3. Meditation

What is meditation and what does it mean in Buddhism?

• Meditation is a practice in which an individual uses a technique to train their attention and awareness, achieving a mentally clear and emotionally calm and stable state.

• In Buddhism, it is believed that meditation can lead to insight into the true nature of reality. The Buddha achieved enlightenment through meditating under the bodhi tree, and as such many Buddhists aim to follow his example by practising meditation as well.

Why is meditation important in Buddhism?

• it is a key component of the threefold way/eightfold path – the path that leads to the cessation of suffering. Three components of the eightfold path are associated with meditation: right effort, right mindfulness and right concentration

• This tells us a number of things about the benefits of meditation for Buddhists - it can lead to happier states of mind and control of the passions; it can help us to overcome cravings and attachments; and ultimately, it can lead to enlightenment and the achievement of nirvana.

What is a quote that highlights the importance of the Threefold Way (since meditation is a way of cultivating this)

“And what is the middle way realized by the Tathagata [Buddha] that… leads to calm, to direct knowledge, to self-awakening, to Unbinding? Precisely this Noble Eightfold Path.” Dhammacakkapavatana Sutta

What is a quote about how meditation leads to true wisdom?

“When you begin to disentangle [your sense organs], you will realize that the ego is empty. When this emptiness [sunyata] is perfectly clear, you will realize that all dharma (phenomena) are empty. When you are disengaged from dharma, the emptiness (of ego and dharma) will vanish.” - Surangama Sutra

What is the Surangama Sutra and what does it say about meditation?

• a Mahayana text that discusses the practices needed to reach enlightenment made up of a dialogue between the Buddha and his cousin Ananda

• In this dialogue, the Buddha tells Ananda that without the concentrated state of mind made possible through meditation, following the Dhamma (the Buddha’s teachings) is worthless.

• As this is a Mahayana text, it also discusses the aim of meditation as being the unlocking of the Buddha-nature (tathagatagarbha). Without meditation, this cannot become visible. It will be obscured by the ordinary mind, which is concerned with daily cares and desires.

• When teaching meditation in this sutra, the Buddha uses the analogy of a silk scarf with six knots in it, representing the six sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind). The aim is to undo these knots one at a time through the practice of meditation. Once you pick the organ, and if the knots of the sense-organs are removed, then the defiling appearances disappear, and all false thinking is removed.

What are the main types of meditation?

there are 400 types of Buddhist meditation, but they most fall under 3 broader categories

• samatha

• mettabhavana

• vipassana

What is samatha?

• calmness or breathing meditation

• Samatha techniques help to calm the mind and focus the awareness, which in turn can lead to more positive emotions and mental states.

Why is samatha meditation important?

• Samatha is often understood to be a foundational practice for other forms of meditation, such as vipassana.

• This is because our normal states of mind are too divided, unfocused and full of negative emotions to allow insights into the true nature of reality to arise.

• A traditional analogy that is often used is to compare our normal state of mind to turbulent, muddy water, too clouded by swirling dirt to let any light pass through. Samatha meditation calms the turbulence of the mind and allows the mind to settle, so that the water becomes clear.

What is the importance of samatha meditation?

It is good to tame the mind, for a well-tamed mind brings happiness. - Dhammpada 35

What is a concentration object?

• an object to concentrate on while meditating

• maybe a coloured disk, a candle flame or a mantra being chanted, however the most common one is the breath (so why it is called mindfulness of breathing)

What is the significance of breathing in samatha?-

• The breath is a constantly present object of attention that helps train the mind to focus and stay present. This is crucial for developing concentration, which is a prerequisite for deeper meditative states.

• In this form of meditation, practitioners will focus on breath coming in and breath going out, how the breath feels in their bodies, the feeling of their nose and mouth as it exits, and so on.

• As seen previously, mala beads might also be used to count breaths.

What is mettabhavana meditation?

• meditation that focuses on cultivating loving kindness

What is the importance of mettabhavana meditation?

Hatred is, indeed, never appeased by hatred in this world. It is appeased only by loving-kindness. -Dhammapada 5

What are the stages of metta in mettabhavana meditation?

1. Having thoughts of metta about oneself, for example thinking to themselves ‘May I be well, may I be happy, may I be at peace’.

