Nine states of successive abiding

Nine states of successive abiding (T. mthar gyis gnas pa'i snyoms 'jug dgu མཐར་གྱིས་གནས་པའི་སྙོམས་འཇུག་དགུ་) — nine successive "states", "absorptions" or "abidings in equipoise" that are part of the twenty-one sets of undefiled qualities.

These nine states are:

1-4. four dhyanas

5-8. four absorptions of the formless realm

9. absorption of cessation

The difference between these nine states and the eight perfect freedoms is one of emphasis. For one speaks of “perfect freedom” from the standpoint of freedom from obscurations in relation to a certain level of realization, whereas “absorption,” or abiding in equipoise, is used from the point of view of the equilibrium of the elements of the physical body, as also of the mind and mental factors.

The absorptions are said to be “successive” because they occur gradually, in the course of the meditation through which they are achieved. It is impossible for the higher absorptions to occur before the lower ones.

Sources

• Jigme Lingpa; Kangyur Rinpoche (2010), Treasury of Precious Qualities, Book One, translated by Padmakara Translation Group, Boston: Shambhala Publications 
• Mipham Rinpoche (2002), Gateway to Knowledge, vol. III, translated by Kunsang, Erik Pema, Rangjung Yeshe Publications