Awakening Of Buddha Various Methods Of Meditation In Buddhism

Meditation in Buddhism
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Meditation in Buddhism
Buddhism as one of the largest religion worldwide is based on spiritual teaching and enlightenment. This religion was founded by Buddha who realized that one must achieve the spiritual awakening called nirvana through meditation as well as follow a decent and ethical living. Most Buddhists have been finding spiritual rebirth through self-reflection to ensure that they are liberated from the inadequacy hence receive their actual conscience of being through meditation in order for them to reach the nirvana. In order to understand meditation, a discussion of its benefits and the incarnation processes enable a person to deeply have a self-reflection for purity. Thus, meditation helps such a person passes through such stages to receive the full rebirth. Therefore, it is realized that meditation in Buddhism is a true way of self-reflection.
Meditation can be understood as the practice of mental concentration which can only be examined through experience. The mental concentration aspect culminates through stages which give a spiritual freedom called nirvana. Meditation helps free people from the constant delusion and shuns away craving and ignorance (Braun, 2013). The achievement of nirvana requires wisdom and insights which can only be achieved through proper meditation on the true reality which helps in the development of the concept in the mind. Buddhists believe that meditation involves moving away from the dual nature of a person whereby a person uses both body and mind as a separate entity. However, their form of meditation requires that a person uses both body and mind as a single entity (Braun, 2013). It is necessary that a person has full control of the mind to become peaceful and remain focused as he becomes aware of nature and reality. In such circumstances, Buddhists are able to stop their mindset of rush through different and aimless or stream of thoughts. Buddhists normally engage in sesshin or zendo to strengthen their spiritual enlightenment (Braun, 2013).
After understanding the meaning of meditation, it is important to see how meditation gives a true self-reflection. For example, meditation helps in balancing of life. The process of meditation is normally used to train the mind to develop a state of consciousness for the benefit of mind and body (McLeod, 2017). The process usually involves paying attention, staying focused and be very calm. This method ensures sharpening of creativity as well as enhancing performance coupled with relationship enhancement. Even though meditation is the same across the religion and cultural divide, there are differences in words and the purpose. For example, Buddhists value meditation for the development of the mind as well as for finding peace, for true self-reflection and elevating creativity of the mind, alertness, and awareness (Liusuwan, 2016).
In addition, meditation enables a person to reflect on suffering. In many cases, Buddhists believe that suffering is an essential part of human experience in life and existence. People have temporary time in human life and in such circumstances, they have to endure suffering at any stage of life, whether at the beginning or at the end of the life. Thus, they have to develop ways to ensure that such turmoil experiences come to an end. Therefore, Buddhists have four noble ways of ending suffering which they called the Four Noble Truths. These four dukkho are to be undertaken in one's life from the beginning and acknowledge the existence of suffering, want not to be part of the intimate world, eliminate all the suffering from one's life and cease from the suffering in one's life. Such sufferings may occur due to physical and mental, situation, feeling of incompleteness or may be caused by people. Therefore, meditation as a form of self-reflection helps in understanding the suffering that one has to undergo (Liusuwan, 2016).
Meditation in Buddhism brings peace and ensures ethical conduct. When following the eightfold path of wisdom (views, intention, knowledge, and liberation), conduct (ethical speech, action and livelihood) and concentration (effort, mindfulness and concentration); proper meditation must be implemented to achieve all the paths either in a group or as an individual (Vaughn, 2015). These paths result in peace, especially when they maintain ethical conducts during the spiritual achievement of the nirvana. Therefore, meditation helps in ensuring the rightful mind, right actions, and conducts which improve morality and shun away corruption as well as harm to self or to others. Such acts enhance goodwill which seems to rely more on philosophy than religious teaching. However, one aspect is that they result in spirituality and peace of mind (Vaughn, 2015).
On a separate note, mediation offers a link to communicate to the bodhisattvas whom Buddhists regard as the highly awakened beings. In such situations, the students may request for protection and b...