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• Ball Game of Meditating
• Forty Objects of Meditations
• Why Buddhists do not meditate?
• Death Simulation
• Mindfulness

From Lynda : When you say, "translate afterwards," what does that mean?

May I ask a question that you do not have to answer me? How long does it take in each time of your meditating practice? In each time, I meditate sometime only 1 second and sometime longer. Let me give a sample of playing ball between you and me. You will be the catcher and I will be the thrower.

This game takes 30 minutes in a round. I throw the first ball to you and you can catch the ball easily. If it takes 30 minutes for the ball to fly in the air from my hand to your hand then we can play only one ball in this game. If it takes 15 minute in the air so we have time left for another ball. If I throw faster ball to you then we can play many balls in one round of game.

If I throw 2 fast balls at the same time to you, you may not catch all of the balls. But if I throw slow balls, you may catch all the balls. This paragraph is not relate with your question of "translate afterwards" but its concept is the same as “concentrate one thing at a time in meditating”. When you gain a lot of experience as if you can catch very fast balls, you may concentrate many things at a time. So the concept of “concentrate one thing at a time in meditating” is for beginner only.

We are going to play the ball again. This time I throw a very beautiful fancy ball to you. While this ball is in the air, if you feel surprise and wonder how beautiful the ball is, you may miss the ball. But if you just concentrate at the ball and do not care about its shape, color, or even how spinning the ball is, you can catch the ball easily as normal. Then AFTER this ball is in your hand, you can see and feel how beautiful it is. "Translate afterwards” means after you have already catched the ball. However there is still unlimited number of the fast balls that I am going to throw to you. You have to keep your surprise and feeling of the beauty of the ball until the end of the game otherwise you may not continue catching all the balls. So "Translate afterwards” changes to after you have already finished the game.

In meditating you have to play 2 roles as the thrower and the catcher. If you are beginner, you may play slow ball then you increase the speed later. The selected image in your vision can not be hold still forever. The image will be raised at your wish then stay as long as your mind stability can be then it will disappear or change; for your sample as the image just stands up. Please consider the Three Characteristics of Existence from the Buddha: Anicca (Impermanent), Dukkha (Suffering), and Anatta (Decease or Not-self). You have to keep your awareness all the times to throw next balls continuously until the game is over.

Thank you for your example. I am not sure if I understood the entire example of ball playing but let's see if I get this right.

In my meditation example, there is a thought of Chenresig standing up with full (seemingly) autonomy and tapping her foot in annoyance. Then there are thoughts of wonder or the emotions, ie humor, surprise. Using your example, there are a number of balls in the air here. All the balls are both pitched by me and caught by me. There is the complex thought of Chenresig and her actions. There is a number of reaction thoughts or emotions. And there is the identification with different elements of each. And as soon as I identify with the images/emotions, etc., I lose the perspective of impermanence and emptiness and I have missed all the balls--except for that REALLY big one that landed on my head. :>) lol

Did I get it, Somkiat?

You have got the concept and now try to get the fruit from your practice. However you probably had not missed all the balls if we play another game which is not as difficult as visualization practice.

There are at least 40 objects of meditation. Visualizing is one of them. Visualizing is called as “Kasin” in Thai or “Kasina” in Bali. Kasin has 10 following objects selected for visualizing as the earth, the water, the fire, the air, the blue, the yellow, the red, the white, the light, and the space kasin.

What you are practicing may not become close to Kasin. There are other 10 objects of meditation called as Anussati or Constant Mindfulness. They are recollection of the Buddha, recollection of the Dhamma, recollection of the Sangha, recollection of morality, recollection of liberality, recollection of deities, mindfulness of death, mindfulness occupied with the body, mindfulness of breathing, and contemplation on the virtue of Nibbana.

Anussati is more like you are the watcher instead of the player. When the meditator feels too strong or too soft, he needs to practice Anussati. Since some of Anussati apply thinking process, so the meditator can not meditate as deep as Kasin unless he practices them wisely. He must know when he should be the watcher or the player in the same uninterrupted game. Being the player is more important than being the watcher.

Although the meditator tries to keep the image as he wishes, he can not because of its impermanence. What is really your property? You must be able to manage your property as you wish but you can not. Your body is not really you. Your body is not yours. One step of meditating is to find the really self of you. The last destiny is to find and go to the Nicca (Permanent), Sukha (Happiness), and Atta (Self) in Nibbana.

