I am new to buddhism and meditation (I have been practising it for one month now), and despite finishing my fourth book on the matter, I am still very unclear about what a meditation session should look like when practicing either concentration or mindfulness. From what I understood, each of these practices are clearly differents and even have different pali names (Samatha and Vipassana if I am right ?). I can already tell that I can't differenciate concentration and mindfulness. When I focus on my breath, I am naturally distracted by all kind of things which I have to be mindfull of (the way my body feels, the sounds I ear, what I smell from the kitchen, my thoughts and emotions). And when I try to practice mindfulness, I can't help but focusing on my breath, because it is often the first thing that I can notice in that state, and it is always present. When I start my meditation I focus on my breath, then if something happens I try to be mindfull of it, and then I focus on my breath again until something else happens, switching maybe every 2 to 10 seconds. I am wondering why concentration and mindfulness are referred to as disctinct practices in the books I read, as it doesn't make much sense to me. At this point I am afraid that I may be missing something important.

Trying to understand what mental level and constitution the meditator needs to be to make actual progress towards the higher levels of concentration meditations, as well as the external conditions needed. Obviously a person cannot realistically gain traction while living a mundane householder life. So any personal advice, or sources or books/teachings regarding the matter would be appreciated. I did find a quote here that someone mentioned it could take 3-8 years of serious practice to gain any real attainments. This is obviously a "how long is a piece of string" scenario though the ability to practice with that much daily dedication and the requisite location is what I am asking. What persons constitution and what location is required for serious practice. Is a genuine teacher who can help with the immediate issues/pitfalls needed? Does one have to be in complete solitude etc? I do remember reading that Buddha gave 10 locations that would need to be avoided in attaining concentration. Which generally meant places where other people congregate.

The following Tibetan Buddhist (thangka) painting is a version of a visual representation of the 9 Stages (~11 stages) of Samatha meditation. Who is the *original* artist who painted it? It would have been painted about a millennium ago or so.

I read the following on the internet: > Vipassana, the tranquil mind, is the core. > > When emotions arise, the tranquil mind observes and assesses before > the conscious is involved. > >The tranquil mind will recognise the burning heart and dualise > the self. When the self becomes two, the emotions don't rule the mind > and the mind doesn't rule the emotions. Is vipassana the tranquil mind? Does the tranquil mind observe before the arising of consciousness? What is meant by dualizing the self? How does the tranquil mind dualize the self? How does the dualized self stop emotions not ruling the mind?

In various suttas like SN 35.204 and AN 4.170 , we find that both tranquility (*samatha*) and insight (*vipassana*) must be developed in most cases, in order to make progress on the path towards complete liberation. > The swift pair of messengers stands for tranquility (*samatha*) and insight (*vipassana*) > SN 35.204 To me, it appears that *jhana* is needed to overcome the five hindrances ("quite secluded from sensual pleasures, secluded from unskillful qualities, they enter and remain in the first absorption" - DN 10 ), without which, insight is not easily achievable. On the other hand, the *vipassana* contemplations of the Satipatthana Sutta (MN 10) appear to be using *vitakka* and *vicara*. Is this right? We also read: > Sound is a thorn to the first absorption. Placing the mind and keeping > it connected are a thorn to the second absorption. Rapture is a thorn > to the third absorption. Breathing is a thorn to the fourth > absorption. > AN 10.72 So, it sounds to me like, just the first *jhana* is sufficient for *vipassana*, since *vitakka* and *vicara* are thorns to the second *jhana*. So, putting these together, the *vipassana* contemplations of MN 10 is best practised after entering and remaining in the first *jhana*. Is this right?

