Buddhist Transformation of Yoga

Author Winston L. King (amazon.com); Dhr. Seven, Amber Larson (eds.), Wisdom Quarterly

Yoga ("Union" with Breath or Supreme Consciousness) became more about real liberation.

Theravada Meditation: The Buddhist Transformation of Yoga has 5.0 out of 5 stars with 4 ratings. The first book in English to relate modern forms of Theravada meditational practice to its Indian roots, Theravada Meditation: The Buddhist Transformation of Yoga rectifies the publishing imbalance toward Mahayana and Zen.

Buddhaghosa in Sri Lanka studying ola texts

The classic Theravada pattern in Buddhaghosa's Path of Purification (circa A.D. 500) is shown to be relevant to the present Buddhist world.

Beginning with a general description of similarities and differences between the Upanisadic-Yogic and Early Buddhist viewpoints, the author goes on to analyze Siddhattha Gotama's rejection-acceptance-modification of the Upanisadic-Yogic method of striving for moksa (liberation) in his search for Buddhahood (supreme enlightenment) as related in the Pali canon.

Contents:

• Preface
• Yogic Factors in Gotama Buddha's Enlightenment
• Conditions
• Preparations and Lower Levels of Meditation
• The Jhanic and Formless States
• The Jhanic Related "Buddhist" Meditation
• Vipassana Meditation
• The Attainment of Cessation (Nirodha-Samapatti)
• Contemporary Theravada Meditation in Burma
• Appendix "A Buddhist Pilgrim's Progress"
• Notes
• Selected and Annotated Bibliography
• Index

A second major section analyzes the meditational method of Buddhaghosa, showing the interaction between Upanisadic-Yogic jhanas (modes of concentration) and Buddhist vipassana (insight meditation).

Attention is given to the highest attainable state, nirodha-samapatti (cessation of thought and perception), held by Theravada Buddhism to be an actual experience of Nibbana (nirvana or world-escape) in this life.

The final chapter discusses the attraction of Theravada meditation in parts of the contemporary world, notably Burma, drawing on materials little known in the West.

In Burma and to some degree in Sri Lanka (Ceylon) and Thailand, emphasis is on a simplified meditational method open to laypeople as well as monastics yet viewed as fully orthodox.

• Theravada Meditation: The Buddhist Transformation of Yoga by Winston L. King