Buddhist Meditation | Buddhist
Teaching
Is Buddhist meditation a religion in itself or simply a
mind exercise like most others? While Buddhist meditation
is not a religion, it is inspired by the goals of the Buddhism
religion. After all, the human mind is the heart of the
Buddhist teaching.
The Dhamma, or the teaching of
the Buddha, is probably the most misunderstood among all
other religions. The Buddha is also being likened to God
and people have considered the Buddhist meditation as a
hypnotic method to flee from the real world.
Noble Truths in Buddhism
There are eight noble truths
involve in Buddhism. The first noble truth is the dukkha,
a Pali word which means the unpleasant experiences like
worry, pain, sorrow, fear, etc. The second noble truth points
out that dukkha are the consequence of desire and craving.
The third noble truth says that dukkha can be resolved,
while the fourth noble truth tells us the means by which
the third noble truth can be achieved.
Relation of Fourth Noble Truth
with Buddhist Meditation
Buddhism, through the fourth
noble truth is then closely linked to Buddhist meditation.
It was transformed into a method or discipline of releasing
people from the bondage of negative feelings and enhancing
the nature of human life. This part of the Dhamma is known
as the Noble Eightfold Path, which encompasses lessons that
can influence the personal and social aspect of one’s
life.
Buddhist Meditation for Psychological
Problems
It may be understood therefore
that the cause of everyone’s agony is psychological.
Logic would tell us that the cure would be psychological
as well. Thus, Buddhism designed mind exercises called the
Buddhist meditation, aimed to cure these psychological problems.
However, the Buddhist meditation is often confused with
other practices that that claim to have possessed powers
after engaging in meditation, which is totally in contrast
to the Eightfold Path.
Peaceful Life with Buddhist
Meditation
Some people view meditation,
Buddhist meditation included, as a higher state of the pious
life. That meditation is a step towards sainthood or being
a holy person. Meditation is not an act of converting a
sinner to have a deeper commitment to his religion. But
it is just a good instrument to free oneself from the clutter
that fills the mind in order to have a more serene life.
Goals of Buddhist Meditation
The goals of Buddhist meditation
do not differ much from the other methods of meditation.
Specifically though, Buddhist meditation aims to get rid
of the dukkha and attain Nibbana. According to many Buddhist
meditation practitioners, Nibbana is too difficult to put
into words. But they describe it as the highest point of
moral and psychological maturation.
Since Buddhist meditation, like
any other technique, is a personal experience which brings
about self-fulfillment, it must be practiced according to
one’s conviction and faith that enlightenment and
bliss are attainable.
About
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Alien writes for natural
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cure - Database of home-based natural cures and remedies
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