What is Transcendental Meditation?

[Nidra 0]

Regardless of what TM teachers say, what is "transcendental" and what is the correct counterpart of "meditation" in Indian (both Hindu and Buddhist) tradition?

 

Some say transcendental is paramarthika, other say, nope, it's all about the changed states of mind. Some say meditation is "dhyana", other say, "samadhi", third say "vipassana".

 

Should we apply Western terms to Indian notions at all?

 

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Sarvesu kalesu yogayukto bhuyasta!

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[Gauracandra 1]

Should we apply Western terms to Indian notions at all?

I think this is an interesting approach, and it is one of the reasons I really like Srila Siddhaswarupananda's presentations. He talks in English, since the point is to get across certain ideas. Why speak of a 'jiva' when you can just as easily say 'soul'? Some may like the Sanskrit better because it sounds more mysterious, but I think if our goal is to present ideas, that speaking in English is a better approach (or whatever the language of the general population).

[Rati 0]

Transcendental is actually a term used by Kant, but his meaning is entirely different from what Indian gurus used the word for. In the TM context it apparently refers to entering a higher state of awareness and even overcoming the laws of gravity (hence their claim to be able to fly, which is really just some short hops). Some in ISKCON have used it as an all-encompassing jargon adjective like 'cool' or 'groovy'. I guess if they had used the word 'supernatural', that would tend to conjure up dark images of the occult and evil spirits. I do not remember offhand if Bhaktivinode Thakur used the term. If he did, it would be interesting to see the context. There are many other terms that can be used in English to connote the Sanskrit words. Dhyana is usually translated as meditation. From V.S. Apte's three volume Sanksrit-English lexicon:

dhyai - To think of, meditate upon, ponder over, contemplate, reflect upon, imagine, call to mind.

 

dhyana - 1 Meditation, reflection, thought, contemplation 2 Especially abstract contemplation, religious meditation 3 Divine intuition or discernment 4 Mental representation of the personal attribute of a deity

 

samadhi - 1 Collecting, composing, concentrating 2 Profound or abstract meditation, concentration of mind on one object, perfect absorption of thought into the object of meditation, i.e. the Supreme Spirit (the 8th and last stage of yoga) 3 Intentness, concentration (in general), fixing of thoughts 4 Penance, religious obligation, devotion (to penance) ... 7 Silence ... 18 A religious vow or self-imposed restraint

 

apas - 2 Sacred act or rite, sacrificial work

 

[jijaji 0]

Meditation—Subjective and Objective

 

Meditation is of two types: subjective and objective. Objective meditation is concentration of the mind on an object. The object may be the form of a deity, light, sky, etc. or some qualities like love, compassion, strength or one’s own self objectified. Consciousness is focussed on the object by an effort of will. Objective meditation is called upasana.

 

Subjective meditation is called nididhyasana or atma-vicara. Here there is no focussing of consciousness or effort of will. It is rather an attempt to seek the source of consciousness, to trace one’s "I" back to its roots. It is a process in which the ego, instead of rushing towards objects as it constantly does, withdraws into its own original source—the Atman.

 

The majority of spiritual aspirants find nididhyasana, subjective meditation, difficult to practice. They succeed in tracing their "I" back only up to a certain point. To penetrate further backward is possible only for a mind which is properly sharpened through training and strengthened by the observance of continence. Upasana or objective meditation gives the mind the necessary training. After practicing upasana for some time it becomes easier to practice nididhyasana. In fact, Madhusudana Sarasvati in his Advaita Siddhi classifies aspirants for jnana into two groups: kritopasti (those who have attained proficiency in upasana) and akritopasti (those who go directly to inquiry without practicing upasana).

 

According to Mandana and some of the earlier schools of Advaitins, upasana can give rise to direct realization of Nirguna Brahman (the Absolute without attributes). But Sri Sankara and his followers hold the view that upasana will lead only to the realization of Saguna Brahman (Reality with attributes). Sankara states that the benefit derived from upasana is either worldly prosperity (abhyudaya) or "gradual liberation" (krama-mukti). In other words, upasana is only a preparation for nididhyasana. On the other hand, Sri Ramanuja holds the view that upasana can lead to full liberation. He even identifies it with bhakti.

 

The difference between upasana and nididhyasana as two different disciplines has also been clearly pointed out by Ramatirtha in his well-known commentary on the Vedanta Sara.1 Vidyaranya too has made this distinction by describing upasana as vastu-tantra (object-oriented) and nididhyasana as kartri-tantra (subject-oriented).