Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
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Padmist
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Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Padmist »

How many Buddhist meditations are there?

Mindfulness (Sati)
Shamata
Vipassana
Dzogchen
Mahamudra

5? More? What am I missing?

What are the differences? I'm only familiar with Shamata which is object meditation. (Right?) Mindfulness, it's that awareness of breath or the 'moment'? (Right?) What is Vipassana? Dzogchen? Mahamudra?

Then, what are Samadhi, Jhana, and how does this relate with the meditation above? I notice this often come up with the meditation of our Theravadin friends.
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Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Johnny Dangerous »

They all boil down to quiescence and insight, or the spontaneous realization of both.

Other than that, you just need to do some reading, or not.
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when afflicted by disease

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs

Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared

-Khunu Lama
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Ayu
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Ayu »

Yes. Simply relax.
A first grade schoolchild does not bother about high grade mathematics. It would be of no use at all. Learn a certain practice that fits good to you and study only to the extent of your capacity.

Teachings I couldn't understand at the beginning became very clear later. This is because you need some meditative practice before you can get anything that is being taught.
You cannot study first and then start a practice later. In spiritual philosophy theory and practice fly together like two wings of one bird.

Just relax. It is said, there are 84000 teachings/practices. Like this buddhism is able to fit to various different people.
I use the metaphor, there is no monoculture in our buddhist garden. The variety of different plants and flowers is no contradiction. It's just beautiful.
You just choose and don't have to grasp every detail of the whole right now.
Natan
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Natan »

Padmist wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 6:42 am How many Buddhist meditations are there?

Mindfulness (Sati)
Shamata
Vipassana
Dzogchen
Mahamudra

5? More? What am I missing?

What are the differences? I'm only familiar with Shamata which is object meditation. (Right?) Mindfulness, it's that awareness of breath or the 'moment'? (Right?) What is Vipassana? Dzogchen? Mahamudra?

Then, what are Samadhi, Jhana, and how does this relate with the meditation above? I notice this often come up with the meditation of our Theravadin friends.
You need a teacher.
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tkp67
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by tkp67 »

One thing I noticed across the traditions is that they work best with sole focus over a period of time. This will yield results which make perspective more clear on certain things allowing for more advancement.

Tying to understanding it through contrast can cause a loss of focus and muddle perspective.


:anjali:
SilenceMonkey
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by SilenceMonkey »

If you practice different traditions and different methods at the same time, the focus will be dispersed and each practice will undo the work of the others. It's best to get authentic training in the tradition you want to practice, and later if you want to bring two different traditions together, it might fit well because you have a basis of deep experience and understanding of how the practice works.

And crazywisdom is right. This is what teachers are for, to tell us what we should practice and when. Otherwise there's way too much information and our brains might explode from the confusion.
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Virgo »

There are an innumerable number of meditations.

My suggestion is that you find the most enlightened teacher that you can find, and then follow that teacher. :namaste: ]

Virgo
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ShinBuddhistsAH
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by ShinBuddhistsAH »

Johnny Dangerous wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 7:04 am They all boil down to quiescence and insight, or the spontaneous realization of both.

Other than that, you just need to do some reading, or not.
Wonderful reply.
master of puppets
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by master of puppets »

Virgo wrote: Tue Feb 16, 2021 10:37 pm There are an innumerable number of meditations.

My suggestion is that you find the most enlightened teacher that you can find, and then follow that teacher. :namaste: ]

Virgo
This is a very enlightening answer. Thank you
Tata1
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused

Post by Tata1 »

No need to count them😊
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