Buddhist Meditation

"The path of Buddhist meditation has to do with curiosity, gentleness, precision, and openness. The object is befriending ourselves and making peace with the world." Pema Chodron

BUDDHIST MEDITATION

Unlike most religions, Buddhism is not based on faith but rather the immediate, personal experiences that develop through meditation. Emphasis is placed on seeing for yourself, and that’s why meditation is the major focus of Buddhism. In his book, What the Buddha Taught, the monk Walpola Rahula said, “If I tell you that I have a gem hidden in the folded palm of my hand, the question of belief arises because you do not see it for yourself. But if I unclench my fist and show you the gem, then you see it for yourself, and the question of belief does not arise."

The Buddha was a human being who claimed no inspiration from God, or any external power. He attributed all his realization and attainments to human endeavor and human intelligence. According to Rahula, “If the Buddha is to be regarded as a savior at all, it is because he discovered the path to liberation. But we must tread the path ourselves.”

The Dalai Lama writes: "Buddhist teaching is based on a natural contradiction. We want happiness and do not want suffering. But the pain we seek to avoid mainly stems from our mental states, our desires and emotions. You cannot reduce the heat in a room that is too hot without introducing cold. In the same way, we must find a contradictory force to remove suffering. Developing a pure mental state is the Buddhist answer. All Buddhist meditation practices are designed to reduce harmful states of mind and cultivate pure ones. My religion is kindness."

But it takes time and effort to accomplish the liberation demonstrated by the Buddha. According to the Dalai Lama: "Meditation practice is not something you do for a couple of weeks or years. It takes place over many lifetimes, for eons and eons. Still, there is an immediate practical benefit from training our minds.The real value of meditation practice is seen when we face a difficult period. In desperate situations, it becomes crucial to control your negative emotions and to use your good human mind to face the problem with patience and calm. Then, like an ice cube in a hot cup of tea, the problem will gradually melt away."

Every human being without exception has the capacity to achieve liberation, according to the Buddha. And so all human beings are equally precious. Rahula says, “The spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture and civilization. That is why there is not a single example of persecution or the shedding of blood in converting people to Buddhism.”

Buddhism evolved as it spread from India to the rest of the world. The Chinese invented Zen which was further refined when it reached Japan. The Indians developed Tantra and took it to the Tibetans, who evolved it even further. Today, we have access to every variety and you can study Buddhism with teachers from many different traditions.Read our articles about these Buddhist meditation practices:
Practicing Zen Buddhism
Tara Meditations for Courage and Healing
Calm Abiding (Shamatha) Meditation
Tonglen: Exchanging Self for Others
Loving Kindness and Metta Practices
Mindfulness/Vipassana Meditation
The Five Buddha Families

Books Available from Amazon

What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula ($10). Written by a Buddhist monk, this book is an excellent and accessible introduction to Buddhism based on the words of the Buddha.

How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life, by the Dalai Lama ($20) A practical explanation of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation techniques that includes instructions for several practices.

The Heart of Buddha's Teaching, by Thich Nhat Hanh ($14) A valuable description of the basic theories and practices of Buddhist meditation from one of the most popular Buddhist teachers of our day.

The Way of Zen, by Alan Watts ($10) This classic book from the man who inspired America’s beat poets gives the history and philosophy of Zen Buddhism better than any other book.

Good Life, Good Death, by Gelek Rimpoche ($10) Focuses in particular on re-incarnation and why that concept infuses life with the motivation to meditate.

The Wisdom of No Escape And The Path of Loving Kindness, by Pema Chodron, ($10) and the same book in a pocket edition: Awakening Loving-Kindness, ($7). This book is a series of talks by the American Buddhist nun who is among the most popular modern meditation teachers.

Links

The Tibetan Government in Exile maintains information about the Dalai Lama at their site: www.tibet.com

Thich Nhat Hanh founded a practice center called Plum Village. Their site has information about him and his teaching schedule.

Gelek Rimpoche's organization is called Jewel Heart. Their site has his biography and teaching schedule.

The Insight Meditation Society, founded by Sharon Salzberg and others, offers training in Loving Kindness and Vipassana meditation techniques. Their site has links to other centers teaching these practices.

Many Vipassana meditation centers offer retreats and classes for beginners. Check with these two: the Spirit Rock Meditation Center www.spiritrock.org and the Insight Meditation Society www.dharma.org

Shunryu Suzuki Roshi founded the San Francisco Zen Center, the Tassajara retreat center, and Green Gulch farm. All three accept overnight guests and offer a rich array of meditation training programs. www.sfzc.com

The Shambhala organization offers both Buddhist and Shambhala meditation programs all around the world. Check the site www.shambhala.org.

