Meditating during Dharma lectures

buddhajunkie

In one sangha (Chan, American lay teacher) I drop in on, two of the senior students appear to sporadically meditate during the dharma talk. They seem semi-engaged in the lecture and will open their eyes every once in a while, and will even answer questions, then go back to closing their eyes (they are sitting on zafus with blankets around their legs).

Is it safe to assume they are meditating, or is this some kind of zen listening technique?

Do any of you do this, or see other students doing this?

Anyway, I'm considering doing something like this at another Sangha (Theravada, American lay teacher) I sometimes join, but I don't want to come off as disrespectful. It would be nice to get a head start on getting concentrated if the teacher is lecturing on something I'm already very familiar with.

Cloud

Meditating is being mindful at its heart, so they're likely just listening to the words with their full attention.

DhammaDhatu

Do any of you do this, or see other students doing this? Anyway, I'm considering doing something like this at another Sangha (Theravada, American lay teacher) I sometimes join, but I don't want to come off as disrespectful.

This is normal practice everywhere. It is not disrespectful.

Kind regards :om:

BhanteLucky

To be honest, I sometimes meditate during boring dhamma talks, and it makes the time fly past!
I've attended seven Goenka vipassana retreats, and so I have heard every dhamma lecture seven times, as they are pre-recorded on video.
The first four or five times were fine, but now I often meditate instead of actively listening. I'm sure this is unskillful, but hey, I'm not enlightened yet.

laurajean

When I was on retreat, lots of people did this. It's just active listening, mindfulness. You can do it or not, it doesn't matter, as long as you are listening.

buddhajunkie

This is normal practice everywhere. It is not disrespectful.

Kind regards :om:

Normal to meditate, listen with the eyes closed, or both?

DhammaDhatu

Both

letitgo

This is normal at my center. What you want to watch out for is snoring, drooling, or tipping over - not cool. :-)

taiyaki

when you meditate you are more receptive to the teachings.

yiming

This is normal at my center. What you want to watch out for is snoring, drooling, or tipping over - not cool. :-)

You are my kind of teacher, letigo. I neither snore nor drool and able to sit stable in full lotus while meditating during dharma lectures as long as nobody tips me over.