Categories: Things to Do During Meditation
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
In our spiritual journey, especially when we engage in meditation, there are supporting activities that can profoundly enrich our path. Today, I wish to share with you a few essential components of a Buddhist daily practice that I personally follow and recommend. Engaging in these practices yields wonderful benefits.
Firstly, they provide a deep sense of spiritual protection. Secondly, they strengthen and awaken our innate spiritual energies. And thirdly, they help us accumulate what we call puñña, a kind of positive, wholesome energy that comes from skillful actions. These are just some of the visible and invisible fruits of a consistent Buddhist daily practice.
The Three Pillars of a Powerful Buddhist Daily Practice
So, what are these core activities? There are three pillars I encourage you to build your Buddhist daily practice upon, especially when you are also cultivating stillness through meditation.
1. Protective Chanting (Paritta): The recitation of the Buddha’s words for protection and well-being.
2. Powerful Resolutions (Adhiṭṭhāna): Setting firm, clear intentions to guide your spiritual growth.
3. Loving-Kindness Meditation (Mettā Bhāvanā): The active cultivation of boundless goodwill for yourself and all beings.
Even if your life is very busy, you might think, ‘I have no time for this!‘ But I encourage you to try. Even performing this sequence once a day, at any time that works for you, can be a powerful offering. Whether morning, noon, or late at night, these practices are for your own well-being.
1. The Power of Protective Chanting (Paritta)
The first pillar is the practice of chanting, known in the Pali tradition as Paritta, which means ‘protection.’ This involves reciting certain discourses of the Buddha that are believed to provide spiritual safety and blessings. A beautiful way to start is by making a simple offering, like water or flowers, at your home altar. Before you begin chanting, it is traditional to first take refuge in the Buddha, the Dhamma (His teachings), and the Sangha (the community of noble ones), and to mindfully undertake the Five Precepts.
Then, you can recite these powerful suttas. I recommend starting with four primary chants:
- The Karaniya Metta Sutta (The Discourse on Loving-Kindness)
- The Ratana Sutta (The Discourse on Jewels)
- The Khandha Paritta (The Protection of the Body Aggregates)
- The Mora Paritta
Also, chant the remaining Pirith found at the end of the Pirith book: Chula Jinapanjara Piritha, Jinapanjara Piritha, Jala Nandana Piritha, Jaya Piritha, Atavisi Piritha
After chanting, remember to share the merits the positive energy you have generated with all beings, including celestial beings (devas) and your departed relatives. This act of generosity completes the practice, extending its benefits far and wide.
2. Setting Powerful Spiritual Resolutions (Adhiṭṭhāna)
The second pillar of this Buddhist daily practice is setting powerful intentions, a practice known as Adhiṭṭhāna. This is not just wishful thinking; it is a firm; conscious resolution made with a clear mind. After your chanting, or before you sit for meditation, you can state these intentions to yourself. Here are three that I personally use and find very powerful:
1. ‘May I receive all the wholesome cosmic energies of the universe.‘
2. ‘May all the skills and abilities I have cultivated throughout my past lives reawaken within me now.‘
3. ‘May all the dormant spiritual energies within me become fully active.‘
Making these resolutions helps to align your mind and energy with your highest spiritual aspirations, creating the conditions for them to manifest.
3. Cultivating a Boundless Heart with Loving-Kindness (Mettā)
The third and final pillar is the cultivation of loving-kindness, or Mettā Bhāvanā. This is the practice of actively developing a heart of boundless, unconditional friendliness and goodwill. It is a profound antidote to fear, anger, and isolation. I recommend dedicating about half an hour each day to this meditation. For now, you can practice in any way you are familiar with, perhaps by radiating thoughts of well-being to yourself, to loved ones, and eventually to all beings without exception. In a future article, I hope to share the specific method I personally use to cultivate Mettā. By integrating this into your Buddhist daily practice, you create a foundation of warmth and compassion that supports all other spiritual efforts.
Advice for Those with Busy Lifestyles
For those of you leading busy lives, you might think, “I don’t have time for these things,” or “It’s too difficult.” Well, let me briefly clarify that.
If you lead an extremely busy life and genuinely have no free time to engage in these practices, I strongly urge you to do them at least once a day, or whenever possible, for the Buddha. This is because we don’t need to set aside a specific time for the Buddha. We can engage in these practices at any time, even at midnight. However, we should try to engage in them whenever we can.
For those at home, whether male or female, I recommend performing these practices at least three times a day. But if that’s also difficult, even if you’re busy at home, do it twice, or at least once a day.
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Nourish Your Journey, Find Your Peace
By weaving these three practices chanting, resolution, and loving-kindness into your daily life, you create a powerful support system for your spiritual journey. They will protect you, energize you, and help you cultivate the mental freedom and deep inner peace you seek. Nurture your path with this wholesome Buddhist daily practice.
We invite you to walk this path with us. Read our teachings, and most importantly, apply them practically in your own life. as you practice, questions will naturally arise. Please feel free to share your experiences and questions in the comments below, via email or contact form. I will do my best to offer guidance in future talks based on your progress. For now, begin this practice with an open heart and a mind free from expectation. Cultivate it correctly, and may you find the clarity and peace you seek.
Thank you for joining us. We hope this blog will be of great benefit to your spiritual journey.
May you all be well and happy.
May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!
