Web site or book devoted to Buddhist meditation?

snGus

After some time studying the Damma I came to a stage of my life that I decided I want to learn how to meditate.

There are many techniques and I want to learn a Buddhist technique.

I'm reading "Meditation for Dummies" right now but this book is not devoted to Buddhist meditation but to the general technique of meditation.

I wanted to know if there is any web site or book where I could find information and practical instructions for meditating according the Buddhist techniques, like vipassana and insight.

Thanks.

seeker242

This is one of the best "go to" books that is very popular.

Mindfulness In Plain English -
Ven. Henepola Gunaratana

This is the online version: http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma4/mpe.html

shays860

I'm sure someone has suggested this before but if a Mod sees this I have to wonder why we don't have a sticky note of some of the most frequently recommended books and websites about Buddhism and maybe even some related ideas that also frequently are asked about. Yoga , Hinduism...

The above being free online is a definite plus but The Three Pillars of Zen by Philip Kapleau is also a really good one. After years of reading without practicing that was the book that finally motivated me to practice. One of the most common Buddhist techniques is just watching the breath. You can start by counting the out breaths if it helps. Probably no more than twenty minutes at a time for a beginner.

Zenshin

You might want to check out this series of videos from Ajahn Jayasaro from the Thai Forest Tradition.



Alternatively if your into Zen there is always this video from the Hazy Moon Zen Centre.

etherea

I'm reading Mindfulness in Plain English and I would recommend it to anyone.

DairyLama

I wanted to know if there is any web site or book where I could find information and practical instructions for meditating according the Buddhist techniques, like vipassana and insight.

For an overview see here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buddhist_meditation

It's best to learn meditation face to face if you can - is there a Buddhist class or centre you can visit? The Buddhanet site has a world directory which might be helpful.

weighted

Audio Dharma has free talks and guided meditations which you might also want to check out: http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1835/

patbb

i would say certaily the best for technical, pragmatic vipassana are
http://kennethfolkdharma.wetpaint.com/forum
http://www.dharmaoverground.org

for a more traditional theravada approach,
http://www.dhammaloka.org.au/downloads/itemlist/category/24-guided-meditation.html

misecmisc1

a good book is: Mindfulness, Bliss and Beyond by Ajahn Brahm

Sabre

The book by Ajahn Brahm has really helped me, but it goes very, very deep. Which isn't bad, I suppose, but perhaps not the best for beginners.

I also like "Mindfulness, the path to the deathless" by Ajahn Sumedho here:
http://www.buddhanet.net/pdf_file/deathless.pdf

GeminiVI

Dharma Seed - Search results for "meditation" (Try a guided metta meditation.)

BuddhaNet eBooks: Buddhist Meditation eBooks (A huge free online library containing eBooks on different types of Buddhist meditation across different traditions.)

Modern Texts on the Practice of Meditation

What-Buddha-Taught.net - A collection of writings by Thai Forest masters

Arthurbodhi

I'm reading Mindfulness in Plain English and I would recommend it to anyone.

I second this, this book is excellent and a really good help.

snGus

Thanks all for your help.

You provided me with lots of options on books for meditation.

I'll start with this "Mindfulness in plain English" because more than two people have said it is good.

Again, thanks a lot all of you

Mountains

There are 279,394,118,035,252 ways to meditate. Don't get wrapped up in the mechanics of "how" to do it. Just do it. Find a quiet place (at least when you're starting out), sit down, and follow your breath. That's all there is to it. The rest is fluff.

patbb

I'll start with this "Mindfulness in plain English" because more than two people have said it is good.

add one more to the list.

great book.