enter the jhanas of form (i.e., the first four meditative states, discussed below), especially once one becomes familiar with accessing the formless layers. Instead, at some point one can just start with “no finite space”, or maybe even “no finite consciousness” (which I eventually found to be the most accessible starting point). Initially, however, traversing the jhanas of form can be very helpful, since the result is a mind that is calmed to a substantial degree.