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Part One: Classical Theory & Practice

In Part One, we will build a foundation of classical Buddhist Meditation teaching and theory in order to comprehend, analyze, and reflect on theory of methods adopted by comtemporary scholars in their discussing of Buddhist Meditation tradition and the diverse significances thereof. We will discuss some of the essential questions such as: What is “meditation”? What does “meditation” do? Why is “meditation” crucial in Buddhadharma Critical terms in Buddhist meditation; and critical terms and concepts such as samādhi, Samatha Bhāvanā, vipassanā Bhāvanā, and vimokṣa, etc. 

Readings: 

1.1 Vajirañāṇa Mahāthera. Buddhist Meditation in Theory and Practice 

1.2 Gethin, Rupert. Foundations of Buddhism. Chapter 7.    

1.3 Mahāyāna meditation: pratyupanna samādhi

Part Two: Historical Perspective

Taking the example of Buddhist meditation that had supposedly been practiced in China during the 5th-7th centuries, as well as the classical Chan in the following centries, we will examine Buddhist meditation tradition from a historical perspective. We will try to see how Buddhist meditation was understood by the Chinese Buddhists and the purpose of their practice.

Readings

2.1 Greene, Eric. 2021. The Secrets of Buddhist Meditation: Visionary Meditation Texts from Early Medieval China. A Kuroda Institute book. University of Hawai'i Press. 

2.2 McRae, John. 2003. Seeing Through Zen: Encounter, Transformation, and Genealogy in Chinese Chan Buddhism. University of California Press. 

Part Three: Meditation Experience

Although one can study Buddhist meditation in its own right – e.g., explain and compare methods and theories of various meditational traditions, explore their soteriological relevance, study their origin, transmission, and transformation, and so on – we will have a more comprehensive and multivalent understanding of Buddhist meditation if we studies it in larger contexts. For example, one can study Buddhist meditation in the context of religious practices exploring its characteristics and significance vis-à-vis other religious practices. One can also approach Buddhist meditation from the point of view of religious institution researching into its impacts on the religion or society as a whole. Still more, one can situate Buddhist meditation in the larger context of psychology to tease out its psychological functions. 

In Part Three we will approach Buddhist meditation as a form of religious experience, which arguably constitutes one of the most essential components of the religion. The main reasons for this approach are as follow: 

- Buddhist meditation (citta bhāvanā)： is primarily to cultivate special types of experiences; such cultivation is an essential means in Buddhism for altering the state of mind from mundane to supra-mundane (although some Chinese Chan tradition might argue that Buddhist meditation is not supposed to differ from our daily mundane experiences)： and constitutes the path to awakening (bodhi)：. 

- “Religious experience” is what prevents religion from rendering itself entirely into a subject of reasoning and rational inquire.   

- “Religion experience” has been regarded by some as the “common core” of religion in the field of Religious Studies as well as in the context of the contemporary inter-religious dialogues. Therefore, “religious experience” constitutes a rich topic for a comparative study of religion.

Reading:

3. 1 Griffiths, Paul. “Pure Consciousness and Indian Buddhism” in The Problem of Pure Consciousness: Mysticism and Philosophy, ed. By Robert Forman. Oxford University Press. 1990.

3.2

Sharf, Robert. The Rhetoric of Experience and the Study of Religion, in Cognitive Models and Spiritual Maps (a special issue of the Journal of Consciousness Studies, vol. 7, nos. 11/12, 2000)：, edited by Jensine Andresen and Bob Forman. 

Gimello, Robert. “Mysticism and Meditation” in Mysticism and Philosophical Analysis, ed. Steven Katz. Sheldon Press, 1978, Pp. 170-199. 

Part Four: Contemporary issues, Meditation movement and meditation and Science

In this section, we will reflect on some of the contemporary issues related to the rise and practice of Buddhist meditation in the modern society. We will also examine some of the problematics of the cross-disciplinary approach of meditation and science. 

Reading:

4.1  Mastest Sheng Yen's Meditation Teachings.

4.2 Meditation, Buddhism, and Science. 2017. McMahan & Braun Eds,Oxford University Press.

4.3  Thompson, Evan. 2017. Walking, Dreaming, Being: Self and Consciousness in Neuroscience, Meditation, and Philosophy. Columbia University Press.

4.4  McMahan, David. 2023. Rethinking Meditation: Buddhist Meditative Practice in Ancient and Modern Worlds.Oxford University Press.

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