Is Meditation a Myth?

May the blessings of the Triple Gem be with you all!

For those of you who follow our spiritual teachings, you know that we place immense value on the direct, practical experience of meditation. You understand that this practicality is not just a concept, but the very heart of the path. However, questions can arise. You might wonder why some people dismiss meditation as a delusion or a myth. This is often because they lack this direct, personal experience.

Today, I want to share a story to illustrate this. As you read, you will begin to understand how a lack of hands-on experience can lead to misunderstanding. My hope is to explain this in a simple way, so that anyone can grasp the profound journey that unfolds through practical meditation.

Starting from Scratch: Meditation Without Belief

Let us imagine a person who starts their journey from a place of deep skepticism. They don’t believe in past lives or future lives. The concept of rebirth is foreign to them. They might hold what the Buddha called dasa-vatthuka micchā-diṭṭhi, or the ten kinds of wrong views ideas like there is no result of good or bad actions, no afterlife, and no spiritual realms.

Yet, this person feels the weight of life. Perhaps they face constant criticism from their spouse, stress at their job, or difficulties with their children. This pressure, this feeling of being overwhelmed, creates a desire for relief. Though they don’t believe in karma or rebirth, they think, “I need to do something to fix my mind.” Driven by this simple, human need for peace, this person decides to try meditation.

The First Breakthrough: A Mind Unexpectedly at Peace

So, our skeptic begins to meditate, perhaps with the guidance of a teacher, or maybe entirely on their own. They sit, they close their eyes, and they begin the practice. Gradually, something remarkable happens: their mind starts to unify. It begins to settle. This experience of mental concentration is completely new to them. They feel the pressure in their mind decreasing, the constant stream of thoughts slowing down. In their own words, they might just think, “My mind feels… quieter.”

They recognize this as something profound, unlike anything they’ve experienced before. A thought arises: “If just a little bit of practical meditation can bring this much peace, what else is possible?” This initial taste of calm, which in Buddhism we call Samatha, ignites a genuine curiosity to explore further.

Beyond Calm: The Emergence of the Inner Light (Āloka Saññā)

As they continue their practical meditation, they advance to a new stage. Suddenly, an inner light may appear in their mind’s eye. This is known as the āloka saññā, or a light sign. It can be a brilliant, captivating vision. For someone who has never known such a thing, it is astonishing. They think, “Wow! First, my mind became calm, but now there’s a light! The mind is so much more mysterious than I ever imagined.”

Even with this incredible experience, their core beliefs may not have changed yet. They might still be skeptical about past lives, gods, heavens, or hells. The ten wrong views can remain firmly in place. They have experienced calm and seen a light, but the intellectual framework of disbelief is still there.

When the Mind Creates Worlds: Seeing Citta Rūpa

Going deeper still, they move beyond the light sign into a new territory: the realm of citta rūpa, or mind-images. Suddenly, their inner vision is filled with vivid scenes. They might see waterfalls, rivers, mountains, and oceans. They see other people, perhaps even religious figures. They might see their own mother, father, siblings, or even a clear image of themselves.

Having surpassed the stage of inner light, these visions can be startling. The meditator observes this parade of images and wonders, “Goodness! I went past the light, and now I’m seeing all these things. How is this possible? Where are these images coming from?” A new thought might arise, one filled with fear: “Is there something wrong with me? Am I developing a mental illness? Should I see a psychiatrist?”

A Dangerous Crossroads: When Well-Intentioned Advice Can Go Wrong

This is a critical crossroads. If the meditator shares these experiences with uninformed friends or family, the reaction can be negative. “Stop meditating immediately! You’re going to go crazy,” they might say. “We don’t believe in such things. This is all delusion.”

Worse, if they consult a psychiatrist who lacks understanding of spiritual experiences, their journey can be halted. The doctor might diagnose a mental disorder, give it a clinical name, and prescribe medication. As we have discussed in previous teachings, these drugs can affect the nervous system, dulling the very sensitivity needed for deep meditation. The person’s spiritual progress is stopped, and their journey is derailed, all due to a lack of understanding from those around them.

The Power of Inner Wisdom: Choosing to Investigate, Not Panic

Now, let’s return to our meditator at that same crossroads but follow a different path the path of wisdom. This person has intelligence, what we call paññā. Instead of panicking, they reflect. They might think, “Am I really sick? I’m still performing well at my job. I’m fulfilling my duties to my parents, my spouse, and my children. If I were truly mentally ill, it would show in my daily life.”

This is a mark of wisdom. The wise meditator understands that such profound inner experiences are best kept private, not shared with those who cannot understand them. If you don’t announce to the world that you are on a spiritual path, no one can accuse you of being mentally ill. So, this person continues their practical meditation in silence. They don’t tell their friends or family. They simply decide, “I need to investigate this further,” and they continue to observe their inner world with calm curiosity, not fear.

The Great Unveiling: A Direct Experience of Past Lives

As they continue this quiet, personal investigation, their mind travels somewhere new backwards in time. They begin to have experiences that feel like memories from before this life. At first, they don’t believe it. But as they meditate day after day, the vision becomes clearer. They see themselves coming into their mother’s womb, growing, and being born into their current body. Crucially, they also see where they were before entering the womb.

This direct experience shatters their old worldview. They realize, “So, past lives are real. All this time I thought there was nothing before this life, but my own practical meditation has shown me otherwise.” From this, a new understanding dawns: “If there was a life before this, there could be a life after this. Perhaps those unseen worlds the worlds of spirits, of gods are also real.” One by one, the ten wrong views begin to fall away, not through belief, but through direct, undeniable experience.

From Skeptic to Monk: Embracing the Path of Liberation

This transformation is total. The person, now convinced by their own undeniable experience, may even choose to ordain as a monk to dedicate their life to exploring this truth. Through continued practice, they come to understand the two great paths of meditation:

• Samatha (Calm): Developing deep states of concentration, or jhānas, which can lead to supernormal abilities, or abhiññā, such as psychic powers and even the ability to levitate the physical body.
• Vipassanā (Insight): Using a concentrated mind to see the true nature of reality, which leads to the uprooting of defilements and achieving liberation as an Arahant (a fully awakened being).

They now understand that the stories of the Buddha’s past lives, the Jātaka tales, are not mere literature. They are accounts of the gradual accumulation of spiritual perfections, or pāramitā, a power they now feel and understand within themselves.

The Unshakeable Foundation: Why Direct Experience is Everything

The final lesson is this: because this person’s knowledge is built on the unshakable foundation of practical meditation, they can no longer be fooled. No priest, no monk, and no layperson without direct experience can sway them or pull them back into doubt. They know because they have seen. This story, which is based on a true account, highlights the supreme importance of practice.

You come to realize that the scope of the Dhamma is limitless. You think, “What did I really know before?” When your mind reaches this point, you are protected. This is why practical meditation is so essential for your journey. What matters is not the names in this story, but the lesson you take from it. The understanding you gain is what will carry your spiritual journey forward.

And so, we conclude this reflection on whether meditation is a myth. May the power and blessings of the Buddha, the Dhamma, and the Sangha the Triple Gem guide you in your own practical efforts to see the truth for yourselves.

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!