Dung Tran
A Buddhists
Published in
8 min readSep 6, 2018

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What is Buddhism meditation in Dharma pathway, and to what extent do you really understand about Buddhism meditation? In the morning, you touch a meditation app on the iPhone screen, close your eyes, and take a slow breath. We think that our meditation session is completed, don’t we? It is meditation, maybe. It is not definitely Buddhism meditation.

In my point of view, Buddhism meditation, of course, is a kind of meditation. However, it is totally different from other types of meditation. In the manner of the ultimate goal, the guidance for practices, and its meaning. If you are the one who loves meditation and likes searching Buddhism, it is a good chance for you to discover Buddhism meditation.

What is Buddhism Meditation?

Thousands of years ago, Lord Buddha and the Sangha had practiced Buddhism meditation as a method to attain enlightenment. However, it is not a symbol or cultivation method of the religion or philosophy. It is not also a sightseeing for us to describe by words.

Therefore, the more deeply the question “What is Buddhism meditation?” is carved in our mindset, the more illusion we might fall into. As a result, we find it hard to really understand the ultimate nature of Buddhism meditation.

Buddhism meditation, understand about Buddhism meditation
Buddhism meditation is really special and subtle. Thus, “What is Buddhism meditation” is a hard question to answer.

Right now, you could wonder why the Scriptures, Sutas, and various types of content mention Buddhism meditation. In fact, being curious is the prominent human’s character. We are always keen on searching, studying the subtle things. And, Buddhism meditation is really one of the subtlest concepts in Buddhism. As thanks for practicing mindfulness meditation in the continuous forty-nine days, Buddha had enlightened.

  • The Great-Loving Compassion of Buddha and Bodhisattva Shows Us The Answer for “What is Buddhism Meditation?”

Nevertheless, the kindness and great-loving compassion of Buddha, Bodhisattva must be really the ultimate root for the popularity of content about Buddhism meditation. Our great Buddha, Bodhisattva had made the Great Vows to save all the livings. In other words, they are looking forward to waking our Buddha-nature. That’s the reason why there are so many documents aim at expressing “What is Buddhism meditation”, “Buddhism meditation”, or “Understanding about Buddhism meditation”, etc. All of the content relating “Buddhism” are written down because of the kindness and great-loving compassion of Buddha, Boddhisattva spreading through the ones having good links of dependent origination with Buddhism.

As the human being, we might find it hard to understand all Buddhism philosophies. Although the Dharma pathway is full of challenges, and human words can’t express all of Dharma’s philosophies, they still try to guide us go on the Dharma pathway. It is absolutely the effort of the innumerable Buddhas and Boddhisattva. Thanks for their guidance, we realize that Buddhism meditation is one of the opening doors for us to the Dharma pathway.

Why Should Cultivators Understand about Buddhism Meditation

As the cultivators, it is essential for us to be aware of Buddhism meditation. Though, we should take caution the human words are the conventions. By discovering information about Buddhism meditation, we contemplate on ourselves and our lifetime. By this practice, we improve our wisdom. Both these knowledge and wisdom are helpful for our cultivation pathway.

First of all, we should understand “What is Buddhism meditaton?” Figuratively, Buddhism meditation is the high spiritual state of an enlightened Buddhism cultivator. In this manner, Buddhism meditation is “Dharma”, is “Buddha”, is our “Mind”.

In another approach, Buddhism meditation is the state of mind that can be aware of all things around. However, this alertness does not cover the terms of the binary world. In the Buddhism cosmology, the highest plane is Neither perception nor non-perception sphere.

Likewise, this meditative mind includes neither “beautiful/good” nor “ugly/bad” concepts. As the Buddhism meditators, we are not influenced by the up and down times in life. Neither the sufferings of the human world nor Nirvana can have an influence on our mind. It can be said that Buddhism meditation is all about the awareness of the purity of mind.

In other words, in daily lives, we can absolutely experience Buddhism meditation. It is really simple and practical. Buddhism meditative state appears while we are in calmness and alertness.

understand about Buddhism meditation
Hereby the answer to “What is Buddhism meditation?”. In general, Buddhism meditation is meditation in alertness and tranquility.

By Buddhism Meditation, We Are in Harmony with Buddha’s Mind

After searching and studying Buddhism meditation, we should practice ourselves. Basically, Buddha’s teachings are the navigators. By following Budda’s guidance, we go on the Dharma pathway.

However, we must keep on going to the final destination by ourselves. It means we have to make self-effort to really understand all Buddha’s lessons. And it also means the Dharma pathway requires us to practice by ourselves. We must practice Buddhism meditation as seriously as Buddha did.

The World-honored One said that:Buddha-nature is within all sentient beings.” In other words, we needn’t find Dharma or Buddhism meditation somewhere. It lays inside the mind. Both Buddha and Dharma seeds stay in mind. While our mind is in alertness and tranquility, the dependent origination of Dharma and Buddha-nature is planted.

Figuratively, being in the ultimate state of enlightenment leads us to the infinite truth of all things in the world. At last, if our mind harmonizes with the Buddha’s mind, we will totally understand the subtle ultimate truths that Lord Buddha wants to spread.

understand about Buddhism meditation for harmonizing with Buddha
So as to understand about Buddhism meditation, we need to practice it. Buddhism meditation will lead us to the harmony with Buddha-nature.