Although you may miss the balls, but you have recorded all events as the watcher. You can play back your video and get the feeling of bliss and joy as you were in the field again. You may get many ideas from learning and practicing 40 objects of meditation. I have full document but in Thai. If anyone have this document in English or know the site, please give us an advice.

Forty Objects of Meditations

Following is the summary of Forty Objects of Meditations that may be useful for Buddhism Meditators. Meditator should select the object that is appropriate for his personality and his feeling at each circumstance. So it is not only suitable for a kind of personality but also the antidote for the faults of meditating. Anyone who knows the site with full detail please recommends the site. Thanks.

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* BuddhaNet BBS * Buddha Dhamma Meditation Assoc. The Buddhist Bulletin Board PO Box K1020 Haymarket NSW 2000 +61-2-2123061 Online: 24hrs Telephone: +61-2-2123071 Karen M. Andrews April 15, 1992

Forty Meditations:

Who Should Use Which?

10 Kasinas (Devices): (pp. 139-165)1

The ten Kasinas are simple physical phenomena upon which one can meditate. The first four are the traditional elements: earth, air, fire, and water. These can be used by people of all dispositions. The next four are on the four colors, blue, red, white, and yellow. These should be used by people with hateful natures. The last two are space and light. These can also be used by people of all dispositions.

10 Asubhas (Objects of Impurity):

The ten objects of impurity are various sorts of corpses. Meditating on corpses is useful is reducing lust. This practice should only be followed under the guidance of a master. Below is a list of the asubhas and who will find them useful.

Swollen Corpse: Those who lust after beauty of form.

Discolored Corpse: Those who lust after beauty of the skin and complexion.

Festering Corpse: Those who lust after a sweet-smelling body, using perfumes.

Fissured Corpse: Those who lust after the firmness and solidity of the body.

Mangled Corpse: Those who lust after fullness of the flesh, such as the breasts.

Dismembered Corpse: Those who lust after graceful movements of the body.

Cut & Dismembered Corpse: Those who lust after perfection of the joints of the body.

Blood-stained Corpse: Those who lust after beauty produced by adornments.

Worm-infested Corpse: Those who are attached to the idea that the body is "me" or "mine."

Skeleton: Those who lust after perfection of the teeth and nails.

10 Anussatis (Recollections):

The first six Anussati (pp. 183-208) are meditations upon the Buddha, the Dhamma, the Sangha, the Devas, morality, and generosity. These meditations are most useful for those with devotional natures. These practices will gladden the mind when it is in distress and will increase faith and virtuous tendencies. The first three are particularly useful in reducing fear and dread.

The next Anussati is concentration on breathing (pp. 227-258). It is a particularly useful meditation, being the only one the Buddha described which can lead to both mindfulness and insight. This is the only meditation which can lead a practitioner from beginning practice all the way to enlightenment. Concentration on breathing is especially recommended for those who are deluded or excitable.

The eighth Anussati is meditation on death (pp. 209-215). This is useful for people who are intelligent. This meditation leads to a deep realization of impermanence.

The ninth Anussati is mindfulness of the body (pp. 216-226). This is useful for those with lustful natures. (This is probably the only meditation of these forty which will be useful to Westerners in reducing lust, as the other meditations for reducing lust all require a decaying human corpse, and these are difficult to come by.)

The last Anussati is meditation on tranquility (pp. 259-262). Not surprisingly, this leads to peace and tranquility. It is useful for those who are intelligent.

4 Brahma-Viharas (Excellent Qualities): (pp. 263-313)

The four brahma-viharas are metta (friendliness or loving-kindness), compassion, sympathetic joy, and even-mindedness. Meditation on these qualities leads to an increase of them, causing excellent conduct in interactions with the external world. They are "an essential preliminary to the whole training of the religious aspirant" (p. 263). Meditation on these qualities is especially useful for those with hateful natures.

Ahare patikkula sanna (Perception of the Loathsomeness of Food): (pp. 314-317)

This meditation is designed to eliminate the greed and sensual excitement which is often caused by food. This practice is most suited to those who are intelligent.

