Walking meditation vs breath meditation:

[SarathW]

Walking meditation vs breath meditation:

After the comments made by Mike in the following post, I thought that we have a further discussion about this topic.

Mike said:

My understanding is that neither walking or focussing on the details of the breath, or motion of the abdomen, will lead to an absorption-type jhana, if that's what you mean. It seem that a stable, "conceptual" object is required for that level of concentration. However, absorbed jhana is not the aim of this mode of practice. The aim is the momentary concentration on the arising and vanishing of objects as in the sutta extracts I quoted above: http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 40#p321631. Jhanic concentration "that, when developed & pursued, leads to a pleasant abiding in the here & now" is covered in the part of AN 4.41 that I didn't quote.

http://www.dhammawheel.com/viewtopic.ph ... 9&start=60

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My understanding is walking meditation has it's limit. (it is more of a mindfulness (Samma Sati) practice, which will not lead to Samma Samadhi.
However breath meditation can lead all the way to Nirodha Samapatti.

[mikenz66]

Hi Sarath,

My understanding is walking meditation has it's limit. (it is more of a mindfulness (Samma Sati) practice, which will not lead to Samma Samadhi.
However breath meditation can lead all the way to Nirodha Samapatti.

As far as I understand it, approaches like Mahasi and Goenka are, indeed develping sati. They are also designed to develop insight (leading to right view). They are not so much aiming for jhana. All factors of the 8-fold path are, of course, necessary for the final goal of Arahantship, but the order in which they are developed can vary. See, for example, AN 4.94 Samadhi Sutta: Concentration (Tranquillity and Insight), so the fact that some practice does not develop jhana is somewhat irrelevant. After all, neither breath nor walking meditation develop right speech...

How far "breath meditation" goes in terms of the development of concentration seems to depend on exactly how it is carried out. If it is focussed on the ever-changing details of the breath it is similar to walking. Most teachers who teach some sort of deep jhana focus on more stable, conceptual aspects of the breath and/or switch to some sort of concentration nimitta. And, of course there are other possible objects for deep jhana.

I don't understand how Nirodha Samapatti would depend particularly on what objects are used for jhana. As I recall they involve a progression though the immaterial objects (infinite space, etc).


Mike

[SarathW]

Thanks Mike.