STAGE II: CULTIVATION OF GOOD THOUGHTS


Cultivation of Tranquility (upekkha): 

The happiness of selflessness is not an emotional excitement. It is a state of tranquility. Try to maintain this tranquility or stillness of mind as long as you can. 


Observe the relaxation of the body and the calmness of the breathing and the pleasant comfortable feeling of relaxation. Maintain the calmness by focusing on the comfortable feeling of relaxation. Notice that when happiness is experienced within, attention stays within, without running to external objects. When the attention is focused within, the mind remains undisturbed without searching for happiness in the world outside or external circumstances. This is tranquil introspection (upekkha). It is healthy introspection, which should be distinguished from the so-called morbid introspection, which is not introspection at all but self-absorption. Remain in this healthy, relaxed, tranquil, peaceful state as long as possible. 


Tranquility is produced by relaxation of the body and experiencing the comfortable feeling of relaxation. It is a resting of the mind, due to the absence of emotions. It is not produced by concentration of the mind but by a stillness of mind due to absence of emotional disturbance.