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| Editor's Note | |
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| Introduction to the Teachings | |
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| Prelude to the Practice | |
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| Unsuitable Motivations | |
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| Meaningful Motivations | |
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| Rebirth in the Form or Formless Realms | |
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| Liberation, or Nirvana | |
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| Full Awakening | |
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| Guidelines for Practice | |
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| The Seven-Limb Puja | |
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| Building a Strong Foundation | |
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| Patience | |
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| Physical and Mental Obstacles | |
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| Potential Problems | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| The Collection of Causes for The Cultivation of Shamatha | |
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| The Six Essential Causes | |
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| Dwelling in a Favorable Environment | |
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| Reducing Desires and Developing Contentment | |
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| Rejecting a Multitude of Activities | |
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| Maintaining Pure Moral Discipline | |
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| Rejecting Thoughts of Desire for Sensual Objects | |
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| Cultivating Shamatha in Dependence upon the Essential Causes | |
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| Preparation | |
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| The Actual Practice | |
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| Posture and Other Physical Aspects | |
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| Counting the Breath | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| Cultivating Faultless Samadhi | |
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| How to Perform Prior to Directing the Mind to the Object of Meditation | |
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| The First Fault; Laziness | |
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| Four Antidotes to Laziness | |
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| Pliancy | |
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| Enthusiasm | |
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| Aspiration | |
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| Faith | |
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| The Interaction of the Four Antidotes | |
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| The Excellent Qualities of Shamatha | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| Another Look at Bodhichitta | |
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| Directing the Mind to the Object During Meditation | |
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| Ascertaining the Specific Object of Meditation | |
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| The Second Fault: Forgetfulness | |
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| Establishing the Faultless Approach | |
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| Nondiscursive Stability | |
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| Strength of Clarity | |
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| The Third Fault: Laxity and Excitement | |
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| Maintaining Awareness of the Object | |
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| Antidotes to Laxity and Excitement | |
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| Dispelling a Faulty Approach | |
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| Duration of Sessions | |
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| Understanding That Arises from Reflection | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| Meditating on Impermanence | |
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| How One Performs After Directing the Mind to the Object | |
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| The Practice When Either Laxity or Excitement Arises | |
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| The Definition of Laxity | |
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| The Definition of Excitement | |
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| Cultivating Vigilance That Recognizes Laxity and Excitement | |
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| The Fourth Fault: Nonapplication | |
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| The Antidote to Nonapplication | |
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| The Definition of Intention | |
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| Additional Remedies for Laxity | |
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| Additional Remedies for Excitement | |
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| Recognizing the Causes of Laxity and Excitement | |
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| The Fifth Fault: Application | |
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| The Antidote to Application | |
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| A Brief Summary of the Five Faults and Eight Antidotes | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| Meditation: The Cultivation of Virtue | |
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| The Stages of Cultivating the Mental States | |
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| The Nine Mental States | |
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| Differences between the Nine Mental States | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| Patience and Fortitude | |
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| The Mental Powers and Forms of Attention | |
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| Accomplishing the Six Mental Powers | |
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| The Four Forms of Attention | |
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| The Criteria for Having Attained Shamatha | |
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| Pliancy | |
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| The First and Last Antidote | |
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| Signs of Pliancy | |
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| Questions and Answers | |
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| A Few Final Words | |
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| Dedication | |
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| Glossary | |
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| Further Reading | |