The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation: Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight

by Richard Shankman

The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation offers a practical guide to building a strong meditation practice by unifying mindfulness, concentration, and insight into a single, integrated approach. Mindfulness and insight—clearly knowing what is happening in one’s present moment experience—and concentration—the ability of the mind to remain steady and undistracted—are foundational elements of meditation, yet people are often confused about how these aspects of the practice fit together. Should they be doing insight meditation or concentration practices? How does concentration fit into insight meditation? To help, The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation offers specific guidance for cultivating both insight and concentration in meditation. This book will be of interest to both beginning and experienced meditation practitioners who wish to familiarize themselves with, deepen their understanding of, and increase their practical skills in mindfulness, concentration, and insight meditation. New meditators who want hands-on skills they can easily put into practice will find the step-by-step instructions accessible and easy to understand. Experienced practitioners will find a complete and useful guide for deepening insight and cultivating the deeper stages of concentration known as jhana. This book also discusses the most common experiences that can arise as the meditation process unfolds, and will help you find the approaches and techniques that work best for you.

Genres: Meditation, Buddhism, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Psychology, Spirituality, Self Help

159 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2015

About the author

Richard Shankman lives in Oakland, CA. He has been a meditator since 1970 and teaches classes and meditation retreats at dharma centers and groups nationally and internationally. Richard is the guiding teacher of the Metta Dharma Foundation , and co-founder of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and of Mindful Schools. He has sat many silent, intensive meditation retreats for periods up to eleven months long.

Richard has been active in bringing dharma and meditation practice into prisons, jails and drug rehabilitation programs in California.

Richard is the author of The Experience of Samadhi: An In-Depth Investigation of Buddhist Meditation and The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation: Mindfulness, Concentration and Insight.

Richard holds a BS degree in Electrical Engineering and an MA degree in Philosophy and Religion, with an emphasis in Buddhist Studies.

Reviews

[Wt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is pretty run-of-the-mill - there is absolutely nothing new in here. The approach to meditation is standard - establishing the foundation for mindfulness, dealing with hindrances, deepening concentration, going into jhāna, and a very short chapter on insight, and equanimity. Overall, there is nothing novel, no new angles, no new insights, and nothing to get excited about. Although it avoids a narrow schismatic approach that wrongly divides mindfulness, concentration and insight, still, this cannot be considered a book that breaks new ground. At best, it is a summation of a more balanced approach to meditation, which should anyway have been there to begin with. Despite the title, the coverage of mindfulness and insight are very thin. The most thorough chapter is actually on the jhānas, not surprising since Shankman's previous book was about samadhi. The discussion, instructions and guidance stay on a very general level, and as such, it is simply an introductory book to Buddhist meditation for beginners. I actually expected there would be at least more discussion, guidance and suggestions for different ways to integrate and develop mindfulness, concentration and insight in practice, but there wasn't much at all. As such, though the book avoids schismatic-ism, it actually falls short of integration. Even as an introductory text, this book left me unimpressed, under-awed and unwowed, which is a pity.

[Teo · Rating 2 out of 5]

2017.09.06–2017.09.07

Contents

Shankman R (2015) (04:16) Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation, The - Mindfulness, Concentration, and Insight

Introduction
• Why Meditate?
• The Buddha’s Teaching
• The Building Blocks of Meditation
• • Loving-Kindness and Compassion
• • Mindfulness
• • Concentration
• • Insight
• Paths of Meditation
• How to Use This Book

01. Establishing the Foundation for Meditation
• What Does a Healthy Meditation Practice Look Like?
• • Balanced Effort
• • Ease and Relaxation
• • Opening to the Present Moment
• • Working with Hindrances
• • Self-Compassion
• Experimental Attitude

02. Beginning Instructions
• Mindfulness of Breathing: Our Foundational Meditation Practice
• Variation: Whole-Body Breathing
• • When the Mind Wanders
• • • Mental Noting
• • • Mala
• Alternative Meditation Practices
• • Mindfulness of Sound
• • Touch Points
• • Body Scan
• • Mantra Meditation

03. As Concentration Begins to Grow
• Foreground and Background
• Broadening and Narrowing the Lens of Awareness
• Shifting Attention
• More Subtle Awareness
• Building Mindfulness
• Balance

