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Tirisilex
24 September 2011, 01:42 PM
Whats the purpose of meditating? I mean.. Whats the Goal? For example in Buddhism there is Shamatha and Vipassana Meditations.. Shamatha is Calming the mind and Vipassana is insight recognizing the nature of phenomena (Being empty) Christian Mystics meditate to relax the mind so that they can hear the voice of God. Soo.. What is the direction of Hindu Meditation? Is it only to calm the mind like in Shamatha?

Mana
24 September 2011, 02:25 PM
Namasté Tirisilex,

Once the mind is clear; we are better able to see our reality through citta, the motion of samsara does not stop but we are better able to navigate it and it does become calmer in that our wake is reduced, in doing this we imbue our reality with sattva. This infiltrates into our daily lives between meditations, in all that we do and say.
In meditation we have the tool to uproot deep influences within our karma; thus time is affected.

We can assist our meditation by imbuing our actions, thought, and speech with sattva. In order to calm citta from the outside.

There is an in extricable link between our mind and your perceived reality, meditation can help you to realise that. In doing so you may know your God and thus resonate with that.


praNAma

mana

Eastern Mind
24 September 2011, 03:40 PM
Whats the purpose of meditating? I mean.. Whats the Goal? For example in Buddhism there is Shamatha and Vipassana Meditations.. Shamatha is Calming the mind and Vipassana is insight recognizing the nature of phenomena (Being empty) Christian Mystics meditate to relax the mind so that they can hear the voice of God. Soo.. What is the direction of Hindu Meditation? Is it only to calm the mind like in Shamatha?

Vannakkam Tirisilex: The final purpose of meditation is Self-Realiisation, the merging with Brahman, moksha, the goal of Sanatana Dharma. Other wise it's not meditation in the truest sense.

Meditation is not a beginning step. In order for it to be successful in this way, it has to be preceded by yama, niyama, etc.

Aum Namasivaya

Kismet
24 September 2011, 06:57 PM
Whats the purpose of meditating? I mean.. Whats the Goal? For example in Buddhism there is Shamatha and Vipassana Meditations.. Shamatha is Calming the mind and Vipassana is insight recognizing the nature of phenomena (Being empty) Christian Mystics meditate to relax the mind so that they can hear the voice of God. Soo.. What is the direction of Hindu Meditation? Is it only to calm the mind like in Shamatha?

I don't know what different Hindu sects think specifically, but a good starting point to begin with is "you are what you think of most." I think Vivekananda used to mention this. Practically speaking it makes sense, a thought, becomes a habit, habit action, action character, etc. Applied to the idea of "purpose" or directionality, I'd say it would then entail becoming the best possible you. Not in any narcissistic sense, but in a wholesome, full sense.

yajvan
24 September 2011, 07:23 PM
hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté


Is it only to calm the mind like in Shamatha?
This is a side benefit... calmess - samāna - eveness, smooth; samaṃ - to make equal , balance.

So what then is the goal ? the stabilization of turīya - the 4th. This we consider brahman. We wish to become completely immersed in this. So every second of the day in wake , dream and sleep this turīya is our awareness. It is meditation that cultures this ability.

praṇām