Meditation

Question 1

What is the most important step of escaping Samsara?

Answer 1

Achieving enlightenment

Question 2

How is enlightenment achieved?

Answer 2

Through meditation- The third part of the eightfold path is the way of meditation.

Question 3

What are the six sensory organs?

Answer 3

• Eyes (Visual)
• Ears (Hearing)
• Nose (Smelling)
• Tongue (Taste)
• Body (Touch)
• Mind (Perception)

Question 4

What is the parable the Buddha uses to explain the process of Meditation?

Answer 4

The parable of the Silk scarf with the 6 knots.

His parable implies that by meditating we are untying these knots and ultimately restoring it to its natural form.

Question 5

What is the purpose of Meditation according to Buddhists?

Answer 5

• Quiten and purify the mind
• Put a complete end to suffering and lead people to enlightenment.
• Developing the mind so that it is free of the constantly arising ideas, memories, worries, distractions, and thoughts.

Question 6

What are the 3 types of meditation?

Answer 6

• Mindfullness of breathing meditation
• Metta bhavana Meditation
• Insight meditation

Question 7

What is Mindfullness of breathing meditation?

Answer 7

• This is also called samatha (calm and abiding) meditation
• All this involves is focussing on the breath entering and leaving the body.
• If a jumble of thoughts arises one simply focusses on the breath crossing their lips.
• It is often used as a starting point/foundation for other types of meditation.

Question 8

What is Metta bhavana Meditation?

Answer 8

• Metta means ‘loving kindness’
• Bhavana meanas ‘cultivation’
• Metta Bhavana is about showing kindness and compassion to others around you (like Christianity’s Agape)
• Metta is an important part of Sila for Buddhists.
• There are 5 stages to this meditation:
  1) Having thoughts of Metta about oneself by thinking ‘May I be well, May I be happy, May I be at peace.’
  2) Having thoughts about Metta about someone who is loved by thinking ‘May they be well, May they be happy, May they be at peace’
  3) Having thoughts of Metta about someone who one is neutral about by thinking ‘May they be well, May they be happy, May they be at peace’
  4) Having thoughts of Metta about someone who is a difficult person or an enemy by thinking ‘May they be well, May they be happy, May they be at peace’
  5) Bringint together oneself, the person who is loved, the person one is neutral about, the person who is difficult, and all beings in the whole world together in ones mind and having thoughts of Metta by thinking ‘ May all be well, May all be happy, May all be at peace’

Question 9

What is Insight Meditation?

Answer 9

• This is also called Vipissana (Insight in Pali) meditation.
• This meditation can take many different forms and is the type described by the Buddha in the Surangama Sutra.
• The person normally focusses on the 3 Lakshanas or the 3 marks of existence.
  1) Dukkha
  2) Annica
  3) Anatta
• In this way the person can rise about the 6 sensory organs and become detatched from themselves and their surroundings and recognise ‘The one mind is free from all external phenomena.