I was hoping someone would be able to point me in the direction of the earliest available meditation manuals, or just books covering the topic of meditation in early Buddhism.
Thanks
early meditation manuals
early meditation manuals
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
Re: early meditation manuals
Well, it's fairly likely that the Satipatthana Sutta was compiled with just such an intention, so that's probably in the running.
- "And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting oneself one protects others? By the pursuit, development, and cultivation of the four establishments of mindfulness. It is in such a way that by protecting oneself one protects others.
"And how is it, bhikkhus, that by protecting others one protects oneself? By patience, harmlessness, goodwill, and sympathy. It is in such a way that by protecting others one protects oneself.
- Sedaka Sutta [SN 47.19]
- retrofuturist
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Re: early meditation manuals
Greetings,
Daverupa is correct.
That said, if you would like a book that ties related suttas together with the Satipatthana Sutta, I highly recommend this…
Maha Satipatthana Sutta - The Supreme Bliss Of Nibbana – by Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera
http://www.buddhistcc.net/bookshop/book ... sp?bid=802" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As a book itself, it's not ancient, but it relies nearly exclusively on suttas (which are!)
Metta,
Retro.
Daverupa is correct.
That said, if you would like a book that ties related suttas together with the Satipatthana Sutta, I highly recommend this…
Maha Satipatthana Sutta - The Supreme Bliss Of Nibbana – by Kiribathgoda Gnanananda Thera
http://www.buddhistcc.net/bookshop/book ... sp?bid=802" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
As a book itself, it's not ancient, but it relies nearly exclusively on suttas (which are!)
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."
Re: early meditation manuals
The Vimuttimagga is ‘The Path of Freedom’, a treatise expounding the various aspects of the path to awakening (bodhi) as understood within the Theravada tradition. The author of the work is Upatissa, who may have lived in the 1st to 3rd century AD. This work is generally thought to to have provided the inspiration for Buddhaghosa's later and more comprehensive compendium ‘The Path of Purification’
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Vimuttimagga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
http://www.dhammawiki.com/index.php?title=Visuddhimagga" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;The Visuddhimagga purports to be a summary of the whole of the Sutta Pitaka as understood by the Mahàvihara tradition of Theravada Buddhism.
The name means 'Path of Purification.’ The book was written by Buddhaghosa in the 4th century CE and takes as its schema the seven purifications (satta visuddhi) taught by the Buddha in the Rathavinãta Sutta (M.I,145). The Visuddhimagga’s approach to spiritual practice is more a theoretical abhidhamma one than a practical one.
:anjal
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB
Re: early meditation manuals
thank you all for the suggestions
that looks excellent, thank you. if you can recommend any other books on meditation based exclusively, or nearly exclusively on the Suttas i would appreciate itretrofuturist wrote: As a book itself, it's not ancient, but it relies nearly exclusively on suttas (which are!)
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
- tiltbillings
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Re: early meditation manuals
Such a book would be, of course, the author's commentary on/interpretation of the suttas.marc108 wrote:thank you all for the suggestions
that looks excellent, thank you. if you can recommend any other books on meditation based exclusively, or nearly exclusively on the Suttas i would appreciate itretrofuturist wrote: As a book itself, it's not ancient, but it relies nearly exclusively on suttas (which are!)
>> Do you see a man wise [enlightened/ariya] in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.<< -- Proverbs 26:12
This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
This being is bound to samsara, kamma is his means for going beyond. -- SN I, 38.
“Of course it is happening inside your head, Harry, but why on earth should that mean that it is not real?” HPatDH p.723
Re: early meditation manuals
Yes, of course. It's a rather odd request, in my opinion. Anything more than the suttas is an interpretation, based on opinion and experience of the teacher (ancient or modern). So it depends on whose interpretation you think is more effective.tiltbillings wrote:Such a book would be, of course, the author's commentary on/interpretation of the suttas.marc108 wrote:thank you all for the suggestions
that looks excellent, thank you. if you can recommend any other books on meditation based exclusively, or nearly exclusively on the Suttas i would appreciate itretrofuturist wrote: As a book itself, it's not ancient, but it relies nearly exclusively on suttas (which are!)
Mike
Re: early meditation manuals
Greetings marc,
The one "early" meditation manual that I return to from time to time is the Visuddhimagga.
All the best,
Ben
The one "early" meditation manual that I return to from time to time is the Visuddhimagga.
All the best,
Ben
“No lists of things to be done. The day providential to itself. The hour. There is no later. This is later. All things of grace and beauty such that one holds them to one's heart have a common provenance in pain. Their birth in grief and ashes.”
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
- Cormac McCarthy, The Road
Learn this from the waters:
in mountain clefts and chasms,
loud gush the streamlets,
but great rivers flow silently.
