Published On:Wednesday 15 October 2014
Posted by Celebrate Life Style information Blog
Preparation for Meditation
“It should be understood that solitude is within us all. If our minds are not settled, even a quiet forest would not be a congenial place. But if our minds are settled, even the heart of a busy town may be congenial. The atmosphere in which we live acts as an indirect aid to tranquillizing our minds.”
Before practicing samādhi (meditaton), the qualified aspirant should give a careful consideration to the subject of meditation. In ancient days it was customary for pupils to seek the guidance of a competent teacher to choose a suitable subject according to their temperaments. But today, if no competent teacher is available, the aspirant must exercise his own judgment and choose one he thinks most suited to his character.
When the subject has been chosen, he should withdraw to a quiet place where there are the fewest distractions. The forest, a cave, or any lonely place is most desirable, for there one is least liable to interruption during the practice.
It should be understood that solitude is within us all. If our minds are not settled, even a quiet forest would not be a congenial place. But if our minds are settled, even the heart of a busy town may be congenial. The atmosphere in which we live acts as an indirect aid to tranquillizing our minds.
Next to be decided by the aspirant is the most convenient time when he himself and his surroundings are in the best possible condition for the practice.
Early in the morning when the mind is fresh and active, or before bedtime, if one is not overtired, is generally the most appropriate time for meditation. But whatever the time selected, it is advisable daily to keep to that particular hour, for our minds then become conditioned to the practice.
The meditating posture, too, serves as a powerful aid to concentration.
Easterners generally sit cross-legged, with the body erect. They sit placing the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh. This is the full position. If this posture is difficult, as it certainly is to many, the half position may be adopted, that is, simply placing the right foot on the left thigh or the left foot on the right thigh.
When this triangular position is assumed, the whole body is well balanced. The right hand should be placed on the left hand, the neck straightened so that the nose is in a perpendicular line with the navel. The tongue should rest on the upper palate. The belt should be loosened, and clothes neatly adjusted. Some prefer closed eyes so as to shut out all unnecessary light and external sights.
Although there are certain advantages in closing the eyes, it is not always recommended as it tends to drowsiness. Then the mind gets out of control and wanders aimlessly, vagrant thoughts arise, the body loses its erectness, quite unconsciously the mouth opens itself, saliva drivels, and the head nods.
The Buddhas usually sit with half closed eyes looking through the tip of the nose not more than a distance of four feet away.
Those who find the cross-legged posture too difficult may sit comfortably in a chair or any other support, sufficiently high to rest the feet on the ground.
It is of no great importance what posture one adopts provided it is easy and relaxed.
The aspirant who is striving to gain one-pointedness of the mind should endeavor to control any unwholesome thoughts at their very inception. As mentioned in the Padhāna Sutta (Sn iii.2) he may be attacked by the ten armies of the Evil One. They are:
i.) sensual desires (kāma)
ii.) discouragement (arati)
iii.) hunger and thirst (khuppipāsā)
iv.) craving (taņhā)
v.) sloth and torpor (thīnamiddha)
vi.) fear (bhaya)
vii.) doubt (vicikicchā)
viii.) detraction and stubbornness (makkha, thambha)
ix.) gain, praise, honor and ill-gotten fame (lābha, siloka, sakkāra, micchāyasa)
x.) self-praise and contempt for others (attukkaṃsana paravambhana).
On such occasions the following practical suggestions given by the Buddha will be beneficial to all.
1) Harboring a good thought opposite to the encroaching one, e.g., loving kindness in case of hatred.
2) Reflecting upon possible evil consequences, e.g., anger sometimes results in murder.
3) Simple neglect or becoming wholly inattentive to them.
4) Tracing the cause which led to the arising of the unwholesome thoughts and thus forgetting them in the retrospective process.
5) Direct physical force.
Just as a strong man overpowers a weak person, so one should over-come evil thoughts by bodily strength. “With teeth clenched and tongue pressed to the palate,” advises the Buddha, “the monk by main force must constrain and coerce his mind; and thus with clenched teeth and taut tongue, constraining and coercing his mind, those evil and unsalutary thoughts will disappear and go to decay; and with their disappearing, the mind will become settled, subdued, unified, and concentrated (Vitakka Santhāna Sutta, MN 20).