Catudhatuvavat-thana (Analysis of the 4 Physical Elements): (pp. 318-331)

"The main object of this meditation is to free the mind from the conception of individuality in regard to the physical body and to realize its elemental nature with no thought of personal distinction" (p. 318). The meditation consists of noticing how the body is merely a synthesis of physical elements, without entity. This practice is most suited to those who are intelligent.

4 Arupas (Formless Spheres): (pp. 332-340)

These are four formless stages which are developed in turn after all psychological impediments are removed. In order, they are the sphere of infinite space, the sphere of infinite consciousness, the sphere of nothingness, and the sphere of neither perception nor non-perception. The goal of these stages is complete self-possession, free from all thoughts of the world. This is not nirvana, but it is very close to nirvana. These formless spheres are suitable for people of all dispositions, after they have reached the fifth absorption level.

1 All page numbers refer to Paravahera Vajirana Mahathera, Buddhist Meditation in Theory and Practice (Malasia: Buddhist Missionary Society, 1962).

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In my country, the majority of people are Buddhist but many of them, who are considering themselves as Buddhists, hardly see how important is meditation. Someone may need only Sila or precepts. Someone may love to study only Sutta firstly and expect to practice meditation secondly when retired. Someone may be satisfied that her/his practice, without meditation, is already enough for being a good Buddhist and fulfilling her/his destiny.

Buddhism is not only a religion but also a way of practices. If you are a Buddhist who does not meditate or has any ideas, please share your point of view and reason why not meditate. If you have any experience in suggesting others who do not meditate to practice meditation, please share how did you do. Thanks.

I hope this discussion will generate aspiration for meditation for everyone.

I believe meditation is vital in our daily cultivation. There are people who seems to have this idea that meditation is not for everybody..some even suggests that they do not have the parami to do meditation. I guess it all boils down to the matter of self dicipline. Sitting/Walking/Lying or Sleeping in the same position in a period of time is not really appealing to most of the beginners. Pain and all sorts of sensation will creep in, dampening their effort in practicing bhavana. However, when one reach into a blissful state in meditation, that would surely be a great motivator to keep on going.

There are many types of meditators:

a) One who is painful in the beginning and progress slowly.

b) One who is painful in the beginning and progress quickly.

c) One who is painless in the beginning and progress slowly.

d) One who is painless in the beginning and progress quickly.

The reason lies in their past practice. There is a diffrence between samatha meditation and vippasana meditation (satipatthana).

As a Buddhist, I have gain much from meditation. I am the third type of meditator. It was really comfortable and nice when I started out but as I go along, I am always trapped in a blissful state, being deluded by sensual sensations..colorful lights, feeling of lightness, spinning body, even sometimes the feeling of non-body..something like an OUB experience. I am still trying my best not to be attached and craved for such blissful states.

I just hope fellow Buddhist will learn to enjoy meditation.

Avine

I believe that meditation is important. I have some thoughts as to why some Buddhists do not meditate. They may think that they time to do it later, which may or may not be the case. The sense of urgency to practice, therefore, is not there. Further, depending upon where they are at in their practice, they may or may not be ready to meditate. In my opinion, the time to meditate is now, for now is all we have; this is often easier said then done.

Steve

While I was in Thailand, I noticed the same thing. While Buddhism seems to be in every aspect of daily life, meditation is missing. I asked a friend if any people did meditate and their answer was - only if they have a problem to solve.

I think it's part of the culture in Thailand, not to meditate - or I should say for only monks to meditate. It's also part of the culture to give generously, support the monks and others who need help. Only when men become monks for any length of time do they learn meditation. I feel a great majority of monks are merit-making and are there to 'serve their time' as part of family duty. I've thought about this aspect - non-meditation- of Thai life, or should I say SE Asian life and at the moment am at the conclusion that there is contemplation in living such a generous life, always giving, supporting others. These things are consciously done, with right thinking. Meditation doesn't always involve sitting with eyes closed.

In the western world, we buddhists tend to concentrate on 'our' practice, and measure 'ourselves' with yardsticks, how far 'we' have proceeded along the path. These run the risk of being insular practices and while in the long run they benefit all other beings, I think it's true to say that on a daily basis there may be the trap of concentrating too much on ourselves and not enough on others.