How to Wake Buddha’s Mind by Buddhism Meditation?

Let imagine that our mind looks like a mirror. The Buddha’s nature likes the mirror’s nature: being clean and light. However, this mirror is dusty. Clearly, the dust just lays outside and above the mirror. It can’t transform the nature of the mirror.

Likewise, Buddhism meditation aims at cleaning the mirror. After that, the cleanness and lightness of the mirror appear apparently. Similarly, the purity of our mind will be there.

Throughout the cultivating process, the cultivators have to clean their mirror carefully. Although the dust brought by the ignorance from many lives are very much, we must clean them all. No more Greed — Hatred — Illusion, no more bad mood, no more dust. No more dust means the ultimate nature of the mind will be wakened.

In order to practice Buddhism meditation, we should concentrate on cultivating mindfulness meditation. In short, mindfulness meditation means to pay intention to the moment right here, right now. Neither be hung up in the past nor preoccupied with an unforeseeable future. It is related to the calmness.

And, the cultivators also realize contemplate and reflect themselves. They know all of the transformations of both their mind and body. We know them all, as they are, without any judgment. This is about the alertness.

Thus, Buddhism meditation is not about the body posture, time, or places. These are just the methods for the meditators at the beginning levels or still not understand about Buddhism’s doctrines. In the mindfulness meditation, we can maintain the tranquility every time and everywhere.

lightness and calmness of mind, clean the dust
As the Buddhism cultivators, we should clean out all the dust in our mind. Then, the lightness and cleanness of our mind will appear.

Essential Preparation for Buddhism Mindfulness Meditation

  • Being Ambitious for Learning Dharma

As a Buddhism cultivator, we start our Dharma pathway by nourishing strong ambition for learning Dharma. In the past, Lord Buddha had to suffer from various challenges so as to learn Dharma. Nowadays, many cultivators are ready to go far away from home to meet the Greats Masters. These are some practical examples for us to realize that how much desire they have for Dharma. Right here, you’re looking forward to answering “What is Buddhism meditation?” is also a signal of being ambitious for understanding Buddhism Dharma.

Besides that, we should know that it is such a great dependent origination that we can listen to Dharma talks. We should respect the Dharma, and take advantages of all the chances we have to learn Dharma.

Moreover, it is important for us to make self-effort to cultivate the morality and wisdom. No matter how much you learn, the prerequisite thing is to realize that you must be the one who is responsible for your achievement in the Dharma pathway. You can’t rely on any Buddha or Bodhisattva just by praying for them.

  • Patience and Goodwill

Without patience and goodwill, we will find it hard in everything. Similarly, we have to face many challenges within our mind and the external element. Therefore, we ought to practice hard and be persistent.

  • Strong Belief in Buddha-nature

The belief of Buddhism meditator is quite special. They believe that the seed of Buddha-nature is always inside their mind. It is the infinite truth. The more strongly they believe in the Buddha-nature and the meaning of practicing Buddhism meditation, the more willingly their mind will be.

  • Be Skeptical

Skepticism” is not about whether believing or not in a certain thing. In Buddhism, “Skepticism” is the dedication for a specific aspect. If the Buddhism cultivators still don’t really understand something, they will dedicate to find out the ultimate truth of nature of this thing. As a result, when they come up with the final answers, these perceptions will be carved into their mindset deeply. For examples, you’re motivated by searching for the meaning of Buddhism meditation. Then, you make effort to find the best answer for “What is Buddhism meditation?” After that, you not only come up with the most reliable result but also realize that how important Buddhism meditation is for cultivators. Finally, you dedicate your time to practice Buddhism meditation. Eventually, you really understand Buddhism meditation through your real personal experience.

To What Extent Do You Really Understand about Buddhism Meditation?

Sometimes, I wonder myself whether I really understand about Buddhism meditation or not. The Buddhism philosophies are really subtle. As the Buddhism cultivators, it will be nonsense for us to not understand about Buddha and Dharma. However, have you ever asked yourself again: “Do I really understand Buddhism meditation in details and Buddhism philosophies in general?” Moreover, do we fall into the trap of “I have already understood Buddhism Dharma?” To some extent, it is not about how much we know Buddhism philosophies.

In other words, it is the concept of dependent origination arising in Buddhism and Buddha-nature. If you’re reading this articles, it means you have a good dependent origination with Buddhism. If you are looking for searching about Buddha-nature: what is Buddha-nature, how to awake Buddha-nature, you’re on the Dharma pathway. Your process of discovering Buddhism meditation as well as Buddhism Dharma pathway is really a rare fortune.

By self-effort and self-realization, you are taking a step closer to the harmony with Buddha-nature, and the destination of Dharma pathway. Practicing Buddhism meditation is taking one step closer on the Dharma pathway, after understanding about “What is Buddhism meditation in Dharma pathway?” Let’s trust in the great-loving compassion of Lord Buddha, Bodhisattva. Let’s go on the way of practicing Buddhism meditation, the morality, and wisdom. At last, you will come up with the answer you’re looking forward to.

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