Meditation

The philosophy and practice of meditation evolved when spiritual fervor of Vedic era gave way to the era of Upanishads.  During the era of Upanishads, introspection as a mean to attain enlightenment was embraced, nurtured and perfected. 

The Upanishads contended that the self or the soul of every human being is potentially divine and that divinity inherently present within can be realized through meditation.

The Rig Veda (X.53.6), acknowledging the existence of imperfection and divinity in human beings, says; “Manur Bhava, Jannya Daivam Janam –become human being; make other divine....” 

Throughout Upanishads the sages have advocated meditation for transforming Atma -the individual self, which is imperfect, into Param Atma -the universal divine self which is pure and perfect. 

The Upanishads recognized that we have the capacity deep in us to see many, deal with many, and welcome many at the same time. 

Meditation involves investigating and enlightening mind and its thought processes.  It brings about mental stability and development, which enables to become consciously aware and mindful of thought and action. 

Meditation is deeply rooted in Yoga Sutras of Hindu theology, both in philosophy and practice.  It is the Dhyana stage of Yoga leading to Samadhi, a state enlightened existence.

The rationales for habitually practicing meditation are:

1...Purify mind of all defilements,

2...Still mind and remain calm, free from mental agitation, fear and worry,

3...Enhance awareness and become mindful of actions,

4...Promote virtuous qualities and become positive in life,

5...Fortify will power, increase self-confidence, and eliminate laxity,

6...Enhance dedication to duties, self discipline, determination and integrity,

7...Cultivate positive attitude and commitment for philanthropy,

8...Enhance the ability to make right judgement and understand others, and

9...Realize divine nature of: 1) loving-kindness, 2) compassion, 3) altruistic attitude, and 4) equanimity -the feeling of oneness among individuals and societies. 

Living an enlightened life is the expected result of meditation.  It enables to cultivate positive ethical behaviour that generates positive thoughts and actions. 

By practicing meditation, we are trying to be aware of things, both externally and internally that are happening in present moment and be mindful by which only positive thoughts are generated and positive actions are executed. 

Meditation is essentially mental development.  It is a mental exercise.  Lord Buddha says; “The mind is everything.  What you think, you become.” 

Meditation engages in having a positive state of mind.  It is with meditation we are able to culture and develop wholesome spiritual perspective.  It nurtures right way of life with right attitude with stable and pure mind. 

The goal of meditation is to be free from all that causes un-satisfactoriness and suffering.  

Practicing meditation means embracing positive thinking, attitude and behavior.  Meditation is an experiential action and not a scholastic subject.

Meditation enables us to be analytically mindful of the present moment, be in present moment and know that we are in the right path and living a right way of life. 

Meditation enables to remain aware and mindful on what we do, speak or think, and to develop moral values.

Meditation has two dimensions: concentration and contemplation. 

By concentrating on Lord Buddha, we may feel Lord Buddha right in front.  But by contemplating on Lord Buddha, our conscious self become one with Buddha. 

At the highest level of concentration we are able to discern our thoughts.  We remain aware of arising thoughts but we are able to dissociate with them.  By doing so, there will be reduction in generation of fleeting thoughts and mind tends to become still.

As the level of stilling our mind advances, there will be a state when no thoughts are generated.  At that state, the mind generates thoughts only when needed and it generates wholesome thought and nothing else.  That is the highest level of meditation at which we are in control of our mind.  We are aware of the phenomenon but the state of our mind is not affected.

At the highest level of concentration, mind remains pure and serene.  We become one with object of concentration.  We can see the whole universe as one, and do not see our own existence.

Truly, meditation is mind training.  In Bhagvad Gita (6.35-36) Krishna says; “It is true that mind is restless and difficult to control.  But it can be overcome through regular practice and detachment. 

Those who lack self-control will find it difficult to progress in meditation, but those who are self controlled, striving earnestly through right means, will attain the goal.” 

In Diamond Sutra, Lord Buddha says, “Mind is the source of both; happiness and unhappiness.  The mind itself is the subject of introspection.

All phenomena are preceded by mind.  When mind is comprehended, all phenomena are comprehended.” 

Meditation is not limited to a formal structured practice but pervades all aspects of daily life, all activities, in all places and every moment of time.

The two meditation practices which Lord Buddha practiced and perfected with which he attained enlightenment and Nirvana are: (1) Samatha Bhavana -calm abiding, and (2) Vipassana Bhavana -contemplation.

