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Meditation
Meditation::archive
Importance of Meditation
Seeing Emptiness
Meditation:::
Importance of Meditation..
There is no concentration without wisdom.
There is no wisdom without concentration.
One who has both wisdom and concentration is close to Emancipation.
Dhammapada 372
Importance of Meditation:::Sahan Rohanatilaka
One of the important aspects of Buddhism that first attracted me was meditation, that is, the ability for a practitioner to improve her or himself in time. Unlike in most other religions and beliefs I’ve explored Buddhists are encouraged to grow and develop themselves through practice and determination. Our task isn’t complete by merely saying a few chants, begging to a Supreme Being, or performing rituals for supernatural forces. Fundamentally, all Buddhists accept that we are our own saviours and that we alone are responsible for our happiness in life. We believe that no amount of praying or ritual can change the external factors that affect us, nor can it better us as moral beings. It is as if an athlete who strives for the best results realizes their performance relies solely on her or his own effort, and not anyone else’s. This is not merely a dogmatic belief instilled from the ancient texts, but a fact that can be realized and proven here-and-now for anyone. And just as that athlete has a coach to guide them through, Buddhists have the Triple Gem to alight the path through the entire journey.

Chanting and ceremonies are an integral part of Buddhism and even of meditation; and one that, in my opinion, is often taken either too neglectfully or too stringently. I have observed that many Buddhists who have been raised in Buddhist cultures tend to believe that the chanting and ceremonies call upon godly powers to help them in times of need, or work towards gaining them kamma. They are more inclined to attending temples for performing such functions rather than conducting meditation, which some even find to have no benefit at all. I have also observed that many Buddhists who are new to the religion, particularly Westerners, tend to focus primarily on meditation and disregard the rituals. They are inclined to attend temple for meditation and meditation retreats rather than chanting or taking part in ceremonies, which some find a bit unnecessary or even useless. Both such views have taken a road to one extreme and, frankly, have missed the point. It is as if they are paddling a boat with only one oar; they will quickly discover that they are not progressing at all in any direction.

The chanting that we perform at temples, and at our homes, contain precepts that strengthen our determination on the path, and suttas that provide a plethora of invaluable wisdom, passed from the mouth of the Buddha himself. It is essential for any sincere Buddhist to understand the meaning behind these Pali words and relate them to her or his own practice. The precepts give an insight into the core principals of the Buddha and they act as a standard for us to measure our own spiritual progress. These were not mere words to be chanted for ritual; at one time, these precepts acted as a code of conduct among the first devotees of Gautama Buddha. Even today this must be kept in mind as we repeat those words and consider the meaning of each stanza. As for the suttas, they are a narrative of the wisdom and teachings shown by the Buddha during his life. They tell us of the mechanics of the Samsara, and shed light on the nature of this existence. The ceremonies we perform give meaning to all this by recognizing and making a formal acknowledgement to our commitment. It is folly to believe that the chantings are performed for the ears of supernatural beings, or unseen powers. The words are for us to hear ourselves. But it is a mistake also to believe that the words posses no power at all. If we are able to mindfully listen to the words as we chant and wholeheartedly understand the wisdom therein, we are able to unlock boundless powers within us. This aside, we will then also create karma for ourselves and be able to share that karma with others. As I have stressed often, meditation and insight into the Dhamma must go hand-in-hand. It is thus stated elegantly in the Dhammapada:
There is no concentration without wisdom.
There is no wisdom without concentration.
One who has both wisdom and concentration is close to Emancipation.
Dhammapada 372
I will now switch from chanting to meditation, as it is the primary subject of this article. As I had mentioned earlier, Buddhism rooted itself in a different way upon reaching the West. In the Western civilization it is the meditational aspect that has been predominantly instilled in the minds of people. Living here it is difficult to ignore the presence of Buddhist meditation, or its influence, in the popular media. But I feel that the media has also sensationalized meditation somewhat. Like many fads and manias that reach mass appeal, meditation has been abbreviated and repackaged into a simple and over-the-counter pill. In an attempt to make the practice accessible to all people, Buddhist or not, many vital constituents have been removed and dismissed as being extraneous and inessential. Unfortunately, in such cases as I have witnessed, this had lead to improper practice, stagnated development, or abandonment altogether. Without proper roots it is wearisome, and quite nearly impossible, to progress in our spiritual development. Fortunately this is not the general case, and there are many temples and meditation centres that provide exhaustive lessons and guidance for any who are willing to learn. In any case, it is always interesting to hear what many new, and even expert, meditators have to say about their results. Every person has a different reason for meditating, but essentially we all have the same goal: to be happy. In my own life meditation has given me relief from occasional stress, temporary escape when problems appear overbearing, more clarity in my thinking, better comprehension of the world around me, a softer temperament, and certainly an excellent health, to mention but a few benefits. At first, when I was a young teen, it was mere curiosity that had prompted me, now I am twenty-one and I have been since devotedly meditating for six years.

