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March 14, 2004
Review: Meditate your way to happiness
THIS paperback of 221 pages is edited by Renuka Singh, who comes from a Sikh family but turned to Buddhism because of “its scientific approach and openness of mind”. Renuka Singh has a doctorate in Sociology, and is currently an associate professor at the Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University and also the Directory of Tushita Mahayana Meditation Centre, New Delhi. The book has 17 chapters written by some leading scholars of Buddhism, including one by Dalai Lama. Each chapter is self sufficient and can be read in any order and some also deal with contemporary problems of violence and pollution. As Buddhism is a mind-centred philosophy many articles relate to the working of the mind.
In the introduction Renuka Singh gives a brief insight into the Buddhist history. Buddhism has existed for the roughly 2,500 years and extended from its home in India to the large parts of Central Asia, Southeast Asia and the Far East. This expansion was not spearheaded by wars and invasions but by the message of love and non-violence expounded by the Buddhist teachers. I think this approach is reminiscent of the Sufi saints who spread Islam in the subcontinent also by non-violent means.
The Buddhists believe that the Buddha was an “enlightened” human being. Enlightenment is regarded as the pinnacle of mental development, which can be attained by any human being. However, this task can be very arduous and requires great discipline and self-sacrifice. The Buddha projected himself only as a teacher, with the sole purpose of showing the path leading to peace, happiness and ultimately enlightenment.
The main tenets of Buddhism are quite simple. A Buddhist is required to follow five precepts. These are: 1) abstention from taking life; 2) abstention from telling lies; 3) abstention from stealing; 4) abstention from sexual misconduct; and 5) abstention from taking intoxicants. By not following these precepts, negative Karma is created, which hurts the person and leads to suffering. The precepts for the monks are many more, as their goal is much higher than that of a lay person. Dalai Lama in his article points out that Buddhist ethics are essentially secular and not based on religious dogma. The follower is required to use his intelligence to decide, what is wrong or right, in a given situation, but remembering that negative emotions, like hatred, always lead to suffering. In this respect he states that, “one should not rely even on Buddha’s sayings”. The Buddhas (many are born with the passage of time) only show the way.
Meditation, which is the practical arm of Buddhism, is discussed in the book. Briefly, there are two types of meditation — Samatha and Vipassana. In Samatha one concentrates on a single point or an object. The Buddhist way is to concentrate on one’s breath, and feel its coming and going. Using this simple technique one can meditate anytime and anywhere. After some time the mind becomes tranquil and a trance like state is induced. The more one repeats this process the better and easier it becomes. Repetition is therefore the key to becoming a good meditator.
In Vipassana meditation one observes the thoughts as they appear and disappear, taking a non-judgmental view of them. This is a form of psychoanalysis, which gives access to one’s subconscious. This practice also creates what the Buddhists call mindfulness. It is claimed that mindfulness is very useful in day to day living and prevents us from taking irrational steps.
There are a number of variations to the meditative techniques. For example the meditative use of mantras and other word of religious connotation. Meditation is now practised widely both by Buddhists and the non-Buddhist all over the world and this is the main contribution which Buddhism has made to human society.
The Path of the Buddha — Writings on Contemporary Buddhism
Edited by Renuka Singh
Penguin India. For more information log on to
www.penguinbooksindia.com
ISBN 0-14-303037-X
221pp. Indian Rs250
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