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Why do we focus on the Breath?
DaltheJigsaw
Mountain View Veteran
There's something I've been trying to understand for a while.
I practice my own style of meditation that resembles shikantaza. I come to a point where I don't try to meditate or accomplish anything specifically, at which point I find I'm just sitting there, doing nothing. No goal. It's very filling. I'm trying to understand why we focus on the breath. I notice that my practice lacks structure. Philosophically, what is the purpose of focusing on your breath? How does that get you any closer to peace?
Bonus question: Is there anything after shikantaza or just sitting? What do you think?
I practice my own style of meditation that resembles shikantaza. I come to a point where I don't try to meditate or accomplish anything specifically, at which point I find I'm just sitting there, doing nothing. No goal. It's very filling. I'm trying to understand why we focus on the breath. I notice that my practice lacks structure. Philosophically, what is the purpose of focusing on your breath? How does that get you any closer to peace?
Bonus question: Is there anything after shikantaza or just sitting? What do you think?
0
Comments
philosophically, the breath has many meanings in indian culture. it is almost as a soul, one that goes in and out... towards all life. Prana, the sanskrit term for pana in anapanasati, means what in the west is known as qi or vital energy... but it means basically breath.
we focus on the breathe because it is a neutral object. also we can learn a lot about emotions when we study the breath.
it is a great anchor because we always breathe.
it's important to watch the breathe very carefully. there are two pauses. you breathe in and your stomach arises and then as the stomaches it hits the hara and then pause. then the breathe grows outwards and there is another pause.
when we breathe in we are breathing in the energy of inclusion or love/acceptance. when we breathe out we letting go.
when we focus on the breath we realize
But does it really help us reach inner understanding and inner peace? As well as inner understanding of reality around us? and in us? What did Budda practice?
That everything is an Illusion?
Metta,
Guy
"In this community of monks there are monks who remain devoted to mindfulness of in-&-out breathing.
"Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, is of great fruit, of great benefit. Mindfulness of in-&-out breathing, when developed & pursued, brings the four frames of reference to their culmination. The four frames of reference, when developed & pursued, bring the seven factors for awakening to their culmination. The seven factors for awakening, when developed & pursued, bring clear knowing & release to their culmination."
MN 118: Anapanasati Sutta — Mindfulness of Breathing {M iii 78} [Thanissaro].
One of the most important texts for beginning and veteran meditators alike, this sutta is the Buddha's roadmap to the entire course of meditation practice, using the vehicle of breath meditation. The simple practice of mindfulness of breathing leads the practitioner gradually through 16 successive phases of development, culminating in full Awakening.
Anapana Sati
Meditation on Breathing
by
Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma
"The Buddha laid special stress on this meditation, for it is the gateway to enlightenment and Nibbana adopted by all the Buddhas of the past as the very basis for their attainment of Buddhahood. When the Blessed One sat at the foot of the Bodhi Tree and resolved not to rise until he had reached enlightenment, he took up anapana sati as his subject of meditation."
"Let us then offer our veneration to the Blessed One, who became a peerless world-transcending Buddha through this meditation of anapana sati. May we comprehend this subject of meditation fully, with wisdom resplendent like the sun and moon. Through its power may we attain the blissful peace of Nibbana."
Spiny
The breath is constant
-Although there is impermanence in all things, as long as we are living, we are breathing. The breath is with us at all times whether we are mindful of it or not.
The breath can be controlled
-Unlike one's heartrate, which is similar to the breath in constancy, or an external source of focus, the breath is easily controllable. We can calm and slow our breath, we can control where we take in our breath (the nostrils or mouth,) and we can control where we place the breath in our body (abdomen or chest.)
The breath is easily noticed
-There are many areas where the passing in and out of breath is noticable when focusing on its process. It passes our nostrils, through the sinus cavity, our throat, through the chest, and into the abdomen. We can feel our shoulders and back rise with the inbreath and fall with the outbreath. We can feel the oxygen energizing our body and fueling our brain.
The breath is simple
-Unlike some of the other objects of meditation, such as metta or one of the elements or any other refined mental construct, the breath is simple, noticable, both gross and refined, easily recognizable, directly apprehended by all 6 senses, and familiar. The breath is not a complicated object to imagine or focus upon. It is in and out, in and out, in and out.
