Very lucidly explained. So in Samatha, i steady my monkey mind. And use this steadied mind then to focus on a phenomenon of reality and contemplate on the ever-changing characteristics of that phenomenon, and thereby entering into the Vipassana stage. Is my understanding right?
Hi, Suvarghya Dutta, that's right. Different Buddhist traditions teach different methods for stabilizing the mind on its object and then investigating reality, but they all include both. It's this pairing of samatha and vipassana that's said to lead to awakening. 🙏
@@ClaireVillarreal thank you so much for the time to explain this. 1. Could you just give a few examples of what constitutes 'reality' that one meditates about in Vipassana? 2. Also, the visualization in Vajrayana of the Buddha in his sambhogkaya form, is that also a part of Vipassana meditation?
Yes, actually your two questions are related. First, in a sutra approach to meditating on reality (what you'd find in Theravada meditation and non-Vajrayana Mahayana meditation styles), true reality is described as recognizing the world to be impermanent, lacking inherently existent self (Mahayanists would say "empty" of self), and unsatisfactory. So as you meditate, you could investigate whether any of your experiences of thoughts, sensations, etc., didn't change (i.e., was permanent). Or whether you can find a "self" in your body or mind. Over months and years of investigating this way, you might come to your own realizations about reality and who we are as living beings. In Vajrayana, folks meditate, as you said, on the samboghakaya forms of buddhas as an immediate way to experience lack of our ordinary sense of self. If you imagine your buddha nature shining fully and dissolving away your ordinary self, you're also realizing that the self we think we are doesn't truly exist. All of this is very profound and is best explored with a teacher, but I hope this helps to clarify the topic! Also, it makes me think this would be a good topic for a future video explaining a bit more.... 🙏
@@ClaireVillarreal I'm very grateful to you for so kindly explaining this. While yes, this does answer the questions I asked, i would still eagerly await your video on the subject of how to meditate upon reality. 🙏🏽
You're most welcome. And basically your question gets to the heart of practice, so it's a good one with no short answer! I've added this topic to my list of videos to make. 🙏
Thank you.
😊
You're most welcome; I hope it's helpful. 💜🙏
Very lucidly explained. So in Samatha, i steady my monkey mind. And use this steadied mind then to focus on a phenomenon of reality and contemplate on the ever-changing characteristics of that phenomenon, and thereby entering into the Vipassana stage.
Is my understanding right?
Hi, Suvarghya Dutta, that's right. Different Buddhist traditions teach different methods for stabilizing the mind on its object and then investigating reality, but they all include both. It's this pairing of samatha and vipassana that's said to lead to awakening. 🙏
@@ClaireVillarreal thank you so much for the time to explain this. 1. Could you just give a few examples of what constitutes 'reality' that one meditates about in Vipassana?
2. Also, the visualization in Vajrayana of the Buddha in his sambhogkaya form, is that also a part of Vipassana meditation?
Yes, actually your two questions are related. First, in a sutra approach to meditating on reality (what you'd find in Theravada meditation and non-Vajrayana Mahayana meditation styles), true reality is described as recognizing the world to be impermanent, lacking inherently existent self (Mahayanists would say "empty" of self), and unsatisfactory. So as you meditate, you could investigate whether any of your experiences of thoughts, sensations, etc., didn't change (i.e., was permanent). Or whether you can find a "self" in your body or mind. Over months and years of investigating this way, you might come to your own realizations about reality and who we are as living beings.
In Vajrayana, folks meditate, as you said, on the samboghakaya forms of buddhas as an immediate way to experience lack of our ordinary sense of self. If you imagine your buddha nature shining fully and dissolving away your ordinary self, you're also realizing that the self we think we are doesn't truly exist.
All of this is very profound and is best explored with a teacher, but I hope this helps to clarify the topic! Also, it makes me think this would be a good topic for a future video explaining a bit more....
🙏
@@ClaireVillarreal I'm very grateful to you for so kindly explaining this. While yes, this does answer the questions I asked, i would still eagerly await your video on the subject of how to meditate upon reality.
🙏🏽
You're most welcome. And basically your question gets to the heart of practice, so it's a good one with no short answer! I've added this topic to my list of videos to make. 🙏