Buddhism Meditation and the Search for Life�s Meaning

Today's world, with all its excitements, its adventures, and its discoveries, is
moving in a very fast pace. This can be very thrilling and fun-filled for the
modern man, but this can also be exhausting to the soul. That is exactly the reason
why many people try to find comfort and solitude amidst the changes taking place in
their environment. And, it is also because of this that meditation is becoming
popular among many.

Meditation can be defined in different ways, but this is really a broad concept
that no measure of words can totally unveil its real sense. Meditation is best
understood when experienced and felt rather than when explained. And although this
cannot be measured by words, maybe you will be able to grasp it more easily in the
light of its purpose.

Why do people meditate? The prevailing reason is the search for inner peace, the
peace of the soul. Peace, in this world of changes and in this race of life, is
becoming more and more elusive. In the search for things and possessions, many live
a life of materialism, always looking forward into the future and seldom looking
within them to monitor the state of their inner self. And once they have finally
decided to venture within, they find the various pieces of themselves in disarray.
This is when meditation is often resorted to. Others meditate to contemplate the
things around them, to look into the realities of their life, and to find the
meaning of the world to which they belong.

The popularity of meditation varies among races, cultures, and religions. It may
also be seen differently according to various people. Buddhism, a popular religion
and philosophy that originated in Asia, places a great emphasis on Buddhism
meditation as a way of discovering life's meaning. To the Buddhists, meditation is
associated with enlightenment.

Buddhists recognize the presence of sufferings in the world. But then, recognition
is nothing without any intention to alleviate and free mankind from this plague.
This is therefore the ultimate purpose of Buddhism meditation � to free man from
pain and agony.

To be able to do this, one must know what causes pain and suffering. This is
basically brought about by man's endless desires and expectations from the world,
from the people around him, and from life itself. Expectation usually breeds
despair, and this is what man must conquer. He must stop expecting from the world.

To meditate is to be enlightened, to see things in the light of reality. Life is

not a bed of roses; it is an ever-changing sphere. To live life fully and to enjoy
the freedom of living, one must control his cravings and desires. Only when this is
achieved will man be able to know that life is not actually as complicated as he
has come to believe.

Meditation, at its best, is a great tool to help you find inner peace, and to
preserve it, no matter how frustrating the outside world can be. Given the right
motivation and the right purpose, this activity is one that will keep you focused
on the truth that you need to know about life to keep you living healthy and
satisfied.