Post by Lady Anastasia on Mar 10, 2007 16:33:53 GMT -5
Buddhism is unique among the major religions in the emphasis is gives to meditation. For most Buddhist schools, meditation is essential practice for the realization of Nibbana. Living a good life alone is not enough. Doing good deeds will lead to happy states either in this life or in future lives but will not bring, of themselves, enlightenment.
The Buddhist scriptures are very helpful in the kind of detail they give to meditation practice. The techniques required are clearly explained, and have the Buddha's own meditation experience to give them authenticity. Although some conceptual understanding of meditation is important, more important is the actual practice itself. In Buddhism, the experiential dimension, the 'let's suck it and see' approach is a distinctive feature. What is interesting is that in Buddhism two quite distinct methods of meditation are explained.
Samatha
The first is samatha which literally means 'tranquility' or 'calm'. The initial stages of samatha meditation are to do with concentrating the mind, one-pointedness. Traditionally, there are forty subjects to choose from. These include, amongst others, the ten kasinas (for example, discs of various color, light such as a candle flame, water), and various kinds of bodily decay (for example, a festering corpse!). One of the more widely practiced techniques is mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), where both mind and body are calmed by concentrating on the breath. Of course, samatha meditation is not just about concentration. When the mind is totally focused and the five hindrances (ill-will, sensual desire, anxiety, sloth and doubt) have been eradicated - if only temporarily - from the mind, the meditator gains access to 'absorptions' known as jhanas. These are states of great happiness and rapture but fall short of nibbana. Samatha meditation therefore doesn't take one all the way to enlightenment.
Vipassana
Vipassana or 'insight' meditation offers quite a different approach. The emphasis here is on seeing things as they really are, unclouded by attraction or aversion. The basic practice is to note everything you are doing as you are doing it. When you are walking, know that you are walking. When you are drying the dishes, note that you are drying the dishes. Be aware of the sensation in one's foot as it touches the ground, and the different sensations as it rises again. In a sense, this is the first stage of vipassana meditation: bare awareness. Alongside this bare attention is the insight into the three marks of existence that underlie all phenomena: suffering (dukkha); not-self (anatta) and impermanence (anicca). As in samatha, breathing meditation is often practiced but with the idea of developing awareness of the breath as it enters the nostrils rather than on necessarily calming the mental and physical processes. Unlike samatha, vipassana is a meditation method that can take one all the way to Nibbana.
Combining the Two
Different teachers will emphasize different approaches. It is quite usual, however, for both practices to be combined. Often a beginning will start off with samatha meditation, moving on to vipassana when some mastery over concentration has been achieved. Sometimes, which one chooses to practice depends on one's lifestyle. It may be difficult for someone who leads a very hectic lifestyle because of job and family commitments to find the quiet necessary for successful samatha practice. In such cases vipassana might be a better option.
The Buddhist scriptures are very helpful in the kind of detail they give to meditation practice. The techniques required are clearly explained, and have the Buddha's own meditation experience to give them authenticity. Although some conceptual understanding of meditation is important, more important is the actual practice itself. In Buddhism, the experiential dimension, the 'let's suck it and see' approach is a distinctive feature. What is interesting is that in Buddhism two quite distinct methods of meditation are explained.
Samatha
The first is samatha which literally means 'tranquility' or 'calm'. The initial stages of samatha meditation are to do with concentrating the mind, one-pointedness. Traditionally, there are forty subjects to choose from. These include, amongst others, the ten kasinas (for example, discs of various color, light such as a candle flame, water), and various kinds of bodily decay (for example, a festering corpse!). One of the more widely practiced techniques is mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati), where both mind and body are calmed by concentrating on the breath. Of course, samatha meditation is not just about concentration. When the mind is totally focused and the five hindrances (ill-will, sensual desire, anxiety, sloth and doubt) have been eradicated - if only temporarily - from the mind, the meditator gains access to 'absorptions' known as jhanas. These are states of great happiness and rapture but fall short of nibbana. Samatha meditation therefore doesn't take one all the way to enlightenment.
Vipassana
Vipassana or 'insight' meditation offers quite a different approach. The emphasis here is on seeing things as they really are, unclouded by attraction or aversion. The basic practice is to note everything you are doing as you are doing it. When you are walking, know that you are walking. When you are drying the dishes, note that you are drying the dishes. Be aware of the sensation in one's foot as it touches the ground, and the different sensations as it rises again. In a sense, this is the first stage of vipassana meditation: bare awareness. Alongside this bare attention is the insight into the three marks of existence that underlie all phenomena: suffering (dukkha); not-self (anatta) and impermanence (anicca). As in samatha, breathing meditation is often practiced but with the idea of developing awareness of the breath as it enters the nostrils rather than on necessarily calming the mental and physical processes. Unlike samatha, vipassana is a meditation method that can take one all the way to Nibbana.
Combining the Two
Different teachers will emphasize different approaches. It is quite usual, however, for both practices to be combined. Often a beginning will start off with samatha meditation, moving on to vipassana when some mastery over concentration has been achieved. Sometimes, which one chooses to practice depends on one's lifestyle. It may be difficult for someone who leads a very hectic lifestyle because of job and family commitments to find the quiet necessary for successful samatha practice. In such cases vipassana might be a better option.