Buddhism FAQ0 >> 6.Meditation
Buddhism FAQ[]
(Frequently Asked Questions About Buddhism)
6. How to practice meditation?[]
The word meditation in Buddhism refers to observing within self without any thoughts & without any indulgent attitude in sensuality. It is a method of self introspection of inner phenomenon such as breath & sensations and their relations with the emotions, feelings & desires keeping away every thinking while remaining equanimous without generating likes or dislikes to any phenomenon inner or worldly, leading to release from their attachments/bonds which enslave & bind a personality to material plane. And then afterwards opening the way to understanding of higher spirituality by attaining various(total 9) Trance states leading to Enlightenment.
The path of Buddha constitutes mainly 3 steps : (1) Sheel(or sila) meaning morality (2) Samadhi meaning meditation, keeping mind attentive within self (3) Panna (sanskrit pragya) meaning attaining Trance states & the resultant understanding of spirituality/transcendental
There are many types of meditation methods taught by Buddha but prominent methods are Vipassana , Satipattana , Ana-Pana, Samatha etc. These are mentioned by Buddha (especially Vipassana) everywhere in the Buddhist scripture called Tipitaka in original Pali language.
The meditation must be learned first hand, but for a glimpse , following links are provided:
Vipassana Meditation As Taught by Ven. S.N.Goenka
Satipattana Way of Meditation
Note : Vipassana (as well as Satipattana & Ana-Pana) can be learned in a 10 day course in a meditation centre free of cost (on voluntary donations) here : https://www.dhamma.org