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Did the Buddha only teach
techie
India Veteran
meditation on breathing?
Because most of the time I see only anapanasati ... I believe this means awareness of breath? So this is just a question to those who've read a lot of suttas and stuff. Did the Buddha teach other meditation techniques at all?
0
Comments
Yes, he taught Vippasana. But he was not the first to invent this technique.
This depends greatly on what type of suttas you are talking about.
From the Nikayas/Agamas, which are the oldest extant pre sectarian discourses, the Buddha taught that mindfulness of breathing is a basis from which to develop clear sight, seeing things as they truly are (aka vipassana).
Vipassana is not a "technique" in the Nikayas, it is a state of mind which occurs from the practice.
"vipassana(insight)" the word itself is actually not much seen in the Pali, and when it is it is almost always paired with Samatha(serenity) like so :
this paragraph from Thanissaro Bhikkhu might be helpful:
I highly suggest reading the article where this is from, it will clear up a lot - http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/onetool.html
There are traditionally 40 meditation objects for developing concentration, the breath is the most popular.
^^. This list has two missing?
http://opcoa.st/PGl9T
Also not sure if Amazon Dharma supplies dead bodies ...
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They have left off the ice-cream options, which have probably melted.
I really like @Jayantha answer.
I would suggest most practical systems and traditions all start with familiarisation and focus. 'Right Concentration' in Dharma. What we focus on can be: breath, god realms, Purelands, elements, colours, letters of the alphabet, precious objects such as umbrellas or fish etc.
Focus, which includes the discipline of regular practice may then meld into meditation and the type of breath awareness and every day mindfulness that @Jayantha mentions.
Yes, samatha and vipassana are qualities of mind to be developed, though people often associate them with methods.
Having said that, the second enlightenment factor is investigation ( dhamma vicaya ) and the fourth frame of Satipatthana includes various strategies for exploring experience.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Factors_of_Enlightenment
And of course there any many suttas on the 3 marks, which are a popular subject for insight practice ( anicca, dukkha and anatta ).
Make your own kasina disc! I have a blue one, which I made from an old cutting board.
http://www.wikihow.com/Practice-Kasina-Meditation
this practice appears like scrying in the article you have linked. is there a type of buddhist scrying? this is a foreign concept to me. i was right there with the article until the step which depicted the lady staring rudely at a "bird" image.
In scrying meaning is ascribed to the arising. As every day is auspicious, I have no time for astrology or scaring ourselves with scrying ... Some ignorant monks and magical dharmas offer spookiness by spirit possession, for example the Tibetan theocracy use of State Oracle but hey not every Dharma practice is skilful in all situations ...
http://opcoa.st/PGV8G
Ay caramba. I thought Trumpism was insanity ...
I didn't get that bit, I never saw chip-stealing sea-gulls. Kasina is basically a samatha practice.
@SpinyNorman
She's very serious about her Kasina!!! Thanks for the clarification.
Yeah, that is a weird illustration, it looks like she is projecting a death ray at a parrot.