Posted on July 13, 2022
[Meditation method from various Buddhist traditions]
Pali/Agama cannon:
Aim:
Attain the 4 dhyanas (meditative absorption), 4 arupajhanas (formless absorption) and finally liberation insight.
Framework:
37 factors of enlightenment shows the entire path. The meditation aspect involves 4 dhyanas or 7 factor of enlightenment framework.
Method:
The 4 dhyana is achieved through the development of both samatha and vipassana.
Sila > Sense restraint + mindfulness > breathing meditation (samadhi activates samathi) > vipassana contemplation > prajna or liberation insight
Start with the practice of sense restraint, mindful sati (four foundation of mindfulness) and mindfulness of breathing meditation to develop samadhi (concentration), which will bring the development of samatha (calm/tranquillity). Development of samatha (tranqulity) is indicated by 3 signs & five stages of joy. Characteristic of samatha is effortlessly stable attention (samadhi), powerful mindfulness (sati), joy (piti), tranquillity (passaddhi) and equanimity (upekka). Once at the access concentration stage of samatha, it enables greater heightened mindful awareness or mindfulness (sati) for the condition of insight (vipassana) to be applied. Vipassana involves observing (while being indifferent/equaminity) the bodily and mental state (5 aggregates) changes as three marks of existence (impermanent, non-self & suffering/unsatisfactory/lacking). Vipassana can be described as seeing into the nature of things and it brings insight wisdom (prajna) & liberation from dhukka. In the process it destroys the five hindrance.
Other methods can be used to destroy specific fetters and develop certain mental factors.
- Loving kindness meditation develops compassion
- Cemetery contemplation/repulsive overcome desire & lust,
- Recollecting sublime qualities of Buddha for tranquillity and abiding joy
- Brahmavihara (4 great minds)
- Dependent origination (12 links) overcome conceit.
These meditation methods are found in the pali/agama canons and consequently in schools such as the sarvastivada tradition and theravada (visuddhimagga manual). Sarvastivada meditation system were later adapted in yogacara tradition (shown in yogacarabhumi-sastra) and tiantai school (samatha-vipasyana). NB: Samadhi can only be attained & maintained when the foundation or preliminary practice are established, namely sila (precepts), sense restraint, guarding the gate of senses, 4 right effort and mindfulness.
Theravada:
Most of Theravada school practices in the same way as the pali canon, however there had been some divergence over time in some schools. Some focus on samatha and neglects vipassana. Other schools such as in Burma focus primarily on vipassana. Tradition such as the Thai Forest tradition does both samatha and vipassana as taught in the pali/agama canon.
Theravada primarily used visuddhimagga manual which establish a 40 meditations subject system kasinas, 10 foulness, 10 recollections, four divine abode, 4 immaterial states, one perception of repulsiveness and one defining (four elements).
Sarvastivada:
Meditation includes five-fold mental stillings (samatha): contemplate impurities (for greed), loving kindness meditation (for hateful), contemplate conditioned co-arising (for deluded type), contemplate division of dhatu (for conceit) and mindfulness breathing (for distraction).
The mindfulness breathing includes an additional unique sixfold breathing method (counting up to ten, follow breath as it enters throughout body, fixing mind on breath, observing breath in various locations, four applications of mindfulness and purifying stage of arising of insight).
Tientai:
Tientai uses samatha-vipasyana meditation. The mindfulness of breathing is in accordance with the principles of samatha and vipasyana, and it is stated that that breathing should reach stillness and rest. There are 25 preparatory practices, 4 kinds of samadhi and 10 contemplations. The method can be found in the Zhiyi’s work, namely the concise samatha-vispyana, great samatha-vispyana (mohe zhiguan) and six subtle dharma gates.
Chan:
Method involves mindful breathing, investigating koan and silent illumination/just sitting (simultaneously practice samadhi/samatha and vipassana). Silent illumination/just sitting being aware of the experience without intervening, grasping, conceptualising etc…
Guide: Shurangama sutra 50 states of skandas are also used to guide Chan practitioners. Other guide books?
Yogacara Mahayana:
Yogacarabhumi-sastra is the most comprehensive Mahayana treatise that is composed of yogacara meditation theory, sarvastivada meditation system and pali/agama materials. The pali/agama meditation methods such as the 4 dhyanas, different kind of samadhis, vipassana (insight), samatha (tranquality), 4 foundations of mindfulness, five hindrance and comtemplation such as unattractiveness, impermanance, suffering & death. Thirty-seven factors of enlightenment (37 wings to awakening) (?).
Asanga’s work includes 414 discards to be relinquish (bhumi stage 2-10) and complete enlightenment is attained when subtle cognitive obscuration is overcomed by Vajra-like-samadhi.
The five levels discernment of vinapti-matra (impression only) is a vipassana type of meditation were introduce by Xuanzang disciple.
Other notable yogacara works include “Abhidharma-samuccaya” by Asanga and “Verses Distinguishing the Middle and the Extremes” by Vasubandhu.
Esoteric Mahayana:
Various sutras incorporate esoteric practices such as reciting mantras/dharanis, mudra, visualisation & mandala. Through these practices they can attain samadhi as well as benefiting others with blessings & preventing evil. One of an important benefit of some esoteric practices such as nianfo, reciting gcm or medicine master mantra is to attain rebirth in Buddha’s Pure Land. Note that other criteria for rebirth includes faith, vows & practice.
Other unique practices is advance repentance methods (i.e. 6 guidance from Samantabhadra or 10 types of repentance?) etc…
So it roughly looks like this:
40 practices in Avatamsaka Sutra > 37 factors of enlightenment + 1st & 2nd Bhumis > 3rd to 10th bhumis > complete enlightenment (11th bhumi)
In the final stage, when complete enlightenment is attained, it is said: “complete enlightenment is reached when the most subtle cognitive obscurations are overcome by means of what is called the “vajra-like samadhi”; omniscience of a samyaksam-buddha”
Zhenyan (Chinese vajrayana):
The Zhenyan school no longer exist in China but the influenced other schools. The teaching had been transported to Japan as Shingon Buddhism.
The practice involves the 3 modes of actions (mudra, mantra & mandala) associated with the Three Mysteries (sanmi). Practice & theory are based on mahavairocana tantra & vajrasekhara sutra.
Pureland:
Common method is reciting Amitabha Buddha’s name with the aim to attain samadhi. There is also reciting the Pure Land rebirth dharani. Another method is the pure land’s contemplation & visualisation method as taught in Amitabha Meditation Sutra.
Visualisation:
Practice derived from visualisation sutras (collection of sutras that teaches visualisation). Visualisation exercises were practiced, such as constructing the mental image of Maitreya Bodhisattva in Tushita heaven were practice by Xuanzang.
Flower Garland (Huayan):
An important method is called “Four Dharmadhatu”. Reading and reciting Avatamsaka sutra as well as nianfo are also their practices. There are also 2 key samadhis, namely the ocean-seal samadhi and huayan samadhi.