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Meditation and the Principles for Training Body and Mind

Master Sheng-yen, Dan Stevenson

Hoofprint of the Ox February 22, 2001 DOI: 10.1093/oso/9780195136937.003.0003 (opens in new tab)

Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Theoretical or philosophical paper Peer reviewed
Topics Meditation
Key points Argues that seated meditation is a foundational Buddhist practice, and that the Buddha structured the path around three disciplines: sila, samadhi, and prajna.

Abstract

Abstract Meditation-above all, seated meditation-:-has always been one of the foundational practices of Buddhism. Sakyamuni Buddha realized supreme enlightenment while seated in meditation beneath the bodhi tree. When he set out to establish the teachings and convey this enlightenment to others, he organized the Buddhist path according to the three basic disciplines of purity in the observance of the precepts, or moral restraints (S. sila); meditative con­ centration, or samii.dhi; and wisdom, or prajfia.