What type of meditation should serious lay people practice?

[Lucilius]

I would start with mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati) meditation. The reason for this is that if you are not putting yourself under the instruction of a meditation teacher, it is the form of meditation most often discussed in books and online, and probably most commonly practised. So you are likely to find advice and help more easily than if you choose something a bit more esoteric. And if you do have a formal teacher, they will almost certainly be familiar with it. I think it is supposed to be the type of meditation suitable for all types of people. Certainly the Buddha practised it, and praised it.
i think it also has a good chance of generating some pleasure in the practice, so it is something that you can stick to, and do it because it makes you feel good, rather than as an instrumental chore.

I would also add some kind of metta practice, for much the same reasons.

You can find detailed instructions on the internet. If you are stuck for choice, ask here, and I'm sure people will be happy to recommend their favourite sources.

Edit: I might add the instructions in AN 11.13
(https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/AN/AN11_13.html)

[dharmalotus48]

The one the purifies the heart my brother

[Ontheway]

There are many options to choose for layfollowers....

Buddhanussati, Dhammanusati, Sanghanussati, Silanussati, Caganussati, & Devatanussati are the ones recommended by the Blessed One for layfollowers. See Mahanama Sutta.

[Alino]

Need more information. What is the purpose of your meditation?

I would like to achieve the attainment of a lay anagami, what meditation/jhanas is needed? Thank You!

Take N8P seriously. See what exactly there is inside each step and manage your life and practice around this.

For example:

Right Intention is composed of non-ill-will, non-cruelty, renounciation. It means that you should practice, develop and mature : metta, karuna and 8 precepts.

Right Speach is composed of non-lie, non-gossip, etc. The most important here is gossip. And when we see what means gossip for the Buddha it means all lay discutions like tv, sport, politics, etc. The Buddha said that 'you bhikkhu should speak about Dhamma or practice noble silence (2nd jhana).

If we stop here that mean that you will loose all your lay social interactions, in other words you will experiance total seclusion in body and mind. And for the mind who is much conditioned by social interactions and sense stimulations - that means death... Death means fear and anxiety. If you are strong enough to see and experiance how your lay mind is dying, then be calm, open, patient and don't do stupid things that you will regret later.

With a lot of chances after your lay mind died, you will become a monk. Why? Because there is no reasons to work and waste one's humain life to get money if with 8 precepts and zero social life and reduction of greed you couldn't and wouldn't spend them on anything...

At this point you will arrive ar Right Livelihood and become a monk...

Don't take my words too seriously, but there is no possibility to cut corners - get some secret practice and become enlightened without struggle... More seriously you will take N8P more good spiritual results you will realise. But its not quick and maturation of spiritual qualities can take years and life spans...

Also don't fall into the trap of spiritual tanha.
There is two words for desire : tanha and chanda. Tanha is a source of suffering; chanda can be a source of success. The difference betweenthem is that : tanha is a derise for some result, while chanda is a desire for the process (taking delight in the process itself).
That means that if you will practice with the desire to become Anagami - you will create more suffering; but if you take delight in the practice of N8P itself... non-greed, non-hatred, non-delusion - then you will be free from suffering.

As said Ajahn Chah : if you let go little - then you get little freedom; if you let go a lot - then you get a lot of freedom.
As simple as that...

Some advices. Take what is useful for you

[sunnat]

It's not just serious people who can benefit from relaxing and laughing. Confused people, for example. When the mind is happy it is open and long suppressed processes are free to move, rise and pass away. A serious mind is a closed mind. Though sometimes in order to not be overwhelmed it can be helpful to close up a bit. Everyone has to find their own middle path to suit the occasion.

Also, as others wisely point out, keeping the precepts, to the best of one's understanding, provides an important foundation for progress.

Be happy, peaceful and liberated.

[bpallister]

Breath meditation?

[NotMe]

Breath meditation?

Is praised by the wise. Potentially safer than other forms except per haps metta meditation. But from personal experience,any coNcentration except Right Concentration can lead to delusional meditation. Taking a deep dive is kind of like the maps of old with that region of unexplored territory marked: Here ye be dragons!

[SteRo]

A layperson who is serious about development better make sure they have well-established virtue before they try anything fancy.

So that would imply a type of meditation which is continuous mindfulness.

[auto]

Just as eye-consciousness comes next
following on mind element,
which, though it does not come from that,
yet fails not next to be produced,
so too, in rebirth-linking, conscious
continuity takes place:

The prior consciousness breaks up,
the subsequent is born from that.
they have no interval between,
nor gap [that separates the two];
while naught whatever passes over,
still rebirth-linking comes about.

- Visuddhimagga

The eye-consciousness there is sakkaya(clinging aggregate), it is called eye-consciousness because it arises dependent on the eye. It is kaya.
The mind arises dependent on the eye-contact. The mind is a feeling, a resultant consciousness either pleasant, painful or neutral.
In second paragraph,
I gather Visuddhimagga means the eye-consciousness is what breaks up prior the arising of the mind.

So, is the rebirth linking consciousness a contact?

[Ontheway]

Just as eye-consciousness comes next
following on mind element,
which, though it does not come from that,
yet fails not next to be produced,
so too, in rebirth-linking, conscious
continuity takes place:

The prior consciousness breaks up,
the subsequent is born from that.
they have no interval between,
nor gap [that separates the two];
while naught whatever passes over,
still rebirth-linking comes about.

- Visuddhimagga

The eye-consciousness there is sakkaya(clinging aggregate), it is called eye-consciousness because it arises dependent on the eye. It is kaya.
The mind arises dependent on the eye-contact. The mind is a feeling, a resultant consciousness either pleasant, painful or neutral.
In second paragraph,
I gather Visuddhimagga means the eye-consciousness is what breaks up prior the arising of the mind.

So, is the rebirth linking consciousness a contact?

No point answering the question as you still cling to the doctrine of self.

[cappuccino]

No point answering the question as you still cling to the doctrine of self.

No self is still a self doctrine

[NotMe]

No point answering the question as you still cling to the doctrine of self.

No self is still a self doctrine

So, I hold that the earth is not flat, which is still a flat earth doctrine.
<edited inappropriate content>
<grin>

Metta

[cappuccino]

No point answering the question as you still cling to the doctrine of self.

No self is still a self doctrine

So, I hold that the earth is not flat, which is still…

A doctrine about Earth

[NotMe]

No self is still a self doctrine

So, I hold that the earth is not flat, which is still…

A doctrine about Earth

Not self is a self doctrine,
Not flat is a flat doctrine. Got it!

I bow> <

Metta

[cappuccino]

Not self is a self doctrine

No…