Meditation in Foundational BuddhismSpotlight on the Eightfold PathDavid QuinterMeditation=the second of the three trainings=right effort, mindfulness, and concentration in the eightfold path (#s 6, 7, and 8)Right Effortefforts to abandon and prevent unwholesome mental statesefforts to cultivate karmically good mental statesthe three poisons and their antidotesRemoving the Three Poisons:1) desire 2) hatred 3) delusionCultivating their “antidotes”:1) non-attachment 2) loving-kindness 3) wisdomExamples of mindfulness techniquesRight concentration refers to samådhisamadhi: the intense focus on specific object leading to one-pointed concentrationalso said to lead to blissful trance states known as dhyånain Foundational Buddhism, generally 4 ascending dhyåna (see Trainor, p. 80)Mindfulness or meditation practice often divided into 2 fundamental types:1) calming (shamatha/Ωamatha)2) insight (vipashyana/vipaΩyanå)object of meditation=direct understanding of nature of things=recognizing theprinciples of the 3 marks of existence and their pervasiveness
