There are a number of varied approaches to Buddhist meditation, one of the most important aspects of Buddhist practice. Its importance lies in the fact that it's fundamental to the ultimate goal of Buddhism which is gaining enlightenment. Indeed, the Buddha attained enlightenment during a long period of meditation. Buddhism is not just about 'doing good', it is also about gaining insight into the true nature of reality and bringing an end to suffering. Practicing meditation is simple. For one of a number of methods for the beginner have a look at the How to Meditate page.

Traditionally, there are two main approaches. The first is calm (or samatha) meditation. The purpose of this is to calm both body and mind and to bring the latter into a state of perfect concentration.

To do this, one method is to concentrate on one's breathing, following the breath as it flows in and out of one's body or concentrating on the feeling as air touches the nostrils.

By concentrating in this way, there is no room left for those obstructive mental inclinations known as 'the five hindrances' - sensual desire, ill-will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubt. When these are removed, calm meditation of this kind can lead to joyful states known as jhanas.

Despite the benefits of calm meditation, it does not offer a complete pathway to enlightenment. Many Buddhists combine calm meditation with insight (or vipassana) meditation, the second principal meditation method.

This approach is aimed at developing within us a perception of the world as it really is. In short, this means realizing that suffering and impermanence are inherent in all things and that there is no such thing as a permanent self of soul. To realize this experientially and fully is to be enlightened. The insight approach can be summed up in the word 'mindfulness'. The insight method asks us to be mindful (or aware) of what we are doing at the exact moment we are doing it, no matter how mundane that activity might be. This is simply a matter of making a mental note moment by moment. If one is brushing one's teeth, for example, one might make the mental note 'brushing teeth'. If one can feel anger rising, the mental note might be 'anger rising'.

Another meditation method that is frequently practiced is loving-kindness (or metta) meditation. The aim of this is to remove feelings of ill-will and to foster a kindly and caring approach to others. Like many Buddhist practices, the method is approached by progressing through a number of clear stages. First one generates feelings of loving kindness to 1. oneself 2. a respected person 3. A loved one 4. a neutral person 5. a person one feels hostile towards.