Buddhist meditation is an integral part of the faith and philosophy of Buddhism. The different Buddhist schools, all, consider meditation an important way of getting in touch with the inner self and also, being able to develop the insight and wisdom needed to develop one’s innate Buddha nature. So while the meditation techniques of the Buddhist traditions or schools may differ, the end results and goals of meditation are pretty much the same.
Definition of Buddhist Meditation
Meditation is being in the state of complete reflection and thought. Buddhist meditation is an important Buddhist practice and therefore, is defined in a slightly different manner.
According to Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian in Buddhism for Dummies, meditation is “a method for transforming your view of reality or for getting in touch with parts of yourself that you didn’t know about before.”
Types of Meditation in Buddhism
Jonathan Landaw and Stephan Bodian describe the distinction made by the great Tibetan Buddhist master Kalu Rinpoche to talk about the types of meditation. According to Kalu Rinpoche, meditation is of two types – analytical and intuitive. Analytical meditation is when one uses the “conceptual mind” to examine and validate the teachings. For instance, changing one’s perspective or as Landaw and Bodian put it, “exploring habitual patterns of behavior and reactivity and finding more beneficial alternatives.”
Intuitive meditation, on the other hand, is when one stops searching with the conceptual mind and according to Landaw and Bodian, “have a direct insight into the way things are that can’t be reduced to conceptual terms.” Mindfulness meditation, Zen meditation and Tibetan meditation are largely forms of intuitive meditation.
The Benefits of Buddhist Meditation
There are many benefits of meditation. Buddhism aims at self-improvement and self-realization. Meditating helps to achieve both these goals. According to Landaw and Bodian, meditation helps to understand the self better, discard destructive habits and to change one’s perspective. Not just that, meditation also helps to connect better with others by embracing the present.
Meditation helps in finding a deeper purpose, being grateful for life, more accepting of one’s own self and more focused, in general. Most importantly, any meditation practice, including Buddhist meditation, helps to calm and relax the body and mind.
Buddhist Meditation Retreats and Centers
Meditation centers are extremely popular throughout the Buddhist world and more so, in the Western world. Meditation centers allow practitioners to meditate with a group and increase the power of such meditation. According to Kevin Trainor in Buddhism: The Illustrated Guide, there are more than 350 such meditation centers in Britain alone while a 1998 guide listed over a thousand meditation centers throughout North America. These meditation centers either are based on Zen meditation or use an integral approach based on the various forms of Buddhist meditation.
A meditation retreat in Buddhism is also a form of extended meditation and according to Diana Winston in Wide Awake: A Buddhist Guide for Teens can, “last for one day, or a weekend, or a week, or a month, or even a year!” A meditation retreat is a wonderful way of developing insight, learning from wise and experienced meditation instructors and engaging in group discussions and talks. Retreats are usually held in natural and pristine environments that allow the body and mind to feel refreshed and energized.
Meditation, therefore, is an important part of Buddhism and enables practitioners to engage in reflection, thought and self-improvement. Whether a practitioner chants the Lotus Sutra as in Nichiren Buddhism or practices the Vipassana or Theravada Buddhist meditation or engages in the concentration practice of the Vajrayana tradition , the goals are the same – to understand the self, to improve the self and to discover reality and one’s true nature.
Read more at Suite101: Understanding Meditation in Buddhism: Buddhist Meditation – Definition, Types, Benefits and Retreats http://www.suite101.com/content/understanding-meditation-in-buddhism-a186059#ixzz1AJZhy8eo
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