The process of concentrating on the object of meditation resulting in a calm and tranquil mind, fully settled in a state of non-destruction is Samatha Bhavana.

At calm and still mind, there will be presence of mind being aware of it.  It is the calm and aware mind gain energy for higher level of attainment.

Upon stilling the mind with Samatha Bhavana, the mind is ready for Vipassana Bhavana -the next level of meditation, which involves contemplating on the object of concentration. 

Samatha and Vipasana are the two successive stages of meditation and one without the other, the end will be missing.  The two together forms the connecting bridge between the individual self and the universal self. 

Samatha and Vipassana meditations are integral as Samatha meditation gives way to Vipassana meditation.  The fundamental difference between the two is the purpose of the respective meditations. 

The purpose of Samatha is to stabilize and still the mind while that of Vipassana is to experience the ever changing phenomena. 

Samatha enables to eradicate the defilements temporarily as the mind is absorbed in the object of concentration. 

Vipassana enables to understand the truth of impermanence and suffering, and thereby eradicate the defilements permanently. 

The seamless connectivity between Samatha and Vipassana are established in four essential stages of Yoga: 1) Bhavana, 2) Dharana, 3) Dhyana, and 4) Samadhi. 

The terms Bhavana and Dharana are often considered to have same meaning but there exists a difference. 

Bhavana means a good idea or thought, and it is a noun, where as Dharana is volition, aiming or exercising for a good idea or thought, and it is a verb. 

The term Dhyana implies to incessant flow of good idea or thought on to the object of concentration.  The flow may be inward or outward.  The term Dhyana has been embraced as Chan in Chinese, and as Zen in Japanese, which affirms Dhyana is the right root word for meditation.

Samadhi is the state of experiencing the ecstasy resulting from Dhyana, being one with the object of Dhyana.

With Bhavana we wish to purify our mind, and with Dharana we purify our mind.  With Dharana we still our mind on to the object of concentration. 

Dharana with love and devotion awakens mental and emotional power.  It releases mental and emotional energy from the objects of attachment.

The object of concentration can be anything but for the purpose of mental culture, the object of concentration is spiritual and divine in nature. 

In practicing Dharana, mind alone is not enough.  It requires indomitable will or will power of inner consciousness, more precisely the soul.  When mind and soul are fully concentrating, only the practitioner as subject and the object of concentration exist.  Eventually the mind and soul dissolves in the object of concentration, and becomes one with it. 

With Vipassana, things are recognized as they are.  Vipassana enables to realize total detachment, and renunciation of the fruits of action.

With Vipassana, the craving and clinging, the root causes of suffering are destroyed.

Samatha and Vipassana meditations take us to our true existence deep within us and enable us to enter into inner consciousness.  It is there in the inner consciousness we discover the universal self.  

Samatha to Vipassana at their highest level, enable mind to rest in the core of our inner consciousness.  At that state the wandering thoughts do not disturb the meditating mind. 

Practicing Samatha and Vipassana, Lord Buddha knew the true nature of all that exist and gained knowledge to ferry across all beings from discord to harmony, from suffering to happiness, and from Samsara to Nirvana. 

The two teachers, Alara Kamala and Uddaka Ramaputra, had taught eight Dhyana to Lord Buddha.  Perfecting the eight Dhyana taught by the two teachers, Lord Buddha could have only temporary mental peace. 

Lord Buddha was not convinced with the adequacy of the eight Dhyana as the un-satisfactoriness and suffering still persisted even after accomplishing the eight Dhyana.  What Lord Buddha wanted was the permanent mental peace, happiness and bliss. 

Lord Buddha wanted to know beyond eight Dhyana.  At the dawn of his enlightenment, Lord Buddha had reached fourth Dhyana by practicing Samatha meditation, and from there he proceeded through to the eighth Dhyana and beyond with Vipassana meditation.

It was upon proceeding beyond eight Dhyana; Lord Buddha attained enlightenment, and attained Nirvana. 

Beyond eight Dhyana, the truth that Lord Buddha discovered was that we do not live in our action, in the present moment.  We live either in the past or in the future.  Though we are doing something now, here, we are somewhere else in our thoughts, in our imaginary problems and worries.  Therefore we remain unsuccessful, discontented and unhappy. 

