What defines a master of meditation?

[SaiyaMan]

What are the characteristics/qualities of a master of meditation?

 

What are his skills? Strengths? Weaknesses?

 

If you could design a meditation master, what qualities/skills/strengths/characteristics/mentality would you want him to have?

 

From your own personal experiences with a master of meditation (whatever school, it doesn't matter), what are the things that stood out the most to you, both good and bad?

 

All input is appreciated!

[idiot_stimpy]

Not effected by anything, holds onto nothing

[Chang]

Chuang Tzu had a few words to say that may be of interest:-

 

The True men of old did not dream when they slept, had no anxiety when they awoke, and did not care that their food should be pleasant. Their breathing came deep and silently. The breathing of the true man comes from his heels, while men generally breathe from their throats. When men are defeated in argument, their words come from their gullets as if they were vomiting. Where lusts and desires are deep, the springs of the Heavenly are shallow.

 

The True men of old knew nothing of the love of life or of the hatred of death. Entrance into life occasioned them no joy; the exit from it awakened no resistance. Composedly they went and came. They did not forget what their beginning had been, and they did not inquire into what their end would be. They accepted (their life) and rejoiced in it; they forgot (all fear of death), and returned (to their state before life). Thus there was in them what is called the want of any mind to resist the Tâo, and of all attempts by means of the Human to assist the Heavenly. Such were they who are called the True men.

 

Being such, their minds were free from all thought; their demeanour was still and unmoved; their foreheads beamed simplicity. Whatever coldness came from them was like that of autumn; whatever warmth came from them was like that of spring. Their joy and anger assimilated to what we see in the four seasons. They did in regard to all things what was suitable, and no one could know how far their action would go.

[zerostao]

travel thru different dimensions and return

[Dave]

A focused mind, that generates a strong soul, that is light enough to pierce the dark void into the beyond....and to return with a little more wisdom.

[BaguaKicksAss]

If they call themselves a master of meditation, they are not .

[thelerner]

Walk into a Zendo or anyplace where an experienced group meditates. Silence your mind and watch them. How do they sit? Who has a posture both still and alive? Can you see differences? Are some more steady? Look at the faces? In some can you see the cloud of a thought passing through it, where others stay perfectly calm?

 

In Japanese there is the word Wah. A word for the air around a person/meditator. The experienced radiate a silent peace. Most are just sitting, they'll rock, there faces will slightly contort, no particular feeling comes from them.

 

How they settle down to sit, how they get up. What is there composure afterwards? All these things make up the experienced meditator. Master is a loaded word, but as people progress over years of meditating and have good teachers who guide them, you can see it.

Edited September 12, 2014 by thelerner