Of course it is unfair to speak of meditation without mentioning a few words of the supernatural and often miraculous powers behind meditation, which we often hear about. Here in the West, and in the quickly modernizing East, there is much scepticism towards such accounts. But as I have aforementioned in Buddhism there is nothing to be believed without any proof. These supernatural claims can indeed be seen and experienced by anyone who devotes enough effort to the practice in this very lifetime. To many veteran meditators these aren’t mere stories, but are regular experiences they’ve encountered. I, myself, have witnessed many unbelievable feats in my time, and have even experienced many extraordinary incidences during meditation. New meditators, who’ve recently started, have also felt an instant difference within a few days of practice. At first it could be just a serene feeling, then afterwards a deeper awareness during daily tasks, and later perhaps attainment of higher modes of consciousness. Anyone who has read the Buddhist suttas have invariably seen the Buddha exhort and acclaim deep meditation, and undoubtedly encountered such terms as samadhi and jhana. The jhanas are a deep level of absorption, where the mind is remarkably stilled. It is usually a state that very few meditators will reach unless they have a very pure moral grounding (a requisite for this state of mind) and have irrevocably mastered meditation beyond a doubt. A seasoned practitioner of jhana can sometimes attain the ability of telekinesis, precognition of the future, recollection of past lives, or even perform levitation, to name a few. I must always stress that no one should meditate for the intention of attaining these powers, and anyone who yearns for them will never reach such deep states. These incredible powers are but a mere side effect of deep meditation. I will not elaborate further on the topic of jhanas since I have never attained such states of mind and am not an expert on the topic, but I did included it in this article since many people were curious on the subject. The jhanas are not pertinent for all meditators to achieve (and should never be discouraged if one cannot achieve it within this life), but it is a necessity for Enlightenment, as it is one of the Noble Eightfold paths: Samma Samadhi.

The jhanas aside, just the act of daily meditation rewards innumerable miracles in itself. For instance, I am reminded of a story of this middle-aged man who had smoked his whole life. This man had even smoked before he was a teen and, upon reaching his forties, the doctors have told him he had developed severe lung cancer. No one expected the man to live beyond his fiftieth year due to his deteriorating condition. After hearing this he urged the doctors to give him any available treatment or even perform any possible operation to attenuate the spread of his cancer. The doctors then showed him a picture of his defiled lungs, appearing completely black, and answered that the condition had spread too far beyond any cure. There simply wasn’t any way to reverse, let alone slow down, the inevitable. This man then switched to herbal remedies and went abroad to find cures across the world. At one point he was recommended by a friend to try meditation. It certainly did not cost any money, nor did it require him to go to any other country. So this man, who had almost no knowledge of Buddhism, started practicing, even by himself at home. Then a several years had passed and one day he received a call from the doctors regarding his latest physical test results. When he confronted the doctors they told the man they were shocked and had some news for him. Of course at first he suspected that it was some grievous change in his condition and perhaps they would tell him he had less time now to live. But then the doctors showed him a picture of his lungs from the most recent check-up. They said they were shocked to find that the tar, nicotine, and other various chemicals that had imbedded in his lungs had inexplicably lessened! The lungs had indeed improved in condition, which they thought was impossible at his stage. The doctors were actually more curious in finding out what he was taking for his lungs, and they were further surprised to hear his answer. This is indeed a true story and this person is a friend of a monk who told this to me. Meditation certainly does not have the ability to cure every disease in every person, but in this particular case, as with many other cases I’ve seen, it had the ability to manifest phenomenal physical improvement in his body.

