StudentShare
Contact Us
Sign In / Sign Up for FREE
Search
Go to advanced search...
Free

The Role of Meditation in Buddhism - Assignment Example

Cite this document
Summary
As the paper "The Role of Meditation in Buddhism" states, founded in India, Buddhism is a religion that emphasizes more on practices than beliefs. Although true religious practices are crucial in this religion, believers are encouraged to understand human nature and its ultimate reality…
Download full paper File format: .doc, available for editing
GRAB THE BEST PAPER97.7% of users find it useful
The Role of Meditation in Buddhism
Read Text Preview

Extract of sample "The Role of Meditation in Buddhism"

? Buddhism Buddhism Introduction Founded in India, Buddhism is a religion that emphasizes more on practices than beliefs. Although true religion practices are crucial in this religion, believers are encouraged to understand human nature and its ultimate reality. Buddhism enlightens many people on how to eliminate suffering and living a fulfilling life. Followers are encouraged to focus on ways that relieve stress, depression, or suffering. This religion emphasizes more on meditation, which enhance ultimate spiritual freedom and enlightenment. In essence, meditation plays a crucial role in this religion and with this; many people have embraced different methods of meditation. Meditation The purpose of meditation is to still the brain, relax the body, and boost concentration. Many of the skills learnt in meditation produces an understanding that this practice focuses on the notion of the mind. Meditation develops the mental ability of developing love and kindness for the self and others. In other words, meditation sweetens the mind. There major types of meditation include the following. Tranquillity Meditation (Samatha) The main purpose of Tranquillity or Samatha meditation is to still the brain and improve its concentration. This meditation helps an individual to develop through four stages. These include detachment from sorrow and suffering and embracing the consciousness of joy and happiness, having logic reasoning in life, pure thoughts, and embracing virtues that promote the well-being of people. Insight Meditation/Vipassana Insight meditation helps an individual to realize important truths of life. A person who practices this meditation hopes to embrace the truths of suffering, impermanence, and no-self. The practice of this meditation concentrates on improving the mind. The most methods prescribed to develop a sober mindfulness are walking, sitting, and mindfulness of daily activities. Walking mindfulness is often practiced in retreats and monasteries, especially in regions such as Theravada. Gaining this mindfulness requires one to find a quiet place, takes some time to relax, and attempts to concentrate on the sensations and movements of walking. This practice brings an individual closer to the insight of understanding the fundamental truths of impermanence and no-self. Sitting Meditation is very similar to walking meditation. However, the focus of this meditation is on the breadth instead of walking. A person practising this meditation focuses the breath and its observation. The ultimate goal of this practice is to enhance truth on no-self, impermanence, and suffering. Mindfulness of Everyday Activities emphasizes more on the skills learned in sitting and walking. This mindfulness helps an individual to participate fully in everything he or she does (Religion Facts, 2013). Loving-Kindness Meditation/ Metta Bhavana Loving and kindness are important virtues of Buddhism and this meditation is a way of obtaining and developing these virtues. The purpose of this meditation is to develop the mental component of having love for the self and others. The practitioner evokes the feelings of love and kindness to those around him. Still, he or she radiates feelings of unconditional love and acceptance. This meditation helps people to live in harmony with one another. As people learn to love one another, it brings forth unity, joy, happiness, and peace in the society. This meditation also helps people to be kind with one another regardless of the cultural, ethnicity, or race differences. Discursive Meditations A successful participation of this meditation helps one to elevate the mind and cultivate awesome and wholesome feelings. A poem, a hymn, or a passage from Dhamma or any inspiring literature can create these feelings. Most Buddhists set aside a few minutes to study and reflect upon an inspiring teaching. This allows one to reflect upon human values, dignity, and integrity. Countries where Meditation Rites are Practiced According to Religion Facts (2013), Japan and China largely practices sitting meditation. Sitting meditation is practiced in different ways. For instance, some people sit in an erect posture, tilt to the backward or side. Throughout the session, most people maintain their body relaxed and still as indicated in the appendix 1. Another method that is widely practiced especially in Buddhist countries of Southeast and East Asia is focussing on the breath. The key attribute of this method is breath awareness and meditation without having to imagine it. In this case, most people focus on the fall and rise of their abdomen during the out- and in- breath. Another technique commonly used is focusing on the tactile sensations, which starts from the nostrils to the abdomen. These methods are valuable especially for people with highly imaginative and discursive minds. These methods are often used to sooth and calm the disturbed mind. Other forms of Buddhism meditation remain popular in India. Most Indians pays great respect for the teaching and practices of this religion. Most Indians believe that meditation plays a crucial role of relieving the mind from suffering, stress, and depression. To sum up, all methods of meditations are largely practised in Asia countries where Buddhism is the chief religion. Despite some countries embracing the essence of meditation, Fisher (2013) believes that majority of the world’s Buddhists do not meditate in the 21st century. According to this research, people are so much occupied with work, education, and family that they forget to have quality time to meditate. Among millions of Buddhists alive today, only a fraction value meditation practice. This is not only for the Buddhists believers but for the nuns, priests, and monks in various Asian countries. There has been a tremendous change in today’s society since meditation was a norm in the past decades. In today’s society, most people do not understand that meditation is an important branch that promotes ethical teaching, transforms personality, develops character, and boost intellectual study. To sum up, Buddhism is a religion largely practiced in Asian countries. Since its establishment in the 2,500 years ago, the religion has spread tremendously in many countries. The religion had adopted a wide range of beliefs, rituals, customs, and practices. This religion emphasizes that, the purpose of life is to eliminate suffering. It outlines that human beings suffer because they continually strive for things that do not enhance lasting fulfilment and happiness. As discussed in this essay, the practice of meditation is crucial because it helps an individual to live a fulfilling life. It also helps one to gain the skills required to live a fulfilling life. Thus far, this essay concludes that Buddhism embraces the importance of meditation in relieving the mind from stress and depression. Appendixes Appendix 1 This appendix portrays sitting meditation at home. Appendix 2 These are rooms for sitting meditation in a Zen temple in Japan. Appendix 3 This appendix shows meditation room. Appendix 4 This appendix portrays Monks meditating by moonlight and candlelight Appendix 5 A Buddhist in meditation References Religion Facts. (2013). Buddhist Meditation. Retrieved from http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/practices/meditation.htm Fisher, M.P.(2013). Living Religions. New York: Person Read More
Cite this document
  • APA
  • MLA
  • CHICAGO
(“Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10”, n.d.)
Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words - 10. Retrieved from https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1485301-assignment
(Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 10)
Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 10. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1485301-assignment.
“Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 Words - 10”, n.d. https://studentshare.org/religion-and-theology/1485301-assignment.
  • Cited: 0 times

