This is something I have written about and discussed many times,  with perspectives ranging from casual discussion to serious research. If I happen to mention meditation in casual conversation; I generally get one of  several reactions or responses:

  • Dismissive and/or bemused smirks or laughter.
  • Some variation of “Doesn’t that hurt to twist your body into those positions?”
  • Some version of “I __________ for relaxation.”

I guess the mirth has to with how the American News Media, Madison Avenue, and Hollywood have sort of lumped Buddhist Meditation together with the New Age Movement, tantra/kama sutra ‘stuff,’ and physical yoga. Now, some of the very basic sitting postures can be useful, but we do not have to become a contortionist to meditate.   Enough said on that for now.

Also, it is certainly true that  some forms of meditation are quite useful in countering nervous tension, for the purpose of relaxation or unwinding. In addition, the cultivation of mental calm and serenity are important parts of Buddhist Meditation.   However, the aim is to attain Enlightenment; not to unwind so we can get a good night’s sleep.  Moreover, there are other benefits and skills we can develop via Buddhist Meditation.

 In addition to widespread misconceptions among the general public, there is also considerable difference of opinion and even confusion in both academic and Buddhist circles. Part of the problem is that there is no single Buddhist term from either the Pali or Chinese Canon that translates as meditation.  Instead, there are several terms; which have various shades of general and specific meanings.  There is also little or no consensus on how to properly translate these terms.

In the Pali Canon, the Elder Nun  Dhammadinna divided the Eightfold Path into three aggregates.  The sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs / steps / folds constitute ‘The Aggregate of Meditative Concentration.’   Similarly, the Buddha condensed the Eightfold Path into three trainings Here, the sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs / steps are folded into ‘The Training of Higher Mind.’ Therefore, Buddhist Meditation is about the  sixth, seventh, and eighth limbs.

After a considerable amount thought and practice, I have come to the fairly solid conclusion that Buddhist Meditation has three main beneficial goals. These are motivational reformation,  developing powers of observation, and increasing intelligence.

The sixth ‘step’ is ‘right effort or mental exercise.’  This primarily deals with the conative and affective aspects of the mind. The basic idea is to get rid of harmful mental states by cultivating morally wholesome motives, healthy emotions,  and productive mental attitudes.  The seventh ‘fold’ is right mindfulness. This primarily deals with visuo-spatial cognition and enhances powers of observation, balance, navigational skills, and so on. The eighth ‘limb’ is right meditative concentration; which deals with conceptual cognition and increases intelligence, long term memory, reading comprehension, etcetera.

Traditionally, much of lay Buddhist practice has always consisted of devotional practices; such as icon worship, prayers, and chanting.  The heavy lifting of serious meditation has largely been left to monastics, initiates, and/or trained ministers.  That said, devotional practices in my opinion, are actually a form of entry level  meditation. They fall into a sub-category of meditation, called preliminary or preparatory concentration.

One of the principles at work is called ‘transfer of merit.’  When we venerate the Buddha, his qualities gradually rub off on us, even though we might be praying to fulfill a selfish or superficial desire. Moreover, chanting and other devotional practices such as mandala contemplation,  are also used deliberately as cultivations. This is traditionally only taught to initiates.  However, think about it. Acts of devotion tend to develop wholesome mental states.  Moreover, developing skill at chanting requires both presence of mind and mental concentration.

When I started with Soka Gakkai some forty years ago, there was not much good information about Buddhism, and what did exist was not very accessible. To be honest, for the first thirty years of my practice, I almost exclusively chanted for egotistical desires.  If I gleaned any of the real blessings of Buddhist practice, it was without seeking them.

I would sometimes chant with sufficient focus to overcome the five hindrances and enter the relative clarity of neighborhood or access concentration. Maybe even some of the concrete and abstract meditative absorptions. However, I did not know of those terms or how to sort out the experiences. I just knew I felt better,  ‘had a glow on,’  and people were nicer to me. I also got a lot of green lights and really good parking spaces.  There were also a lot of ‘bad hair days,’ but the good days kept me going.

It is only in the last decade or so that I began to consciously seek something deeper.  This has not been easy. Shedding the superstitious aspects has been the hardest part. I would regret that I had not done this sooner, except that would be replacing one set of unwholesome mental states with another. So, I forgive myself for my past errors and indiscretions, and start from today.