Meditation is not bizarre or mystical in its nature, although it may appear to be so for those unfamiliar with Eastern practices. Nor is meditation native solely to Buddhism, for it exists in every culture and religion in the world in some form. There is a type of meditation, however, that is genuine to Buddhism called Vipassana, or Insight Meditation. It is usually not recommended for beginners and I will not discuss it in this particular article. For those who are well versed in meditation I most definitely advise to investigate Vipassana or even try a guided session. My two favourite types of meditation are Anapanasati and Metta, which are Breathing Meditation and Loving-Kindness Meditation, respectfully. They are the simplest forms to practice, and the two I most recommend for curious beginners. Evidently they are also the most powerful of all the forms of meditation, since it was Anapanasati that the Prince Siddhatta practiced when seated under the Bodhi Tree prior to Enlightenment. I have included brief descriptions of those two types of meditation at the end of this article, as an add-on.

Any sort of meditation, whether it be Anapanasati or Metta, requires consistent effort, devotion, and training. As a former teacher of mine said, there are only three things needed to master meditation: practice, practice, and practice! Indeed he was right, it is vital at any stage of meditation. Even a veteran meditator must keep a constant watch on his practice; otherwise he will quickly fall down to the level of a beginner. As with anything in this world, the skill will decay in time and even be forgotten altogether, if not cared for. As a practitioner I cannot emphasise enough the importance of guided meditation. Many meditators feel they are apt enough to start meditating on their own after one lesson, or even after reading a set of instructions. In my experience I have known that even matured meditators deviate from the proper technique and, in time, find they have been conducting an erroneous method with no signs of growth. I constantly urge meditators at any stage to go, at least once a month, to a meditation class and check one’s practice with the teacher’s method. Furthermore, meditation need not be performed in the formal method, sitting down. Another very effective form is walking meditation, where one mentally observes the falling and rising of each foot. This is particularly effective when one is bored or feels sleep overcoming. Then there is the act of being mindful at every moment, which, in my experience, builds a strong foundation for concentration and acts as a sort of “active meditation”. This I recommend for anyone, whether they have practiced for years or have never at all. All it requires is for one to be mindful when performing a task: picking up an object, speaking, listening, chewing, drinking, walking, standing or even sitting. By thinking of only the task at hand, and not of other matters, at the end of the day the mind feels much clearer without any unnecessary thoughts, or fragments of thoughts, littered about.

It is my hope that this article served to inspire non-meditators to investigate this beautiful practice, and to help seasoned meditators in rekindling new energy into their routine. In my life Anapanasati and Metta meditation had provided a release from, what feels like, a relentless world of stress, and I can hardly imagine my life without my practice. The results of the practice truly manifest after the meditation, when I am going about my daily life. That is what marvels me and what I emphasize to new learners: it is really a lifestyle improvement, and not a quick pill that we take to escape reality. Often I feel this is what hinders many from trying meditation, the belief that this is something external to daily living. On the contrary, meditation uncovers more about reality than we otherwise perceive. Settling down our chaotic mind, delving deep into our conscience, we are able to observe the mechanics of this Samsara. One of the names for Lord Buddha is Lokavidu, or the One Who Sees Through the World. He did not escape the world, He did not make it disappear, nor did He imagine something to be there when it was not. The Buddha lived in this very world we live in, faced the stress inherent in it, but most importantly, He was not deluded by its appearance.

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