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From: mayne@vsserv.scri.fsu.edu (William (Bill) Mayne)
Newsgroups: soc.religion.eastern
Subject: Re: Meditation
Message-ID: <1990Nov1.013744.3828@nas.nasa.gov>
Date: 1 Nov 90 01:37:44 GMT
References: <1990Oct31.063824.13640@nas.nasa.gov>
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In article <1990Oct31.063824.13640@nas.nasa.gov> hugh@chook.ua.oz.au (Hugh Garsden) writes:
>
>I have read that there are two kinds of Buddhist meditation, one where
>you focus the mind on the breath, the other where you don't concentrate
>on anything, but empty the mind (that right?).

The usual distinction of two types of meditation in Buddhism is
"samatha" (concentration) and "vipassana" (insight). The breath
can be an object of concentration or attention in either type.
I don't know of any Buddhist meditation practices where you
simply empty the mind. But this could be a matter of description
rather than a substantive difference. Or else it may refer to some
practice I don't know. (The Zen practice of "shikan tasa" (sp?)
may be what is described as emptying the mind. I'll leave any
description of that to those more qualitified.)

The breath, though a very common object of meditation in Buddhism 
(as well as other traditions) in not so important as to define a 
whole type of meditation. Many other objects are also used.

The difference between samatha and vipassana is sometimes subtle,
since a certain amount of concentration is needed for vipassana.
Some teach cultivating samatha first, then using concentration as
a tool to develop insight. Some teach development of both together.
And some teach vipassana right away, claiming to by-pass samatha
practice. The latter description is a little misleading, though,
since some concentration is necessary. In fact the most common
vipassana practice is observation of the breath, but without
excluding other thoughts or sensations. Samatha may likewise
center on the breath. Do you see the subtle difference? Unless the
meditator is quite advanced he or she won't be able to completely
exclude other thoughts even if attempting samatha. And the
vipassana meditator does apply effort not to just let the mind
wander, using the breath as a home base.

The thing that everyone agrees on is that the goal of Buddhist 
meditation (short of the ultimate goal of enlightenment) is insight, 
literally clearly seeing the nature of things as unsatisfactory (dukkha),
impermanent (anicca), and without soul or self (anatta).

Theravada teachers in modern times tend to emphasize vipassana,
partly because it is very difficult for anyone with the distractions
of lay life to develop samatha fully. But I know that some Tibetan
schools recognize the same distinction of samatha and vipassana and
teach both. Zen Buddhists don't use the terms samatha and vipassana.
It is not clear to me if they make a distinction using different
descriptions or not. A Zen monk familiar with Theravada teaching
described his zazen practice as being closer to vipassana. But they 
tend to be less concerned with any theory or description of practice.

>So, to put it bluntly: which is better?
>Does one provide faster progress than the other?
>Are there even any criteria that can be used to claim that one is
>"better" than the other? So do they have a different function?

That's a very hard and subjective question. The best thing is to
find a teacher you trust and get some individual guidance. Both
are good. My own feeling is that some mix is needed, with the exact
mix depending on the individual and to some extentent on the
availability of teaching and support. Unless it is firmly embedded in
some spiritual framework concentration is just a mental skill
which can be used for good or bad. Insight on the other hand is
the really important and beneficial thing.

>Hugh Garsden
>University of Adelaide
>hugh@cs.adelaide.edu.au

Bill Mayne
Florida State University
mayne@nu.cs.fsu.edu