- Sutta Nipata 3.725
Compassionate Hands Foundation (Buddhist aid in Myanmar) • Buddhist Global Relief • UNHCR
e: [email protected]..
Re: early meditation manuals
"Early Buddhism" generally refers to the pre-sectarian and early sectarian periods of Buddhism, i.e. the first few hundred years after the Buddha's parinibbāna. Long before the composition of the Vimuttimagga and the Visuddhimagga.
Re: early meditation manuals
Hi Geoff, That's true, but this forum is:
One can only speculate what meditation instructions were in the pre-sectarian era. My impression from the suttas is that that many details were common knowledge and/or transmitted orally.
See, for example, the preamble of the Anapanasati Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html, which indicates that the discourse was of the nature of a talk that was the culmination of months of dedicated practice under a number of senior bhikkhus, not "meditation instructions for beginners".
As far as early documents are concerned, the commentaries to the suttas may well contain some of those details. Since they only survive in the form collected by Buddhaghosa (i.e. from the same era as the Visuddhimagga) , it is difficult to say how ancient they are. However, the commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta is available in English as a book, and on-line here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... wayof.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Some of the ancient commentary on the Anapanasati is in Bhikkhu Nanamoli's book: Mindfulness of Breathing
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma14/mindfulbreath.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mike
The aim was that, in addition to discussing "proper early Buddhism", to have a place to discuss comparisons between early sects and so on.Textual analysis and comparative discussion on early Buddhist sects and texts.
One can only speculate what meditation instructions were in the pre-sectarian era. My impression from the suttas is that that many details were common knowledge and/or transmitted orally.
See, for example, the preamble of the Anapanasati Sutta: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html, which indicates that the discourse was of the nature of a talk that was the culmination of months of dedicated practice under a number of senior bhikkhus, not "meditation instructions for beginners".
As far as early documents are concerned, the commentaries to the suttas may well contain some of those details. Since they only survive in the form collected by Buddhaghosa (i.e. from the same era as the Visuddhimagga) , it is difficult to say how ancient they are. However, the commentary to the Satipatthana Sutta is available in English as a book, and on-line here:
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/auth ... wayof.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Some of the ancient commentary on the Anapanasati is in Bhikkhu Nanamoli's book: Mindfulness of Breathing
http://www.urbandharma.org/udharma14/mindfulbreath.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mike
Re: early meditation manuals
I agree. I should have been more clear in the last reply. I'd suggest that there really are no "early" meditation instruction manuals.mikenz66 wrote:One can only speculate what meditation instructions were in the pre-sectarian era. My impression from the suttas is that that many details were common knowledge and/or transmitted orally.
Re: early meditation manuals
well that solves it then i was trying to get a handle on how the early Buddhists practices meditation.Ñāṇa wrote:I'd suggest that there really are no "early" meditation instruction manuals.
"It's easy for us to connect with what's wrong with us... and not so easy to feel into, or to allow us, to connect with what's right and what's good in us."
Re: early meditation manuals
Hi Marc,
I think the the overall "shape" and results of the practices can be discerned if you gather together suttas such as (small selection...):
Mike
I think the the overall "shape" and results of the practices can be discerned if you gather together suttas such as (small selection...):
- Satipatthana http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .nysa.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Anapanasati http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Gradual Training http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .horn.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Removal of distracting thoughts http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .soma.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Hindrances: http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
- What should I start with?
- If I'm doing anapanasati where (if anywhere) should I watch the breath?
- If I'm doing anapanasati should I manipulate the breath or not?
- if I'm doing satipathana should I do all the exercises mentioned in the above sutta? If so, is there a particular order?
- http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html
http://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka ... .than.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Mike
Re: early meditation manuals
Hi Marc,
If you will come upon early practice manual (which is available), would you be willing to begin from the very start, diligently practicing virtue (sila), sense restraint, etc.? And would you be willing to explore the original meanings of the terms, often distorted by translation?
Only then the study of earliest available texts will make sense.
Best wishes, Dmytro
"Meditation" is a fairly recent concept. And all the earliest texts are filtered through a modern translation.marc108 wrote:I was hoping someone would be able to point me in the direction of the earliest available meditation manuals, or just books covering the topic of meditation in early Buddhism.
If you will come upon early practice manual (which is available), would you be willing to begin from the very start, diligently practicing virtue (sila), sense restraint, etc.? And would you be willing to explore the original meanings of the terms, often distorted by translation?
Only then the study of earliest available texts will make sense.
Best wishes, Dmytro
- retrofuturist
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Re: early meditation manuals
Greetings,
Excellent point, Dmytro... the "practice" is the following of the Noble Eightfold Path and the Noble Eightfold Path is explained well in the suttas.
Metta,
Retro.
Excellent point, Dmytro... the "practice" is the following of the Noble Eightfold Path and the Noble Eightfold Path is explained well in the suttas.
Metta,
Retro.
"Whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things."