Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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.
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.
- Johnny Dangerous
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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.
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
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when sad
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when suffering occurs
Meditate upon Bodhicitta when you are scared
-Khunu Lama
Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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.
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.
Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
You need a teacher.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.
Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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.
Tying to understanding it through contrast can cause a loss of focus and muddle perspective.
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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.
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.
Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
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. ]
Virgo
My suggestion is that you find the most enlightened teacher that you can find, and then follow that teacher. ]
Virgo
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Re: Help - Mindfulness, Vipassana, Shamata, Samadhi, Jhana, Dzogchen, Mahamudra - I'm so confused
Wonderful reply.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.
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