Buddha contemplation

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
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shanyin
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Joined: Mon May 14, 2018 4:49 am

Buddha contemplation

Post by shanyin »

It was suggested to do Buddha contemplation and to be wary of taking advice online of which meditation to try. How do I do Buddha contemplation meditation?
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明安 Myoan
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Re: Buddha contemplation

Post by 明安 Myoan »

I hope this reply isn't too tardy.

Contemplating the buddha, or buddha-remembrance as it is often called, is widely practiced.
Common choices include Amitabha, Shakyamuni, Avalokiteshvara, and the Medicine Buddha.

One often specializes in a specific buddha, reading the sutras about them, studying their qualities, praying to them.

Practice in daily life can be as simple as repeating the buddha's name, or thinking of how they look, again and again all day.
Some say the name as an object of concentration, such as the use of "Budho" in Theravada.
Some say the name as a mantra, to hone their bodhicitta and remove obstacles, or to bless others.
Others say the name to cultivate a mother-child relationship with the buddha.

The details really depend on what resources you have access to, what buddhas appeal to you, and what kind of contemplation you can actually practice.

My signature contains free resources in English for practice with Amitabha Buddha. Taming the Monkey Mind in particular is a very straightforward practice manual.

But please do look around. Take your time. Pray to the buddhas for their help.

Buddha-remembrance has become the cornerstone of my life. I hope it is even more fruitful for you.
Namu Amida Butsu
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