I was speaking to a Vietnamese-born monk who runs a buddhist centre in Canberra where there is a large buddhist population. He was commenting on how the asian part of his congregation spent a lot of its time raising money, finding ways to give and help people. The western part of his congregation spent a lot of time in dhamma talks and meditation and running retreats. They all got on fine, they just had different agendas.

Meditation is indeed an important practice and one can learn a great deal from about life. I do believe it is essential for growth and well-being, whether as a buddhist or not. I do also believe, however, that we must be aware of looking outward as much as we look inward; we have to put into practice the fruits of our meditation practice.

Maybe east and west need to meet in the middle?! Chris

Thank you very much for your kind responses. (Avine, Steve, Chris, and Hiko)

In my experience, after I found the beauty of meditation, I tried to invite everyone I knew especially my parent to start practice meditation. Only the ones who had their own interest in Dhamma or meditation joined me. My dad concentrates in Metta, Karuna, Mudita, and Sati (awareness) but he hardly understands Upekkha. Perhaps he applies Sati automatically, which needs Upekkha from the beginning. My mom liked to prey very long mantra and she needed to read it from the book because she could not remember all parts. Now she is trying to meditate with shorter mantra. My grandpa meditated until he knew in advance that his death was coming 30 years ago.

Thai Buddhists seem to meditate without knowing of meditation. Most of Thai Buddhist meditation schools use the word “Vipassana” in stead of “Samatha”. Vipassana may work without closed-eyes and can be applied in daily life. This may be why they do not say they meditate. But theirs meditative state are at low level which is still unreliable for detaching of desires. (At least first Jhana is required in practice.)

I am not subjected to any sects of Buddhist. The followings are based on my understanding and level of practice. I am still a stupid practitioner who needs more practice. Hope for no arguments.

I think meditation (Samatha and Vipassana) is the most difficult part in Dhamma because I have to practice to get the outcomes. Reading and studying are easier. When I read a part of Dhamma and can not find the word “meditation”, I have to re-read and analyze each wording again to find the hidden words that mean meditation indirectly. Meditation may be the hidden word and may be used other words instead such as “always” and “keep”. Meditating helps the practitioner understand Dhamma and level of meditating will relate with level of understanding. However understanding Dhamma is not the final goal of meditating.

In history, Buddhism had been adjusted more or less with culture and needs of people. Meditation may be hidden in other parts of teaching. No need to learn meditation but in order to get the outcome, the practitioner needs meditation experience from somewhere.

Someone may ask when meditation is important but why not teach meditation in the beginning. Teaching meditation is useless when the student is not ready to be student and be a real practitioner. A teacher says that he will teach the person who needs teaching and trusts him as the teacher. Right time will come with right chance. Meditation needs Sila and Panna as basic.

The most crucial time to meditate is the last moment before death. An easiest way, when a person is going to die, he should keep preying “Buddho”, “Summa Arrahang”, or any Buddha words then he will reborn in higher realm. When meditator achieves the Jhana (the first meditative state) while dying, he will reborn above the sensuous realm. Without meditative state, the death person may reborn as animal if he keeps worrying at his property before death. I am not afraid of dying but reborn. Dying is normal and unavoidable but next life is 50-50 percent chance of existence. (I believe in next life 100%.)

I consider the meditating as the most important job in my life. This life as a human in Thailand where Buddhism is the main religion and having internal/external environment supportive for meditating is a big chance for me. If next life exists then how much of the possibility to reborn as myself again. I do not know how long my life will be and I always remind myself every time I set alarm clock. “Meditate NOW.” The Buddha kept thinking about death in every breath.

Hope to see more idea and comments on this topic. Will you be interested to discuss or share more meditation experiences in order to help us advance in meditation faster?

