Expert: Justin Choo - 2/5/2012

Question
Hello justin,namaste!
     
My questions are regarding the practice of Vipassana meditation.I had been practicing anapanasati since few years and was recently introduced to vipassana meditation which involved mentally scanning the body from head to toe in a specific order.I tried to follow exactly as they said for some time but soon found that my mind was getting anxious trying to scan each part of body so i modified the technique on my own in which instead of scanning the body of sensations i simply observe the sensations rising in different parts of the body dispassionately...but sometimes question creeps in the mind like am i doing it right by modifying an ancient technique by which buddha himself attained enlightenment??...another question which i would like to ask is whether there is any school of vipassana in theravada tradition which teaches vipassana in the way i am practicing??

         my question has turned out to be quiet long so it would be very kind of you if you read it and give some reply!

         Thanking You!!!

Answer
Hi Ashish,

Buddhist meditation is rather "complicated" with so many "experts" expounding their methods.  As far as I know Vipassana should be based on the contemplation of the four foundation of mindfulness, namely, body, feelings, mind and mind objects.  Even interpreting these terms is difficult, let alone to practise to the letter. From my experience, the more I went into these so-called different methods, the more confused I got.

I think the best approach is to understand what Buddhist meditation is all about.  Then we set about practising it.  Below is from one of my teachers, explaining what meditation is :

http://sdhammika.blogspot.com/2008/11/meditation.html

[Meditation
The English word meditation comes from the Latin meditatio meaning `to ponder' or `to ruminate.' The Pali word usually translated as meditation is bhavana and means `to develop,' `to cultivate,' or `to expand.' Thus the word meditation is actually an unsatisfactory one for the various techniques of psychological transformation taught by the Buddha.
In relation to thoughts, one could say that there are three approaches to meditation in Buddhism: (1) to utilize thoughts, (2) to still thoughts and (3) to observe thoughts. Loving- kindness meditation would be an example of the first of these. The meditator deliberately thinks particular types of thoughts for the purpose of evoking certain emotions and behaviour. An example of the second of these types of meditation would be mindfulness of breathing, where the meditator focuses his or her attention on the breath thus slowing down and finally stopping the flow of thoughts. In mindfulness meditation the mediator develops the ability to simply observe mental activity (thoughts, emotions, conceptualizing, etc.) thus gradually becoming less influenced by them.]

If you are practising to achieve something, you have already fallen into the trap.  As far as I am concerned, I practise Anapanasati which is mindfulness of breathing, and let the rest take its course.  It's that simple and easy!!  From my personal experience, one cannot just concentrate or follow only one method.  You need concentration (anapanasati) to direct your mind to contemplate (vipassana). During meditation, the various methods intermingle.  Please be forwarned; there will be many who would disagree with me.  So it is up to you to analyze and decide for yourself.  

Take care.

Justin Choo