I know this is not the place for this kind of questions. But I post this anyway. **I am seeking advice on Samatha meditation.** Time to time, I get strong urge to do Samatha meditation.(I'm not an expert on this). So, I start with a combination of Maithree, Anapanasati and Vipassana meditation to cut down five hindrances . At this level, I reach happy state. Then I switch to Kasina meditation. But I can't continue Kasina meditation enough time to reach any static Nimitta . That's because I lose urge to continue / neediness to reach Dhayana. Sometimes, - I feel full - I feel, can't hold any more fullness ( full pressure) - less neediness to continue . So, I feel one or multiple of above and then I can't continue the meditation. Like, I feel like I can't continue anymore. (but I want to). But through all this, I feel happy. (after Maithree and Vipassana meditation) So, questions are , - Why is this happening? - Why I lose urge? - Why sometimes feel full pressure? - How would I overcome this? ___ My own idea of the problem is, - maybe I didn't actually reduce the five hindrances evenly, maybe I reduced the 1,2 and 5, but I think, maybe I didn't reduce 3rd and 4th hindrances. (main point). - maybe my Vipassana is too much(for Samatha) and I lose carving(thanha) for Dhayana. (newly added this line). - maybe I don't have enough capacity. - maybe my methods are wrong. It could be one of above or something else. ___ Five hindrances > order is as in this article. 1. Sensory desire (kāmacchanda) 2. Ill-will (vyāpāda; also spelled byāpāda) 3. Sloth-and-torpor (thīna-middha) 4. Restlessness-and-worry (uddhacca-kukkucca) 5. Doubt (vicikiccha) **Thanks 🙏. ☸️.** **Any help is appreciated.**

So correct me if im wrong samatha and vipassna are the goals of all forms of meditation. Anapanasati can be either for the goal of samatha or vipassana (or both). Vipassana is very cognitive, contemplative, and samatha is often the exact opposite, one pointed focus? Im curious how it works. How does it connect to doctrines of tanha and clinging? Is the samatha concentration lead to deep state of non-reactivity? Like this is how it leads to tremendous results (samatha anapanasati is the meditation used in psychotherapy as just pure stress reduction) . But despite it's results it's not sufficient for the Buddhist path because serious stages of enlightenment require real understanding and insight. And vipassana on the other hand from what i understand is for insight. it doesnt mean tranqulity and mental strenght cant come from it, in fact the true peace and strength does come from understanding eventually, but thats not the point. vipassana on death is generally not that happy go lucky an experience... So while insufficent samatha is a good powerful tool for overcoming barriers? If someone is consumed by hatred or anger or anxiety or impatience and they are too frenzied to really practice so it would be good to tranquilize them first? If I'm dealing with a lot of stress samatha would be the place to go? Tell me if everything I've described is correct. :) thanks

When I talk of sankharas, I mean the pattern of the mind and the way in which the sanna recognizes an object. After prolonged Vipassana and remaining equanimous to the body sensations, Many of my thought patterns have changed and I can practically see a link there. But theoretically I am still unaware as to how remaining equanimous to body sensations has anything to do with the deepest habit patterns of the mind. Now my question is if one stops Vipassana meditation for a sufficient period of time. Is there a way for these sankharas to develop again?

I meditate a few years now. Since 3 months circa 1h at 4 days a week. Sometimes I pause due to "worldly" obligations. Today I started again after a 2 weeks pause. I experience a better ability to "get into the flow". I often made the experience, that pausing meditation can "level up" the experience. Sorry for the possibly not appropriate words. I have to say, that between these meditation phases I learn Dharma like listening to Shantideva "Way of a Bodhisattva" or sth. else. And I do mostly Shamata. Do you experience sth. similar? Is there a statement of the Buddha about the value of pausing meditation?

Title really. I am reading the tibetan lamrim version of the 9 mental abiding and trying to correlate it to the theravada 8 jhanas, I can't seem to find which jhana/abiding is which in regards to the other tradition. The practice for both is still samatha. If anyone has an informed opinion or understanding of the practices I could really do with some help understanding how the 2 different explanations coincide.