04. Working with Difficulties
• Turning into the Skid
• Noticing the Changing Nature
• Knowing Your Limits
• Pleasant and Unpleasant
• Opening to All Experiences
• Mindfulness with Breathing

05. Right Concentration
• Two Kinds of Concentration
• Concentration Supports Insight
• A Potential Pitfall of Concentration
• Right Concentration

06. Deepening Concentration
• Ways of Unfolding
• Steering Toward Inclusive Concentration
• Deepening of Letting Go

07. Strong Energies and Challenging Experiences
• Working with the Pleasure
• Balancing Energy
• Entering Unfamiliar Territory
• Two Main Approaches
• • Bringing Up Ability to Be With Strong Experiences
• • Bringing Down Intensity

08. Jhana: The Culmination of Concentration
• What Is Jhana?
• • Defining Jhana
• • Factors of the First Jhana
• The Experience of Jhana
• • Three Essential Characteristics of Jhana
• • Unification of Mind
• • Heightened Clarity
• • Self-Sustaining
• How to Attain Jhana
• • Maturing of Right Effort
• • Entering the First Jhana
• • Stabilizing Jhana
• Progressing Through the Jhanas
• • Directed Attention
• • Second Jhana
• • Third Jhana
• • Fourth Jhana
• After Jhana

09. Insight
• How Insight Leads to Liberation
• The Ways Insight Arises
• • Three Marks of All Experience
• • Insight That Arises from Within Samadhi
• • Insight in Meditation When You Cannot Concentrate
• • Insight in Daily Life

10. Equanimity
• Ending Destructive Impulses
• Becoming Disentangled
• Factors Supporting Equanimity
• • Intention
• • Virtue
• • Gladdening Your Mind
• • Mindfulness
• • Steadiness
• • Discernment
• Finding the Teacher Within

[Bob · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. Shankman has written a very concise yet incredibly useful meditation manual. I credit this book with getting me past a kind of block I was experiencing in my own practice. The distinction he makes between "inclusive" and "exclusive" concentration are simple but extremely helpful in terms of helping a practitioner navigate the very strange and subtle realms that start to unfold as samadhi develops.

[Davide · Rating 5 out of 5]

(this review is based on an ARC)
Richard Shankman's meditation primer presents the practice of mindfulness and meditation from a Buddhist standpoint, but this does not make this book particularly preachy or "religious".
After a brief and to-the-point overview of the Buddhist doctrine and its influence and connection with meditation, the text proceeds in a very practical, direct manner.
After the two introductory chapters, the practice of meditation is presented in a simple, clear, hands-on way, stressing the relative nature of the experience - there is not a single path to be followed.
Indeed, each step of the way is accompanied with alternatives and options, and the students are encouraged to experiment, in order to find the style of meditation more suited to their needs and attitude.
The easygoing style is highly refreshing, as is the general attitude of the author.
As the book's subtitle points out, meditation is treated in connection with the practices (or skills) of mindfulness, concentration and insight - aspects that are developed and explained in detail as the text proceeds.
While clearly aimed at beginners, the book offers some interesting reflections and suggestions for readers that already have a certain familiarity with meditation.
Certainly one of the best introductory texts on meditation read so far, The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation is highly recommended as a starting point for anyone interested in trying their hand at Buddhist meditation.

[Christopher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thought this was an amazing book. I am new to meditation and his really helped open my eyes to the aspects and experiences of meditation. The author helped to me understand methods to try and things that may get in the way, and some ideas of how to overcome then.

I really enjoyed the easy to understand writing style. I found myself getting lost in the authors words describing the aspects of mediation. I would recommend to anybody looking to start mediation or just more interested in the subject!

[Frank Jude · Rating 4 out of 5]

Richard Shankman has written a book called Samadhi that is unique in offering an in depth overview of samadhi and the various jhanas as presented in both the suttas and in the commentarial tradition. It is a valuable book that my students preparing to become dharma teachers read so that they can understand the overlaps and differences in these two approaches to samadhi which has caused so much confusion among practitioners and even many teachers. However, it is a very dry, academic study that many find taxing to work their way through.

