Search found 481 matches

by Freawaru
Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:36 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

Thanks for the help. It really made a difference, I realised that obviously whenever I realise I am visualising on what is happening with the nose that I am not paying attention to what I should be doing which is focussing on the sensation. So now the moment it happens I switch to attempting to foc...
by Freawaru
Wed Jul 20, 2011 4:20 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

Hi Ben and Tilt, I am simply talking about doing Buddhist practice, simply and directly. And standard Theravadin garden-variety practice at that, too. You are not. It is not. You are just talking about YOUR OWN practice - not Theravada. The only way to really put an end to your doubts and speculatio...
by Freawaru
Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:46 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

[ Simply, the person posting the original question is working with breath at his nose. There is no reason for him to shift his place of awareness. It is better to keep it simple and easy rather than adding a level of unneeded complication. I woudl agree with you if it really was simple and easy for...
by Freawaru
Tue Jul 19, 2011 7:43 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

Not likely, as Hatha Yoga's earliest text is 15th Century. Well, I am no historician but I doubt that the Shaolin could have developed their "Kung Fu" without some basic pranayama at the very least. And that was about a thousand years before 15th century. It was probably an Upanisadic for...
by Freawaru
Tue Jul 19, 2011 6:30 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

Not necessarily. Also, he is working with breath, why complicate things. As I said. It makes it easier. The problem the OP describes is well known in Hatha Yoga and also the remedies. I doubt that the yogis at the time of the Buddha started with the nose. More likely they had several years of hatha...
by Freawaru
Tue Jul 19, 2011 5:30 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

In regard to the above, the "nose" is a perfectly fine as a place for paying attention, aware of the air passing in and out at the nostrils. Part of of the problem is that your obsessing a bit about the visual stuff. Don't worry about the visual stuff, don't try to make it go away, just g...
by Freawaru
Mon Jul 18, 2011 5:01 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Concentration meditation difficulties
Replies: 28
Views: 10097

Re: Concentration meditation difficulties

Hello everyone, I have been practising breathing meditation. In my meditation, with my eyes closed I am focussing on the sensation of the breath as it passes in and out of the nose, not following it, just being aware of it as it passes the nostrils. The problem I am having however is that I find it...
by Freawaru
Mon Jul 18, 2011 11:29 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: Is meditation a religion? Washington Post article
Replies: 8
Views: 2234

Re: Is meditation a religion? Washington Post article

Imagine the Buddha-Dhamma without Buddha, without Sangha and left with just half-Dhamma. I guess it depends on what exactly one means by "sangha". Take Buddhadasa Bhikkhu's definition: SANGHA Now we shall consider the word "Sangha." In everyday language, the word "Sangha&qu...
by Freawaru
Fri Jul 15, 2011 9:16 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Did anyone here attain jhana?
Replies: 121
Views: 38822

Re: Did anyone here attain jhana?

Hi everyone, Did anyone here attain first, second, third or fourth jhana? If yes, I am more than eager for learning from real experiences. Regards. I think it is necessary to first say which kind of jhana, and - as they are easier that the Visuddhimagga kind of jhana http://www.dhammawheel.com/view...
by Freawaru
Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:53 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Interview with Leigh Brasington (concerning jhana)
Replies: 16
Views: 10578

Re: Interview with Leigh Brasington (concerning jhana)

Thank you, Tilt, this quote clarified a lot :smile:
by Freawaru
Thu Jul 14, 2011 10:46 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Did anyone here attain jhana?
Replies: 121
Views: 38822

Re: Did anyone here attain jhana?

Hi Mike, Hi Freauwaru, The question is: do you want to think in terms of authority or in terms of expertism? An authority is a guru, a leader. An expert is someone you consult regarding a specific problem, may it be scriptural or meditative. There is no authority at all when you think in terms of ex...
by Freawaru
Wed Jul 13, 2011 3:17 pm
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Did anyone here attain jhana?
Replies: 121
Views: 38822

Re: Did anyone here attain jhana?

If a learned Indian scholar monk of the caliber of Vasubandhu couldn't find a satisfactory resolution to the subtler points of disagreement, then we shouldn't be surprised or bothered by the fact that it is still a subject of debate 1600 years later. And it probably not a bad thing that there is su...
by Freawaru
Wed Jul 13, 2011 11:27 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Did anyone here attain jhana?
Replies: 121
Views: 38822

Re: Did anyone here attain jhana?

Have you been following this thread, reading all the postings? A number of issues have been raised concerning how the question of jhana and "attainment" are talked about. What about those issues? Thank you :smile: Yes, I have been following this thread. I understand some issues such as th...
by Freawaru
Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:15 am
Forum: Samatha Bhāvana
Topic: Did anyone here attain jhana?
Replies: 121
Views: 38822

Re: Did anyone here attain jhana?

For myself I can say that I find is the most useful when I describe an experience in own words and others can provide the various names of this experience in the different traditions. And none of the other issues raised matter? Hi Tilt, I am sorry but I do not understand your question. Please keep ...
by Freawaru
Wed Jul 13, 2011 10:09 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: What is mind?
Replies: 19
Views: 4934

Re: What is mind?

Dear Bhante, There is a general sense of an observer separate from the observed, which is due to the error of self-view. I do not understand this. In my experience it is when observer and observed are not separate that sati is lost. One cannot observe the processes when observer and observed are uni...