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Dinesh

Dinesh club

Posted: 08 Jun 2022

Taken: 07 Jun 2022

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BUDDHISM •
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Damien Keown •
Buddha Blog •

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The Buddha meditating

The Buddha meditating
This massive sculpture shows the Buddha Amida meditating the lotus posture with hands resting in his lap. Amida Buddha, Kamakura, Japan, AD 13th Century
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 Dinesh
Dinesh club
The importance of meditation in Buddhism can be appreciated by recalling that it was while meditating that the Buddha gained enlightenment. The image of the Buddha seated cross-legged in meditation is one of the most popular theme in Buddhist art, and a constant reminder of the close association between meditation and enlightenment. Virtually all schools of Buddhism see meditation as the high road to enlightenment, and it constitutes a major part of the ‘experimental’ dimension of Buddhism as a religion. In spite of its centrality to the tradition, however, and up to the last century at least, meditation has been a virtuoso practice limited to monks and nuns, and even then only to a minority. Most monks and nuns will spend more time in ritual activity like chanting texts than they do practicing meditation. The central practice of Buddhist lay-folk down the centuries has been ethical conduct through the keeping of vows and the making of merit through charitable offerings directed to the ‘Sangha’. However, recent decades have seen an increase in interest in meditation among lay practitioners in both Asia and the West. ~ Page 96

BUDDHISM
2 years ago. Edited 2 years ago.

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