2. Having thoughts of metta about someone who they like or love, for example a friend or family member, and thinking ‘‘May they be well, may they be happy, may they be at peace.’

3. Having thoughts of metta about someone neutral. This might be a person that you don’t know very well, that you have no thoughts towards, or you often don’t notice. They would think ‘May they be well, may they be happy, may they be at peace.’

4. Having thoughts of metta about someone who is difficult or an enemy. They would think ‘May they be well, may they be happy, may they be at peace.’

5. Bringing together in one’s mind oneself, the person who is loved, the person one is neutral about, the person who is difficult, and all of the beings in the world and having thoughts of metta towards them. They would think ‘May we all be well, may we all be happy, may we all be at peace.’

What are the effects of mettabhavana beyond meditation into ethical conduct?

Once we cultivate metta for others we act in more ethical ways helping to accumulate merit or positive karma. It also helps to overcome negative emotional states like the three poisons, which are a source of dukkha.

What is vipassana meditation?

• meditation that aims to become enlightened (insight meditation)

• Once a Buddhist has established a deep and firm meditative state using samatha techniques, they might focus their attention on an aspect of reality. In their heightened awareness it may cultivate genuine insight into the truth. Buddhists often focus on one of the three marks of existence - dukkha, anicca and anatta.

• For example, by focusing on anatta, a person might be able to overcome the false sense of self and attachment to ego.

What is a quote about the importance of vipassna meditation?

Indeed, wisdom is born of meditation; without meditation wisdom is lost. - Dhammadapada 282

What does vipassana meditation mean in Theravada Buddhism?

• once a person has gained insight into the true nature of reality they become enlightened and are thus liberated from dukkha and samsara.

• It can be said that the Buddha practised vipassana meditation under the bodhi tree.

What does vipassana meditation mean in Mahayana Buddhism?

• one of the six paramitas and is said to unlock the final perfection – prajna (wisdom). The aim of vipassana meditation is therefore to unlock the Buddha-nature through the realisation that all is characterised by sunyata (emptiness).

What is the connection between samatha and vipassana?

While it is common today to distinguish different types of meditation, in the early Buddhist tradition samatha and vipassana were seen as part of a single path. For example, a number of sutras mention Samatha and vipassana as mental qualities that should be developed together. For example, in the Riddle Tree Sutta, the Buddha provides a metaphor in which serenity (samatha) and insight (vipassana) are a ‘swift pair of messengers’ who deliver the message of nirvana.

What is a quote that represents the importance of using both samatha and vipasanna meditation?

“And what, bhikkhus, is the path leading to the unconditioned? Serenity and insight…” Samyutta Nikaya

What is the roe of Buddhas and Bodhisattvas in meditation?

before he died, the Buddha taught that mentally contemplating his physical body and many virtuous qualities would help pacify an agitated mind, so buddha-visualisation has been an important practice from the early days of Buddhism. However, it is particularly a technique that is used in Mahayana Buddhism.

What is Buddha visualisation?

• Producing a vivid image of a Buddha and holding it in the mind for a long period of time is difficult as the mind easily wanders and loses the image. As such, there are often aids that Buddhists can use to help them concentrate on the Buddha. For example, Buddhists use images of Buddhas and bodhisattvas to help them focus when meditating and as inspirations or guides.

• As we have seen, it is typical for Buddhists to have a shrine as a focal point in a meditation hall which contain an image of a Buddha or bodhisattva. These can help Buddhists to focus on the Buddha’s important qualities, such as through the use of mudras.

• Alternatively, they might focus on bodhisattvas that are associated with particular qualities. For example, Manjushri is said to be the embodiment of wisdom.

What does Buddha visualisation look like in Pure Land Buddhism?

In some traditions, such as Pure Land Buddhism, they use a sound-image to help concentrate the mind on Amida Buddha. By constantly repeating the name of Amida Buddha during meditation it helps to hold him in the mind and stops the mind becoming distracted. In the Pure Land tradition, buddha-visualisation as a meditative practice is important because it allows Amida Buddha to be actually present in the mind of individual. Since a Buddha’s existence is not limited to a physical body it is possible for a Buddha to be fully present in the mind of the practitioner. This allows their consciousness to be interactive with the Buddha and therefore for their minds to be purified. Some Pure Land thinkers have argued that such practices can allow them to see Amida’s Pure Land.