Expert: Justin Choo - 6/25/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi Justin,

How are you? I have some questions below that I hope you can help to shed some light on,

1. What is the meditation method most conducive for Nibbana?

2. What is the link between meditation and Nibbana?

3. Is Mahasi's method of meditation with 16 level of "nana" (derived from Vissudimagga) a good yardstick to check on the progress?

4. Is jhana during meditation conducise for progress towards Nibbana?

Thank you.

With metta,

SW

ANSWER: Hi Soo Wan,

Welcome back after such a long absence.

First I must confess that I am not much of a meditator partly due to certain inflexible circumstances.  So what I share here will be "academic and common sense" knowledge.   

1. What is the meditation method most conducive for Nibbana?
If we follow the Buddha's doctrines, then we need to follow the Sati Patthana Sutta ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satipatthana_Sutta)    and another on Anapanasati (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anapanasati_Sutta)

2. What is the link between meditation and Nibbana?
Without the correct practice of Buddhist meditation, no one can attain liberation.  Meditation is to cultivate the mind to the purest level that it will escape the cycle of births and deaths.

3. Is Mahasi's method of meditation with 16 level of "nana" (derived from Vissudimagga) a good yardstick to check on the progress?
We can go very deep into the details of meditation and quote numerous esoteric terms and conceps.  I plead ignorance on this.


4. Is jhana during meditation conducise for progress towards Nibbana?
This again is another controversial concept. You will get contradictory answers if you keep on asking different people!

To me one would experience the different stages of jhanas while progressing towards the ultimate liberation.  With Nibbana as the goal, jhana is just a passing experience.

Hope this helps.

Take care.

Justin Choo.

You are invited to visit my blog
and Rev. Dhammika's :

http://lifeislikethat999.blogspot.com/

http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/
http://www.buddhismatoz.com/


---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks for your answer, Justin.  The ultimate aim of a practising buddhist is to achieve liberation and unless we are a sotapana, we can anytime regress with even more dukkha awaiting for us in samsara.  We are indeed very very lucky to have come this close to Buddha's teaching that show us the way to the deathless.  Please tell me in detail, as a lay person, how (what area to concentrate on) to practise with the aim of "entering the stream" IN THIS VERY LIFE.  Our next life is a total unknown and as such there is a great urgency to enter the stream asap; do you agree?

Answer
Hi Soo Wan,

Considering the unimaginably and incalculably long time span of one's existence, is it possible that this life will be our last one??  In terms of mathematical probability, the answer is a big "NO".  I may sound cynical, but you be the judge.

In theory, it is very easy to attain Nibbana.  Nibanna means "no craving".  If you don't have any more craving, you are an enlightened person.  There are only 3 simple steps to achieve this...

1: Completely eradicate greed
2: Completely eradicate hatred
3: Completely eradicate ignorance (of this existence)

So you see, Soo Wan; three easy steps like A B C.


Be that as it may, the most practical approach is to adopt an abridged version in 3 simple steps:

1: Reduce greed
2: Reduce hatred
3: Reduce ignorance (by practising the Buddha's teachings)

So you see, Soo Wan, three easy steps like 1 2 3 !!

Take care.

Justin Choo