Buddhist meditation techniques

[novice]

Hi

I realize that there are many different Buddhist meditation techniques, but is it possible to say which ones are the most popular? For example Zazen, Vipassana etc.

Thanks

[nowornever]

I don't know which one is the most popular. I do 500 bows a day which gives me plenty of energy. In the future I would like to practise zazen more, but not yet because of my lingering karma...

[ground]

Why care about popularitiy? Ignorance is most popular.

[Hanzze]

Actually practicing is generally not really popular. It's so horrible. *smile*

[Lobster]

possible to say which ones are the most popular

Seated meditation is the most practiced, with stylistic differences.
Eyes open or closed, kneeling, lotus, half lotus or tailor pose.
For the Westerners and infirm, chair sitting is also common
(usually at the back in group settings)

In similar practices available at some Dharma centres . . .
In yoga the most popular posture for meditation is the corpse.
In Tai Chi, a relaxed standing.

All are based on the engagement and slowing of the mind chatter
and are based on physical stillness . . . 

Hope that is helpful. Learn any one, apply to others.

[novice]

OK. Thank you for the answers.

[Spiny le Norman]

I realize that there are many different Buddhist meditation techniques, but is it possible to say which ones are the most popular? For example Zazen, Vipassana etc.

Have you tried some of these, and if so how did find them?

Spiny

[amilaik]

 I know this is weird but the best way to meditate is to follow Anaapaanasathi, which is conciousness about your breathing..

 For me all I need is my tablet phone and I can meditate anywhere. My recommendation is to download this cool shrine room app I found in android market. (https://market.android.com/details/?id=com.buddhist.shrine) its sad that they have not put this app for iOS, but for android users this is simply awesome. And worth the $0.99 to the max...

I'm sure you can find more about anaapaanasathi meditation techniques on google or wikipedia.


may you be blessed by metta.

[Monkey Mind]

I've enjoyed reading this series of articles (still in progress). They are written by a former Zen monk who became a Theravadin monk, but who prefers zazen over vipassana.

http://bhikkhucintita.wordpress.com/home/topics-in-the-dharma/buddhas-meditation-and-its-variants/

[Bodhisatta2012]

Hi, good friends.

First, I would like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences.  It is nice to know that I am not alone in my travails with regard to meditation and mindfulness practice.

Almost a year has passed in this regard.  What I observed was a gradual deterioration in my sitting frequency and duration to the point that all observation of Samatha-Vippisana methods taught to me in what was a highly recommended seminar was abandoned.  Went months and months reverting to breath focus meditation.  I practiced the loving-kindness intentions of Samatha-Vippisana, but it truly felt insincere and forced, leaving me with self-recriminations of being a hypocrite, and emotion I hadn't felt in such depths since practicing as a Roman Catholic.

Recently I shared a discovery regarding a newly discovered, (new for me),  method:  "Remaining in a Dwelling of Emptiness", a quotation of Ananda to Buddha, which I discovered doing study and research regarding emptiness.  So-far, so good.

I am sharing this experience in the hopes that it will help someone, whose practiced had become miserable like mine and is looking for a break-through, which I seem to have found, at least for the time being.

MN 121 PTS: M iii 104
Cula-suññata Sutta: The Lesser Discourse on Emptiness
translated from the Pali by
Thanissaro Bhikkhu
© 1997–2012

http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.121.than.html

Method:  I read and follow Buddha's instructions to Ananda, dwelling in the suggested mind state for as long as my bottom can stand it.  Right now, fifteen minutes per mind state seems to work pretty well.  I have a "quarter hour-gonging" Grandfather Clock in my wife's office, which I received as a performance award when I was still a working stiff, which seems to split up the meditation/mindfulness session quite well.  I have been doing this for the last few days and am actually making true progress for the first time in a year.  I have never before experience The Jhana's, and still haven't to the best of my knowledge.  But now there is hope of not only this experience, but, in the sutta, Buddha promises that Release is on the horizon as well.

May we all "Remain in this dwelling of emptiness."   

[Blue Garuda]

I've never found an all round 'best' position, but had good and bad experiences in many.  This is true in other aspects of life. ;)

Here are 3 techniques I use. I wouldn't label them 'Buddhist' but they seem to work for me.

Breathing meditation is always beneficial for me, so that is my FIRST.   I include in that vase breathing etc. and those visualisations of different types which are 'mounted on the breath'.

I have tried not-breathing meditation and it sucks. LOL

Seriously - much as teachers may like you to do what they do, one size does not fit all.  Firstly you have previous karma which will affect you. Then you must be clear about the purpose - becoming calmer, contemplating, concentration etc etc..  You should also have a way of measuring what you are doing against the desired outcome - this is where Guru and Sangha are really helpful, as you can receive and give guidance.

As a crude example of how to measure success -  if you spend a few years attending classes to become a more calm and compassionate person and  yet still want to punch out some guy's lights because they drove badly on your way home, then have a row with your wife and kick the dog...it's not a great success story.   It's sadly also not that uncommon because the negative experiences we have sometimes outpace our ability to develop virtuous and compassionate minds to deal with them.

Although we learn about training the mind to develop equanimity etc. we sometimes have to face the fact that we can't do it just by attending classes, so my SECOND technique is isolation. People find different ways to isolate themselves from external irritations.  Is it too hot, too cold, stomach rumbling, hearing a siren, too light, too dark, smelling something bad, etc. ?  Well, my top location is the desert, my second is a beach with plenty of 'white noise' from the waves (easier to find here in the UK).  If I am at home I simply follow the advice of my first teacher and hear her voice telling me: 'the world can live without you for an hour' and turn off the 'things to do' switch.

My THIRD technique is to not be there. This is simple yet very profound for me. There is a body just sitting and it is experiencing sensations which pass through, like ghosts through a wall. It is not 'my' body, not 'my' sensations to 'own'. I am not there - there is 'mushin', only 'mushin' without conscious thought or action.  It drived from a few decades of Japanese martial arts. Most of the time it works.

Well, that's three - and I haven't even touched on contemplation or placement meditation, let alone Mahamudra.

The starkness of the ascetic and the visionary complexity of the Vajrayana share a common quality - they are both excellent places to lose yourSELF.

[GoGet]

Hi, good friends.

First, I would like to thank everyone for sharing their experiences.  It is nice to know that I am not alone in my travails with regard to meditation and mindfulness practice.

Almost a year has passed in this regard.  What I observed was a gradual deterioration in my sitting frequency and duration to the point that all observation of Samatha-Vippisana methods taught to me in what was a highly recommended seminar was abandoned.  <snip>

Nothin to worry about.

Practice has it's "seasons".  You'll practice like your hair was on fire for a while and then you won't practice for days, weeks or months.  So, I don't think there's anything particulary wrong with your practice.  Actually, what you're going through is something I think everyone experiences.

[ground]

What's the use of meditation if there is no liberation?
If there is liberation meditating is good and not meditating is good.
If there is bondage meditation is technique and obsession.
Be aware of every moment liberation occurs and everything is fine.
 

[Hanzze]

We can talk at us in that way till we believe it. *smile* "there is no cause and no effect, there is no cause and no effect" and sometimes in between, there is a "Ohhh, fine, ohhh fine" but don't worry that is not lasting.

[ground]

We can talk at us in that way till we believe it. *smile*

Who wants to believe anything?