Question 80: WHEN SHOULD ONE USE CONTEMPLATION OF TRUTHS OR MORAL TEACHINGS, AND WHEN SHOULD ONE USE PHYSIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES?

Question 80: WHEN SHOULD ONE USE CONTEMPLATION OF TRUTHS OR MORAL TEACHINGS, AND WHEN SHOULD ONE USE PHYSIOLOGICAL TECHNIQUES?Answer: The method of contemplating truths or moral teachings can be practiced both during seated meditation and in everyday life. Especially when practitioners start attaining mindfulness, they must remain humble, reminding themselves that they are still ordinary beings burdened with ignorance and sin. Theyshould avoid admiring or indulging in the sensation of mindfulness itself. Upon experiencing a mindful state, many practitioners become attached to it and abandon their original practice to enjoy this state of mind. Unfortunately, this attachment then causes them to lose mindfulness and revert to their previous disturbed state of mind. Practitioners should choose contemplative themes that are most appropriate for their current state of mind, aiming to enhance mindfulness. Once a chosen theme has been deeply understood and internalized, they should move on to another theme to address deeper attachments or misconceptions in the mind. After working through all the themes, one ultimate theme remains to be held continuously: “Deep within this mind, ignorance and sin still persist.”While seated in the full lotus posture without moving, practitioners can apply specifictechniques, such as focusing attention on the lower abdomen (Dan Tian acupoint), observing the breath, or maintaining a gentle and subtle breathing rhythm. These techniques can also be practiced when lying down with the body completely still. However, such techniques are less effective when the body is in motion, as they are just specifically suitable for states of physical stillness. Meditation techniques of Concentration (Samatha) do not involve contemplating any specific truths or moral teachings; they are merely technical methods to calm the mind, reduce wandering thoughts, and prolong this tranquility until the mind enters a deeper state of concentration. Meanwhile, the practice of Contemplation (Vipassana) initially helps cultivate mindfulness. However, this mindfulness can be further supported by techniques of Concentration (Samatha) later to guide the mind into deeper states of concentration. #Religions, #Buddhism, #DialogueBuddhismReligions, #Religious, #Buddhist, #Truedharma, #Meditation, #Enlightement, #Buddhatemple, #TheLawofKarma, #BuddhismforBeginners, #Janna, #JannaOrderMonastery,