2.6 the visualisation of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas

What is visualisation ? 

• its a part of meditation 

• its particularly common in Tibetan Buddhism

• but also practiced in Mahayana Buddhism

• it requires the meditator to visualise an object in their mind

Describe visualisation in bullet points ?

• it involves imagining the object in your mind with as much as detail as possible

• examine in their mind all the tiny intricacies of the object

• they’ll try to perceive the object as fully as they can

What is a deity ?

a being who has become fully enlightened such as the Buddha or a Bodhisattva

What might a meditator do with a deity ?

The meditator will focus not just what the deity looks like but also on its qualities and characteristics - they might imagine themselves as the deity to gain those qualities and become more like that deity

• Mahayana Buddhists believe that visualising themselves as the Buddha helps them to stimulate and awaken their Buddha nature

Describe one deity Buddhists may visualise ?

‘THE MEDICINE BUDDHA’ - related to healing, Buddhists believe that visualising his Buddha will heal and reduce suffering and may increase their own healing powers

What would you meditate on and explain what it is ?

You would meditate on a thangka and it is a detailed painting of a Buddha or a Bodhisattva

What is a mandala ?

an intricate, colourful, circle-shaped pattern used for meditation

Why are mandalas brushed away once completed ?

to try to encourage the monks to focus on the impermanence in life

Why are mandalas never kept as a piece of art ?

as it goes against the teachings of the Buddha and one main aim of meditation is to see how everything is impermanent