Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Discussion of meditation in the Mahayana and Vajrayana traditions.
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2ndchance
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Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by 2ndchance »

What are the different types of open eye meditation in Buddhism?

Or do Buddhists only do closed eye meditations?
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Kim O'Hara
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by Kim O'Hara »

Both, and some teachers even teach both to beginners. I was told, for instance, that closing your eyes reduces distractions (which is good) but may encourage drowsiness (which is bad), so we should experiment to see if we could get used to having our eyes half-open but unfocused, so that the light helped us stay alert but we still didn't have any visual distractions.

:namaste:
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SteRo
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by SteRo »

Open eye meditation is a good method to get to know mental fabrications and fermentations because usually visual sense is dominant in terms of coining all of experience. A wavering between perception and non-perception in open eye meditation depending on mental fabrications and fermentations might shed light on the source of what we erroneously experience as 'real' or 'reality'. Thus open eye meditation might be applied in the context of attaining signless awareness empty of fabrications and fermentations.
"Then there is the case where a monk, with the complete transcending of the dimension of neither perception nor non-perception, enters & remains in the cessation of perception & feeling. And, having seen [that] with discernment, his mental fermentations are completely ended. Even this much is described by the Blessed One as the attaining of an opening in a confining place, without a sequel."
https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitak ... .than.html
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PadmaVonSamba
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by PadmaVonSamba »

Right now, listen very carefully to the faintest sound you can hear. Focus on that really intently.
Then, notice, simply notice, what your eyes were doing.
For most people, their eyes are open but they are not “looking” at what they see. in a sense, you might say that you are “looking” at what you are hearing, meaning that is where the mind is focused.
You aren’t really staring off into empty space, like dull daydreaming. Your eyes are open and you can see what is in front of you, but that’s not what your mind is “looking” at. It’s also similar to what your eyes are doing when you are trying to remember something.
When you are meditating with eyes open, then it should be something like this. Your mind remains focused on the object of meditation (usually that is the breath) when the eyes are either open or closed.
...
EMPTIFUL.
An inward outlook produces outward insight.
madhusudan
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by madhusudan »

Following the instructions I received, I only meditate with open eyes. The experiment above produced a facsimile of the exact sensation of it. Great!
haha
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by haha »

Which eye one is going to close and which eye one is going to open; it is up to the individual and that depends on the purpose.

While opening one, others are closed. And while closing one, others are opened.
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kusulu
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Re: Types of Open Eye Meditation in Buddhism

Post by kusulu »

Eyes opened or closed, it depends on which practice is used in each practice group. Across the broad spectrum of "Buddhist meditation" both practices are used. My personal feeling is that those practices that emphasize "open awareness" (zazen) the main deviance from proper practice is torpor, drowsiness, or blacking out. Which is to be avoided using several interventions - sitting posture, specific mudra, and eyes partially open but cast downward. The more focused or concentration based practices (shamata, vipassana) tend to favor eyes closed, and posture is expected to be more natural. Either way, it depends on the tradition, as it is in the tradition that checks and balances are maintained. Some may say it's up to the teacher, and that might be true, but it's somewhat rare for a teacher to go against their tradition unless there's a compelling reason for it.
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