The goals of Buddhism require that one move beyond the dualisms that dominate conventional consciousness: the dualism of desire and satisfaction, of subject and object, of self and other. Only from within a non-dual state of consciousness can one actually overcome the problem of desire and the self-centered world that gives rise to suffering. Those aspects of the Noble 8-fold path that deal with belief and aspiration (prajña), and with speech, conduct, livelihood, and effort (shila), can be understood as the foundation upon which right mindfulness and meditation can be built. But it is with mindfulness and meditation that one can truly dispel ignorance and illusion, and it is here that one can perceive directly what it means actually to apprehend reality directly without the mediation of concepts and practices that intrinsically distort the nature of reality. The mind that practices right mindfulness and right meditation is said to be like perfectly still, perfectly clear water, since it does not distort the images of things with ripples or obstructions. It is sometimes likened to a mirrorless mirror, because it gives a pure reflection of the world, but can offer no distortion because there is no substance present on which dust can collect. The description of the Buddha mind is usually accomplished in paradox, since there is no strictly rational or linguistic way to describe its state of awareness. Buddhism attempts to point the way to the enlightened mind through established practices. But ultimately it is known through direct experience, not dogma.

Meditative practices are present in every branch of Buddhism. Normally people think of meditation as that modelled by Shakyamuni Buddha or Amida Buddha in countless icons from Asia. Sitting in the lotus position, eyes downturned, breath deep and calm, impervious to the concerns of the world: this, to most people, is Buddhist meditation. And, indeed, this is a very important form that it takes. Utilizing the lotus posture, or the half-lotus, or some other sitting position that allows one to sit calmly for long periods of time, and to utilize various tools or exercises for the stilling of the mind: I won't go into descriptions of these techniques here. Rather, I refer you to Shinzen (Steven) Young's, "Introduction to Buddhist Meditation" on Electronic Reserve. He speaks more lucidly and with greater experience than I could.

What I would like to stress for you here is that the forms of meditation within Buddhism are quite varied, and developing right meditation and mindfulness is something that one should carry throughout life with every step, at every minute. Within the Thervada traditions, vipassana sitting practice is usually understood to be the main form of meditation, but Theravada also makes effective use of sutra recitation and mantra chants that contribute to right meditative practice.

It is especially within the Mahayana branch of Buddhism that the variations on meditative practice have been most brilliantly displayed. For example, within the Tibetan and Himalayan traditions, sitting meditation is augmented with various mantra and visualization practices which are said to be among the most powerful meditative techniques for propelling the practitioner rapidly towards profound states of awareness. The Tibetans also utilize a range of devotional activities that produce profound mental transformations, such as repeated prostrations. I myself have witnessed devotees in the process of performing thousands of prostrations to Buddhas and Bodhisattvas, and their heightened awareness would be obvious to practically anyone.

For my part, the East Asian traditions that utilize various arts for meditative purposes are among the most appealing aspects to emerge from any religious tradition. The Tea Ceremony, Flower Arranging, Garden Cultivation, Archery, and Calligraphy are but a few of the arts that have been utilized in China, Japan, and Korea to provoke and sustain proper meditative and mindful states. These are usually seen as the province of Zen Buddhism (Chinese: Ch'an Buddhism), and take the form they do through the influence of traditional Chinese and Japanese attitudes to art, particularly in Taoism. The use of the arts for meditative purposes is based on the principle that the artist (i.e., the self) should disappear in the process of artistic execution so that the act (whatever it may be, the whisking of tea, the release of an arrow) merely happens. There should be no mind present, no intention, no decision: merely the act.

In this form of mindfulness and meditation there resides a paradox. The person doing the act should both be there and not be there. Clearly, in order for there to be no self, there should be no self present. But, at the same time, a person should always be mindful -- fully present to the moment -- so as to be aware of what is happening. Right meditation does not imply forgetfulness or anasthesia. Rather it implies full awareness of every detail, and of the whole in which the details sit. To be fully present to the moment, while being utterly empty of ego, means that the practitioner must silence the chatter which typically clouds the mind in normal everyday life. The chatter silenced, the mind stilled, desires gone, activity in the dimension of wu-wei is possible.

The Zen tradition is famous for its emphasis on satori, or "sudden enlightenment". Zen asserts that our own Buddha natures and our own Buddha minds are right at hand, so that we can experience the direct awareness of the Buddha immediately in the here and now if we simply let go. In practical terms, it is usually necessary for people to go through long training in order to be able to let go so competely. And the use of the arts in Chinese and Japanese culture comprises one broad aspect of such training. Still, in that moment of satori when one gets a sudden, overpowering sense of direct awareness, lies the basis of what can be experienced when the mind is unfettered. The disciplines of meditation and mindfulness are tools to help maintain and deepen this state of awareness. (See D.T. Suzuki, "Satori, or Enlightenment" on Electronic Reserve.)