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Sitting down, doing nothing

betaboybetaboy Veteran
edited October 2010 in Buddhism Basics
Sitting down, doing nothing is what Buddhist meditation is all about. How long can people be in that state without becoming restless? Must we remain in that state for a long time?
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Comments

  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Who says that's what Buddhist meditation is all about?
  • ownerof1000oddsocksownerof1000oddsocks Veteran
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    How long can people be in that state without becoming restless?
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    About 4 hours....

    no seriously, if you're not very fit and flexible (provided you're in a lotus position) then you may not last 2 minutes.
  • JoshuaJoshua Veteran
    edited October 2010
    I believe I read that the Dalai Lama meditates every morning for 3 hours.

    Legend holds it that Buddha did it for 6 days straight ;)
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Well it's easy if you can maintain absorption; then you don't care about any bodily discomfort because there simply isn't any of that data being processed. :)
  • JasonJason God Emperor Arrakis Moderator
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    Sitting down, doing nothing is what Buddhist meditation is all about. How long can people be in that state without becoming restless? Must we remain in that state for a long time?
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    Meditation is much more dynamic than that, e.g., MN 118 and DN 22. And just for reference, one doesn't have to be sitting in order to meditate. One can remind mindful in a variety of positions, e.g., walking meditation is one popular method.
  • betaboybetaboy Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Well, what I mean is that if meditation is all about bliss, then shouldn't people be able to do it all the time?
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  • TreeLuvr87TreeLuvr87 Veteran
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    Well, what I mean is that if meditation is all about bliss, then shouldn't people be able to do it all the time?
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    Meditation means different things to many people and to many different types of Buddhists. Some consider meditation to be very formal and focused. Others consider meditation to be simply being fully present in each moment. So, yes, for some, they do try to meditate all the time by being fully present with each moment, whether eating, conversing, driving, working, hiking, anything. I'm not able to be fully mindful and present ALL the time, and that is because my mind tends to drift off into the past or future. Some will say that simply being mindful is not true meditation, though.
  • MountainsMountains Veteran
    edited October 2010
    I think the Buddha did it for a *really* long time just before he attained enlightenment. Like days or weeks if I recall the story. Or I could just be all wet.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    Well, what I mean is that if meditation is all about bliss, then shouldn't people be able to do it all the time?
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    Meditation is that essential part of Right Concentration that allows one to calm the mind and then focus with one-pointedness upon the teachings and your life's experiences, with "insight" into reality gained eventually leading to complete liberation. It sounds like you're a Zen practitioner and you might have some unformed ideas about what even Zen's meditation is about... am I right?

    And no, meditation based on bliss is actually bad. We learn to cultivate the jhana states, or absorption, and these states are quite blissful and you may never want to come out/away from them, but this is a trap. Jhana allows for a more precise understanding of the way the mind works, but it is not a goal in and of itself to attain such a mental state for the purpose of blissing-out. I've known people who lost their way by becoming attached to this jhanic joy. Bad mojo.
  • shenpennangwashenpennangwa
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    Sitting down, doing nothing is what Buddhist meditation is all about.
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    What makes you think this?
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    It makes sense if you assume he's Zen. :)

    Still though, even zazen isn't about "doing nothing" (not really), even though that may be the terminology applied.

    Wikipedia:
    In Zen Buddhism, zazen (literally "seated meditation") is a meditative discipline practitioners perform to calm the body and the mind and experience insight into the nature of existence and thereby gain enlightenment (satori).
  • DaltheJigsawDaltheJigsaw Mountain View Veteran
    edited October 2010
    20 min right now. Hoping I can do 30 min and then, do some walking meditation.
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    edited October 2010
    valois wrote: »
    I believe I read that the Dalai Lama meditates every morning for 3 hours.

    Legend holds it that Buddha did it for 6 days straight ;)

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v29clGMWU84
  • TheJourneyTheJourney
    edited October 2010
    Mine are 20-30 minutes. I'm sure I could do longer.
  • ThailandTomThailandTom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    lol, Mine are never more than 17 minutes :( and they have never been in the 20 months of meditating :/ I need to be hit with one of those sticks, post haste
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    C'mon now, are we gonna stand around comparing lengths all day?
  • beingbeing Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Cloud wrote: »
    C'mon now, are we gonna stand around comparing lengths all day?
    Hmm, but isn't it about who makes it the longest? :hrm:
  • betaboybetaboy Veteran
    edited October 2010
    Cloud wrote: »
    C'mon now, are we gonna stand around comparing lengths all day?

    Point is, if we sustain that state for a longer duration, there is a chance we might become enlightened, like the historica Buddha who sat under the tree for a week. Longer is better.
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  • cazcaz Veteran United Kingdom Veteran
    edited October 2010
    betaboy wrote: »
    Sitting down, doing nothing is what Buddhist meditation is all about. How long can people be in that state without becoming restless? Must we remain in that state for a long time?
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    Sitting down doing nothing ? :confused:
    Your body my not be moving but it doesnt mean you are doing nothing, Concentration is a hard thing to apply it certainly is not nothing.
  • CloudCloud Veteran
    edited October 2010
    I suppose you're right betaboy. If we sustain a deep meditative state, we may just come to the conclusion that life isn't about self and other. Life is experience. It's not about a table, but the sight of its colors and patterns; the feel of its texture, the hardness of its surface and the sound it makes when you rap-rap-rap upon its top. I stand corrected.
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