The reason that we need an object of focus, is so that we can attain the state of shikantaza/samadhi/jhana/right concentration. It is through this focused state that we may achieve insight and wisdom. The concentrated mind attains equanimity according the 7 factors of awakening. Equanimity is like a light that, when shone upon the multi-faceted phenomena of the world, illuminates the true nature of things to the concentrated mind. It is necessary that we achieve more than just relaxation when we meditate, we must achieve focus.
Breath lacks philosophies and religions and angels on the head of imaginative pins. That is why it is called a "beginning practice" by beginners. The rambling mind can really get ticked off that there is nothing more sexy, more profound, more spiritual than the breath. "When do we get to the good stuff ... the bliss, the samadhi, the emptiness, the woo-hoo?!"
Breath works. If you doubt this, just stop breathing for 10 or 15 minutes.
Just sit and be....This is the way.
No goal is the way to achieve the goal. What is the goal? No goal! LOL its amazing. Good for you for practising your own style..Its what its all about. Finding what works for you.
Focusing on the breath is just what we begin with, but eventually the idea is just to SIT and do nothing. Think of nothing. (people have told me that thinking of nothing is thinking of something) but its not. Thinking of nothing just is...
and life is all about just being.
He focused on his breath.
I also dont *know* for sure what he did as it was 2500 years ago. But I know that the ultimate way is to just sit and meditate. You will not need to count breaths. You will be able to just BE......And this is what i personally think Buddha did.
And TALISMAN: There is a such thing as just being..When you realize this, you will awaken. Good luck x
:bowdown:
Consider what happens when you are meditating based on forms. Absorption. Ok your neighbor is having construction on his house and they are pounding hammers. In this form of meditation your enlightenment is dependent on controlling your neighbor or putting in earplugs. Even if a woodpecker comes he obstructs the enlightenment. This is because reliance on conditioned phenomena does not work.
Formless meditation is resting in the nature of mind as it is. You can say space. But space doesn't refer to the dimension x or outer space.
Jhana can arise during formless meditation but you welcome all experiences so jhana is not thirsted for. Well if it is then you welcome THAT
"How can I restart the practice? I read the book again, and tried to get the idea of spaciousness back. But the space is very hard to imagine, very hard."
Lama Shenpen:
That is because you are approaching it with some kind of anxiety - the important thing is to approach it fresh as if you had never experienced space before - just gently wondering what it could mean - as if you had no idea at all.
Student:
"My breath seems to come and go into such a small, confined space, and I cannot get any sense of a larger space, only this little claustrophobic space around me."
Lama Shenpen:
So gently explore that little claustrophobic space - how big is it actually? Three feet all round? Or just in front? Above? Then what? What is the other side of that boundary? What is that boundary in fact? Is it inside or outside?
Are you sure it is such a tight space? Or is it a feeling? Turn towards the feeling and be gentle and interested in how it relates to space - just keep wondering in a gentle and interested way
The dimension of the infinitude of space consists of the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space, singleness of mind, contact, feeling, perception, intention, consciousness, desire, decision, persistence, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention. The Buddha is not vague or obtuse. He speaks to the point, describing with eloquence and detail the stages, methods, and signs of the path leading to liberation.
The advice you quoted from your Lama is good advice, but I'm not sure how it relates to this topic.
formless meditations, also called arupa-jhanas are:
infinite space
infinite consciousness
infinite emptyness
neither perception nor non-perception
Is this what tibetan and other mahayana buddhist traditions mean when they say the "formless meditations?"
the arupa-jhanas are mostly from Theravada, but whichever Mahayana tradition acknowledges the Pali Tripitaka it includes the arupa-jhanas. they are not unattainable btw, but I'm trying not to be a jhana junkie... he
you are welcome
I don't have the time, privacy, or proper instruction for attaining the Jhanas at this time. I'm sticking to zazen for now, while continuing to educate myself as best I can. I have faith that as my practice improves, the fruition of my efforts will lead me to the conditions necessary for perfecting samadhi as a factor for awakening and to the benefit of all sentient life.
that's nice, don't put more pressure than necessary... it was mostly that I re-learned the jhanas in this life; I have had no direct teacher.