Pema Chodron’s biography and teaching schedule is on her website: www.gampoabbey.org And there is also information about Pema through the Shambhala organization: www.shambhala.org

Kadampa Buddhism site offers information about meditation, plus a directory of meditation centers around the world that you can search by city. www.kadampa.org

Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado offers Buddhist, Shambhala, and Yoga meditation retreats in a beautiful Rocky Mountain setting. www.shambhalamountain.org

There is additional introductory information on Buddhism at the About.com site www.buddhism.about.com.


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The Buddha was a human being who claimed no inspiration from God, or any external power. He attributed all his realization and attainments to human endeavor and human intelligence. According to Rahula, “If the Buddha is to be regarded as a savior at all, it is because he discovered the path to liberation. But we must tread the path ourselves.” The Dalai Lama writes: "Buddhist teaching is based on a natural contradiction. We want happiness and do not want suffering. But the pain we seek to avoid mainly stems from our mental states, our desires and emotions. You cannot reduce the heat in a room that is too hot without introducing cold. In the same way, we must find a contradictory force to remove suffering. Developing a pure mental state is the Buddhist answer. All Buddhist meditation practices are designed to reduce harmful states of mind and cultivate pure ones. My religion is kindness." But it takes time and effort to accomplish the liberation demonstrated by the Buddha. According to the Dalai Lama: "Meditation practice is not something you do for a couple of weeks or years. It takes place over many lifetimes, for eons and eons. Still, there is an immediate practical benefit from training our minds.The real value of meditation practice is seen when we face a difficult period. In desperate situations, it becomes crucial to control your negative emotions and to use your good human mind to face the problem with patience and calm. Then, like an ice cube in a hot cup of tea, the problem will gradually melt away." Every human being without exception has the capacity to achieve liberation, according to the Buddha. And so all human beings are equally precious. Rahula says, “The spirit of tolerance and understanding has been from the beginning one of the most cherished ideals of Buddhist culture and civilization. That is why there is not a single example of persecution or the shedding of blood in converting people to Buddhism.” Buddhism evolved as it spread from India to the rest of the world. The Chinese invented Zen which was further refined when it reached Japan. The Indians developed Tantra and took it to the Tibetans, who evolved it even further. Today, we have access to every variety and you can study Buddhism with teachers from many different traditions.Read our articles about these Buddhist meditation practices: Practicing Zen Buddhism Tara Meditations for Courage and Healing Calm Abiding (Shamatha) Meditation Tonglen: Exchanging Self for Others Loving Kindness and Metta Practices Mindfulness/Vipassana Meditation The Five Buddha Families Books Available from Amazon What the Buddha Taught, by Walpola Rahula ($10). Written by a Buddhist monk, this book is an excellent and accessible introduction to Buddhism based on the words of the Buddha. How to Practice: The Way to a Meaningful Life, by the Dalai Lama ($20) A practical explanation of Buddhism and Buddhist meditation techniques that includes instructions for several practices. The Heart of Buddha's Teaching, by Thich Nhat Hanh ($14) A valuable description of the basic theories and practices of Buddhist meditation from one of the most popular Buddhist teachers of our day. The Way of Zen, by Alan Watts ($10) This classic book from the man who inspired America’s beat poets gives the history and philosophy of Zen Buddhism better than any other book. Good Life, Good Death, by Gelek Rimpoche ($10) Focuses in particular on re-incarnation and why that concept infuses life with the motivation to meditate. The Wisdom of No Escape And The Path of Loving Kindness, by Pema Chodron, ($10) and the same book in a pocket edition: Awakening Loving-Kindness, ($7). This book is a series of talks by the American Buddhist nun who is among the most popular modern meditation teachers. Links The Tibetan Government in Exile maintains information about the Dalai Lama at their site: www.tibet.com Thich Nhat Hanh founded a practice center called Plum Village. Their site has information about him and his teaching schedule. Gelek Rimpoche's organization is called Jewel Heart. Their site has his biography and teaching schedule. The Insight Meditation Society, founded by Sharon Salzberg and others, offers training in Loving Kindness and Vipassana meditation techniques. Their site has links to other centers teaching these practices. Many Vipassana meditation centers offer retreats and classes for beginners. Check with these two: the Spirit Rock Meditation Center www.spiritrock.org and the Insight Meditation Society www.dharma.org Shunryu Suzuki Roshi founded the San Francisco Zen Center, the Tassajara retreat center, and Green Gulch farm. All three accept overnight guests and offer a rich array of meditation training programs. www.sfzc.com The Shambhala organization offers both Buddhist and Shambhala meditation programs all around the world. Check the site www.shambhala.org. Pema Chodron’s biography and teaching schedule is on her website: www.gampoabbey.org And there is also information about Pema through the Shambhala organization: www.shambhala.org Kadampa Buddhism site offers information about meditation, plus a directory of meditation centers around the world that you can search by city. www.kadampa.org Shambhala Mountain Center in Colorado offers Buddhist, Shambhala, and Yoga meditation retreats in a beautiful Rocky Mountain setting. www.shambhalamountain.org There is additional introductory information on Buddhism at the About.com site www.buddhism.about.com.