Meditation Is For Everyone

I wrote up some fliers for 481 today. I'm going to put them up at work and some other places around town where I think interested people may take notice. It was kind of a struggle to find the right words for this flier. When I first started this group, someone said that because I identified it with "Buddhist" meditation I might, in fact, scare some folks away. He pointed out that while some people may be interested in "meditation" in a generic sort of way, a lot of them have no interest whatsoever in actual Buddhism.

That's fine, and I understand that. But I practice Buddhist meditation, which is different from Hindu or Christian meditation. No one has to give up their beliefs or form new ones in order to participate. The Buddha didn't create a system of ethics and concentration, he DISCOVERED one. He found the most practical path to personal liberation. It has nothing to do with gods and goddesses or holy and unholy. It has to do with one thing and one thing only: suffering and the way to end it.

I get that there are people that would like to learn about and practice meditation without having to become Buddhist. I would never encourage anyone to convert. The fact that this meditation is technically "Buddhist" doesn't mean that you become one when you start doing it. That's like saying you stop being a Christian when you begin studying physics.

"Dharma" is an ancient word that's often translated as "the teachings of the Buddha" but it originated long before Siddhartha Gotama came along. A better translation would be "ultimate truth" or "the way things are." It is not partisan. It does not relate to the Buddha's teachings; rather, his teachings relate to it.

When antiseptics were discovered, no one believed they would have to convert to a different religion to enjoy the benefits. Antiseptics kill germs that could cause infection, suffering and even death in humans. They are impersonal. They work because it is their nature to work. They are effective for Muslims, Mormons, Catholics, Protestants and everyone else. They aren't rendered ineffective because someone happens to be Jewish.

The Dharma is the same way. If you practice it, it will work. It doesn't matter what your so-called "spiritual" beliefs are. Buddhist meditation is a tool. It is meant to be used as a means to unlock salvation the same way a hammer and chisel will unlock a sculpture from a lump of stone. It has much to do with faith but little to do with belief. I have read many accounts of rabbis, priests and imams involved with Buddhist meditation. Almost all of them state that they are not Buddhists but the techniques are salubrious beyond a shadow of a doubt. These forward-thinkers urge others to give it try, regardless of their religion. They scoff at the notion of strict, sectarian boundaries. They realize that meditation can make them better rabbis, priests and imams, despite what the benighted masses may believe.

In the flier I printed, I ended up using the word "nondenominational" to describe the group. Normally, that's a word I avoid as being too terminally wishy-washy for usage. But in this case it seems to fit. I practice Vipassana meditation as taught mainly in the Theravada lineage of Buddhism. But the other guy I practice with, the only person that consistently shows up, is more into Zen. So while I'm sitting there doing my Vipassana shit, he's sitting next to me doing zazen. Eventually, if more people start coming, there may be several of us doing Vipassana while others practice Tantra techniques while still more are doing zazen. It doesn't matter. These are all facets of the same diamond. We all have the same goal in mind, which is to ease our suffering and live better, more compassionate and happier lives. You don't have to believe everything the Buddha said to do this. You don't even have to believe that the Buddha was a real person. You only have to be willing to take the first step and sit down on the cushion. You must have faith that the practice will give you the courage to face yourself. If it doesn't, try something else. If it does, keep doing it, and, I guarantee you'll become a better Christian, or Muslim, or Jew, or Zoroastrian, or, heaven forbid, Buddhist. You will become a better PERSON, and that's all that really matters.