***I was pointing out that you can't just see something in a sutra "space" and assume that refers to the same thing that a lama is talking about when they say "space". The sutras are only of value when you have the experience to know what they are talking about. When you have experienced the formless blah blah blah it will be of more value to look back in the sutra. You are correct that book knowledge is valuable but you have to bridge yogic experience with book knowledge.. The book might say non-self, but if you meditate and find 'self' then that is your experience as it is. You shouldn't just negate your experience as wrong because the book says. Instead get curious and lightly examine the issue.
I was asking you to explain what you meant by "formless meditation." What you described is ... well I'm not really sure what you were describing. Something about being destracted by your neighbors and outer space or something.
***I was explaining that form meditaiton is opening to experience as it is. As opposed to an absorption which may or may not be obstructed by conditional phenomena. Since a formed meditation is conditional it does not bring enlightenment.
The dimension of the infinitude of space consists of the perception of the dimension of the infinitude of space, singleness of mind, contact, feeling, perception, intention, consciousness, desire, decision, persistence, mindfulness, equanimity, and attention. The Buddha is not vague or obtuse. He speaks to the point, describing with eloquence and detail the stages, methods, and signs of the path leading to liberation.
***thats interesting, I have heard others talk of a sense of infinititude of space. I don't think experiences should be avoided due to mention in the sutras as not producing enlightenment unless it says in the sutras that they are dangerous. Experiences are just experiences and perhaps a realization of infinitude could have some value. The actual formless practice would be to welcome ANY experience whether it seems limited or the contrary. Do you see?
The advice you quoted from your Lama is good advice, but I'm not sure how it relates to this topic.
*** apologies for tone of my post.. I think you can get from context in lama shenpens post what her instruction is for investigating space. It is a yogic experience rather than a description.. it is to be discovered.. Not all buddhists practice the formless meditation but my lama believes it is the practice leading to enlightenment..
"By whatever you call it shine, shamata, or just calm abiding, I keep coming across teachings that advise first developing stability of the mind by meditating on a form (usually an object of religious significance) then moving to a formless practice."
Lama Shenpen:
Yes this is very standard way of teaching. However there is a great deal of difference of opinion about how much stability is needed from meditation on a form before moving into formless practice.
In my experience one can introduce form at any stage and it can be helpful - and then when there is a bit of stability it is good to move on to a subtle form such as the breath or body sensations.
Then gradually we can move on to pure formless practice - but there is usually some kind of form in that - sometimes more on one day than on another.
It is best to keep in touch with a teacher to talk about your particular situation.
A lot depends on what is happening for the particular student.
Student:
"I actually do both the meditation on form and the formless practice that you teach and I decide on which to do depending on the restlessness of my mind - most often it is on form."
Lama Shenpen:
That sounds sensible.
Student:
"Am I incorrect in my practice?"
Lama Shenpen:
Possibly - it would be good to talk to me about it some time.
Student:
"Would I do best to stay on one only or just do form practice until I can achieve a lasting stability?"
Lama Shenpen:
No - that way you would just be stuck forever.
Student:
"Then move on to do only the formless meditation alone?"
Lama Shenpen:
No � it's not always easy to link into formless practice.
Student:
"Or is your finding that it is best for your students to just stick to the formless practice -restlessness not withstanding?"
Lama Shenpen:
It's best to talk to me about the restlessness - it depends what kind of restlessness it is.
Student:
"Your teaching speaks to me and I find myself understanding more little by little but honestly it is difficult to practice formless meditation when most of my readings tell me otherwise and those around me practice on form.
Or is it just my ego trying to defeat my practice?"
Lama Shenpen:
No it's not ego � it's a genuine and important question that deserves careful consideration.
Metta,
Guy
Metta,
Guy
enlightened is a western term; awakened is the literal translation of buddha... so you are basically claiming to be a buddha.
Am I a buddha? Hell no, because the explanation of a buddha is to far fetched for me. I honestly believe buddha would have still had emotions, angry, hate, etc etc but he just knew how to deal with them. Its all about accepting life. (I think anyway, don't take my word for it coz my truth will differ from others) we all have to experience our own truth.