Buddhist qigong: still, moving and applied practice

Once we are aware that the energy generated by qigong is an important foundation of meditative concentration, we must put more effort into training in qigong. Look at the life of the Buddha, who came from the Khattiya caste and had to train in martial arts from childhood, and so attained extraordinary inner strength. It was thanks to this exceptional qigong power that at the age of twelve, when he accompanied his father the king to the ploughing ceremony, the Buddha entered the first jhana beneath a rose-apple tree. The first jhana is the dream of very many meditators, and takes countless lifetimes to attain. A person who attains the first jhana has the conditions to realise the third fruit, that of the Non-returner (having the conditions, not necessarily having already attained it). It was also thanks to the support of this qigong power that the Buddha easily attained the Realm of Nothingness when he met the ascetic Alara Kalama, and quickly attained the Realm of Neither Perception nor Non-perception when he met the ascetic Uddaka Ramaputta.

Later, the Theravada monks seem to have understood this secret and developed the Vipassana practice, insight meditation, knowing whether the lower abdomen rises or falls with the out-breath and the in-breath. Paying attention to the lower abdomen is a standard of qigong, and following the breath is also qigong. With these two elements, Vipassana is in truth also a way of practising qigong.

In the material presented here, the way of practising qigong for disciples of the Buddha follows the Vietnamese way a little more: a little harder, a little more specialised, and with a little clearer orientation towards NO-SELF MEDITATION. For convenience we will provisionally call it Buddhist qigong. The name is only a provisional label, used merely to make it easier to exchange information.

BUDDHIST QIGONG HAS 3 PARTS:

STILL PRACTICE – MOVING PRACTICE – APPLIED PRACTICE