Buddhist meditation

Buddhist meditation, meditation used in the practice of Buddhism, "includes any method of meditation that has Enlightenment as its ultimate aim". The closest word for meditation in the classical languages of Buddhism is bhavana or "mental development".

The main methods of Buddhist meditation are divided into samatha (tranquility meditations) and vipassana (insight meditations).

The samatha meditations includes anapana (mindfulness of breathing, or mindfulness of the in-breath and out-breath) and the four brahma-viras (lit. "sublime abodes") of which mett&#257; bh&#257;van&#257; (development of loving kindness) is the most often practiced one. The vipassana meditations includes contemplation on impermanence, the six element practice, and contemplation on conditionality. Samatha meditations usually precede and prepare for vipassana meditations.

Each of the five basic methods (in bold) is an "antidote" to one of the five mental "poisons".