Tibetan meditative states of form concentrations (Buddhism)

Meditation brings the mind to enter the Form Realm, above the Desire Realm of the gross material world. There is direct realization of emptiness, without the intervening medium of an image, when all appearance of subject and object is extinguished in suchness and the path of seeing is attained. The meditative equipoise of this path is divided into the uninterrupted path of eight forbearances and the eight knowledges of the path of release, as the artificial conceptions of inherent existence with respect to the four noble truths are abandoned.

There are 4 states of concentration of consciousness. The first 3 are subdivided into 3 levels each. The fourth has eight levels. The 4 states correspond to those described in southern Buddhism in the fine-material sphere (rupaloka).

One of the paths of calming according to Buddhist teaching.