The real life we actually live is the present moment; not the memories of the past which is dead and gone, nor the dreams of the future which is not yet born.  One who lives in the present moment lives the real life, and he is happy.  This does not mean that we should not think of the past or the future at all.  Whenever we think of past or future we should think of them in relation to the present moment, the present action of ours.

Lord Buddha learnt Smatha Bhavana from his teachers and perfected it, but the Vipassana Bhavana was rediscovered by Lord Buddha in its entirety and perfected on his own, which was lost in its perfection. 

After Lord Buddha's Pari Nirvana numerous meditation practices were developed, but all of them fall in either of the two categories: Samatha and Vipassana, which are to be practiced in sequence. 

Lord Buddha practiced Samatha and Vipassana meditations to culture his mind, to cleanse it, to control it, to make it one-pointed and direct it to know Yatha Bhuta Nana -the true nature of existence. 

Lord Buddha offered Samatha and Vipassana meditations to the humanity for eradicating suffering.  These two meditations have higher relevance in today’s world for having balanced thinking and mental attitudes among young generations in whom reasoning has overtaken the faith and devotion. 

With meditation we discipline our mind and nurture Bodhi Citta -enlightened mind, from which Karuna –the loving kindness and compassion, is born. 

Shantideva (685-763 AD) says; “Once Bodhi Citta is firmly grounded, there emerge the thoughts of Bodhi Paranidhi Citta -the thought of vow to grasp virtues, and Bodhi Prasthana Citta -the thought of vow for departure on the path of realization.

With these two thoughts, one should proceed with Papa Deshana -reflection upon the evils and the recognition that, given the innumerable previous births, one can not presume to dissociate oneself from any of it. 

One should confess that whatever evil was committed or was caused to be committed, and whatever was enjoyed foolishly, ending in self destruction, that evil I confess with remorseful feeling.”

Once all negative Karma of past and present and connection with every other being has been honestly established, we can authentically rejoice in everything that is good by realizing Punya Anumodana -the mirror image of Papa Deshana. 

With Papa Deshana and Punya Anumodana, comes the capacity to fulfil Bodhisattva vow, the basis and substance of Bodhi Citta Parigraha -cultivating the mind of enlightenment.  It is an enlightened mind that activates whole of our consciousness and translate into wholesome action leading to Nirvana. 

Samatha meditation brings about enlightenment that delivers wisdom while Vipassana meditation brings about Nirvana which delivers the end of suffering.  This was what Lord Buddha was actually looking for. 

In Buddha Dharma, the dominant philosophy is Sunyata.  It advocates that Samsara continues to perpetuate because of its very nature of impermanence. 

Samsara has no inherent independent existence.  It is Sunya because it has a Dependent Origination devoid of independent and permanent existence.  It is in that Sunya there is the potential for immanence, where the Buddha Nature is found.

Buddha Nature is the seed potential of goodness.  It is pure, un-influenced and eternal. It neither increases nor decreases; neither destroyed nor corrupted. 

Buddha Nature is the potential to become Buddha and it pervades in all beings.  It is at the centre stage of all potentials. 

Besides Buddha Nature, which is pure, perfect and permanent, all other aspects of our being are impure, imperfect and impermanent. 

Buddha Nature is subject rather than object for it is uncreated unborn potential for goodness.  

Buddha Nature can be realized and cherished which inherently exists in every being. 

In parallel to the philosophy of Sunyata, there exists a philosophy of Alaya consciousness, the total sum of consciousness, which says it is in the Alaya consciousness there is seed potential for anything and everything. 

The Alaya consciousness possesses all the seeds of defilements as well as of Nirvana. 

The Alaya consciousness carries imprints of all the past Karma, like an archive and all the potentials of the future.  All our thoughts and emotions originate and end in the Alaya consciousness.  It is the essence of all phenomena.  But it is not absolute and independent.  It is the resultant entity of interdependence and impermanence. 

When wholesome Dharma is done, the defilements, appropriations, and spiritual corruptions are annulled and the pure consciousness prevails in the whole of the Alaya, as a result the future rebirth in Samsara is either eliminated or transformed.

It is within the expanse of Alaya consciousness the potential of goodness, devoid of all imperfections exists, which is uncreated and unborn.  That potential for goodness, the pure consciousness devoid of all imperfection is Buddha Nature. 

In either case, when Buddha Nature, the divine nature, is realized, the suffering ends without having to exert.  And realising that divine nature is all about meditation.