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What really is meditation?
betaboy
Veteran
Meditation is not awareness of breath.
Meditation is not awareness of thoughts/feelings.
Meditation is not awareness of sensations.
Meditation is not a doing.
As long as we're engaged in conscious activity, the subconscious activity remains suppressed. Once the former is dropped, the latter reaches the surface. That's why zen emphasizes doing nothing. Doing nothing means your conscious mind is silent - which in turn means that the deeper layers of the mind, memories and experiences and all, become active, and you see for the first time what's buried underneath. Devoting a few hours each day to nondoing, we eliminate more and more of this subconscious ignorance (for lack of a better term) - and sooner or later, the lake will be free of ripples.
This might take a lifetime or countless lifetimes, depending on how much we're accumulated. But once it's done, you'll realize that you've just attained what you already were right from the start. You don't create a new mirror - you simply wipe the dust off the old one. This wiping process is what meditation is all about. Very slow, painful, and exceedingly frustrating. But it ought to be done.
Meditation is not awareness of thoughts/feelings.
Meditation is not awareness of sensations.
Meditation is not a doing.
As long as we're engaged in conscious activity, the subconscious activity remains suppressed. Once the former is dropped, the latter reaches the surface. That's why zen emphasizes doing nothing. Doing nothing means your conscious mind is silent - which in turn means that the deeper layers of the mind, memories and experiences and all, become active, and you see for the first time what's buried underneath. Devoting a few hours each day to nondoing, we eliminate more and more of this subconscious ignorance (for lack of a better term) - and sooner or later, the lake will be free of ripples.
This might take a lifetime or countless lifetimes, depending on how much we're accumulated. But once it's done, you'll realize that you've just attained what you already were right from the start. You don't create a new mirror - you simply wipe the dust off the old one. This wiping process is what meditation is all about. Very slow, painful, and exceedingly frustrating. But it ought to be done.
0
Comments
The gradual training begins with the practice of generosity (dana), which starts the long process of weakening the unawakened practitioner's habitual tendencies to cling to views, to sensuality, and to unskillful modes of thought and behavior. This is followed by the development of virtue (sila), the basic level of sense-restraint that helps the practitioner develop a healthy and trustworthy sense of self. The peace of mind born from this level of self-respect provides the foundation for all further progress along the path. Finally, the mind is trained to refine our intentions and our insights so that we instinctively choose the way toward freedom in every decision we make.
Sila (precept or discipline) is the fence against the encroachment of bad things which destroy our life and others' lives.
Bhavana (meditation) is about developing our human mind. One who practices bhavana will be wise, knows how to behave and how to respond to all situations. The Buddha said, “Bhavana is the fence of mind which protects us from wrong thinking, which is the cause of suffering.”
http://coastsidevipassana.org/talkarchive/Jim Bronson-05-20-09.pdf
One ought to meditate? When? Tomorrow? How about now?
:wave:
Message from Mr Cushion:
You talk the talk but you walk when you need to sit.
One ought to meditate? When? Tomorrow? How about now?
:wave:
Message from Mr Cushion:
You talk the talk but you walk when you need to sit.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shenxiu#Verse_contest