Practice of Theravada Buddhism

Recollection of Buddha | Buddhānusmṛiti

Buddhānusmṛiti (recollection of the Buddha) is the first of a set of up to 10 anusmṛtis (acts of recollection or calling to mind) that are used for both meditative and liturgical purposes. Buddhist practitioners focus their minds on these subjects by reciting a set text or formula listing their salient qualities. The recollection of the Buddha was the most important anusmṛti, eventually becoming an independent

Sati (Sanskrit: smṛti) is mindfulness or awareness, a spiritual or psychological faculty (indriya) that forms an essential part of Buddhist practice. In the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta the term Sati means to maintain awareness of reality, where sense-perceptions are understood to be illusions and thus the true nature of phenomena can be seen. The arising of Sati calls to mind the wholesome dhammas, the attainment of Insight.

Ānāpānasati (Pāḷi; Sanskrit Ānāpānasmṛti), meaning "mindfulness of breathing" ("sati" means mindfulness; "ānāpāna" refers to inhalation and exhalation), is a form of Buddhist meditation originally taught by Gautama Buddha in several Suttas including the Ānāpānasati Sutta. Simply defined, Ānāpānasati is to feel the sensations caused by the movements of the breath in the body as is practiced in the context of mindfulness meditation.

Paṭikkūlamanasikāra is a Pāḷi term that is generally translated as "reflections on repulsiveness". It refers to a traditional Buddhist meditation whereby 32 parts of the body are contemplated in a variety of ways. This type of meditation is traditionally mentioned as an "antidote" to sensual passion. This is also one of the "4 protective meditations. This meditation is used to achieve liberation from suffering.

Friendliness Meditation | Mettabhāvanā

Mettabhāvanā (Śri Laṅka version. Friendliness Meditation (Chanting; given in Pali / English)(based on Paṭisambhidāmagga and Visuddhimagga. - One of the best chants for recitation in Theravada Buddhism to develop Loving Kindness, Friendship and Compassion to all living beings - in one word - Metta in canonical Pali language. The Metta prayer given here in Pali language and parallel English translation.

Mettā - Practice of Universal Love

The Pali word mettā is a multi-significant term meaning loving kindness, friendliness, goodwill, benevolence, fellowship, amity, concord, inoffensiveness and non-violence. Theravada commentators define mettā as the strong wish for the welfare and happiness of others. Essentially mettā is an altruistic attitude of love and friendliness as distinguished from mere amiability based on self-interest. Through mettā one refuses to be offensive and renounces bitterness, resentment and

Five Precepts

Buddha spoke of the advantages of cultivation of the five virtues, which are the Five Precepts, namely: 1) Abstention from killing living beings 2) Abstention from taking what is not given 3) Abstention from sexual misconduct 4) Abstention from telling lies 5) Abstention from partaking of intoxicants. One who has these five virtues lives the home-life with complete self-confidence. • One who has these five

Taking of Refuge | Theravada

‘Śarana’ in Pali means ‘Refuge’ and is defined as ‘a shelter or protection from danger or trouble; a person, thing or course that provides protection’. Theravada Buddhist teachers define ‘śarana’ as follows: If one pays respect or reverence to a certain object or person, and if that act of respect or reverence amounts to a Kuśala kamma (wholesome action), which can save one from the

Maraṇasati | Mindfulness of Death

Maraṇasati (mindfulness of death, death awareness) is a Buddhist meditation practice of remembering (frequently keeping in mind) that death can strike any time. Later Buddhist schools have expanded the meaning of Maraṇasati to include various visualization and contemplation techniques to meditate on the nature of death. The cultivation of Maraṇasati is said to be conducive to Right Effort, a sense of Spiritual Urgency and Renunciation

Brahma Vihāras

The Brahmavihāras (sublime attitudes, lit. "Abodes of Brahma") are a series of 4 Buddhist virtues and the meditation practices made to cultivate them. The Brahma-Vihāras are: 1. loving-kindness or benevolence (maitrī/mettā) 2. compassion (karuṇā) 3. empathetic joy (muditā) 4. equanimity (upekṣā/upekkhā) According to the Metta Sutta, cultivation of the 4 Immeasurables has the power to cause the practitioner to be reborn into a "Brahma Realm"

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