What is Buddhist Meditation ?
There are many friends around, are more enthusiastic about meditation, but only at the level of favorite, but for meditation is what is going on, and how to practice, but do not have a more in-depth understanding, in their view, meditation is nothing more than meditation, honestly close your eyes, sit there and do not move. So is this conception correct? Of course there will be incompleteness.
Those who like meditation and do not quite understand the meditation of fellow practitioners, that meditation is sitting there on the plate on the legs and do not move, so it seems, Taoism meditation, Chinese medicine, health, yoga, qigong and other fields, from the appearance of the same is sitting there on the plate legs and eyes closed, the mouth does not say anything. But in terms of substance, there is a world of difference.
What is Meditanion ( Zen )?
Zen” was originally a practice common to all religions in ancient India to stabilize the mind, and is also used by Buddhists as an important method of cultivation. It is an abbreviation of the Sanskrit word “chana”, which is translated into Chinese as “meditation” or “thinking and practicing”, meaning meditating on the Buddha’s principles while staying in a single state of mind. With the introduction of Buddhism from India, the classics of Meditation were also translated to China. An Shigao of the Later Han Dynasty was the founder of Retreats teaching, and the Zen teachings he translated were mostly of the Hinayana Zen teachings, while the Mahayana Zen teachings were translated by Chi Lou Jia prophecy of the Later Han Dynasty and Hatamaras of the Yao Qin Dynasty. In the course of the transmission of Indian Zen in China, it was gradually combined with the inherent culture of China to form an independent sect with Chinese characteristics – Meditation Buddhism – based on the idea of “Zen” and its practice.
Classification of Buddhist Meditation
- Meditation in the Southern Buddhist region is further divided into the Four Noble Truths, concentration on a certain part of the body, such as observing one’s own breathing, so that the body and mind can reach a calm state of meditation, or counting breaths, i.e., resting the mind on one’s own breath and counting the number of times one breathes in order to rest the mind on the realm of the object and thus enter into the state of meditation.
- Meditation in the Handai Buddhist，In the process of continuous development and propagation , different sects were formed, namely, the five families and seven sects, as described in the Encyclopedia of Chinese Buddhism: “Since the first ancestor, Damo, passed on to the fifth ancestor, Hongneng, under the patience of the Northern Sect, Shenxiu, and the Southern Sect, Huineng, the two sects. The Northern Sect was practiced in the North, and there were no sects in later generations. The South Sect is practiced in the South, and there are five families and seven families. Five families: a Weiyang Sect, two Linji Sect, three Caodong Sect, four Yunmen Sect, five Fayan Sect. Seven families, here add Huanglong and Yangqi.”
- Tibetan Buddhist teachings and recitations are also characterized by a clear Zen ideology. The Kagyu sect is divided into many small sects, and there are “four major branches” and “eight minor branches”, so they are not all the same in their opinions, and only the ideas similar to those of the mainland Zen sects will be discussed here. On the theory of Buddha nature, the Kagyu school and the Nyingma school are the same, both referring to the mind of realization of emptiness. This mind of realization of emptiness is the self-mind of all beings, i.e. Buddha nature. It is emphasized that all daily life, good and bad practices, and actions are the manifestation and function of Buddha nature, which is the heart of the Way, and that there is no need to seek the Way in addition, and there is no need to cultivate everything, so that only “letting the heart be at ease” is in line with the Way, and one can realize the meaning of this meaning.
From this it can be seen that there are so many sects of Zen in China, and the methods of practice of each sect are different, and the classics on which they are based are also different, thus further illustrating that the ways and means of applying one’s strength and cultivating one’s mind are also different.
Ways of Meditation
The ways and means of Zen practice vary. If you are a beginner in Zen practice, you should first have a general understanding of Zen practice, refer to the teachings of some ancient masters and contemporary masters who have experience in Zen practice, and read some books on Zen practice, and then choose a sect and a method to start practicing, and then rely on the good knowledge of those who have experience in Zen practice, and then practice in that kind of atmosphere, and then be guided by the Zen masters and their good methods of practice. Over time, one will naturally form a good habit and method of study and practice, which will make one’s work very useful and will not make one’s body and mind very tired in the end, or suffer from illnesses and devils, etc. Otherwise, one will not be able to fully realize the meaning of meditation. Otherwise, if one does not fully understand the purpose and meaning of meditation, coupled with the lack of a correct method, one will definitely use one’s energy without benefit, and eventually become futile, and even bring great obstacles to one’s practice in the future.
Whatever you learn, it is a gradual process. The same is true for learning Zen. It is important to emphasize both theory and actual practice. Theory is based on the relevant sutras in the enlightenment to verify the correctness of one’s own practice, after referring to many sutras and enlightenment, but also to do some regular daily meditation homework, day after day, will certainly make significant progress in practice. Dharma practice emphasizes hearing, contemplating and practicing, that is, from hearing the Dharma and contemplating the Dharma, and then cultivating the body and mind, to achieve harmony with the hearing and contemplating, only then is the true practice, and all three must not be paranoid.
Wouldn’t you like to learn Buddhist meditation at the Shaolin Temple?
Learning meditation at Shaolin Temple requires thorough preparation and hard work, but if you stay focused and patient, you are sure to have a profound and rewarding experience.