This book is not that! It is amazingly clear, accessible and reader-friendly without much -- if any -- dumbing down! It is also a corrective to the preponderance of mindfulness books from the contemporary, secular tradition that has truncated and distorted the practice into simply "bare attention" which is NOT what is meant by sati the Pali word translated as "mindfulness."

Shankman, in this book, offers a primer on meditation that can help anyone begin a meditation practice as well as help those with a young, but established practice, grow in confidence and understanding. He offers clear "Beginning Instructions" in Chapter Two, and then describes ways of reading experience in order to know where one is along the on-going path. This includes good information on "Working With Difficulties", how to establish "Right Concentration" and how to deal with "Strong Energies and Challenging Experiences".

The final three chapters offer succinct introductions to "Jhana: The Culmination of Concentration", "Insight" and "Equanimity".

I can wholeheartedly recommend this book to anyone beginning or newly engaged in meditation as a great resource to clear the common misunderstandings that can so often derail a budding practice!

[David Holoman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this book up to help assist with non-beginner guidance, and it fit the bill nicely. In Wherever You Go, There You Are: Mindfulness Meditation in Everyday Life (a different book about meditation), Kabat-Zinn discusses a particular practice and says, "Why don't you try it for a few years and see how you like it." I believe this phrase accurately describes the the pace of evolution in one's meditation life. This little book takes you through the deeper destinations of meditation, so it could be a guidebook to assist you the rest of your life, or many many years.

I think meditation is difficult to talk or write about, and this book does and admirable job. The descriptions of the deeper jhanas are pretty abstract, but we'll know when we get there, we're told.

I might have positioned the last two chapters earlier in the work. If you should get bogged down in the jhanas, do flip ahead to these chapters.

I still have the sense that there is a practice or method concerning meditating ON something, like compassion, for instance. It isn't covered in this book, unless it was too oblique for me to pick up.

[James Madsen · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first glance, this book might appear a relatively pedestrian tome on meditation, and in fact many of its ideas are straightforward. But it's worth noting in view of the burgeoning number of books on mindfulness meditation that this book promotes practicing a combination of mindfulness and insight meditation. Also, instead of just promoting the oft-touted "practical" effects of relaxation and stress relief of beginning meditation and the deeper view of reality that advanced meditation offers, it provides a bird's-eye view of the entire process, including, as reviewer Wt points out, a nice discussion of the jhanas. What strikes me the most, now that I've finished the book and have begun reading "The Illuminated Mind," is that "The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation" appears to be a shorter and simplified version of "The Illuminated Mind" and can serve as a springboard into the latter, which is more technical. The two books complement each other. I also appreciated the empathetic and reassuring tone of "The Art and Skill."

[Cliff Chew · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping for a book that focused more on the practice of meditation, but this book seemed to focus more on the philosophy and theories of Buddhism. It was quite a dense book as well, so it was quite difficult to try to finish the book.

If you are looking for a book that focuses more on meditation, this book wouldn't be for you. But if you are looking for something heavy in theories, you can consider trying this book.

[Chaundell Monn · Rating 3 out of 5]

I loved the beginning and end sections that talk about how Buddhists believe meditation can help you. A lot of the middle was hard for me to get through. I think because it was getting to much into how you can achieve higher levels of meditation. I really only wanted a simple daily practice. In the end this book was very informative and I’m glad I read it.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Does a fine job in providing basic advice and insight for both beginning and advanced meditators. The last chapter ('Equanimity') can serve as the perfect pocket guide to the 'mindful' way of living, and should be mandatory study material for everyone in the universe.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not for beginners.

[Calvin · Rating 5 out of 5]

very insightful and thought provoking.

[Andre · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little on the light side. More of a discussion of... rather than lessons in...

[Malum · Rating 4 out of 5]

A great little Buddhist meditation primer.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lot of information. Maybe too much information for a beginner.

[Andrew Chaikin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a wonderful book. Richard’s writing is much like his teaching: warm, clear, practical, useful, to the point, and informed by decades of practice, scholarship, teaching, and wisdom.

In this relatively slim volume, Richard briskly and methodically lays out a straightforward, comprehensive program of Buddhist meditation that integrates mindfulness and concentration practices.

I recently sat a 28-day meditation retreat, focusing on cultivating jhana (deep concentration / absorption) states. This was the only book I brought with me. The chapter on jhana was particularly useful — not surprising, as this is a specialty of Richard’s. I returned to it again and again throughout the month for guidance, wisdom and inspiration.

