The Buddha's Words on Meditation

"For the sake of other's welfare, however great, let not one neglect one's own welfare. Let one be intent on one's own goal." The Buddha


Taking time each day to meditate is the first and biggest step we can take towards our path of inner peace and personal spiritual unfoldment. Dear Friends, it so valuable and important that it can be summed up by this occurrence at the time of the Buddha's dying:


When the Buddha declared that he would attain parinibbana (the exalted state of a Buddha after passing away) in four month's time, many bhikkhus (i.e. monks who had not yet gained Arahanthood*) were sad and did not know what to do. So they kept close to Him. A monk named Attadatta, however, did not go to see Him, and, having resolved to attain Arahanthood during the lifetime of the Buddha, was striving hard in the meditation practice. Other bhikkhus, not understanding him, took him to the Enlightened One and said, "Venerable Sir! This bhikkhu does not love and revere you as we do. He is egoistic and keeps to himself." The monk (Attadatta) then respectfully explained that the greatest homage he could pay the Buddha was to attain Arahanthood before his (the Buddha's) parinibbana.


In applauding the monk, the Buddha told the bhikkhus, "Those who love and revere me should act like Attadatta. You are not paying me homage by coming to see me; you pay me homage only by practicing the Dhamma (the Buddha's teachings = Pali or Dharma - Sanskrit) I have taught you."
Dhammapada Verse 166


*Arahanthood ~ simply put, is the state of enlightenment, free from striving, free from suffering, free from the rounds of birth, old age, sickness and death, by following The Right View**. Whereas attaining Buddhahood or Nirvana (=Sanskrit or Nibbana - Pali)) is, as the Buddha referred to Himself, as the first Arahant, the one who has come during this Buddhist eon (much longer than an eon as we understand it) to teach others the path to Nirvana.

**The Right View is denoted as the first guideline of The Eightfold Noble Path***, the Buddha's teaching on how to reach enlightenment. But many use the term The Right View as the connotation for all eight guidelines.


***The Eightfold Noble Path

1] Right View or Understanding
2] Right Intentions
3] Right Speech
4] Right Action
5] Right Livelihood
6] Right Effort
7] Right Concentration
8] Right Mindfulness


So dear Friends,

"Do not even consider going to sleep until you have meditated." Venerable Luang Phaw Dattajeevo

A Meditation on the Center of the Body.

When you quiet the mind and relax, it is then that you can meet your true self. Just relax into the stillness. If your mind wanders, don't worry, just reel it back in. If it wanders again, it's OK. Just bring it back, back to the center, and let your mind rest at the center of your body. Breathe into it. You will find that spot. You will know when you bring your mind to the center of your body. You will feel a complete familiarity with the center of your body. Take a breath while you focus on the center. Picture something to focus on there, like the sun, a shining star, or a flower. You can hold your image there. Just relax. There are all types of meditation for all types of people, all types of temperaments and all types of moods that we have from one time of meditation that we sit for, to the next. This is a brief overview, for a touch of one, to see how it feels.

Did you meditate today?

There is always time to meditate. Meditation is the only way to get to know your true self. Can you find five minutes to turn off the phone, close the laptop and get comfortable in a quiet space. Close your eyes and just observe the breath. If your mind wanders it is OK. Just gently bring your focus back to the breath. Notice the breath at the tip of the nose. I observe a short breath going in and I observe a long breath going out. It is simple to do. Do you notice a spot where you feel tension such as behind the eyes or shoulders? Is your stomach tight? Just let yourself relax each area while exhaling and those areas will loosen. There is no objective, no goal to reach. Just keep it simple and relax.

There is always time to meditate. Meditation is the only way to get to know your true self. Can you find five minutes to turn off the phone, close the laptop and get comfortable in a quiet space. Close your eyes and just observe the breath. If your mind wanders it is OK. Just gently bring your focus back to the breath. Notice the breath at the tip of the nose. I observe a short breath going in and I observe a long breath going out. It is simple to do. Do you notice a spot where you feel tension such as behind the eyes or shoulders? Is your stomach tight? Just let yourself relax each area while exhaling and those areas will loosen. There is no objective, no goal to reach. Just keep it simple and relax.