Buddhism and Meditation

To understand the relationship between Buddhism and meditation, we must first understand what Buddhism is. First, let us look at the meaning of the word Buddhism. The Korean word for Buddhism, ‘Bulgyo,’ comes from the Chinese word fó (佛, KR: Bul), which is a transliteration of the ancient Indian Pāli word Buddha, and the Chinese word jiào (教, KR: Gyo), which means teaching. In other words, Buddhism refers to the teachings of the enlightened. Buddhism is what a man named Gotama Siddhārtha, born in India about 2600 years ago, taught people after he became a Buddha through practicing meditation. The Buddha sought to answer all of the questions that humans could have, including who he was, how the world was composed and by what principles it moves. After much effort, he found the answer. To know what kind of being one is, one needs to know what the body and mind that make up oneself are. The Buddha used a method of observation to understand these things. And he directly saw them as they actually are. When looking at the Pāli scriptures (Nikāyas), which record what the Buddha said, there are many instances of the expression ‘knowing and seeing.’ This is seeing clearly by creating a state where one can see without trying to think or reason. Herein lies the relationship between Buddhism and meditation. Meditation is concentrating on what is happening in the present moment with a wholesome mind. The object of meditation may differ depending on the type of practice, but the essence of meditation is observing the object as it is. In this respect, meditation is fundamental to Buddhism. Through meditation, the Buddha understood the properties of the body and mind as well as the principles by which the world moves. After the Buddha’s death, as time passed, Buddhism spread to various regions and also became very diverse. Broadly speaking, there is Early Buddhism, Mahayāna Buddhism, and Tibetan Buddhism. In this chapter, I will discuss Buddhism from the position of Early Buddhism.