Richard’s approach is very inclusive, not dogmatic. He makes space for the validity of different experiences, rather than one-size-fits-all solutions — recognizing that each mind / heart will resonate with different forms of practice, unfolding to this work in different ways.

He adroitly touches upon the various hindrances and pitfalls one might encounter on the path — all in his gentle, compassionate, straightforward writing style, reminiscent of his spoken teaching.

A vital addition to the literature, suitable for beginners and experienced practitioners alike.

[Edith · Rating 3 out of 5]

My review as posted on Netgalley: I appreciated reading this book and the time and dedication it took to put these meditation practices onto paper.

I am fairly new to meditation having learned one of many techniques about three years ago. Since then I have had the opportunity to participate in a couple other techniques, but the first technique still remains my preferred meditation practice. I have to say it is much easier to learn meditation by doing it rather than reading about it. I knew that before reading this book!

The author did a fabulous job of explaining the *behind the scenes* stuff before explaining the how to stuff. I appreciate the patience it must have taken to make sure all the bases were covered! Reading about these new-to-me techniques was enlightening and very informative; I wish for the opportunity to participate in a group meditation using the techniques from the book.

[Chad · Rating 5 out of 5]

For experienced - or even semi-experienced - meditators, there's probably not much new in this book. I'd suggest that's exactly as it should be. Meditation isn't brain surgery. (OK, maybe it is, but, if so, it's certainly the simplest form of brain surgery there is.) Rather, it's a straightforward (but not necessarily easy) process. Any book about the subject, I would suggest, should reflect that simplicity and straightforwardness, offer a few pointers where pointers are called for, capture the profoundly transformative nature of this simple tool we all have available to us, and be done with it. At a slim 150 pages, The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation does exactly this without belaboring its points or lapsing into dogma. Highly recommended.

[createitlibrarian (Amanda) · Rating 4 out of 5]

FYI - I received a galley through Netgalley for an honest review of this forthcoming book.

I have long been meaning to read a book on meditation as this is a practice I would like to more thoroughly undertake. Given that this book is short, it is a great introduction to meditation for us beginners. I feel that I have learned and lot from the book and I know I will learn even more through actual practice. I don't think giving up the things I've been clinging to will be easy, but I understand how doing so can increase my quality of living.

Tonight I will take at least five minutes to get started on my practice.

[Retha Cameron · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book answered some of the questions that I have had about meditation, and was very useful in helping me understand what is happening when I meditate.
With chapters including Establishing the Foundation for Meditation, Beginning Instructions, Insight, Equanimity, among many others, I feel this is a good book for anyone, no matter how long they have been meditating.
I won this book in a goodreads giveaway.

[Blaise Morita]

Millions around the world believe in the powers of meditation. The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation aims to bring insights on the art form to the masses. Intended for all ages and experience levels, this Richard Shankman offering promises to provide step-by-step instruction for beginners, while providing useful guides for jhana, deeper stages of concentration for more experienced practitioners.

*Review will be updated upon receipt and completion of book.

[Elaine Tansley · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very comprehensive and practical book about all aspects of meditation which is suitable for everybody from beginners to the more experienced meditator, The explanations are clear, detailed and easy to follow.

I have read several books on meditation and mindfulness and this is one of the best, I would certainly recommend it to anybody wanting to take up meditation.

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this book as a First Read. It's a nice intro to meditation for beginners but less helpful for those who already practice meditation. It would be a good gift for those looking to learn more about meditation or get started with meditation.

[Pat Bane · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received THE Art and Skill of Buddist Meditation:MINDFULNESS.... BY Richard Shankman from Netgalley for an honest review. The author repeated himself often. I have read the same information from various Meditation books. It was easy to read which might help beginners.

[Len · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well-written guide to meditation. Easy to follow, a good basic guide to meditation and its benefits.

[C · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this as a Goodreads giveaway. The introduction to meditation provided by the author was very helpful in framing up the book chapters. This is a very informative read.

[Carrie LeAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

For me, this book was a perfect introduction to Buddhist Meditation, and just meditation in general. I made so many notes, that I might as well purchase the book!