Having attended to all these necessary preliminaries, the qualified aspirant retires to a solitary place, and summoning up confidence as to the certainty of achieving his goal, he makes a persistent effort to develop concentration. - Nirvana Peace.
Before practicing samādhi (meditaton), the qualified aspirant should give a careful consideration to the subject of meditation. In ancient days it was customary for pupils to seek the guidance of a competent teacher to choose a suitable subject according to their temperaments. But today, if no competent teacher is available, the aspirant must exercise his own judgment and choose one he thinks most suited to his character.
When the subject has been chosen, he should withdraw to a quiet place where there are the fewest distractions. The forest, a cave, or any lonely place is most desirable, for there one is least liable to interruption during the practice.
It should be understood that solitude is within us all. If our minds are not settled, even a quiet forest would not be a congenial place. But if our minds are settled, even the heart of a busy town may be congenial. The atmosphere in which we live acts as an indirect aid to tranquillizing our minds.
Next to be decided by the aspirant is the most convenient time when he himself and his surroundings are in the best possible condition for the practice.
Early in the morning when the mind is fresh and active, or before bedtime, if one is not overtired, is generally the most appropriate time for meditation. But whatever the time selected, it is advisable daily to keep to that particular hour, for our minds then become conditioned to the practice.
The meditating posture, too, serves as a powerful aid to concentration.
Easterners generally sit cross-legged, with the body erect. They sit placing the right foot on the left thigh and the left foot on the right thigh. This is the full position. If this posture is difficult, as it certainly is to many, the half position may be adopted, that is, simply placing the right foot on the left thigh or the left foot on the right thigh.
When this triangular position is assumed, the whole body is well balanced. The right hand should be placed on the left hand, the neck straightened so that the nose is in a perpendicular line with the navel. The tongue should rest on the upper palate. The belt should be loosened, and clothes neatly adjusted. Some prefer closed eyes so as to shut out all unnecessary light and external sights.
Although there are certain advantages in closing the eyes, it is not always recommended as it tends to drowsiness. Then the mind gets out of control and wanders aimlessly, vagrant thoughts arise, the body loses its erectness, quite unconsciously the mouth opens itself, saliva drivels, and the head nods.
The Buddhas usually sit with half closed eyes looking through the tip of the nose not more than a distance of four feet away.
Those who find the cross-legged posture too difficult may sit comfortably in a chair or any other support, sufficiently high to rest the feet on the ground.
It is of no great importance what posture one adopts provided it is easy and relaxed.
The aspirant who is striving to gain one-pointedness of the mind should endeavor to control any unwholesome thoughts at their very inception. As mentioned in the Padhāna Sutta (Sn iii.2) he may be attacked by the ten armies of the Evil One. They are:
i.) sensual desires (kāma)
ii.) discouragement (arati)
iii.) hunger and thirst (khuppipāsā)
iv.) craving (taņhā)
v.) sloth and torpor (thīnamiddha)
vi.) fear (bhaya)
vii.) doubt (vicikicchā)
viii.) detraction and stubbornness (makkha, thambha)
ix.) gain, praise, honor and ill-gotten fame (lābha, siloka, sakkāra, micchāyasa)
x.) self-praise and contempt for others (attukkaṃsana paravambhana).
On such occasions the following practical suggestions given by the Buddha will be beneficial to all.
1) Harboring a good thought opposite to the encroaching one, e.g., loving kindness in case of hatred.
2) Reflecting upon possible evil consequences, e.g., anger sometimes results in murder.
3) Simple neglect or becoming wholly inattentive to them.
4) Tracing the cause which led to the arising of the unwholesome thoughts and thus forgetting them in the retrospective process.
5) Direct physical force.
Just as a strong man overpowers a weak person, so one should over-come evil thoughts by bodily strength. “With teeth clenched and tongue pressed to the palate,” advises the Buddha, “the monk by main force must constrain and coerce his mind; and thus with clenched teeth and taut tongue, constraining and coercing his mind, those evil and unsalutary thoughts will disappear and go to decay; and with their disappearing, the mind will become settled, subdued, unified, and concentrated (Vitakka Santhāna Sutta, MN 20).
Having attended to all these necessary preliminaries, the qualified aspirant retires to a solitary place, and summoning up confidence as to the certainty of achieving his goal, he makes a persistent effort to develop concentration. - Nirvana Peace.
