Teachings
Shamatha (Calm Abiding) Meditation
Shamatha Meditation is the practice of calming one's mind, reducing and eventually stopping the proliferation of all thoughts, and let the mind abide in the state of calmness and no thoughts, and thus calm abiding. There are abundant practices in breath counting in different traditions.
Simple Breath Counting to 7 breaths
A simplest method: counting to 7 breaths.
Exhalation and Inhalation as one breath, count at exhalation
No need to regulate the breath, natural, how we usually breath
Count from 1 to 7, counting more requires us to think, thinking will lead our mind to wander off.
Still some activities of our mental consciousness because of the counting, not complete state of calm abiding
Feel a very pervasive stage of calmness and tranquility in the world around us. Because we are channeling our usually very unruly and chaotic consciousness onto one focal point of counting
In this extremely calm state, perceive even smallest sounds, like sound of A/C
3 times of 7 is a set, can practice more sets if like this practice
Mindfulness Breathing - Anapanasatti
Breathe naturally, no need to regulate the breath in any way
Mindfulness established upon the breath in between the nostrils and the upper lip. The exact focus point may vary by individual.
To be mindful of the breath is to pay attention to the breath as it goes in and out. When breathing in, one knows one is breathing in; when breathing out, one knows one is breathing out.
Whenever one's mind wanders, one brings it calmly it back to the breath. One does not get upset when one's mind wanders. And if one has trouble keeping one's mind on the breath, one can do the above counting of breath
Mindfulness Meditation
The primary mindfulness practice relates to the unhappiness that is on our minds and the pressure of various tasks and projects in our lives. Thus, the establishment of mindfulness is meant to diminish the many sufferings that occur in each of our daily lives. Regardless of whether the practitioner has faith in Buddhism, any other religious tradition, or whatever the case may be... These methods will be beneficial. Thus, it is appropriate for anybody to practice these methods for the establishment of mindfulness. There are many such methods for establishing mindfulness.
Regarding the four methods for establishing mindfulness, in the bodily establishment of mindfulness, one considers their body. Similarly, there also is an establishment of mindfulness on the consideration of feelings, an establishment of mindfulness on the mind, and an establishment of mindfulness on phenomena. These are generally referred to as the four methods for establishing mindfulness.
Compassion (Loving Kindness) Meditation
From a broader sense, this type of meditation includes meditation on impartiality, love, compassion and sympathetic joy, and a few more advanced techniques which will not be covered here.
Meditation on impartiality means giving up our hatred for enemies and infatuation with friends, and having an even-minded attitude towards all beings, free of attachment to those close to us and aversion for those who are distant.
Meditation on love is meditating on the thought of how wonderful it would be if each one of those beings could have all the happiness and comfort they wish. Meditate on it until you want others to be happy just as intensely as you want to be happy yourself.
Meditation on compassion strictly speaking is to imagine other people's suffering and to wish them free from it. This can actually leads to happiness in ourselves, as the scientific studies on the "happiest man in the world" showed.
Meditation on sympathetic joy is to imagine someone experiencing comfort, happiness and a long life. Without any feeling of jealousy or rivalry, make the wish that they might become even more glorious, enjoy still more of the prosperity, and develop ever more intelligence and other perfect talents. Then tell yourself how wonderful it would be if all other people could live at such a level too.
Mantra Meditation
What is Mantra?
It’s a word or phrase repeated over and over again during meditation, like the word "peace" no matter what language it is in, can be a mantra.
Traditional mantras often contain syllables like Om, Ah, and Hum (approximately pronounced hoong), which have no literal meaning whatsoever.
Science behind mantra: OM is said to vibrate at 432 Hertz, which is the natural musical pitch of the Universe, as opposed to 440 Hertz, which is the frequency of most modern music.
Like medicine for the mind, seeping below the surface into our subconscious, helping to shift our negative habits and patterns into positive ones
How?
Musical Mantra Meditation: Singing/Chanting with melody and music, very easy to learn and practice yet very powerful, very good technique for beginners
Fast Recitation/Chanting: much faster without music
As an object of focus for meditation, or develop mindfulness
Simple (little or no guidance needed), yet very effective and powerful technique
Multiplication Mantra
Mantra: Om sambhara sambhara bhimana sara maha dzambhabha hung pat svaha (x 3)
Benefit: This mantra can multiply the merits of chanting by 10 million times.
Compassion (Avalokiteśvara) Mantra “Om Mani Padme Hung”
The most popular mantra, in songs
Meaning: Hail the Jewel in the Lotus.
Benefit:
Purification of our body and mind
Remove obstacles in our life
Reduce afflictions and sufferings
Improve health conditions
Guiding Musics
Wisdom (Manjushri) Mantra “Om Ara Pa Za Na Di”
Medicine Buddha Mantra
Mantra: tayatha om bekandze bekandze maha bekandze radza samud gate soha
Benefit:
Eliminate pain of disease
Overcome inner sickness of attachment, greed, hatred, jealousy and ignorance
Guiding Musics
Guru Rinpoche's Mantra
Mantra: Om Ah Hung Benza Guru Pema Siddhi Hung
Benefit: Remove obstacles in daily life and practices
Guiding Music
Seven Line Prayer:
