Buddhist Meditation

Buddhist Meditation by Kurtis R. Schaeffer is a Tibetan Buddhist anthology of accessible and authentic contemplative exercises designed to help cultivate innate yet undeveloped powers of mind, emotion, and body.

A Penguin Classic

Drawn from Tibet's rich contemplative literature, Buddhist Meditation offers classic exercises focused on the opportunities and challenges of life. These exercises aim at cultivating inner calm and fostering a wider perspective on oneself in relation to others. They also address working with negative emotions and embody the highest values of the Buddhist tradition: love and compassion.

Several dozen meditation instructions are collected in twelve chapters, with all major traditions of Tibetan Buddhism represented. The book is structured on "foundation practices," incorporating practice manuals that immerse the reader in the search for meaningful and compassionate responses to the ubiquity of human suffering. These manuals also explore contemplative techniques that translate that search into consequential action.

Spiritual exercises introduce:

• The opportunity for self-betterment and benefitting other living beings
• The inescapable persistence of suffering in life, and the reality of death
• The workings of ethical cause and effect, known as karma
• The ever-repeating succession of frustration known as cyclic existence, or samsara

The second set of foundation practices provides tools to build upon, including:

• Taking refuge in Buddhism—a deep formal commitment to integrating Buddhist contemplative and ethical teachings into one's life
• Cultivating love and compassion for all living beings
• Clearing away cognitive, emotional, and behavioural impediments to actualizing love and compassion
• Developing wisdom and the experience and excellent qualities necessary to put love and compassion into practice
• Dedicating oneself to a spiritual mentor to serve as a guide through this intensive program of training

Part existential philosophy, part ethics, part self-help programme, and part cosmology, the foundation exercises present a complete Buddhist picture of life and the ethical universe. They outline the first steps in making a positive impact in life for ourselves and others, steps anyone can begin to take by dedicating themselves to training in contemplative exercises.