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how to develop concentration in my meditation? please suggest.
Meditation is NOT done to attain concentration. Awareness of the breathing process helps us see the mind as it truly is - random, chaotic, etc. That's the purpose of meditation.
@music - No one said that the purpose of sitting meditation was ultimately to develop concentration. There's a difference between cultivating concentration and ultimately believing that having intense concentration is the purpose.
But is it necessary even in the beginning, at least from the spiritual PoV? I understand that some people may use meditation to develop concentration or something else they may need, but that's only the worldly aspect. But insofar as the ultimate goal is concerned - nibana - is concentration necessary at all?
The distinction between " wordly " and " spiritual " is not supported by Buddhadharma.
Sabre's answer is very good, and what you really need to focus on.
To answer your actual question, they are different, and you need to be watching the breath at this stage, not trying to fabricate "bare awareness." "Bare awareness" is something which will happen as you keep abandoning things, not really something you can sit down and "do."
@misecmisc1 - Like @fivebells said, "bare awareness" just comes with practice. You start by watching the breath - concentration develops, awareness develops. Soon, your "watching" will be almost second nature and not too forced. That is "bare awareness," at least how I understand it.
Also the mind always plays. It is reflective and animated. Even a very advanced meditator has a mind like that. There are some temporary states that thought has stopped. I am thinking of the Dhyanas (Jhanas). But those states are temporary and hard to attain. If you are going to work very hard why not try for enlightenment rather than a temporary state?
Yes fivebells, exactly. But the jhana isn't the endzone it's just a state of mind that you try to relate to to help towards enlightenment. I'm not sure it is a basis though. I am not sure all I know is that it is impermanent.
That's debatable. It's said that Buddha went back to the meditation he did as a child. Under the bodhi tree. So did he enter Jhana as a child? Didn't the other teachers he learned from discover Jhana? Or is Jhana discovered by Buddha? For me I say he entered the natural state similar to a child but I think it is rhetorical sound bite to explain his state. Sounds more like Dzogchen to me.
Anyhow my teacher said that Jhana was impermanent and not a reliable refuge. She said you could get craving towards it as it is conditional and dukkha when clung to. She said the suffering could be terrible. She also said you can bring Jhana to your awareness practice and use it as a tool in your practice, but don't think it will bring enlightenment itself.
Meditation is NOT done to attain concentration. Awareness of the breathing process helps us see the mind as it truly is - random, chaotic, etc. That's the purpose of meditation.
@music - No one said that the purpose of sitting meditation was ultimately to develop concentration. There's a difference between cultivating concentration and ultimately believing that having intense concentration is the purpose.
But is it necessary even in the beginning, at least from the spiritual PoV? I understand that some people may use meditation to develop concentration or something else they may need, but that's only the worldly aspect. But insofar as the ultimate goal is concerned - nibana - is concentration necessary at all?
The distinction between " wordly " and " spiritual " is not supported by Buddhadharma.
So it is not the buddhist goal to escape from the cycle of birth and death?
So it is not the buddhist goal to escape from the cycle of birth and death?
Yes, but then there is the question: 'What is the cycle of birth and death?' And if by 'the cycle of birth and death' you mean escaping from this place to some other place, then this is mere escapism. As deluded beings, we already try to escape our surroundings by clinging to money, pleasure of all kinds (or rather, what we believe is pleasurable), and avoiding things we think is not-pleasurable or not-good. All this pushing and pulling brings dukkha, even when the objects being pursued are 'noble.'
The cycle of birth and death is perpetuated by carving up the world in this way so that we chase after some things and run away from other things, as if these were independently existing entities (you can't have beautiful roses without stinky sh!t that fertilises it). That includes samsara ('bad') and nirvana ('good'). Wanting to avoid samsara and chase after nirvana is just more samsara!
Samsara is not a place. Nirvana is not a place. Buddhism is not escapism but realising the reality that we participate in. As deluded beings we do not participate in it but resist it at every turn, even in moments of enjoyment. Buddhism is not about running away from our problems. Running away from our problems IS precisely the problem.
'When we’re deluded there’s a world to escape. When we’re aware, there’s nothing to escape.' ~ Bodhidharma, Wake-Up Sermon
*sighs* The buddha attained nirvana. Whether or not nirvana is a place, it is evident that the Buddha won't be coming back to this world of birth, disease, and death. Our task also is to escape from such a cruel world, is it not?
"Bare awareness" is something which will happen as you keep abandoning things, not really something you can sit down and "do."
I'm not saying that you go into meditation with the intention of developing bare awareness. A continuous regular meditation practice will allow it to "happen" (or "develop" is the word I used).
Could you explain what I (and misecmisc1) are missing?
@music - again, it depends on what you mean by 'escaping' - if you mean running away from your problems, no. Those problems aren't 'out there somewhere' bringing suffering to your door. It is the very notion of 'out there somewhere' that is the problem. Suffering is something we create within ourselves. To truly escape from a cruel world is not to run away elsewhere, but to transform suffering into compassion right here. Otherwise, there is little difference than chasing after money, sex, God, heaven, Buddha, nirvana. It is all the same, chasing something 'out there somewhere.' The mind itself IS suffering itself:
All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and suffering follows as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of an ox.
All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a peaceful mind, and happiness follows like a never-departing shadow.
"He abused me, attacked me, defeated me, robbed me!" For those carrying on like this, hatred does not end.
"She abused me, attacked me, defeated me, robbed me!" For those not carrying on like this, hatred ends.
Hatred never ends through hatred. By non-hate alone does it end.
Reflect on how, in meditation, you can see the thoughts giving way to each other in a very free and easy way. In fact that is the essence of how one thinks: each thought is transparent to the next one. None of them actually takes up any space, the next one seems to be there before the first is gone. Thoughts are like images in a mirror because, like a mirror, the mind is always receptive. If you just rest in teh fundamental quality that allows that to happen, you feel very relaxed and happy. The chitta does not have to do anything to be like that because it is like that naturally. The problem only arises when your mind wanders from that easy, light quality and starts to relate to things as heavy and solid. That is when the joy disappears.
From Discovering the Heart of Buddhism, by Lama Shenpen Hookham
Comments
To answer your actual question, they are different, and you need to be watching the breath at this stage, not trying to fabricate "bare awareness." "Bare awareness" is something which will happen as you keep abandoning things, not really something you can sit down and "do."
Anyhow my teacher said that Jhana was impermanent and not a reliable refuge. She said you could get craving towards it as it is conditional and dukkha when clung to. She said the suffering could be terrible. She also said you can bring Jhana to your awareness practice and use it as a tool in your practice, but don't think it will bring enlightenment itself.
The cycle of birth and death is perpetuated by carving up the world in this way so that we chase after some things and run away from other things, as if these were independently existing entities (you can't have beautiful roses without stinky sh!t that fertilises it). That includes samsara ('bad') and nirvana ('good'). Wanting to avoid samsara and chase after nirvana is just more samsara!
Samsara is not a place. Nirvana is not a place. Buddhism is not escapism but realising the reality that we participate in. As deluded beings we do not participate in it but resist it at every turn, even in moments of enjoyment. Buddhism is not about running away from our problems. Running away from our problems IS precisely the problem.
'When we’re deluded there’s a world to escape. When we’re aware, there’s nothing to escape.' ~ Bodhidharma, Wake-Up Sermon
The buddha attained nirvana. Whether or not nirvana is a place, it is evident that the Buddha won't be coming back to this world of birth, disease, and death. Our task also is to escape from such a cruel world, is it not?
Could you explain what I (and misecmisc1) are missing?