Within the Jonang tradition, meditation is structured around the union of Kālacakra tantra and the contemplative realization of buddha-nature. At the heart of its esoteric discipline stands the Kālacakra system, especially the six-branch yoga (ṣaḍaṅgayoga), a completion-stage practice that works with subtle energies and states of consciousness. These six branches are commonly described as withdrawal, concentration, breath control, retention, recollection, and samādhi, and they are supported by deity yoga in which the practitioner visualizes Kālacakra and the mandala, recites mantra, and identifies with the deity’s enlightened mind. Such practices are framed as advanced methods for transforming the subtle body—its channels, winds, and drops—and for realizing experiences like illusory body and clear light. All of this unfolds within a disciplined tantric context that presupposes careful guidance and a stable foundation in earlier practices.

Equally central is meditation on buddha-nature through the lens of the zhentong, or “other-emptiness,” view. Here, contemplative emphasis falls on recognizing that while relative phenomena are empty of inherent existence, the ultimate reality of buddha-nature is understood as inherently present and luminously aware. Meditation in this mode includes analytical inquiry into the nature of mind and phenomena, followed by resting in the naturally pure, luminous awareness that is said to be inseparable from emptiness. Direct pointing-out instructions, where the teacher introduces the student to the mind’s naturally pure state, serve to make this recognition immediate rather than merely conceptual. In this way, the philosophical view of zhentong is not left as abstract doctrine but becomes a living meditative orientation.

Supporting these higher practices are foundational methods that cultivate stability and clarity. Calm-abiding (śamatha) is used to steady the mind, while insight (vipaśyanā) examines how phenomena and mind lack inherent existence, harmonizing with the zhentong perspective. Analytical meditation on the tenets of other-emptiness refines understanding so that the meditator can distinguish between conventional appearances and the luminous ultimate. When these foundational, tantric, and buddha-nature practices are integrated, the path in Jonang becomes a coherent process: stabilizing attention, transforming subtle energies, and finally recognizing the inseparable union of emptiness and luminosity as the very nature of mind.