CHECK THESE SAMPLES OF The Role of Meditation in Buddhism

Buddhism as One of the Ancient Religions of the World

in buddhism dharma means proper conduct or good behavior that is necessary to keep the natural order of things.... The practice of meditation brought them a more positive state of mind backed by calmness, concentration, awareness, and emotions like friendliness.... buddhism Introduction buddhism is one of the ancient religions of the world.... Unlike many of its counterparts, buddhism survived all essential challenges of the world for centuries....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

The Mandala in Tibetan Buddhism

They represent underlying philosophies with profound significance in Tibetan buddhism.... The Mandala in Tibetan buddhism The four types of mandalas consist of two outer mandalas which are made from powdered colors or painted on textiles.... Three-dimensional mandalas have been discovered in numerous places where Tibetan buddhism spread, including the Potala in Lhasa where there is a Kalacakra mandala; the Xuguang Ge of Pule Si in Chengde, China; and Zangdog Palri Monastery in Kalimpong, India....
20 Pages (5000 words) Research Paper

Karma in Buddhism: Not Fate but an Act of Volition

The emergence of buddhism, as founded by Buddha – the Indian local prince of Shakyas, named Siddhārtha Gautama in about 563 BC (Samovar et al 2010, p.... 139), was a result of a religious revolution against the Brāhmanic philosophy (Marwaha 2006; Tola and Dragonetti 2009)… The emergence of buddhism, as founded by Buddha – the Indian local prince of Shakyas, named Siddhārtha Gautama in about 563 BC (Samovar et al 2010, p....
16 Pages (4000 words) Essay

How Buddhism Integrated to the Chinese Society

Moreover, for the Chinese people, what seemed appealing in buddhism is the concept of "Dharma".... How buddhism Integrated to the Chinese Society buddhism, according to the traditional view, is a philosophy, spirituality or religion, which appeared in India in the fifth century BC.... Today it has between 230 and 500 million followers ("buddhism: What buddhism is").... hellip; buddhism then reached China from India more than two millenniums ago, and that was during the Han Dynasty....
7 Pages (1750 words) Essay

Other Religions: Islam and Buddhism

The first religion to be explored is Islam followed by buddhism.... The paper aims to present two religions other than Christianity and structure the report in terms of defining what type of question one would ask someone practicing that type of religion and how one would prepare oneself for an interview with that person....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay

The Modern Buddhism

Professor Name Religion and Theology 17 April 2012 Modern buddhism At the moment, buddhism, despite the turmoil it endured in the 20th century, is one of the largest religions in the world with about 800 million followers, most of whom live in East and Southeast Asia.... hellip; Western counter-culture has developed its own, new buddhism.... More exactly - it manipulated with different fragments of buddhism, inserting them into its own bizarre mosaic....
4 Pages (1000 words) Research Paper

The Making of Buddhist Modernism

hellip; The author states that buddhism is a way of life wherein the monks have to practice their rituals according to the teachings of Lord Buddha and to find out the true nature of reality.... The followers of non-convertible Buddhists are against the hold of western countries in leading the buddhism.... Blavatsky, Arnold, Olcott, and Carus have thoroughly studied the teachings of buddhism and traveled to India and Sri Lanka before its transformation to modern buddhism, which is easily understandable and accessible to the westerners....
4 Pages (1000 words) Assignment

Buddhism Founded by Siddhartha Gautama

The essay "buddhism" analyzes the peculiarities of buddhism, one of the greatest Philosophies and religions of the world, founded by Gautama Buddha around 566 BC.... The quest of a Prince confined to the four walls of the Palace to know the truth in life gave to the world the great philosophy and world religion or way of life known as buddhism....
6 Pages (1500 words) Essay
sponsored ads
We use cookies to create the best experience for you. Keep on browsing if you are OK with that, or find out how to manage cookies.
Contact Us