In Theravada, I know there is union in understanding that the Buddha taught two types of meditation: vipassana (insight) meditation and samatha (tranquility) meditation. However, I have come across various types of these meditation methods over the years, either with an emphasis on samatha meditation, vipassana meditation, or both, all filled with various interpretations. My question is the following: **Putting aside the modern methods of meditation taught by members of the later Sangha and their interpretations as well as going back to the Buddha and his early Sangha, what was it that the Buddha originally taught in regard to meditation (samatha and vipassana meditations) and what instructions did the Buddha give as to how one practices them?** *PLEASE REFERENCE THE TIPITAKA OR SOURCES STRICTLY USING THE TIPITAKA.* -Apannaka

I am keen on finding a teacher that is experienced in Samatha meditation. I have come to understand meditation as a skill to be practiced and developed over time. This practice is something I plan to take seriously and dedicate myself to, but have struggled to find local teachers. I am wondering if there are any known means of perhaps finding virtual teachers, or how those of you without access to a local sangha have taken this important step. In seeking out a teacher I do have concerns about being misguided by someone that is not themselves an advanced meditator. I do strive towards the path to stream entry and I worry that in my inexperience I may lack the discernment to know when a teaching is solid or not. Any advice in this regard would be much appreciated as well. It is worth noting that I am fond of the teachings of the Thai Forest Lineage but would not be closed off to welcoming teachings from other traditions :) Thank you!

In the Yuganaddha Sutta (AN 4.170) , there is described the four paths stated below. Insight refers to vipassana and tranquility refers to samatha . 1. Development of tranquility before development of insight 2. Development of insight before development of tranquility 3. Tranquility developed in tandem with insight 4. Mind's restlessness concerning the Dhamma well under control (I guess this is "dry insight") Of these four paths, which is the easiest, smoothest and most pleasant to a novice lay practitioner? And why? Or is this question invalid, because meditation, insight and jhana is not suited to the lay practitioner? Please provide quotes to support your answer from the Buddha's words, if possible. I personally suspect that it is tranquility (at least the first jhana) before insight. ---------- In this essay , Henepola Gunaratana promoted tranquility before insight: > The Buddha is constantly seen in the suttas encouraging his disciples > to develop jhana. The four jhanas are invariably included in the > complete course of training laid down for disciples. ... Though a > vehicle of **dry insight can be found, indications are that this path is > not an easy one, lacking the aid of the powerful serenity available to > the practitioner of jhana. The way of the jhana attainer seems by > comparison smoother and more pleasurable** (A.ii,150-52). However, Yuttadhammo Bhikkhu has a different view in this video from timestamp 9m 34s, where he said: > Samatha meditation - these meditations exists. There's no question > that there are meditations out there that will not lead you to > enlightenment. They can't, because they are not focused on reality. > They are creating an illusion in the mind. The only way that they > could lead to enlightenment, is as I said, if you use that to gain > insight. ... and because of the strength of the mind, you can see it > clearer than you would have, otherwise. It's kind of taking a > shortcut, but having to do a lot of preparation. So, not gaining > anything (during this preparation phase), except for these nice states of peace and calm, and maybe > some magical powers along the way, **which is probably best suited for > someone living in the forest**. So, which should be first? It's > totally up to you ... if you want to start with just vipassana, it was > very clear that ... **the Buddha gave this (vipassana) as the quickest > way**. A monk came up to the Buddha and said, "I'm old and I don't have > a lot of time and my memory is not good, I don't want to learn a lot, > give me the basics of the path" ..... So, there's obviously two camps out there. On one side, those who promote tranquility first like Ven. Henepola Gunaratana and Ajahn Brahm. But on the other side, you have those who promote insight alone or insight first like Ven. Yuttadhammo or S.N. Goenka. And then there's the interesting opinion in this answer by Dhammadhatu and this answer by Andrei Volkov, which imply that attainment of Jhana through meditation is not for lay people, which is echoed by Ven. Yuttadhammo's statement that samatha meditation is "probably best suited for someone living in the forest".

