Focus on the object or nimitta?
Upvote:0
Go back to your object of meditation. Don't pay attention to nimitta, just let go of it. if you hold nimitta, you'll become crazy in no time. Trust me.
Upvote:1
It is said that a nimitta appears together with uppādo (origin of existence), pavattaṃ (continuity of it)'.
Nimittas arise, and if your intent is not the continuity of this nimitta, another nimitta will arise in its place. In meditation we try to keep to one nimitta. “Uppādo” means arising. When anusaya (temptations) arise due to āsava (cravings), we need to stop that temptation and be at “pavattam” (continuity of it or go with it).
If we go along with the unbroken and consistent maintaining (“pavattaṃ”), then it becomes a nimitta (literally a “sign”). A nimitta is a characteristic that is associated with a particular act. For example, for an alcoholic a picture of an alcohol bottle or a bar (or where one normally drinks), or even seeing a friend with whom one drinks often, can be a nimitta; when any of such a “symbol” comes to the mind, it reminds of the drinking act and gets one in the “mood”. Now you will see that it is not so difficult to ignore a nimitta.
Upvote:3
I presume that your object is the breath, crossing the anapana spot (under the nostrils, on the upper lip).
You must be careful since wanting the Nimitta to appear will actually prevent it from appearing. As long as you desire such things, to experience Nimitta or Jhana, it will simply never happen.
Let go of such expectations, completely. Also, by wanting Nimitta to appear, there is a very high chance of it being the product of your imagination.
You must let it be, do not give it any attention. Nimitta will strengthen, stabilize, and merge with the object on its own. Always remain with the object.
Upvote:3
Nimitta cannot be ignored in jhana because the nimitta itself is one-pointedness (ekaggatā), where the mind (citta) itself becomes the nimitta & the mind is glued unmoving to the nimitta.
An analogy is a wheel that is fixed to an axle and spins around the axle. Being fixed to the axle is the nimitta/ekaggatā. The mind being expansively conscious, luminous & blissful is the wheel.
In the Pali suttas, the Buddha did not mention the nimitta because he only mentioned ekaggatā.
More post
- 📝 What is the phantom in the conclusion of the Diamond Sutra?
- 📝 Why is it necessary to scan entire body in Vipassana?
- 📝 What leisure activities did the Buddha partake in?
- 📝 Is Near death experience in enlightenment true?
- 📝 Are the positive qualities of enlightenment ultimate or conventional realities?
- 📝 Can we use Piti as a meditation subject?
- 📝 Can a Buddhist monk use social media for his teaching?
- 📝 MN 122: Was the Buddha unsociable?
- 📝 How to juggle between the need for Prosperity and Desires for a Samsaric mind?
- 📝 Barriers to Compassion
- 📝 What is the purpose of using a wand to hit a monk in Zen meditation?
- 📝 Why are Buddhas always Indian, male and human?
- 📝 Difference between buddhasasana and buddhadhamma
- 📝 Can anyone please list important books on Buddhism?
- 📝 Are Buddhists happier than average?
- 📝 How to redeem a wasted youth?
- 📝 SN 41:3,4 Where do these monks vanish to?
- 📝 Mindfulness of brain -- references?
- 📝 Someone told me Buddha copied almost everything from Brahmanism, how accurate is that?
- 📝 What meditation practice(s) are encompassed by 'asubha' (non-beautiful)?
- 📝 Can a lay person observe the ten precepts on uposatha days?
- 📝 meditation - How obvious should the touch of the breath be?
- 📝 Which meditation is less likely to have negative effects or be practiced wrong?
- 📝 Form in the formless realms
- 📝 Getting answers as per the perception of others only, not at all mine?
- 📝 Sunyata is the truth and compassion is not an illusion?
- 📝 Do I get more merits if I give more?
- 📝 My thoughts don't happen to other people so why are they 'not mine'?
- 📝 What is Wholesome Meditation?
- 📝 Can the dharmakaya buddha be manifest as human?
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- 📝 Focus on the object or nimitta?
- 📝 The object of meditation
- 📝 What is the object of Faith in Buddhism
- 📝 Does Pure Land Buddhism ever have a Buddha other than Amitābha as the object of devotion?
- 📝 How do I focus from the distraction of people who look attractive?
- 📝 Is it not recommended to change the object of meditation during a short session?
- 📝 How do we focus on stress for the first noble truth?
- 📝 How can the sensations of the meditation object (attention to the breath) be made more noticeable?
- 📝 Anapanasati practice: what’s the correct way to focus on breath?
- 📝 Do the english user translate "monk making it his object to let go" as "monk knowing nibbāna", right?
- 📝 Is a dream object an existent? How about the face in the mirror?
- 📝 What object should one focus on when meditating to reduce anxiousness?
- 📝 How does the Nimitta occur?
- 📝 Referencing MN 121, how to focus on the oneness dependent on the perception of the dimension of infinite space?
- 📝 the Pair of Knowing and Object
- 📝 Where do I focus ? On the outer nose or outer nose with upper lip?
- 📝 Can you focus on the feeling of your body on the chair for reaching the jhanas?
- 📝 Object of Focus for Mindfulness (Non-judgment)
- 📝 How can I focus on breath at the tip of my nose?
- 📝 What to focus on in the practise of sati?
- 📝 Can the Buddha ever be a woman?
- 📝 Does illegal downloading or viewing of copyright material violate the second precept?
- 📝 Where is the Buddha quoted as saying do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself?
- 📝 How not to kill the mouse in my house?
- 📝 Is drinking coffee or tea against the fifth precept?
- 📝 Masturbation: Does it break the 3rd precept?
- 📝 What are the differences between vipassana and mindfulness meditation?
- 📝 How to determine the end of a meditation session without a clock?
- 📝 Is Nirvana the goal for all Buddhist?
- 📝 How can I assess the quality of a local Buddhist group?