Alternate Vision

Meditation is a mental exercise that has always intrigued me, yet something I have never experiemented with; not yet atleast. Well, by a simple definition of meditation we have all meditated at some point in our lives. But, the art of controlling the mind and using calming and insight meditation to gain wisdom has always intrigued me. Different religious disciplines employ different techniques to focus the mind and take it beyond the random realm of thought that preoccupy our consciousness on a daily basis. Hindus use slokas and mantras for this, while other disciplines use numerous other approaches. I have felt an increasing urge to learn more about these different techniques and hence decided to read up on some of them, mainly to understand the difference between the Buddhist and Hindu approaches to tranquilize our mind to a state of receptivity. Having barely embarked on this mini-project, I can confidently say nothing significant has been achieved; rather, I have just discovered the vastness associated with this process of purifying the mind. Thurman, in his book Essential Tibetan Buddhism discusses some of these differences, but not so directly. They have to be discerned carefully.

Buddhists believe that that the goals identified with the "psychic" state of mind that results from practising other systems of meditation is much different from the object of Buddhist meditation.
"The fact that mystics of every religion have induced on themselves states wherein they see visions and hear voices that are in accordance with their own religious beliefs indicates that their meditation has resulted only in bringing to the surface of the mind and objectifying the concepts already embedded in the deepest strata of their subconscious minds."

This is where that difference lies because a Buddhist sees such "visions" as mere by-products of meditation and a sign that he has only succeeded in objectifying a concept in his mind and not much more. "The purpose of Buddhist meditation, therefore, is to gain more than an intellectual understanding of this truth, to liberate ourselves from the delusion and thereby put an end to both ignorance and craving. If the meditation does not produce results tending to this consummation - results which are observable in the character and the whole attitude to life - it is clear that there is something wrong either with the system or with the method of employing it." These are some of principles that guide Vipassana meditation. Though, my mother (whom I briefly discussed this with) argues that the ultimate transcendent state of meditation in Hinduism too is completely formless and that the eventual goal and purpose of it is not far-fetched from that of Buddhism. Also, the focus of Hindu meditation is often times different.

To what degree this is true I don't know. By no means am I endorsing one form over another, just trying to understand the difference. The quest continues.