I have been studying and practicing meditation for over a decade, mainly following Kamalashila's stages of meditation as a guide. I learned that Shamata is defined as ***the single-mindedness which is imbued with the exceptional bliss of practiced ease due to single pointed meditation on its object***. I have just started Alan Wallace's Fall 2013 Shamatha and the Bodhisattva Way of Life (https://media.sbinstitute.com/courses/fall2013/) where he is giving instruction in "Shamatha practice". I believe he means a meditation practice with the goal of achieving shamata. However, when I hear "shamata practice", I automatically think that someone is already able to rest in the state of Shamata and is meditating at that level. This would be like, for instance, someone running having a "running practice" by running. In contrast, someone aspiring to be a runner, might first begin with walking as they get in shape. They might say, "I am walking, with the goal of running." Do you think they would call their walking a "running practice"? Given the definition of shamata I know, it seems many different meditation practices could potentially lead to shamata, if that was one's intention for their practice. My first question is: Is there something distinctive about "shamata practice"? My second question, is where did the custom of labeling meditation "shamata practice" originate?

I read the following on the internet: > Notice there's a wide spectrum on the Samatha/Vipassana scale, but > even on the extreme spectrum of Vipassana, the "dry-insight", there's > still element of Samatha ( the khanika/Samadhi/Momentary Concentration, > see Ven. Gunaratana's "The Jhanas" for more details ). It is said the Buddhist commentaries refer to Khanika (momentary), Upacara (neighborhood) and Appana (attainment) Samadhi. Are 'samatha' & 'samadhi' synonymous? Does Buddhism refer to Khanika/Momentary Samatha?

I use FB and Instagram quite a lot. I also play a mobile game called Genshin Impact which is an RPG-game where one can level up ones heroes and gain new abilities and weapons to defeat monsters and other creatures. It's a huge open-world game with tons of stuff to do. The movies I watch are usually horror movies such as Hereditary, Midsommar, The Conjuring, Sinister or science fiction movies such as Arrival, Interstellar, Moon etc. Will I be better served without these activities? What effect will the absence of those activities have on my meditation practice?

When practicing meditation (samatha and vipassana) intensely it feels like the sense of self is disintegrating and breaking apart. What causes that?

The higher arupa jhanas are: - fifth jhāna: infinite space (Pāḷi ākāsānañcāyatanaa), - sixth jhāna: infinite consciousness (Pāḷi viññāṇañcāyatana), - seventh jhāna: infinite nothingness (Pāḷi ākiñcaññāyatana), - eighth jhāna: neither perception nor non-perception (Pāḷi nevasaññānāsaññāyatana) Are these supernatural states? Does the plane of infinite consciousness of the sixth jhana refer to the Universal Consciousness or Cosmic Consciousness of Advaita Vedanta? Do the fifth, sixth and seventh jhana takes the meditator beyond his physical body and into infinite space, infinite consciousness and infinite nothingness? Can the meditator now observe things in other galaxies by entering these states? Can they see what is happening in the deva or brahma worlds by entering these states? Can they sense through the senses of other living beings? Are they supernatural states of being? Or are they simply different states of mind? That is, not supernatural. I have also heard that they are related to compassion, loving kindness and other Brahmaviharas - how is this the case? Is there a clear connection? Why are they described as formless (*arupa*)? I would appreciate it, if canonical references (from the Pali Canon) are available to support this. Commentaries or secondary sources (e.g. Visuddhimagga, traditional commentaries, modern commentaries from scholar monks etc.) are also welcomed, in addition.

Is samatha concentration meditation's object always an idea, concept or something else? Why meditate on a concept and what else besides concepts are there to meditate on?

>Can one correctly practice anapanasati when one is very used to Mahasi vipassana? How? Why? >Can one correctly practice vipassana when one is very used to anapanasati or any other samatha practice? How? Why? >A person who is used to vipassana is supposed to turn off the habit of seeing things as they are? Can vipassana be useful during anapanasati or would it be more of a distraction to onepointed consentration? How? Why?