How to meditate

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mjaviem
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Joined: Wed Dec 16, 2020 5:06 pm

Re: How to meditate

Post by mjaviem »

simsapa wrote: Wed Feb 24, 2021 2:44 am ...
Here is the original instruction:
"[1] Breathing in long, he discerns, 'I am breathing in long'; or breathing out long, he discerns, 'I am breathing out long.' [2] Or breathing in short, he discerns, 'I am breathing in short'; or breathing out short, he discerns, 'I am breathing out short.' [3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in sensitive to the entire body.'[2] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out sensitive to the entire body.' [4] He trains himself, 'I will breathe in calming bodily fabrication.'[3] He trains himself, 'I will breathe out calming bodily fabrication.'
...
Ok, but 'discern' , 'breath... sensitive to the entire body...', 'breath... calming bodily fabrications...' there's where I don't know if it's up to my own interpretation or if it needs further explanation.

And yes I just finished Bhikkhu Bodhi's text you mentioned and it helped me a lot. Thank you for recommending it.
Namo Tassa Bhagavato Arahato Sammā Sambuddhassa
simsapa
Posts: 373
Joined: Sat May 23, 2020 5:51 pm

Re: How to meditate

Post by simsapa »

Ok, but 'discern' , 'breath... sensitive to the entire body...', 'breath... calming bodily fabrications...' there's where I don't know if it's up to my own interpretation or if it needs further explanation.
Bodily fabrication just means the breath, or the breath energy that courses through the body. If you keep worrying about what every word in an instruction means, you'll never practice consistently or for long enough. So you have to develop confidence in a teacher, and confidence in yourself. If you're doing a practice slightly wrong, it won't actually harm anything. The only exception would be if you're sitting in a posture that causes bodily harm, or you're meditating on the basis of wrong rather than right path factors. But it's best to start well from the beginning. I highly recommend Ajahn Lee Dhammadharo's teachings. "Basic Themes" is a gem. Put more emphasis into getting the path factors right in your practice, rather than obsessing about the details of what we call meditation. After all, meditation is just an experience that cultivates right mindfulness and concentration. and could strengthen others as well. The path factors don't serve the meditative process...
Last edited by simsapa on Wed Feb 24, 2021 4:31 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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