Mindfulness Meditation · Awaken
This week’s meditation session is led by Sharon Salzberg and the theme is Awaken. The guided meditation begins at 17:25.
Buddha Shakyamuni; Tibet; 14th century; Gilt copper alloy; 17 3/4 × 15 5/8 × 10 1/2 in.; Rubin Museum of Art; Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art; C2001.10.2
This sculpture of the Buddha shows him wearing a crown and monk’s robes, a convention that became known as Vajrasana Buddha. It refers to an iconic image of the Buddha in Vajrasana (present-day Bodhgaya, India) that commemorates the Buddha’s enlightenment. Here the Buddha sits in meditation with his left palm upright on his lap, while his right hand touches the earth. It is believed that Mara sent demonic forces to try and stop the Buddha from reaching enlightenment. When Mara demanded that the Buddha produce a witness to confirm his spiritual awakening, he simply touched the earth with his right hand, and the earth itself responded, “I am your witness.” Mara and his minions then vanished. This moment of supreme enlightenment is the central experience from which the Buddhist tradition unfolds.
Sharon Salzberg, cofounder of the Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts, has guided meditation retreats worldwide since 1974. Her latest book is Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves and the World. She is a weekly columnist for On Being, a regular contributor to the Huffington Post, and the author of several other books, including the New York Times bestseller Real Happiness: The Power of Meditation, Faith: Trusting Your Own Deepest Experience, and Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness. Ms. Salzberg has been a regular participant in the Rubin’s many on-stage conversations and regards the Rubin as a supplemental office.
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