Can you kill yourself with meditation?
Upvote:0
Look up Phowa, Mahasamadhi, Parinirvana. If a monk has practiced enough, they will reach a point in spiritual development where they can just drop the body at will, permanently. Explained in a very simplified way, they do this by severing the attachment to the body, though the specific methods used may vary between traditions.
Upvote:0
As mentioned above with phowa. The 6 yogas of naropa has a method to "transfer the consciousness" i'e wilfully kill yourself. If you have seen the tibetan buddhist monks who put kusha grass in their heads from a gap they have made in their crown plates, this is part of the practice. I do not know the methods as it seems this has never been written in text, unless anyone here has a textual guide to it (which I would like to see)
Upvote:0
Ok...
Allegedly some of the Buddha's disciples would attain final extinguishment whilst self-cremating(?) and it is an extinguishment of life-force.
I've read that Ananda raised himself into the air through his supernormal powers and let his body be consumed by the fire element. https://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/hecker/wheel273.html#section-10 (last paragraph)
We read about similar meditations in Vinaya, in particular the story of Ven. Sagata
The naga (living in the fire building) saw that Ven. Sagata had entered and, on seeing him, was upset, disgruntled, and emitted smoke. Ven. Sagata emitted smoke. The naga, unable to bear his anger, blazed up. Ven. Sagata, entering the fire element, blazed up. Then Ven. Sagata, having consumed the naga's fire with his own fire, left for Bhaddavatika. https://www.nku.edu/~kenneyr/Buddhism/lib/modern/bmc/ch8-6.html
Upvote:1
Many yogis have claimed to be able to do this - the scientific evidence is not convincing.
In a controlled study, it was found this was not based on meditative control, but on holding the breath and considerable tensing of the muscles in the abdomen and thorax. This resulted in reduced blood flow, but did not stop the heart. One subject was able to slow his heart for a maximum of 3 seconds using this method.
Upvote:1
Theravada Buddhist Answer.
Samatha meditation is designed to focus the mind, to cultivate the Jhana states, thereby preparing the mind for the insight-portion of the Buddha's path.
Vipassana meditation is designed to allow the mind to cultivate a deep and liberating understanding of conditioned reality. Vipassana meditation is the only meditation type that can completely eradicate the 3 layered defilements, ie. the deepest layer of latent tendencies (anusaya).
With that in mind, meditation cannot kill you but it can "kill" (cut off the latent tendencies at the root) the three root defilements.
More post
- π Opposite of buddhism
- π How do you practice outwardly giving?
- π Is it possible to set goals for the future and be present at the same time?
- π Meditation for higher concentration
- π Does the Pali word "sattΔ" mean "sentient beings"?
- π Is lack of doubt a form of self-cherishing?
- π Karma and one's own belief about the event
- π "Buddha does not claim to be a creator of lives or the Universe.", true?
- π In what ways the Way removes the craving?
- π Why doesn't Mara suffer?
- π Is there any meditation technique to be aware of what you hear?
- π What is the difference between a cula sotapanna and 'faith follower' ?
- π Can Buddhism be fundamentalist?
- π Difference between Kamma, Kammanto, and Kammanta?
- π In short, what is the path to enlightenment? Where to begin?
- π What is the significance of Commentaries (Atthakatha) to the Suttas?
- π Can the dharmakaya buddha be manifest as human?
- π Was Buddha one man?
- π Is (and why is) physical health important, as well as mind?
- π Can being a vegetarian actually be a temporary hindrance for some?
- π How to keep balance in the thin line between non attachment to reputation and "not caring about anything"
- π What is *vitakkavicΔrΔnaαΉ*? And what about day-dreaming?
- π Do we know in what posture the Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree?
- π Is drinking coffee or tea against the fifth precept?
- π Cosmic expansion and cosmic contraction
- π Is "no-self" or "self" the more secure bet, e.g. for householders?
- π What is non-buddhism?
- π Buddhism and past lives?
- π Are mindfulness and flow related
- π Scattered mind while doing Body Scanning in Vipassana
Source: stackoverflow.com
Search Posts
Related post
- π Can you kill yourself with meditation?
- π Can meditation cause you to sleep less?
- π Can you go through all 7 purifications of insight with walking meditation?
- π Can you reconcile (professional) ambition with buddhism?
- π How can I practice mindfulness meditation with sound, not breathing?
- π Where is the Buddha quoted as saying do not believe anything I say until you can prove it by yourself?
- π As a Buddhist with a Muslim family, community, and background... how do you integrate/cope?
- π Can you attain stream entry without meditation?
- π Can one learn meditation on their own?
- π Can one practice meditation to gain knowledge about the universe?
- π Can we reach enlightentment with recreational drugs?
- π Did Buddha practice group meditation with bhikkhus, bhikkhunis and laymen, just like in today's meditation center?
- π How can you see suffering in the breath?
- π Can meditation help students in exams?
- π Could meditation help with reducing memory and concentration problems? As with ADD or ADHD?
- π Working with cycles in meditation
- π If Buddhism is about moderation, then why is it that you can attain nirvana only after renouncing worldly possessions?
- π Can you explain "nirvana"?
- π How is body language linked with meditation success?
- π Is 'be thankful to your parents, for they brought you life' incongruent with Buddhist thought?
- π How can you translate nibbida?
- π Is surrounding yourself with good people a form of aversion?
- π Can Metta make you likable?
- π Working with hallucinogenic images during meditation
- π How do you decide when to stick up for yourself and when to let things go?
- π How can I make amends with the one I wronged?
- π My short story with anxiety problems - could meditation be the cause?
- π Can a person reach enlightment living an average life, married with children?
- π Can you meditate too much as part of a daily routine?
- π What determines whether a style of meditation can or cannot lead to insight?