by V. Kumar

Created on: September 02, 2008   Last Updated: September 04, 2008

Through the prism of meditation and stillness practices, Eastern orthodoxy seems closer to Buddhist meditation than the Western Church. If you look at Buddhism and Western Church as the two ends of a spectrum, Eastern Orthodoxy looks like a missing link between the two.

BUDDHIST MEDITATION PRACTICES

Buddhist meditation has its origin in the ancient Indian practice of YOGA, which literally means union - between the mortal and the eternal, first referred to by Krishna in his famous philosophy of BHAGAVADA GITA, as a way of seeking reunion with almighty god. Meditation was one of the central and basic instruments of self-actualization in ancient India and all religious thoughts that arose from there, including Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism apart from Hinduism. In the central tenets of Buddhism, meditation is emphasized as a means of purification and peace.

Buddhist meditation was popular from its very inception because of its adoption by Buddha himself during his quest for ultimate knowledge. It involves chanting of mantras, a practice that has continued in all forms of Buddhism. The aim of meditation is to be able to focus on divine reality and one's own position in the cosmic universe, so as to be able to develop the wisdom that would enable a Buddhist to appreciate the irrelevance of material possession and worldly matters with relation to his own pursuit of NIRVANA, meaning an escape from the cycle of life and death by reunion with the ultimate powers of the universe.

While it is not the primary aim of meditation, Yoga as well as Buddhist mediation prevent the straying of an idle mind, and thereby help the monk to stay on course with his objective. Moreover, it a practice that is supposed to bring immense peace to the person. The practice of meditation is performed in certain postures. The use of a bead string is less common than Hinduism but present.

STILLNESS IN EASTERN ORTHODOXY - HESYCHASM OR HESYCHASTIC PRACTICES

The Hesychastic practices or the practices of stillness followed by the Eastern orthodoxy school also involve certain postures as well as certain breathing patterns that are very similar to Buddhist meditation and yoga. Commonly, the practitioners recite the JESUS PRAYER, "Lord Jesus Christ, son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner", repeating it continuously.

The practices of stillness in Eastern orthodoxy have been there since 4th century AD, and have been documented from time to time. For a Hesychast (practitioner of stillness), the practicing of stillness,

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>