Samatha meditation without an object – where can we find an instruction from a spritual teacher who is little controversial?

Last Updated on November 20, 2023 by pg@petergamma.org

Is it difficult to find an instruction for breath meditation? Welle there are a lot of them from different meditation traditions. But what about instructions for Samatha meditation without an object? We found the following instruction from Osho very helpful:

But is this an instruction for a Samatha mediation without an object? It is an instruction for a meditation as taught by Osho. But is this not a describtion for a Samatha meditation without an object as well? We asked this question in the Dharma Wheel forum which is a Buddhist discussion forum on Mahayana and Vajrayana Buddhism»:

https://www.dharmawheel.net/viewtopic.php?t=26913

But we received no answer there. On the contrary a discussion started with which we did not agree. Therefore we asked for the deletion of our posts and answers we received there, and the discussion an the answers where deleted. Osho was controversial. Who uses teachings of a controversial spiritual teacher? So what does the Dharma Wheel forum recommend us? The Dharma Whell suggests to use:

«A Lamp to Dispel Darkness»

An Instruction That Points Directly to the Very Essence of Mind In the Tradition of ‘the Old Realized Ones’

by Mipham Jampal Dorje

https://www.lotsawahouse.org/tibetan-masters/mipham/lamp-to-dispel-darkness

In the following video

Samaneri Jayasāra

reads

«Profound Meditation Instructions – by Mipham Rinpoche – (Dzogchen)

“A Light to Dispel Darkness”

But is this 30 min instruction suitable for our daily practice? And what to do if our meditation practice lasts only 20 minutes as Richard Davidsons daily meditation practice lasts?

We suggest to use the instruction from the book «Meditation» by Matthieu Ricard, Buddhist monk with a PhD. in Cellular Genetics:

https://www.google.ch/books/edition/Meditation/rArZSAAACAAJ?hl=de

Is Ricard controversial as a scientist with a PhD. in cellular genetics? Or as a co-author and study pariticipator in the following paper:

https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.0407401101

where Richard Davidson is last author? We do not know of such a controversy about Matthieu Ricard.

Is Matthieu Ricard controversial as a best-selling book author who writes books about meditation?We do not know of such a a controversy either. His instructions are based on original texts and we can find citations to the original authors of this texts in his books. And also the Dalai Lama the 14. who is little controversial asked Matthieu Ricard to write about secular meditation in his book “happiness”. And Matthieu Ricards book “Meditation” was written on request of people who asked him to write a practical instruction how to mediate. Matthieu Ricard once said he is not a spiritual teacher, but he translated texts from spiritual teachers and wrote these texts into his books.