Meditation in Theravada Buddhism

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Meditation in Theravada Buddhism

• Introduction to Thai Buddhism
• by Venerable Mettanando Bhikkhu

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Mental Defilement/ Roots of Un-wholesome Actions

• Greed (lobha)
• Hatred (dosa)
• Delusion (moha)

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The Four Noble Truths

• Dukkha (Suffering, rather dissatisfaction)
• Dukkha-samuddaya (Rising of Dissatisfaction)
• Dukkha-nirodha (Cessation of Dissatisfaction)
• Magga (Path for Cessation of Dissatisfaction)

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Dukkha (Suffering, rather dissatisfaction)

• birth, the source of other forms of
  dissatisfaction
• aging,
• illness,
• death, end/beginning of a new life

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Dukkha-samuddaya (Rising of Dissatisfaction)

• Craving for sensual pleasure
• Craving for becoming
• Craving for non-becoming

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Dukkha-nirodha (Cessation of Dissatisfaction)n
irodha in Sanskrit stillness
Pali cessation
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Magga (Path for Cessation of Dissatisfaction)

• Right View
• Right Thinking
• Right Speech
• Right Action
• Right Livelihood
• Right Effort
• Right Mindfulness
• Right Mental Concentration

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Remedies (1)

• Morality
• Mental concentration
• Wisdom

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Remedies (2)

• Charity
• Morality
• Meditation

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Mind/body known as the Five Aggregates

• 1.materiality
• 2.sensation
• 3.memory/perception
• 4.mental formation
• 5.consciousness

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Mantra

• literally, tool of thought
• Sanskrit verb root man to think
• repeated utterance of a word, or series of words
• grounded in believe in sacredness of the language

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Object of meditation nimitta

• visualized sign or image which facilitates the
  cultivation of inner peace
• an image appears in meditation

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Two schools of meditation

• The Cultivation of Inner Peace (samatha)
• The Cultivation of Insight (vipassan?)

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The Cultivation of Inner Peace (samatha) 40
techniques

• 10 physical contemplations
• 10 reflections/recollections
• 10 foulness
• 4 immaterial
• 4 sublime stages
• 1 perception of loathsomeness of food
• 1 analysis of four elements

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The Cultivation of Insight (vipassana)

• Realization of the three characteristics in all
  things
• Impermanence
• Dissatisfaction
• Non-selfness

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Kasina (Kasin) 10 physical contemplations

• material earth, water, air, space, fire
• color red, blue, yellow, green, light

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Anusati 10 reflections/recollections

• Buddha, Dhamma, Sangha
• Morality, Generosity,
• Deity, Death
• Breathing,
• Ultimate peace

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Asubha 10 foulness of corpses

• bloated corpse, livid corpse, festering corpse,
• dismembered corpse, gnawed corpse, scattered
  corpse,
• mutilated corpse, bloody corpse, worm-infested
  corpse,
• skeleton

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Arupa 4 immaterial contemplation

• infinite space
• infinite consciousness
• emptiness
• neither perception/non-perception

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Brahmavihara 4 sublime stages

• loving kindness
• compassion
• empathic joy
• equanimity

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perception of loathsomeness of food

• nutrients for physical body, sensation, memory,
  thought, and consciousness are all defiled and
  should not be attached to

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analysis of four elements

• all physical objects, living or non-living, are
  composed on the four basic elements earth,
  water, wind, fire
• in reality, all things should not be attached to

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4 stages of contemplation (jh?na)

• 1.discursive thought, joy, happiness ,
  one-pointedness
• 2.joy, happiness one-pointedness
• 3.happiness one-pointedness
• 4.one-pointedness equanimity

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4 contemplations on immateriality

• 1.Sphere of infinite space
• 2.Sphere of infinite consciousness
• 3.Sphere of emptiness
• 4.Sphere of neither perception/non-perception

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Four Stages of Enlightenment

• 1.Stream-enterer (sot?-panna)
• 2.Once-returner (sakd?g?mi)
• 3.Non-returner (an?g?mi)
• 4.Worthy One (arahant)

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Direct Knowledge (1)

• 1.Knowledge of the Truth
• 2.Knowledge of Action
• 3.Knowledge of Accomplishment

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Direct Knowledge (2)

• 1.Knowledge of the past
• 2.Knowledge of the future
• 3.Knowledge of present

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nirodhasam?patti

• only attainable by arahants
• complete cessation of mental activities
• no physical movement
• secure and safe from all danger

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Difference between nirodha and a dead man

• physical functions
• verbal functions
• mental functions
• vitality
• heat

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Nibbana/ Nirvana

• Nir prefix away, out
• va verb blowing
• summum bonum of Buddhist Practices

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The Insight Knowledge Vipassana-nana.

• K. of contemplation on rise and fall
• K. of contemplation on dissolution
• K. of the appearance and terror
• K. of contemplation on disadvantages
• K. of contemplation on dispassion
• K. of the desire of deliverance
• K. of reflective contemplation
• K. of equanimity towards all formations
• K. of conformity

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