1.2: Survey of Researches already Conducted on the Topic

There are few researches already conducted by different scholars Buddhist on way of meditation. Before making on own study, it will be relevant to overlook those works:

1) Edward Conze, 1956, Buddhist Meditation. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 2002.

This book consist of four chapters as following: Introduction, the meaning and purpose of Buddhist meditation. Meditational practices constitute the very core of the Buddhist approach to life, so meditation is here the very heartbeat of the religion. Of course, Enlightenment, or the state of Nirvāṇa is the ultimate aim of Buddhist meditations. Chapter I mentions about Three Treasures. Chapter II discusses for mindfulness (four contemplations, viz., body, feeling, mind, and Dharma). Chapter III mentions about the method of practice in the life. Chapter IV mentions about the four holy truths, the three marks of conditioned things, survey of conditions, withdraw from the world, and Emptiness.

The book discusses all the aspects of Buddhist meditation, it’s by products; methods of Buddhist meditation, its techniques leading to trance and eventually to the state of blissful wisdom.

Meditation practices constitute the very core of Buddhist approach to life, meditation is the heartbeat of the religion. The ultimate aim of Buddhist meditation is Enlightenment, or the state of Nirvāṇa. The Nirvāṇa leads detachment of soul from the body, making it imperceptible to worldly pains and pleasure, and bringing in a sense of selflessness.

2) Winston L. King, Theravāda Meditation: The Buddhist Tranformation of Yoga. Delhi, Motilal Banarsidass, 1992.

This book consists of seven chapters. The book related modern forms of Theravāda meditational practice to its Indian roots, rectifies the publishing imbalance toward Mahāyāna and Zen. The classic Theravāda pattern in Boddhaghosa’s Path of Purification (circa A.D. 500) is shown to be relevant to the present Buddhist world.

Beginning with a general description of similarities and differences between the Upanisadic-Yogic and early Buddhist viewpoints, it goes on to analyze Gotama’s rejection acceptance modification of the Upaniṣadic-Yogic method of striving for Mokṣa (salvation) in his seardh for Buddhahood as related in the Pāli Canon.

Then, the book discusses about Insight meditation and Theravāda Buddhism to be an actual experience of Nibbāna in this life.

3) Wright, Dale S., Philosophical Meditation on Zen Budhdism. UK: Cambridgethe University Press, 1998.

This book mentions significant philosophical issues that arise in the Zen tradition of East Asian Buddhism as it has come to be transmitted to the west in the Twentieth century. It focuses on the figure of the nineth century Chinese Buddhist master, Huang Po, whose recorded saying exemplify the spirit of the “golden age” of Zen in medieval China, and on the historic transmission of these writings to the West. There are some questions and answer from Huang Po to monks, and emphasis that: Mind is “Great Master” of Zen.

4) Harcharan Singh Sobti (ed.), Vipassanā: The Buddhist Way, Eastern Book Linkers, 2003.

This book mentions the technique of purifying mind and realizing Nibbāna, has been discovered and taught by Buddha, Vipassanā can be practiced by followers of all religions because the subject of meditation according to it, is human breath common to all humanity and the vow that one has to take for a moral foundation includes codes of conduct common to all religions.

Bhadantācariya Buddhaghośa, The Path of Purification. Bhikkhu Ñānamoli (tr.), PTS, 1956.

This encyclopaedic work on Theravāda Buddhism “The Path of Purification” was written by the Arahanta Bhadantacariya Buddhaghosa some 1,580 years ago (A.D. 412). It is considred to be a wholesome compendium of the Buddha’s doctrine covering the strict observance of Śīla or morality leading to the Purification of the body, the practise of Samādhi or concentration leading to the Purification of the mind and the development of Paññā or wisdom leading to Perfect Wisdom. It is a important Path of a Buddhist’s life to “purify the mind” besides “doing good and avoiding evil”.

5) Heinrich Dumoulin, 1992, Zen Buddhism In The 20^th Century, Joseph S. O’Leary (tr.), New York: 1995.

The book includes four chapters and mentioned about Zen Buddhism in Japan. Bodhidharma became twenty eighth Patriarch in India and the First Patriarch in China.

6) Daisetz Teitaro Suzuki, 1949. Essays in Zen Buddhism, 3 Vols. Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 2000.

In this book, Vol, I and II, talk about the method to practice of Zen masters in China. The Zen proposes its solution by directly appealing to facts of personal experience and not to have the bookish knowledge.

As Bodhidhama said:

A special transmission outside the Scriptures;
No dependence upon words and letters;
Direct pointing to the soul of man;
Seeing into one’s nature and the attainment of Buddhahood.

Vol, III mentions about the method to practice of Zen masters in Japan. Zen masters in Japan some time practice meditation by a cup of tea.

7) Rudolph M. Ballentine, (ed.), 1975. The Theory and Practice of Meditation, Second Edition, Revised and Expanded. The Hymalaya International Institute, 1986.

This book is a collection of articles by some of the best-versed scholars and professional persons writing on yoga, Eastern thought, and meditation in the West today to contribute for the peace of life.

The Theory and Practice of Meditation is an inward process that leads one to the fountain of lie and light.

8) Sangharakshita, 2001. A Survey of Buddhism: Its Doctrines and Methods Through the Ages. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2006.

The book consists of four chapters, mentions about the importance of Buddhism, Buddha, Dharma and Saṅgha, later discuss the teaching for all schools Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna and shows the practical aspects of Mahāyāna Buddhism with compassion and wisdom by Bodhisattva Ideal.

9) Johannes Bronkhorst, 1993. The Two Traditions of Meditation in Ancient India. Delhi: Motilal Banarsidass, 2000.

The book consists of introduction, conclusion and three chapters. This book mentioned two traditions of meditation, namely early Hindu and Jain meditational practices. Comparing the method and practice of all these three traditions and which once having been accepted are rejected in some canonical works of Buddhism.

10) Joseph Goldstein, 1993. Insight Meditation: The Practice of Freedom. Shambhala, London publishcations, 2003.

This book mentioned about practice of insight meditation.

11) Heinrich Dumoulin S. J, 1963. A History of Zen Buddhism. Ed, Delhi: Munshiram Manoharlal, 2000.

This book mentions the history of Mahāyāna Buddhism, it has distinguished between Buddhism in Asia and Buddhism for Europeans. Zen Buddhism in Asia can be understood in terms of its Asian development origin in China about sixth century, and its thirteenth century transplantation in Japan.