1.4: Organisation of the Present Work

The Thesis is organized in five chapters including the introduction and conclusion.

Chapter One: The Introduction

Along with the introducing the problem of the research, discusses in detail about the scope, source materials and research methodology to be applied in this work. This chapter also includes a general introduction as to the signification and relevance of the Buddhist meditation in terms of Buddhist thoughts in general and crises of the modern society in particular. It also contains a critical and exhaustive survey and comments in brief on some of the important research works that have been done in this field to justify the relevance of the present indevour.

Chapter Two: The Dhyāna as Depicted in Hīnayāna Literature

A comprehensive and systematic investigation into the Buddhist meditation in theory, practice, methods and results is attempted in this chapter. A clear explanation about the reasons that such a system of this meditation has to be called Hīnayāna, Theravāda or Tathāgata meditation is also shown in this chapter.

The details of the subject treated in this chapter are: Meaning of the term “Dhyāna” (Skt.), “Jhāna” (Pāli); Dhyāna and Samādhi, The Dhyāna and Mental Development; Types of Meditation; The Five Hindrances (of Nīvarana) to successful meditation and The four Jhānas and their development;Further, an critical analysis is attempted to explain the Insight Meditation (Vipassanā-bhāvanā), its meaning, the Progress of

Vipassanā and the Seven factors of Enlightenment.

Chapter Three: The Dhyāna in Mahāyāna Literature

The chapter will be primarily confined to the definition of Mahāyāna meditation in a comprehensive manner; and then a detailed discussion is made to point out the similarities and differences between Hīnayāna and Mahāyāna meditations. This chapter clearly explains the reasons why Patriarchal meditation came to existence, which could be attributed to this meditation system as well. Especially the chapter will discuss a very special concept regarding the line of transmission in Patriarchal Meditation system in India and abroad as well.

It also includes some discussion on the concept of Mahāyāna Buddhism like the history of Mahāyāna Buddhism, the Bodhisattva Ideal. The DHYĀNA in Mahāyāna sūtras, The Dhyāna in the Laṅkāvatāra sūtra and The Dhyāna in the Prajñāpāramitā-sūtra, and the Dhyāna in the Avatamsaka-sūtra (Hua-Yen).

Chapter four: Practical Method of the Dhyāna

This chapter is presented in two parts: in the first part, the basic study of the Buddhist meditation in terms of some crises which we are seriously facing in the modern society such as violence, environmental problems, stress, and so forth. A careful consideration is made as to whether the Buddhist meditation, which could be practiced easily and effectively by common people in their daily life at present, will be of great help.

The second part investigates in brief the movements of practising the Buddhist meditation in the world. All the practical aspects related to practice of dhyāna like the Method to Purify the Mind, the PRELIMINARIES and pre-requisites for the practice of meditation, the companion and obstructing factors of mediation, subject of meditation, suitable location choosing a suitable dwelling, attention method on the Present Moment, the Concentration Technique on the breath, etc., are critically explained.

Further, here, we have suggested A Model for Clinical Application keeping the practical and application aspects of the present study and the need of the present day in mind.

Chapter Five: Conclusion

This is the last and the final chapter of the thesis where we have sum up the theories put forward and discussed in the previous chapters, especially the theory relating to meditation and its application. All our findings and observations on various aspects of Dhyāna are recorded here. This also contains some more suggestions and observations as to how the Buddha’s teachings, by and large, would be beneficial if followed sincerely and with faith, for the society and mankind in the modern time.

It also contains suggestions on the scope for further future research on the field along with an exhaustive bibliography at the end.