The practice of meditation is central to the Buddhist tradition and is considered to be one of the essential Buddhist practices for reaching enlightenment. History tells us that meditation was a necessary component of the Buddha’s life and his search for liberation from suffering. Rahula (1978 p, 67) argues that the Buddha’s teachings on meditation had the aim of ‘producing a state of perfect mental health, equilibrium and tranquillity’. However, Rahula (1978) also states, that the Buddha’s teachings on meditation were the most misunderstood of all his teachings. Although the origins of meditation are not easy to trace, Friedlander (2002 p. 37) suggests that they may predate proto-history. There are varying methods of meditation practice found in different cultures and the western and eastern concepts of meditation vary greatly. For this reason, Friedlander (2002, p. 15) argues that ‘we may need to explore the meaning of meditation within the context that it is found’. This essay will explore the meaning of meditation and discuss the relationship between meditation, prayer and ritual.

Meditation is an ancient, personal spiritual practice which has evolved from early Indian culture and it may be plausible to suggest that the practice of meditation developed from the ecstatic trances associated with shamanistic religions (Friedlander 2002). There are various techniques of meditation such as breath control, mantras and single-pointed concentration. Meditation is a practice which has had many misunderstandings associated with it. For example, many believe meditation is a way to escape daily activity and envision solitary monks sitting for years in caves cut off from society. Rahula (1978 p.68) argues that true Buddhist meditation does not mean this kind of escape and suggests that meditation is ‘mental development’ with the aim of ‘cleansing the mind of impurities and disturbances’. McDonald (2005 p. 6) suggests that, meditation is an activity of mental consciousness’ which involves ‘one part of the mind observing, analysing, and dealing with the rest of the mind’. Therefore, it becomes clear that meditation is a mental activity, concerned with caring for the mind by looking at both its negative and positive aspects.

One of the difficulties which arise when trying to come to a consensus on the definition of meditation is that the practice has different meanings for different people. For example, the western view of meditation focuses on physical and mental wellbeing and is based on the notion that the practice will improve one’s life in the material world. This contrasts with the eastern concept of meditation which has a more spiritual aspect to it. The eastern concept of this practice places greater emphasis on meditation as a means to enlightenment and liberation from the cycle of birth, death and rebirth. The origins of this confusion may be found in translation of eastern terms into English. For example, words such as samādhi, dhyānā and bhāvāna. These words are often translated as meditation, however, these terms mean much more in their original language (Friedlander 2002). For example, the Pali word bhāvāna is often used for meditation; however, Rahula (1978 p, 68) argues that the translation is ‘a very poor substitute for the original term bhāvāna which means ‘culture’ or ‘development’. A similar problem arises with the terms samādhi, and dhyānā which have multiple meanings and to translate them as meditation simplifies the more complex meanings of the words and only serves to cause more confusion as to what Buddhist meditation involves.

Buddhist practice also involves the recitation of prayers which complement the practice of meditation. Lewis (2006) agues that ‘Buddhist prayer is a practice to awaken our inherent inner capacities of strength, compassion and wisdom rather than to petition external forces based on fear’. Prayer has an important role in the Buddhist tradition because it is believed to produce a deep spiritual connection and prayers recited verbally or mentally, help to bring about a state of mind conducive to meditation. McDonald (2005 p. 170) suggests that Buddhist prayers ‘serve as a reminder for what we are trying to achieve and actually help create the cause for whatever we are praying for to occur in the future’. Meditation sessions within the Buddhist tradition usually begin and end with the recitation of prayers and these prayers serve as an expression of the positive intention one has for undertaking the meditation session.

The tradition of Buddhism incorporates many rituals into daily practice and Friedlander (2002 p. 35) suggests that there may be a connection between external Vedic ritual and the Yogic tradition of meditation and argues that meditation can be likened to an internalised form of sacrificial ritual. Rituals associated with Buddhism aim to bring merit to oneself and others and to facilitate enlightenment. The Mahayana tradition, and in particular Tibetan Buddhism, uses many ritual and devotional practices such as mantras and mudras. Mantras are sacred sounds which are chanted repeatedly as part of meditation practice. These mantras are believed to represent the power of particular deities and are used as protective rites. Mudras are symbolic hand gestures and are used in meditation to evoke the image of a particular Buddha or deity. Special rituals to evoke deities and to destroy the ego are common within Buddhism and, along with meditation and prayer, play an important role in the tradition.

In conclusion, meditation has different meanings for different cultures and eastern and western views on meditation differ. The western view has a greater emphasis on improving ones ‘worldly’ situation. Whereas, the eastern concept is based more on a spiritual level and is concerned with gaining enlightenment. For these reasons the meaning of Buddhism may need to be looked at in the context that it is found. In addition to this, Buddhism incorporates prayer and ritual into daily practice. Meditation sessions begin and end with the recitation of prayers which produce a deep spiritual connection. Ritual also plays an important role within Buddhism as it is believed that incorporating rituals into daily practice produces merit and facilitates enlightenment. Therefore, meditation, prayer and ritual all play an important and complementary role within the Buddhist Tradition.

Bibliography

Friedlander, P 2002, Buddhist Meditation Traditions, REL22 Study Guide, Latrobe University.

Lewis, G 2006, Prayer in Buddhism, viewed 11 September 2007, http://buddhistfaith.tripod.com/pureland_sangha/id41.html

McDonald, K 2005, How to meditate: a practical guide: Wisdom Publications, Boston.

Rahula, W 1978, ‘Meditation or mental culture: bhāvāna’. In What the Buddha Taught: The Gordon Fraser Gallery, London, pages 67-75.

Religion Facts 2004-2007, viewed 9 September 2007, http://www.religionfacts.com/buddhism/