Buddhist Meditation - the royal
road to emancipation
This article describes and explains partly the Buddhist
Meditation technique expounded in the Anapanasati Sutra.
This Sutra describes a practice that has come down to us
from the founder of Buddhism, the Buddha himself. It is one of
the main practices of Theravada Buddhism.
Anapana means breathing and the word sati means awareness.
Anapanasati is therefore the practice of awareness of the
breath.
This is a particularly good Buddhist Meditation as you can
practice it at any and all times during the day and not just in
those hours when you are meditating.
It is an easy meditation method but it requires effort.
The paradox in learning
meditationThe first thing we come to know in learning
meditation is that many techniques are simplicity itself. But
practicing them involves moment to moment awareness and that is
an extraordinarily difficult habit to form. In learning
meditation, in practicing this easy meditation technique we are
reversing the accumulated habits of a lifetime..
So that is what makes it difficult. But persevere. The
benefits and results are more than worth it.
This sutra has been described as the incomparable path
leading to emancipation. For our purposes however, it would
suffice if we gained some peace and happiness and some freedom
from our fretful, anxious selves.
The sutra consists of 16 verses or methods of Buddist
Meditation. In this article I will describe and explain the
first 2 verses only which will be enough to calm us down, get
ourselves started and give us the experience decide whether we
wish to continue, stop or progress further.
The sutra reads as follows: -
Following the breath in daily life – eliminating
forgetfulness and unnecessary thinking.
“Breathing in, he knows that he is breathing in; and
breathing out he knows that he is breathing out. Breathing in a
long breath he knows, “I am breathing in a long breath.”
Breathing out a long breath he knows, “I am breathing out a
long breath.” Breathing in a short breath he knows “I am
breathing in a short breath”. Breathing out a short breath he
knows, “I am breathing out a short breath”’
These sutras sound very simple; you may think what is so
earth-shakingly important about knowing whether I am breathing
in or breathing out. Do not be fooled. By doing this exercise
you will force yourself to be free of your thoughts and
desires. You will be free of your joys, sorrows, anger and
unease and gain some peace.
As stated earlier
The above method is one of the
main practices of Theravada BuddhismYou can practice this
exercise during your hours of meditation with profit. You can
also – if you choose – integrate this method in your daily life
and practice it as you go about your day-to-day chores.
Most of our day-to-day chores can be done and made
meaningful by practice of this method of Buddhist Meditation.
While sitting, walking, standing you combine awareness of
breathing with all the movements of the body. While sitting –
“I am breathing in and I am sitting down”. While standing – “I
am breathing out and I am standing”. While doing something
which involves attention such as chopping onions – “I am
breathing in and I am aware that my right hand is chopping
onions” This is the way we can practice.
You may find that the time taken for an in breath or out
breath is too short to say the complete sentence to yourself.
In that case say “Breathing in – sitting” or “Breathing in –
standing” or “Breathing out – chopping onions” and so on.
By following your breath and combining conscious breathing
with your daily activities you will cut across the stream of
disturbing thoughts and become peaceful. This is also an
exercise that leads to stopping of our thoughts so that we can
observe them. It also leads to an increase in our powers of
concentration.
You may find it difficult to sustain your practice over the
weeks, months and years if you are practicing alone. It will be
of immense help to you if you can form a group or community of
likeminded friends who are interested in Buddhist Meditation.
The group can then support and encourage each other.
Some more easy meditation
techniquesSo these are two of the practices described in
the Anapanasati sutra of Buddhism. Theravada and also Mahayana
Buddhism has many such powerful and easy meditation techniques
we can practice.
As I mentioned earlier the Anapanasati sutra describes 16
forms of Buddhist Meditation. I have explained in brief the
first 2 methods, which are quite enough for you to dis-identify
with your mind and your grasping, anxious ego and gain peace.
To make further progress please pick up a copy of the book
Breathe! You are alive by Thich Nhat Hanh available at
Amazon.
To learn more about the benefits of this practice please
visit this page on Buddhism
religion
To learn more about its history visit this page on
Buddhism religion
history
I hope you enjoyed this article and that it will be useful
to you.
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