Meditation Practice Class
We practice three meditation techniques during our session: loving-kindness meditation, mindfulness meditation, and concentration meditation. With the cultivated qualities, attained by practicing the three meditation techniques, we can infuse more loving-kindness into our daily life, gain insight into our behaviors and reactions with improved mindful awareness, and establish increased tranquility with improved focus and less mental clutter.
We start with an offering and instructional talk. We then practice loving-kindness, mindfulness, and concentration meditation. We finish our meditation session with chanting the loving-kindness discourse.
The meditation session is completed in 1 hour.
Every Tuesday 6:30 PM – 8:00 PM
Windsor Buddhist Vihara
691 Campbell Ave
“Both formerly and now, monks, I declare only stress and the cessation of stress.”
-Buddha (MN 22, PTS M i 130)
The purpose of the meditation practice is to reduce Dukkha. Dukkha is the suffering caused by birth, aging, sickness, death, sorrow, lamentation, desperation, despair, grief, pain, not getting what we want, getting what we don’t want, and losing what we love.
Four Noble Truths
There is stress, there is the arising of stress, there is the cessation of stress, there is a path leading to the cessation of stress.
Noble Eightfold Path
Right view, right intention, right speech, right action, right livelihood, right effort, right mindfulness, right concentration.
Meditation Styles: Mettā, Vipassanā, and Samatha
The meditation styles of Mettā, Vipassanā, and Samatha are the foundation of Buddhist mental training. The three meditation styles directly corresponds to the Noble Eightfold Path, as ‘right effort,’ ‘right mindfulness,’ and ‘right concentration.’
Threefold Training: Wisdom Training, Ethics Training, and Mental Training
The Noble Eightfold Path can conveniently be categorized into the three trainings of wisdom, ethics, and mental training. The threefold training is helpful to understand and grasp the Noble Eightfold Path. Progress in one training, strengthens the other two. The threefold training is sometimes called ‘non-leaking’.
Three Methods of Practice
The Buddhist trainings of wisdom, ethics, and mental training, can be summed up by three methods. Buddhism is an oral tradition, therefore, wisdom is heard. A practical approach to ethics is to abstain from harming oneself and others. Meditation is the method for mental training in Buddhism, and it comes in different styles.
“Whatsoever is subject to the condition of origination is subject also to the condition of cessation.”
-Buddha (Mahāvagga I, 6, 29)
Eighteen Practices for Purification
Whether it’s the 3 trainings, 3 methods, or 18 practices, everything links back to the Noble Eightfold Path. For example, ‘right speech’ is a path factor. ‘Right speech’ is in the ethics training category. The method for ethics is ‘to abstain from.’ The practices for ‘right speech’ are to abstain from false speech, harsh speech, slander, and gossip. Path factor = training category = method = practice.
Five Spiritual Faculties Developed on the Path
The five spiritual faculties is one of the seven sets of qualities lauded by the Buddha as conducive to Enlightenment. Faith is mentioned first and regarded as a preliminary step. Faith is called “the seed,” and without it the plant of spiritual life cannot start. According to Thich Nhat Hanh, faith can also be understood as confidence in ourselves. The five faculties start out as strengths, and when cultivated, transform into powers. When the powers of faith, effort, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom are established, it is said that they are “unshakeable.”
Course Benefits
Concentration
With Concentration (Samatha) Meditation we gain Calm Abiding (Sukha), Stillness (Ekaggatā), and Equanimity (Upekkhā).
Abstaining
With Abstaining (Veramaṇī) we gain avoidance of danger, through abstaining from harming ourselves, others, and nature.
Loving-kindness
With Loving-kindness (Mettā) Meditation we gain Mettā as a sublime virtue, Mettā as a divine abode, and Mettā as an immeasurable positive effect.
Hearing
With Hearing (Evaṃ me sutaṃ) we gain Intelligence (Ñāṇa), through listening and reading.
Minfulness & Insight
With Mindfulness & Insight (Vipassanā) Meditation we gain protection, through guarding the senses, joy, through mindfulness-based gratitude, and insight, through discernment of arising and passing away.
Clear Comprehension
As we continue to practice, we gain Clear Comprehension (Sampajañña). With mindful awareness, we see things clearly.
“Behold, I exhort you, decay is inherent in all compounded things. Work out your salvation with diligence.”
-Buddha (Mahāparinibbāṇa Sutta)
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