Buddhist meditation

Meditation is not based on techniques and procedures.  On the contrary, meditation is simply a question of being, of melting, like a piece of butter left in the sun.  The whole point of meditation is to get used to, the aspect which you have forgotten.

It has nothing to do with whether or not you "know" anything about it, in fact, each time you practice meditation it should be fresh, as if it were happening for the very first time.
you would quietly sit

• your body still
• your speech silent
• your mind at ease
• allow thoughts to come and go, without letting them play havoc on you.

If you need something focus on, then watch the breathing. This is a very simple process.

• when you are breathing out, know that you are breathing out.
• when you breath in, know that you are breathing in,
• without supplying any kind of extra commentary or internalized mental gossip
• only identifying with the breath.
  

That very simple process of mindfulness processes your thoughts and emotions, and then, like an old skin being shed, something is peeled off and freed.

Mahasatipatthana Sutra, is the Buddhist sutra that teaches meditation in four different stages.

Mahasatipatthana Sutra
This is the script that discourses the different kinds of mediation. Satipatthana means persistent mindfulness.  Therefore, this is the sutra that encapsulates the core meditations taught in Buddhism. The sutra could be found in its original version, in Pali, in the Mahavagga of the Digha Nikaya, which is a sacred Buddhist script.

The Four satipatthanas in Pali are

1. Kayanupassana
2. Vedananupassana
3. Cittanupassana
4. Dhammanupassana

All Buddhist meditation techniques are categorized under these satipattanas.

• Kaya - the aggregate of physical phenomena. In meditation it refers to the corporeal body.
• Vedana - the phenomenon of feeling.
  
• Citta - the mind, which means knowing, to being aware, or being conscious.
  
• Dharma - natural phenomena, mental objects, a state, truth, reality, wisdom, actions, good actions, practice, cause and offence.

1. Contemplation on the body (Kayanupassana)

1. Anapana Pabba (uses breathing)
2. Iriyapatha Pabba (uses the postures)
   
3. Sampajanna Pabba (uses clear understanding)
   
4. Patikulamanasika Pabba (uses contemplation of impurities)
   
5. Dhatumanasika Pabba (uses contemplation of elements)
   
6. Navasivathika Pabba (uses nine stages of corpses)

2. Contemplation on feelings (Vedananupassana)

3. Contemplation on the Mind (Cittanupassana)

4. Contemplation on Dhammas (Dhammanupassana)

1. Nivarana Pabba (hindrances)
   
2. Khandha Pabba (aggregates)
   
3. Ayatana Pabba (sense bases)
   
4. Bojjhanga Pabba (enlightenment factors)
   
5. Sacca Pabba (Noble Truths)
   
6. Dukkhasacca Pabba (Noble Truth of Dukkha)
   
7. Samudayasacca Pabba (Noble Truth of the cause of dukkha)
   
8. Nirodhasacca Pabba (Noble Truth of the cessation of dukkha)
   
9. Maggasacca Pabba (path leading to the cessation of dukkha)

Poses of meditation
Interestingly, many think that there is a specific stance that needs to be taken when mediating, and this is a misconception. 

The key is choosing a easy stance where s/he can stay still for a longer time in order to concentrate in the meditation and there is no specific pose to be adopted. 

While meditating, a person can choose to

• sit
• stand
• walk

Monks meditating