Meditative practice lies at the heart of the Buddhist tradition. This introductory anthology gives a representative sample of the various kinds of meditations described in the earliest body of Buddhist scripture, the Pali canon. It provides a broad introduction to their traditional context and practice and supplies explanation, context and doctrinal background to the subject of meditation. The main themes of the book are the diversity and flexibility of the way that the Buddha teaches meditation from the evidence of the canon. Covering fundamental features of Buddhist practice such as posture, lay meditation, and meditative technique and providing comments both from the principal early commentators on Buddhist practice, Upatissa and Buddhaghosa, and from reputable modern meditation teachers in a number of Theravadin traditions, this is the first book on Pali Buddhism which introduces the reader to the wide range of the canon. It should be of interest to students and scholars of Buddhism as well as Buddhist practitioners.
Buddhist Meditation An Anthology of Texts from the Pali Canon, Sarah Shaw, Routledge, Hardcover, 238 Pages, $149.95
Description
Meditative practice lies at the heart of the Buddhist tradition. This
introductory anthology gives a representative sample of the various
kinds of meditations described in the earliest body of Buddhist
scripture, the Pali canon.
It provides a broad introduction to their traditional context and
practice and supplies explanation, context and doctrinal background to
the subject of meditation. The main themes of the book are the diversity
and flexibility of the way that the Buddha teaches meditation from the
evidence of the canon. Covering fundamental features of Buddhist
practice such as posture, lay meditation, and meditative technique it
provides comments both from the principal early commentators on Buddhist
practice, Upatissa and Buddhaghosa, and from reputable modern
meditation teachers in a number of Theravadin traditions.
This is the first book on Pali Buddhism which introduces the reader
to the wide range of the canon. It demonstrates that the Buddha's
meditative tradition still offers a path of practice as mysterious,
awe-inspiring yet as freshly accessible as it was centuries ago, and
will be of interest to students and scholars of Buddhism as well as
Buddhist practitioners.
Contents
Acknowledgements. Preface. Abbreviations 1. Introduction: What is
Meditation? 2. Meditation: Introductory Texts 3. The Five Hindrances
4. Longer Texts: Concentration and the Fruits of Recluseship: The
Samannaphala Sutta 5. Longer Texts: The Four Foundations of
Mindfulness: The Satipannhana Sutta 6. The Ten Devices (Kasina) 7. The
Ten Foulnesses (Asubha) 8. The Ten Recollections: Six Recollections
(Anussati) 9. The Ten Recollections: Four Mindfulnesses (Sati) 10. The
Four Divine Abidings (Brahmavihara) 11. Meditation on the Formless
(Arupasamapatti) 12. The Perception of Loathsomeness in Food (Ahare
Patikkulasanna) Conclusion: Sila, Samadhi and Panna. Bibliography.
Translators Note. Glossary. Canonical References. Index
Sarah Shaw read Greek and English at Manchester
University, where she took a doctorate in English. She studied Pali at
Oxford, and is on the steering committee of the Oxford Centre for
Buddhist Studies. She is a mother, teacher and writer. She practises
with the Samatha Association of Britain.
Contents
Acknowledgements
Preface
Abbreviations
1. Introduction
i. What is meditation?
ii. The early manuals
iii. The classification of meditation objects
iv. Different temperaments
v. Finding a teacher or `good friend�
vi. Lay people and the practice of meditation
vii. Sitting posture
viii. Samatha and Vipassana
Chapter 2
Meditation: introductory texts
Chapter 3
The five hindrances
Chapter 4
Longer Texts:
Concentration and the fruits of recluseship: the Samannaphala Sutta
Chapter 5
Longer Texts:
The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: the Satipannhana Sutta
Chapter 6
(1�10) The ten devices (kasina)
Chapter 7
(11�20) The ten foulnesses (asubha)
Chapter 8
(21�30) The ten recollections: six recollections (anussati)
(21�3) The Triple Gem
(21) The recollection of the Buddha (Buddhanussati)
(22) The recollection of the dhamma (dhammanussati)
(23) The recollection of the sangha (sanghanussati)
The recollection of virtue (silanussati)
The recollection of generosity (caganussati)
The recollection of devas (devatanussati)
Groups of recollections
Chapter 9
The ten recollections: four mindfulnesses (sati)
Mindfulness of death (maranasati)
Mindfulness of the body (kayagatasati)
Mindfulness of breathing (anapanasati)
The recollection of peace (upasamanussati)
Chapter 10
(31-34) The four divine abidings (brahmavihara)
Chapter 11
(35-38) Meditation on the formless (arupasamapatti)
Chapter 12
(39) The perception of loathsomeness in food (Ahare patikkulasanna)
(40) The defining of the four elements (Catudhatuvavatthana)
Conclusion: sila, samadhi and panna
Bibliography
Translator�s note
Glossary
[Canonical references]
Index