Why Buddhists do not meditate ? I certainly do not have a definitive answer to this question, but I can't help having a few thoughts on the matter. I suppose that in countries such as Thailand and Sri Lanka, Buddhism is a mass phenomenon, and masses do not meditate. In fact, I'm sure most people can't even begin to imagine why they should want to try meditation. They see meditators and probably think: "bloody hell, does that ever look boring!!" In countries where Buddhism is everyone's religion, most people probably seek what is the object of all popular religion; reassuring rituals. in that sense, I see no difference between the people in Hong Kong who go make offering to a temple before going to the race track in the hope that it will increase their chances of picking the winning horse, or the Catholic football player who makes the sign of the cross and kisses a "magic" medal prior to the start of the match. Popular religions seem all pretty much the same. In Asian countries, some people become monks due to social pressures, which is why we sometimes see monks who are more interested in watching TV than meditating. In the West, we do not feel those sorts of pressure and Buddhism is not a mass religion. Westerners who become Buddhists tend to be very interested to the point of doing regular meditation. I think it is good, but at the same time, I think that so long as our Western Buddhist practice is centred on meditation, Buddhism will never become a mass phenomenon in the West. As i said at the beginning, these are only a few thoughts on the matter. I'm not sure of their worth and perhaps it will bring forth a comment from some learned Buddhist who will demonstrate that I don't know what I'm talking about. Looking forward to it. pascal

>In countries where Buddhism is everyone's religion, most people probably seek what is the object of all popular religion; reassuring rituals.

This makes sense to me. However, it's been my experience that buddhists in the west also get caught up in the reassuring rituals of buddhism. It's not a criticism as such, just an observation. We've talked on this forum before about the differences in eastern and western buddhism, and I believe western buddhism is still forming it's own style within the different western cultures. In the meantime we take on the reassuring rituals of other countries - tibet, thailand, china, japan, etc.

> In the West, we do not feel those sorts of pressure and Buddhism is not a mas religion. Westerners who become Buddhists tend to be very interested to the point of doing regular meditation. I think it is good, but at the same time, I think that so long as our Western Buddhist practice is centred on meditation, Buddhism will never become a mass phenomenon in the West.

Well, I can't predict the future of buddhsim in the west, but I do think that the focus on meditation is a good basis to start with. In time, as I said, the western rituals will form, but maybe it's up to us at this stage of buddhist history in the west to do our best to guide it's direction to a focused, balanced practice, with meditation remaining an integral part of practice.

It's part of the human condition to believe that things remain the same, however, we as buddhists know that even buddhism is growing, changing and dynamic. The only constant is change!

Yours in the dhamma // Chris

A Buddhist monk at Wat Pak Num (Wat = temple) taught me how to practice Death Simulation in the beginning part of meditating. Hope this technique helps Matthew and all meditators. It can be combined with 10 Asubhas, the ninth Anussati (mindfulness of the body), and Catudhatuvavat-thana (Analysis of the 4 Physical Elements) in Re: Quitting Smoking (A Sensual Desire) posted by me on Monday, 3 August 1998.

Before I start visualizing a bright white crystal ball or preying mantra or mindfulness on breathing which is the concentration device of my practice, I will think that I am dying and dead instantly. Nothing more to worry and keep thinking about my relatives and jobs. Nothing is left except me.

Then I will ask myself that when I was dead then my physical body is not mine and this body is not me but where am I and who am I after my body was dead? What is left is the mind that is I.

Death Simulation helps me cut off the external feelings and perceptions from the physical sensory organs. Next step is to deal with thought and memory, which originate from internal.

Thank you for your advice and instructions. I do find death meditations very helpful for clarifying my thoughts about smoking. Especially imagining how the longer I smoke, the more are the chances it will shorten my life, and my chance to practice the Dhamma in this life. This contemplation makes me feel quite repulsed with smoking, but I have to build up my meditative strength to withstand the withdrawal.

I wanted to add that there is a site where information about the 37 wings to awakening taught by the Buddha can be found. There is a book about it written by a Bhikku there, named Thanissaro Bhikku. The site is http://world.std.com./~metta

They also have many suttas in english, and teachings of Thai meditation masters. They may have information about historical timelines as well.

Matthew

How does one practise mindfulness when you are forced to fight your way through day to day life. It seams to me that most everyone today is out to do evil to everyone they can. You can't run a busniss or go to the store without being consumed by jerks! Pete

At least everyone has his free time for sleeping or resting. Please take those times to practice mindfulness until you gain experience. Then you may practice mindfulness through day to day life easier. Sleeping is actually for physical body while thinking may be working in background without notice.

Practice of mindfulness is very important in Dhamma practice. Please begin practice then you will have the idea to apply it in Buddhism.

Last updated
12-06-1999