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Should total absorption be a goal?
Takuan
Veteran
I've been meditating for a while now, and I've never really experienced a deep absorption during practice (maybe once). Although I've tried not to make this my goal, there is still an urge to experience absorption. I don't know... I just wonder what it's like to be so deep in concentration that one cannot even process feelings or the passage of time. You know, that point where everything disappears except for the object of meditation. I've read so much about this, but have yet to experience such a thing.
Should gaining states of absorption be a goal for practice?
Should gaining states of absorption be a goal for practice?
0
Comments
Just try to do the practice, with no goals, no expectations and then perhaps over time you will notice some results. Sometimes when we have these kinds of goals, our minds are a little too tight during our practice.
M
That being said, a few things to consider when trying to deepen your practice are:
Is you meditation technique correct, re: is it a practice that will produce concentration, mindfulness and insight? Not all techniques are equal in this respect.
Are you meditating regularly... Every day, around the same time?
Are you meditating in a place where you feel safe enough not to be disturbed? To allow yourself to be absorbed without fear
Are you using stimulants... Coffee, soda, etc during the hours leading up to practice
Are you eating large neals during the hours leading up to practice... This one is overlooked by many but very important. A full stomach makes concentration very difficult.
Are you practicing sila? Meditation progress is directly related to how tightly we adhere to the ethical precepts laid down by the Buddha.
You usually do know when you get into it one always returns to normal consciousness after a certain period of time usually when one decides to get of the cushion.
I've been there, believing that spiritual life was being able to escape ordinary life into some blissful state of mind. I have come to view that as a mistake. I ended up being filled with longing and confusion.
When we meditate, we may experience these altered states of consciousness. However, they're just as fleeting as any other movement of the mind. Experience them, investigate them and let them go.
Anything one encounters in meditation should be regarded as not me, not mine, not self including blissful states.
MN 101
It's for you to strive ardently. Tathagatas simply point out the way. Those who practice, absorbed in jhana: from Mara's bonds they'll be freed.
Dhammapada 277-279
"Striving" in this context does not mean "clinging". It mean exerting "right effort". Attaining the Jhanas does not and can not come without exerting ardent efforts.
Absorption should be a goal because absorption is literally "right concentration" factor of the 8 Fold path. However, that is not the only goal, there are 7 other goals which correspond with the 7 other parts of the 8FP.
I agree and that's the point-- meditation bears natural fruit, such as more peaceful and content states of mind (I supposed that's what they call "absorption" in this thread). They are just something that happens.
But in my understanding, those fruit should not be the motivation, but should be more like by-the-way kind of thing. If we make them the motivation, we're clinging to something and that will inevitably cause suffering.
> I do not think absorption is a fleeting experience
I'm afraid that anything that can be experienced by this mind is fleeting, no matter how elevated or special it might seem
PS. I also believe that different language to talk about this is used in different schools. I am more used to the Zen tradition. But in reality both points of view presented in this thread might be in agreement.