8 Stages Of Mental Mastery

The Buddha taught the 8 stages of mental mastery. What are these 8 stages of mental mastery?

1. Beginning with familiar objects on one’s own body, one visualizes small objects such as a tooth, a scar, or a sore, as if they were external objects. One does not judge whether the object is beautiful or ugly – the visualization incorporates both.
2. Mastering the perception of objects on one’s own body, one visualizes large forms such as a leg, a bone, fingers and toes, as if they were external objects. Again, the perception of beautiful or ugly does not enter the visualization.
3. Expanding object awareness and complexity, one visualizes small external objects, such as a cup, a chair, or a tea pot without considering whether it is beautiful or ugly.
4. Mastering size perception, one visualizes large external objects such as a house, the neighborhood, the city, the continent, the Earth, the Milky Way, or a distant galaxy without judging how beautiful or how ugly they are.
5. Mastering color perception, one visualizes external objects which are blue in color – their radiance, appearance, luster, and tone. For example, one could imagine the deep blue indigo medicine Buddha without judgment about whether it is beautiful or ugly.
6. Mastering color perception, one visualizes external objects which are yellow in color – their radiance, appearance, luster, and tone. For example, one could imagine the radiance of the sun without judgment about whether it is beautiful or ugly.
7. Mastering color perception, one visualizes external objects which are red in color – their radiance, appearance, luster, and tone. For example, one could imagine the luster of a priceless red ruby without judgment about whether it is beautiful or ugly.
8. Mastering color perception, one visualizes external objects which are white in color – their radiance, appearance, luster, and tone. For example, one could imagine the appearance of a white cloud in the blue sky without judgment about whether it is beautiful or ugly.

These are my interpretations of what Bhikkhu Samahita wrote in an email to his list. I was enchanted by the visualizations because I diligently practice the first four as I enter into meditation. The second four sometimes come to mind, but usually not on purpose. Now they too, will be objects of meditation on occasion.

What did you experience when you practiced these visualization? Please share.