Abstract:
Meditation is the essence of Buddhism which is a practice in which an individual trains
the mind or induces a mode of consciousness. Meditation is part of the path toward
Enlightenment and Nirvana. The closest words for meditation in the classical languages of
Buddhism are bhavana and jhāna / dhyāna. The term meditation refers to a broad variety of
practices that includes techniques designed to promote relaxation, build internal energy or life
force and develop compassion, love, patience, generosity and forgiveness. Buddhist meditation
aims to develop of well-beings mindfulness, supramundane power etc. The
word meditation gives different meanings in different contexts. There are many kinds of
meditation. The two most common and useful types of meditation in Buddhism are
Mindfulness of breathing(Anapanasati) and Loving kindness (mettabhavana). In contrast, the
two most important two bhavana are buddhismsamata and vipassanabhavana. If done sensibly
and correctly, both methods can be life changing. It can improve many aspects of our life
especialsy physical and mental elements. Meditation is often used to clear the mind and ease
many health concerns, such as high blood pressure, depression and anxiety. Meditation may
involve generating an emotional state for the purpose of analyzing that state; such as anger,
hatred, etc. It helps cultivate a particular mental response to various phenomena, such
as compassion. The term "meditation" can refer to the state itself which can be contextualized
as part of the noble eightfold path. This takes into consideration Right mindfulness, Right
concentration and Right view. The English word meditation is derived from the Latin
‘meditation’, from a verb ‘mediatory’ meaning "to think, contemplate, devise etc.” In the Old
Testament hāgâ means to sigh also, to meditate. Apart from its historical usage, the
term meditation was introduced as a translation for Eastern spiritual practices, referred to
as dhyāna in Buddhism and in Hinduism which comes from the Sanskrit root dhyai, meaning
to contemplate or meditate.
