Four mental engagements

The nine ways of resting the mind, or stages of shamatha practice can be condensed into four mental engagements (Tib. ཡིད་ལ་བྱེད་པ་བཞི, yi la jepa shyi; Wyl. yid la byed pa bzhi):

1. tightly focused engagement – relates to the first two stages of resting the mind
2. interrupted engagement – this occurs from stage three to stage seven, when one is still susceptible to the obstacles of dullness and agitation and is therefore unable to abide for a long time
3. uninterrupted engagement – at stage eight one is able to remain unaffected by the obstacles of dullness and agitation without too much exertion
4. effortless engagement – at the ninth stage one is able to maintain the practice effortlessly