Suppose a teacher gives us the mind transmission, pointing out the nature of our mind when we are at the beginning of our path. We have this wonderful experience and think that something fantastic has happened to our meditation, but the next day the experience might not be so clear, and the following day, even less clear. After a year we might recall, “Well, last year my meditation was really great.” This happens when we have no steadiness of mind. Shamatha helps us stabilize our insights, and for this reason it is the foundation of meditation.

Thrangu Rinpoche

from the book Essentials of Mahamudra: Looking Directly at the Mind

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Further quotes from the book Essentials of Mahamudra:

• Resting and moving mind
• Authentic Vipashyana
• Coemergent wisdom
• The union of appearance and emptiness
• Understanding the mind as it is
• The nature of the mind
• Mind’s ability to think and know
• Mindfulness and alertness
• The union of space and wisdom
• Subtly unclear state of mind