Gautama Dhamma

四护卫禅

The Four Protective Meditations are a set of practices designed to protect the mind from negative states and cultivate wholesome qualities. They are considered protective because they help to guard the mind against negative emotions and unwholesome tendencies. By cultivating these practices, Buddhists aim to develop inner peace, wisdom, and compassion, leading to a more fulfilling and meaningful life.

1. Buddhanussati (Recollection of the Buddha) 佛随念

This meditation isn’t about worshipping the Buddha, but rather reflecting on his extraordinary qualities as an enlightened being. It helps to cultivate faith, devotion, and inspiration, providing a refuge in times of difficulty. It involves recalling his:

• Wisdom (Pañña): His profound understanding of the nature of reality, suffering, and liberation.
• Compassion (Karuna): His boundless empathy and desire to alleviate the suffering of all beings.
• Purity (Visuddhi): His complete freedom from defilements such as greed, hatred, and delusion.

By contemplating these qualities, we cultivate faith (saddha) and inspiration, which can provide strength and guidance in our own practice. It helps us to remember the potential for enlightenment within ourselves and encourages us to follow the path he laid out.

How to practice:

• Find a quiet place and sit comfortably.
• Bring to mind an image of the Buddha or recall stories of his life and teachings.
• Reflect on his qualities, repeating phrases like “The Buddha is wise,” “The Buddha is compassionate,” “The Buddha is pure.”
• Allow feelings of respect, gratitude, and inspiration to arise.

2. Metta Bhavana (Loving-Kindness Meditation) 慈心禅

This practice involves cultivating feelings of loving-kindness, first towards oneself and then gradually extending it to others. It helps to overcome ill will, anger, and resentment, fostering compassion, empathy, and interconnectedness.

The traditional sequence is:

• Self: Begin by directing loving-kindness towards yourself, wishing yourself well-being, happiness, and freedom from suffering.
• A dear person: Extend these feelings to someone you deeply care about.
• A neutral person: Then, direct loving-kindness towards someone you neither like nor dislike.
• A difficult person: Gradually, extend these feelings towards someone you find challenging or have conflict with.
• All beings: Finally, expand your loving-kindness to encompass all living beings without exception.

Phrases used in Metta meditation might include:

• “May I be filled with loving-kindness.”
• “May I be well.”
• “May I be peaceful and at ease.”
• “May I be happy.”
• Repeat these phrases, replacing “I” with “you” when directing loving-kindness to others.

3. Asubha Bhavana (Contemplation of the Unattractive) 不净观

This meditation involves reflecting on the impermanent and unattractive aspects of the body. It’s not about cultivating disgust or aversion, but helps to reduce attachment to physical appearance and sensual desires, fostering detachment and equanimity.

Traditional methods include:

• Visualizing the body’s various parts: Contemplating the different organs, tissues, and fluids that make up the body.
• Reflecting on the body’s impermanence: Considering how the body ages, decays, and eventually decomposes.

This practice can be challenging, but it helps to break down our attachment to the illusion of a permanent and beautiful self. It fosters a deeper understanding of the nature of the body and encourages us to focus on more meaningful aspects of existence.

4. Marananussati (Mindfulness of Death) 死随念

This meditation involves reflecting on the inevitability of death. It’s not about morbid fascination, but helps to cultivate a sense of urgency and appreciation for the present moment, encouraging us to live each day with mindfulness and purpose.

Methods include:

• Remembering that death is certain: Reflecting on the fact that everyone will die eventually, including ourselves.
• Contemplating the uncertainty of life’s duration: Recognizing that we don’t know when or how we will die.
• Considering the impermanence of all worldly things: Understanding that everything in the world is constantly changing and eventually comes to an end.

By contemplating death, we can overcome complacency and live each day with greater mindfulness and purpose. It helps us to prioritize what truly matters and to let go of trivial concerns.

These four protective meditations offer a powerful toolkit for cultivating inner peace, wisdom, and compassion. By regularly practicing them, we can protect our minds from negative states and live more fulfilling lives.