Can you mediatate with any single thought or only breath?

[MrLearner]

Hello everyone,

First of all happy new year everyone. I have tried some meditation, but I find concentrating on breath boring sometimes. Is it possible for me to concentrate on something interesting like a painting or something and meditate, or can you only gain spiritual advancement if you concentrate on breath. Are there any arahants in Buddha's time, who gained enlightenment by concentrating on something other than breath. Thank you very much,

[bodom]

... Are there any arahants in Buddha's time, who gained enlightenment by concentrating on something other than breath. Thank you very much,

Yes. Stay mindful always no matter what you may be doing.

112. When working the fields with plows, sewing seeds in the earth, and caring for wives and children, people generate wealth.

113. I am not lazy or arrogant. I possess a virtuous life and practice the Buddha’s training. So why am I not able to achieve Nibbāna?

114. I poured water on my feet to wash them. I saw that water flow down from high to low.

115. I concentrated my mind very well on that incident. My mind became tamed like the best type of horse. Then I took the lamp and entered my hut.

116. With the light of the lamp I found the bed and sat on it. To put out the flame, I pulled down the wick of the oil lamp. That was the moment my mind was liberated from all defilements, just like the extinguishing of an oil lamp.

These verses were said by Arahant Nun Paṭācārā.

https://suttafriends.org/sutta/thig5-10/

It is also said Ananda was awakened at the moment he gave up instense striving and was just about to lie down to rest.

[MrLearner]

Thanks for the reply bodom. So then what thoughts other than breath I can use to meditate?

[Sam Vara]

Thanks for the reply bodom. So then what thoughts other than breath I can use to meditate?

It depends on what you are trying to achieve (calmness? insight? more happiness? getting a particular problem to feel more manageable?) but you can mentally count (eg. from one to nine and then back again; there are lots of different counting practices...) the body as a sensed field of experience; sensations on the surface of the body; the 4 brahmaviharas; a mantra; etc.

Have a look at this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1% ... Dh%C4%81na

for some idea of the scope, but it's best to talk to a meditation teacher in person, or at least an experienced meditator.

[Spiny Norman]

Hello everyone,

First of all happy new year everyone. I have tried some meditation, but I find concentrating on breath boring sometimes. Is it possible for me to concentrate on something interesting like a painting or something and meditate, or can you only gain spiritual advancement if you concentrate on breath. Are there any arahants in Buddha's time, who gained enlightenment by concentrating on something other than breath. Thank you very much,

Have you explored walking meditation and chanting?

[MrLearner]

Thanks for the reply bodom. So then what thoughts other than breath I can use to meditate?

It depends on what you are trying to achieve (calmness? insight? more happiness? getting a particular problem to feel more manageable?) but you can mentally count (eg. from one to nine and then back again; there are lots of different counting practices...) the body as a sensed field of experience; sensations on the surface of the body; the 4 brahmaviharas; a mantra; etc.

Have a look at this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kamma%E1% ... Dh%C4%81na

for some idea of the scope, but it's best to talk to a meditation teacher in person, or at least an experienced meditator.

Thank you, yes that seems like method I might like. I will try that and see.

[JohnSo]

Hi Mr. Learner,

Before we start meditating, we ought to know ourself first. Whether we can concentrate or not?

If we cannot concentrate, learn to concentrate first.
Then we can go to the next stage, meditate on our body physically (kaya).
Next move to the go against feeling. Never move to the feeling part before you master the body.
Then if we succeed move to the next level 'Citta'.
The last is Dhamma. Meditate on Dhamma if we ourself found or see the Dhamma, then you can realize it. The Dhamma, we found in the books or sermons, are just a fleeting memory that we may forget & ultimately never see ourself.

If we do it, as a process, we could succeeded. Be extremely careful, never forget the process or we fall into the Vedana & Citta Trap. People think they become a living Buddha, Arahant, or etc. The because they fall

[Rambutan]

If you have problems with distraction,
try meditating on the word “distraction”
Think it each time you exhale.
…interesting results!!!

[JohnSo]

Hi Mr. Learner,

There 2 (two) things we have to be sure of before someone meditate, believe me it is not an easy job as stated in the books.

1. Do we able or not-able to concentrate?

2. What kind of person we are? Full hatred, envy, too analytical, fearsome, etc. Different type of people need a different approach of meditation.

Based on those 2 (two) things people can ensure their success or failure. So find a proper guru, who really can meditate & be careful with that.

Good luck.