The Dhyana Yoga in the Religion of the Buddha

The Higher Dharma intended for the Brahmachari is an absolute transcendentalism. The Bhikkhu has to lead the perfect lift of the saint, he has to lead the exalted life of the Buddha and Arhats. He has to follow the rule of the Patimokkha, control his sense organs, and keep himself aloof from the ordinary path of the worldly man. Walking lying down, sitting, standing, talking, keeping silent, in every movement of his limb he has to be wide awake. He has to discipline himself according to the rules laid down in the vinaya. The yellow robe is his garment. By begging he has to obtain his meal, and no solid food should he take after the sun passes the meridian. In quiet places, in caves, and in places of solitude, under shady trees, where he can enjoy the bliss of solitude, the Brahmachari should sit erect and practice the yoga of breath. Fixing his visual consciousness in the centre of the heart, or at the tip of the nose, he should quietly begin to inhale and exhale keeping his consciousness all the while on the inhalations and the exhalations of his breath. He must know when he is breathing, and be conscious that the breath that he inhaled was long or short, and the breath that he exhaled was long or short. He must refrain from thinking of sensual Money making in whatever form should not engage his mind. He must think of gold and silver as if they were poisonous serpents. Their very touch is injurious to the bhikkhu. Contentment should be his fixed principle. Covetousness he must avoid, Anger, passion, harbouring anger, pride, the spirit of revenge conceit, arrogance, stubbornness, slothfulness, delay to do good acts, holding wrong ideas of religion, accepting nihilistic views, envy, avarice, malice, generating polluting desires, &c. these have to be abandoned. They are contaminations, Moderate in eating, avoiding all kinds of intoxicating liquors and narcotics, avoiding falsehood, harsh speech, slander, idle gossip, he has to think of only doing meritorious deed of the higher realms. If the Bhikkhu is too much troubled by lustful thoughts he has to follow the ethics of the ragacharita, and avoid such food, seats garments associates, residences, that would engender thoughts of lustful passion. If he is troubled by angry thoughts and feels hatred towards others, he has to associate with companions who will guide him in the path of love he has to meditate the bhavana of loving kindness to all living beings; he should have seats soft, and pleasant; and his vision should come in contact with things that would not engender anger or hate. Food must be soft sweet and delicious and not hard and bad. The bhikkhu who is muddleheaded should cultivate the yoga of breathing, and associate with those who will guide him in the path of wisdom.
There are forty different kinds of mental fixities which are called karmasthanas. The brahmachari who is inclined towards the higher life, who wishes to realize the bliss of Nirvana, may take one of the karmasthanas and begin training his mind. It is a process of self discipline to keep the mind wandering from one object to another. To bring the mind into a radiant state of infiniteness is the object of the discipline of the Buddhas. They first inculcate abstinence from all evil which are called the twelve akusalas; and thence forward sublimate the mind by doing meritorious karmas of the four planes leading to the goal of Nirvana. All meritorious karma have to be done to enjoy celestial happiness. Doing evil leadeth to hellish states, although not eternally. To bring the mind into a state of radiancy is the object of the dhyana yoga. For details consult the great work called the Visuddhi Magga.
The human consciousness is called vinnana or citta, or mano. The mind that is not brough under Discipline goes downwards. The contaminations that lead the mind to the lower grades of hellishness, animality, ignobleness, viciousness are called kilesas. What the kilesas are may be known by the simple word contamination. That which pollutes the mind has to be avoided. Every thought is the result of anger is a contamination; every word spoken in anger and hatred and malice is a contamination, every word spoken with lustful feelings is a contamination ; every thought produced with lustful feeling is a contamination ; every deed done with a low desire and based on covetousness is a contamination. Every thing done in the spirit of self-sacrificing altruism is meritorious.
There are eighteen foolish questions about the ago which have to be avoided, relating to the present, past and future. Buddhism is not a nihilism; nor is it an agnosticism. It is not a religion of dogmas. It is a religion of truths based on analysis. Every idea is a subjected to an analysis. It is not a monotheism and acknowledges no creator. It is not a nihilism in that it posits the law of causes and effects, with an eternal future and an eternal past. It is not an egoism, nor is it a pantheism. It avoids speculation. It is founded on the Four Noble Truths. It accepts the beliefs of the existence of gods, and great Brahmas, who are chief of world systems. One great Brahma Can, by this power, illuminate by his own glory ten thousand world systems. The Buddhist hates neither god or devil. He no quarrel with the religions of the ante Buddhist period nor with religions of the post Buddhist period. He loves all; he analyses every dogma, rejects the bad accepts the good.
Sabbapapassa akaranam
Kusalassa upsampada, Sacitta
Pariyo dapanam, Etam Buddha Sasanam.
The blessed One is the great Teacher Guide of both gods and men. Analysis of mind and body; spreading loving thoughts throughout the universe; resolute will to reach the goal by good words, good deeds and good thoughts-this is Buddhism