Meditation (Dhyana) in Mahayana Buddhism based on Śūrańgama Sūtra

Subject Areas : Christianity

Sepideh Afrashteh ¹ , Aboulfazl Mahmoudi ²

1 - PhD Candidate of Comparative Religion and Mysticism, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran
2 - Associate Professor of Comparative Religion and Mysticism, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran

Received: 2021-12-17 Accepted : 2021-12-17 Published : 2021-08-23

Keywords: Dhyana, Sūtra, Śūrańgama, meditation, Mahayana,

Abstract :

In most mystical traditons, an important part of spiritual journey is meditation, known as Dhyana in Buddhism. Dhyana is a practice for concentrating mind so the observer detaches from distractions. In Buddhism, Dhyana is the ground of Samadhi and it is the most basic method for purifying the mind and preparing it for attaining illumination and nirvana. All Buddhist sects are convinced that this is the foundation of their rituals. It is believed that the corner stone of Buddhism is direct experience of the Ultimate Reality, rather than textual or philosophical studies; and this experience is not achieved except with Dhyana. In this way Śūrańgama sūtra is one of the most important sūtras which describes different methods and teachings of meditation, for all various Buddhist schools. The main purpose of this article is to explain the quiddity, importance, basics, aims and methods of Dhyana in the Mahayana Buddhism based on Śūrańgama sūtra. We try to answer these questions with the analytical method based on the materials presented in the text, as well as reviewing various findings of other researchers of the Mahayana school.

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