Private: Learn Buddhism 1

Lesson one: The Practice of Dhyana (Meditation)

Instructions:

Complete the reading, ‘The Practice of Meditation’ by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche; you can download the reading below. You can then work through the Investigations, watch the videos and work through the exercises.

Note: You can also download the lesson’s investigations and exercises in the tab above.

Introduction:

Buddhism is something you do, not only something you study. What we ‘do’ in Buddhism is meditation. Meditation can be a vague term, particularly for those of us from cultures that aren’t taught about it within our own cultural settings. In Buddhism, meditation is defined. The Sanskrit word for meditation is Dhyana and what we are going to learn is Dhyana. We will set out with the basic instructions given in this lessons reading to establish a sitting practice.

Reading:

Download: The Practice of Meditation by Trungpa Rinpoche

Investigations:

What does leading a good life mean to you? Are specific attitudes influencing your opinions and potentially causing challenges in your meditation practice? And how do these attitudes, if any, impact your daily life?

How do we encourage a sense of being?

What do you think Trungpa Rinpoche means by being in contact?

What do you think may prevent oneself from being there or being present?

What do you think Trungpa Rinpoche means by – ‘on the way’ and ‘at the destination’ simultaneously?

One should try not to suppress thoughts in meditation, but just try to see their transitory nature, their translucent nature’ (Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche).

Exercise:

Making a commitment to practice.

Being meditation practice.
Follow the guidelines provided by Trungpa Rinpoche and create a daily practice. Set aside an achievable amount of time to dedicate to meditation practice daily. For example 2 hours is great, but may be a little challenging to maintain. 20 minutes may be more achievable for you. Make a commitment and stick to it. Daily.

Deepening your practice
‘As you exhale, follow the breath outward. Try to actually identify with it rather than just watching it. The in-breath naturally follows when the lungs are empty; just let it happen without particularly paying attention to it.’ (Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche)

Exercise questions

What would the difference be between watching the breath and identifying with it? Why do you think the out-breath is emphasised?

Watch:

Introduction to Dhyana (Meditation) series by Dzongsar Khyentse.

Instruction

For the next five days, watch each video and then follow it with a mediation session, 20 minutes in length, following the instructions given in this lessons reading by Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche.