Y12 - Buddhism Meditation

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Religious Studies at As and A level



TOPIC:      MEDITATION   

Deadline for final essay is:  on or before April 10th see below:-

Enclosed is a pack of reading material that goes with this work.  It is essential that you do the readings in order, that you highlight essential work and that you make the required notes. I have also e-mailed this question sheet to you so that you have the direct links. 

  1. Handout:  “Buddhism:  A New Approach”  Steve Clarke & Mel Thompson. 

This is a basic handout which will give you an overview of the topic.  Read all of it before proceeding to the next question.

  1. “An Introduction to Buddhism: teachings, history and practices” by Peter Harvey.  This handout is complex and will require slow, careful reading.  I have created some questions which will help you work through the work.  If you get stuck – e-mail me with the work you have done and I will speak with you on the telephone or e-mail you back.

Questions:

1.  The Approach to Meditation:   Please  make notes on:

i)                    Final goal of Buddhism

ii)                   Who practices meditation

iii)                 How meditation is supervised

iv)                 Basic format of meditation

2.  The Practice of Calm Meditation in Southern Buddhism: Therevada.  Please bmake notes on:

i)              How Theravada Buddhism uses three of the aspects of the Eightfold Path to   
          cultivate the mind and develop wisdom.

3.  SAMATHA MEDITATION   Create Bullet Point  notes on:

i)                    Loving-kindness meditation

ii)                   Mindfulness of breathing

iii)                 Five Hindrances and access concentration

iv)                 Jhannas and formless attainments

v)                  Cessation and Higher Knowledge

(this work will be augmented by points from the next reading)

4.       VIPASSANA MEDITATION  -  INSIGHT PRACTICE

i)             What is unique about this form of meditation

ii)             How is this form of meditation practiced?  Describe (a) Insight preceded by Calm (b) Calm Preceded by Insight (c) Calm  and Insight yoked together.

iii)            Four Foundations of Mindfulness.  Explain the four spheres of body, feelings, states of mind and Dhammas and how they are used to experience Mindfulness.

iv)           Investigation of the “Three Marks”  How do the concepts of impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self  LINK into the practice of Mindfulness.

v)            What are the seven stages of purification?

vi)            Discuss three other ways Calm and Insight meditation have been practised. 

5.     Refer:  “The Buddha’s Way” by H.Saddhatissa. 
               Carefully read this chapter and add to your previous notes.

6.     The Experience of Meditation:   Two different articles.

i)                    Read “Blue Jean Buddha – Voices of Young Buddhists”

ii)                   Read “”The Miracle of Mindfulness:  An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation”

Discussion notes:  what are your views on the two articles, how do the authors relate the “real” experience of what meditation means, the goal of meditation and the practice of meditation.

Web links  -  Before you write the essay investigate the following links.

·        MSN Search: Meditation Buddhism -- More Useful Everyday

·        Modern Buddhism with stories about Buddha, Buddhist art work, screensavers, and meditation

·        Meditation and Buddhism

·        What is Theravada?

ESSAY QUESTION:

1(a)  What are the main features of TWO types of Buddhist meditation?    (10)

  (b)  Examine and consider why meditation is important in Buddhism.       (10)

E-mail answers to Mrs Bohm  on or before April 10th, 2003.