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Vihara => Open Vihara - [Offenes Vihara] => Topic started by: Dhammañāṇa on June 11, 2019, 06:50:14 PM

Title: [Q&A] Help Me Choose which meditation i Should do Anapanasati or Brahmaviharas?
Post by: Dhammañāṇa on June 11, 2019, 06:50:14 PM
Help Me Choose which meditation i Should do Anapanasati or Brahmaviharas?

Quote from: Householder Akashad (https://buddhism.stackexchange.com/questions/33373/help-me-choose-which-meditation-i-should-do-anapanasati-or-brahmaviharas) at BSE
Help Me Choose which meditation i Should do Anapanasati or Brahmaviharas?

I have been going through this dilemma for almost a year now in choosing a meditation object..

I only wish to take one meditation object.The reason being i maintain this object through out the day and i gather momentum with it.I noticed if i practice two meditations even if it's very short i lose momentum with my previous one.I think because i've inclined the mind towards one object so when it switches i am not developing much concentration.

The main problem i have is i really love and enjoy anapanasati.Piti and sukha are quite developed so i enjoy it very much and can sit longer. I can gather momentum,its relatively easy to turn my attention to the breath through out the day..now here's the bad part... MY EXTERNAL situations in life just seem bleak,unfriendly,uninspiring,lonely,dull i start getting emptier and emptier like less socialising less entertainments moving towards like a letting go type of life it's freeing and a relief except nobody is friendly around me.Like things are just DRY and uninspiring around me.

On the other hand when i practice Brahmaviharas,the result are immediate and everything around me is great,people are friendly,i feel protected from harm,pleasant situations.HOWEVER,i don't really prefer this meditation object because it's tiring and i can't sustain it through out the day repeating phrases.Its tiring basically.Also it's not as still as anapanasati which i prefer but if i don't practice the brahmaviharas life just gets very bleak very fast.When i do practice even for 5 minutes everythings just annoyingly great and sugary sweet.Its really wearing me out trying to choose.

Should i just ignore being afraid of unpleasant situations and emptiness/seclusion and incline the mind towards the breath which i know i can make progress or should i just do brahamaviharas and keep everything around me happy?

Thanks

Venerable members of the Sangha,
walking in front Fellows in leading the holly life.

  _/\_  _/\_  _/\_

Venerable fellows,

In Respect of the Triple Gems, Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha, in Respect of the Elders of the community  _/\_ , my person tries to answer this question. Please, may all knowledgeable Venerables and Dhammika, out of compassion, correct my person, if something is not correct and fill also graps, if something is missing.

Valued Upasaka, Upasika, Aramika(inis),
dear Readers and Visitors,

 *sgift*

- Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/homage_en.html)  -


Householder Akashad, interested,

to gain path it is required to develop fist a situation/conncentration of access-possibility and therefore one of the ten Recollections (http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/index-subject_en.html#recollections) are recommended whereas the first six, listed there, are best used by those who have not left home yet, not really living a Yogies life. They also provide with the training to be devoted toward the very basics.

The Brahmaviharas, althought beloved, actually require to have gained integrity since if not, if not having reached the path, they might work fine for very hypocratical development. Remember that the realm of the Brahmas is also the host of very confused mighty beings and all here know in which bad manner the Sublime attitudes can be use even very destructive, deluded "creater" dwell there.

If looking at the starting passage here, generously given by Ven. Nyanadassana in his teaching on the Karaṇīya Metta-Sutta, pattern can be used for all other Brahmaviharas, it becomes clear that this kind of development was not thought for those searching much in the world and not living the holly live:

Namo tassa bhagavato arahato sammā-sambuddhassa

1. Karaṇīyam'atthakusalena
      Yaŋ taŋ santaŋ padaŋ abhisamecca:

      Sakko ujū ca sūjū ca,
      Suvaco cassa mudu anatimānī.

1. He who is skilful in his welfare,
And wishes to attain that state of Peace
Should act thus:

He should be capable [of practice],
Upright and very upright,
Easy to instruct, gentle, and not arrogant.

      2. Santussako ca subharo ca,
      Appakicco ca sallahukavutti,
      Santindriyo ca nipako ca,
      Appagabbho kulesu ananugiddho.

2. Content and easy to support,
With few duties, of simple lifestyle,
With senses calmed, and prudent,
Courteous, and not overly attached to families.

      3. Na ca khuddaŋ samācare kiñci,
      Yena viññū pare upavadeyyuŋ.
      Sukhino'va khemino hontu,
      Sabbe sattā bhavantu sukhitattā.

3. And should not commit the slightest wrong
For which wise men may rebuke him.
(And should meditate thus :)
'May all beings be well and safe.
May they be happy.'...
Quote from: http://zugangzureinsicht.org/html/lib/authors/nanadassana/metta_en.html

Contemplating, meditating, in extensive manners, on death, the ugly of the body, anapana, are already very advanced and would not fit well into normal aspirations of householder. Althought very effective, get soon in conflict with gains in the world, if one fears such outcomes to be no more bound to world, mentioned here.

The last, Recollection of peace, is then really only recommended for those who had already gained a view on Nibbana because otherwise they would develop wrong liberation even further.

So again, the usual meditations, which also secure right basic approach for those living in and outwardly as householder are the first six, the seek after borderlands (http://forum.sangham.net/index.php/topic,8884.msg16105.html#msg16105) and visit them much, inwardly but good if also outwardly, to gain a base for ones recollection and maintain it. When time is right, then things get broadened by there previous cases.

General worthy to note is that a Yogi or one desire for such, would devoted approach a skilled monk, an meditation teacher, having payed respect, made offerings, one would ask for ones kammatthana (working place, object) and then, individual adviced, follow it. So the answer, as a whole, should be seen as an approach to consider good, better and proper ways to be given a blessed path. At least it's a matter of responsibility to look out whether on has basic right view, since with wrong view, what ever effort, leads to wrong release and meditation on improper base can be all then harmfull, even to ever gain right view which is not gained by meditation, but by hearing the Dhamma while dvelling in borderlands, proper attention.

May you and others always make proper choices to find the way to real happiness for themselves with ease.

Anumodana punna kusala