Guided Meditations on the Lamrim: Study Guide

The lamrim, the gradual path to enlightenment, gives a concise and comprehensive picture of the Buddhist path to awakening. A wealth of resources are available for us to study, contemplate and meditate on these essential steps for spiritual progress: books, audio recordings and the concise points of this study guide.

There are two principal forms of meditation: stabilizing (single-pointed) and checking (analytical). The former is done to develop single-pointed concentration and the latter to develop understanding and insight. When meditating on the gradual path to enlightenment, we first do checking meditation. Here, we investigate a topic taught by the Buddha in order to understand it deeply. We think about the topic logically and relate it to our personal experience by making examples from our life. When we have a deep feeling or strong experience of the meaning of that meditation, we focus on just that experience with stabilizing meditation, concentrating on it single-pointedly so that it becomes part of us.

For an expanded explanation of how to do checking meditation and its role in our overall practice, see Transforming Adversity into Joy and Courage, by Geshe Jampa Tegchok.

Main content of the outline

• Introduction to the Buddhist view
• The path in common with the initial level practitioner
• The path of the middle level practitioner
• The path of the higher level practitioner
• How to rely on a spiritual mentor

Additional resources

• Guided Buddhist Meditations (formerly titled Guided Meditations on the Lamrim)
• Meditazioni Buddhiste Guidate is available in Italian
• Online version of the English study guide