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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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Different faces of meditation
    #8709556 -

So I'm thinking, take a closer look at various types of meditation. What are the similarities? What are the differences?

(definitions from Wikipedia)

Vipassanā (Pāli) or vipaśyanā (विपश्यना) in (Sanskrit) means "insight" into the impermanent nature or anicca of mind and body. Vipassana is one of India's most ancient techniques of meditation, attributed to Gautama Buddha. It is a way of self-transformation through self-observation and introspection. In English, vipassanā meditation is referred to simply as "insight meditation".

In a broader sense, vipassanā has been used as one of two poles for the categorization of types of Buddhist meditation, the other being samatha (in Pāli or śamatha in Sanskrit). Samatha is a focusing, pacifying and calming meditation, common to many traditions in the world, notably yoga. It is used as a preparation for vipassanā, pacifying the mind and strengthening the concentration in order to allow the work of insight. This dichotomy is also sometimes discussed as "stopping and seeing." In Buddhist practice it is said that, while samatha can calm the mind, only insight can reveal how the mind was disturbed to start with, which leads to prajñā (Pāli: paññā, wisdom) and jñāna (Pāli: ñāṇa, knowledge) and thus understanding, preventing it from being disturbed again.

And a definition for Samatha: Samatha (Pāli), śamatha (Sanskrit) or orthographically romanized to shamatha and is often translated as 'Calm Abiding' (Tibetan shinay), comprises a suite, type or style of Buddhist meditation or concentration practices designed to enhance sustained voluntary attention, and culminates in an attention that can be sustained effortlessly and for hours on end [1]. Samatha is a subset of the broader family of Samadhi ("concentration") meditation practices[2].

Zen (Japanese: 禅), the Japanese translation for Chan, is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism. The word Chan is itself derived from the Sanskrit Dhyaan, which means to contemplate deeply. The Korean pronunciation of * is Seon and the Vietnamese pronunciation of which is Thiền. Zen emphasizes dharma practice and experiential wisdom—particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen—in the attainment of awakening. As such, it putatively de-emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and the study of religious texts in favor of direct, experiential realization.

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Do Zen and Vipassana contrast, or are they the same within a meditative context? Zen = to contemplate deeply, Vipassana = "insight meditation".

What about chakra meditation? Where does it fit in? They can be traced back to Tantric traditions, and are acknowledged in some form by other societies through the years, and up to present by a large number of practitioners. But, how related are chakras and Vipassana, or Samatha? Referenced or acknowledged in Zen? Are Buddhists generally knowledgable of some form of chakra model, or is it generally less prominent than that?


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rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: Rahz]
    #8709662 -

all involve some form of dhyaana or absorption
absorption follows putting on the yoke.
the mind is yoked to the work (yoga)
same with tibetan, same with zen same with hinayana (vipassana)
great stuff
you have to learn how to take a yoke.


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:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: Rahz]
    #8709680 -

for me, I see the contrast of different meditations in terms of mathematics - even though I am no mathematician :tongue:

Polarity, wholeness, nothingness. 2 , 1 , 0.

concentration and insight, I am not sure how I would mathematically label these, but they seem to be one off each other.

Lately I have also incorporated the idea of trinity - the human ego being the third point (the self referential consciousness of duality), as another important meditation as well. So add three in the front if you catch my drift.

Edited by daytripper23 (07/31/08 09:53 PM)

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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: Rahz]
    #8711764 -

I wouldnt concern yourself about all these, its all about insight, to stop looking at passing objects and start sinking into the realization you are only the permanent subject.

Zen:
"As such, it putatively de-emphasizes both theoretical knowledge and the study of religious texts in favor of direct, experiential realization"

This is so true, because anything you learn can be forgotten, but anything that is your own experience/realization will stay with you in a much deeper way.

I like Zen for its take no crap be as you are attitude, you can start with Samatha type meditations like concentrating on objects like thoughts, breath, body, candle flame etc...which are great practices, but the best meditation is to put your concentration on concentration, attention on attention, awareness on awareness then you come to pure subjectivity, which is our true nature....

:peace:


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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: Chronic7]
    #8712244 -

chronic777
I love the way your sentences start.
I find that they end with too much definition, promise, certainty, and "truisms".

anyway
samatha is good enough. it will natually bend into vipassana of it's own accord. even tibetan gtummo or vajra dakini visualization meditations will turn into vipassana when the fascination gets sorted out, even koans turn into vipassana.

language palls at trying to explain it better, but there really is no one better system than all the others, all of them establish that phenomena is not a goal, but phenomena is not an impediment either - object of meditation becomes process of meditation; no-self and no-separation are hard to illustrate in language but are evident when you are in the seat.


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:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: redgreenvines]
    #8716144 -

Hmm, interesting.

Would you say that chakra meditation is a form of samatha?

I can see that.

Being aware of the psychological implications of the different energy centers, are they useful for insight meditation as well?

What I'm curious about, is the frequency of use/knowledge of chakras by mediators who aren't "chakra practitioners"... one question I was hoping to have answered. Does the average Buddhist have a working knowledge of chakras (some system or other)?


--------------------
rahz

comfort pleasure power love     truth awareness peace I am      I feel      I do     I love  I speak    I see    I know

why there is reality and patterned, law-like consistency at all, rather than noise or non-reality is not a question physics answers. It's a question physics presupposes an answer to in order to provide other answers.

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Re: Different faces of meditation [Re: Rahz]
    #8716303 -

chakra med would be samatha by intent, but would slip into vipassana naturally


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:brainfart: _ :finger:

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Unfolding Nature Shop: Unfolding Nature: Being in the Implicate Order

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