Using blindfolds for meditation?

[ChooChoo]

Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

[Ceisiwr]

I've never come across it. Personally I just close my eyes.

[ChooChoo]

I saw a pic of what looked like Monks meditating with blindfolds on. I was just curious about it as I have no background info about the picture. Was wondering if anyone ever saw such a thing.

[Dhammanando]

Has anyone ever heard of such a thing?

I've heard that it's something the Tibetans sometimes do, but I don't know why and I doubt the Buddha would have been much impressed:

The Blessed One then asked: “Uttara, does the brahmin Pārāsariya teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”

“He does, Master Gotama.”

“But, Uttara, how does he teach his disciples the development of the faculties?”

“Here, Master Gotama, one does not see forms with the eye, one does not hear sounds with the ear. That is how the brahmin Pārāsariya teaches his disciples the development of the faculties.”

“If that is so, Uttara, then a blind man and a deaf man will have developed faculties, according to what the brahmin Pārāsariya says. For a blind man does not see forms with the eye, and a deaf man does not hear sounds with the ear.”

When this was said, the brahmin student Uttara, Pārāsariya’s pupil, sat silent, dismayed, with shoulders drooping and head down, glum, and without response.

Indriyabhāvanā Sutta, MN 152

[Volo]

I've heard that it's something the Tibetans sometimes do, but I don't know why and I doubt the Buddha would have been much impressed:

I think it's done only during some elaborated tannic empowerment. As far as I remember the idea is that a not yet initiated person is not allowed to see the sacred mandala therefore they use blindfolds, which are removed when the person is initiated. It symbolizes removing of ignorance.

[Srilankaputra]

This is interesting ;

Another version of this encounter is recorded in SN 7:9.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans on the bank of the River Sundarika. And on that occasion, the brahman Sundarika Bhāradvāja was offering a fire sacrifice and performing a fire oblation on the bank of the River Sundarika. Then, having offered the fire sacrifice and performed the fire oblation, he got up from his seat and looked around to the four directions, (thinking,) “Who should eat the remains of the offering?” He saw the Blessed One sitting not far away at the root of a tree with his head covered. On seeing him, he took the remains of the offering in his left hand and his water-pot in his right, and went to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, at the sound of the brahman Sundarika Bhāradvāja’s footsteps, uncovered his head

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/StNp/StNp3_4.html

[Volo]

This is interesting ;

Another version of this encounter is recorded in SN 7:9.

I have heard that on one occasion the Blessed One was staying among the Kosalans on the bank of the River Sundarika. And on that occasion, the brahman Sundarika Bhāradvāja was offering a fire sacrifice and performing a fire oblation on the bank of the River Sundarika. Then, having offered the fire sacrifice and performed the fire oblation, he got up from his seat and looked around to the four directions, (thinking,) “Who should eat the remains of the offering?” He saw the Blessed One sitting not far away at the root of a tree with his head covered. On seeing him, he took the remains of the offering in his left hand and his water-pot in his right, and went to the Blessed One. Then the Blessed One, at the sound of the brahman Sundarika Bhāradvāja’s footsteps, uncovered his head

https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/KN/StNp/StNp3_4.html

I think here covering of the eyes is not intended. The brahmin couldn't see only the Buddha's head hair, and couldn't conclude that it is an ascetic (with shaved head) who is in front of him, not a brahmin worthy of receiving the offerings from the puja.

[Aloka]

I've heard that it's something the Tibetans sometimes do, but I don't know why and I doubt the Buddha would have been much impressed:

That's part of an empowerment ritual at the link - and not something one is normally taught to do when meditating. When I learned about Tibetan Buddhist meditation, I was taught to meditate with eyes relaxed and half open and looking downwards towards the nose.

[ChooChoo]

Thanks for the replies. Not sure but that does looks similar to the Photo I saw. Interesting. Like I said in the the other thread, Tibetan Buddhism is very colorful.

[Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta]

kanni (Moung Htaung Myay Zinn) method








http://burmadhamma.blogspot.com/2017/02 ... f.html?m=1

In April 2009, Sayadaw*** left Sri Lanka for Australia to promote and spread the Buddha’s teachings. He is currently the Abbot of Kabaraye Buddhist Monastery in Endeavour Hills (ex Noble Park), VIC. Sayadaw conducts classes in the Kanni meditation method both in Burmese and English.

http://www.abkm.info/News_and_Events.html
***a student of the kanni method

Now, in recent years, first we saw Pa Auk Sayadaw and now Mong Htaung Myay Zin Tawya Sayadaw, who went even further to train Yogi for a period of 60 days to attain the ability to tour the Deva and Brahma world and for some to eradicate any illnesses in the body of a Yogi. There is a revival of the old Samatha based Vipassana method known to most meditation Yogi’s as Kanni method.

http://www.acejaw.net/Buddha/Article/MongHtaungYogi.pdf

[ChooChoo]

Interesting. I wonder if they were meditating outside in direct sunlight? What are the benefits of blindfolds? Burmese are really big on coming up with different techniques. Thanks for sharing that.

[Sabbe_Dhamma_Anatta]

By legend (or ? history), The kanni method was brought from Sri Lanka to Burma through a Tibetan monk (reported to be Theravadan), and it is said that the method may be in some connection with Ledi, Webu, Pa-Auk etc. May be i can elaborate on that later.