| A common misconception regarding Buddhist | | | | enriching one's personal and social life. The mind is the |
| meditation is that it is the same as practicing Buddhism, | | | | centre of the human existence and Buddhism |
| probably because of the nature of the practice and its | | | | preaches about how the mind can be used to attain |
| origins. However Buddhist meditation is based on the | | | | peace and a sense of oneness with the almighty. Thus |
| doctrines of the religion Buddhism and revolves around | | | | certain mind exercises were designed which were |
| mind control and concentration. | | | | meant to release the mind from the shackles of |
| Buddhism in itself really is a way of life which is based | | | | human frailties. These mind exercises in time came to |
| on the teachings of Lord Buddha. Because of the high | | | | be known as Buddhist meditation. |
| level of concentration that is required in Buddhist | | | | Most people associate meditation as a means to |
| meditation, it is often misunderstood or is mistaken to | | | | achieving spirituality. While spirituality does comprise of |
| be a kind of hypnotic trance. | | | | meditation to a large extent, it is not totally dependant |
| Lord Buddha preached about the "eight noble truth's" | | | | or restricted to it. Buddhist meditation along with other |
| which formed the crux of Buddhism. He spoke about | | | | forms of meditation is often misunderstood in this |
| how desire and cravings were the cause of most | | | | regard. Meditation, Buddhist included is a form of |
| human misery and suffering, and that by exercising | | | | releasing the mind thereby relaxing the body. It in no |
| control and discipline of the mind a person can improve | | | | way makes a holy man out of a killer! |
| the quality of his life. | | | | Buddhist meditation is quite similar to other forms of |
| Human nature is fraught with temptations of the flesh | | | | meditation. The difference lies in the preaching's and |
| and the material world. Lord Buddha understood this, | | | | principle's behind practicing the Buddhist form of |
| but he also understood and recognized the power of | | | | meditation, which aims at ultimately getting rid of all |
| the mind and thus advocated meditation as a means | | | | human afflictions through meditation and achieving a |
| to strengthen the mind. The fourth noble truth in fact is | | | | state of Nirvana. |
| where Buddhist meditation finds its origins. It involves | | | | Meditation is a personal journey on the path to |
| using meditation as a means to strengthen the mind | | | | fulfillment which culminates in the ultimate blend of the |
| and thereby getting rid of all desire and cravings. The | | | | mind and the soul. It should not matter which form of |
| Noble Eightfold Path preached by Lord Buddha were | | | | meditation one chooses, what matters instead is the |
| his interpretations of life and the lessons that govern | | | | faith and conviction behind practicing it. |