| The question of whether people new to Buddhism | | | | stated that such practice is a return to the Buddha's |
| should meditate is a difficult one. Obviously meditation | | | | core teachings, which had been distorted by 'worship'. |
| is the way that most Westerners are introduced to | | | | This is quite a popular argument in America and the |
| Buddhism and, in fact, often their only Buddhist | | | | UK, since many people, influenced by individualism and |
| practice is meditation. However, traditionally, Buddhist | | | | protestant ethics, have a 'horror' of 'worship'. |
| meditation was reserved for people far advanced on | | | | However, this argument reveals a profound |
| the path, almost entirely members of the Sangha. | | | | misunderstanding of the mechanisms involved in |
| Even today in Sri Lanka, Thailand, Tibet, Bhutan, | | | | devotional activity and sutra chanting. These activities |
| Korea, Japan etc lay Buddhists rarely meditate. Their | | | | can themselves be a form of meditation, particularly |
| main form of religious practice tends towards | | | | if done without attachment, and can be some of the |
| devotions, sutra recitation and supporting monks etc, | | | | most effective ways of calms and clearing the mind, |
| meditation is left to the monks and nuns. | | | | not to mention improving concentration. |
| Why then is meditation, be it calm, insight or Zen | | | | With this in mind (no pun intended) it is perhaps right |
| meditation, so popular among westerners? Many | | | | that new Buddhists should take up some form of |
| people have argued that it is an arrogance inherent in | | | | meditation at an early stage. After all, it is surely |
| the West that they think they are naturally far | | | | never too early to start focusing the mind. However, |
| enough advanced on the Buddhist path to undertake | | | | advanced sitting practices, insight meditation, lengthy |
| difficult practices. Others have argued that people | | | | courses etc can be too difficult for beginners: at best |
| who have grown up outside cultures where | | | | they could simply be frustrated and turned off |
| reincarnation is the norm have a sense of impatience: | | | | meditation or Buddhism in general; at worst they |
| a desire to traverse the whole Buddhist path in one | | | | could suffer serious mental illnesses. Therefore, the |
| lifetime. For people who have grown up with the | | | | best way to start meditation is almost certainly |
| concept of reincarnation, the idea of a gradual path, | | | | through calming repetitive actions like sutra chanting |
| walked over many life times, is a much more | | | | or devotions. But first we westerners need to get |
| palatable prospect. | | | | over our negative preconceptions and understand the |
| However, those arguing in favour of the immediate | | | | true value of such activities. |
| adoption of meditation for new Buddhists have | | | | |