In Buddhist practice, meditation is understood as a disciplined cultivation of the mind that rests on an ethical foundation and a clear intention. Practitioners are encouraged to live simply and honestly, observing basic precepts so that the mind is not agitated by remorse. Before sitting, one reflects on themes such as impermanence and the Four Noble Truths, and sets an intention grounded in non-harm, clarity, and compassion. A quiet place is chosen, and the body is arranged in a stable posture—cross‑legged on a cushion or seated upright on a chair—with the spine straight but not rigid and the hands resting naturally. The eyes are gently closed or lowered, allowing attention to turn inward and settle.

Within this framework, two broad modes of meditation are emphasized: calm-abiding and insight. Calm-abiding, often cultivated through mindfulness of breathing, trains the mind to remain steadily with a single object, such as the natural flow of the breath at the nostrils or abdomen. The breath is not controlled; it is simply known as in‑breath and out‑breath, while distractions are noticed and the attention is gently returned. Over time, this steady attention allows the body to relax and the mind to become more collected and joyful. Other objects, such as visualized forms, recollection of the Buddha, or loving‑kindness, may also be used to stabilize the mind in this way.

Insight meditation builds upon this collectedness to investigate experience more deeply. Drawing on the traditional foundations of mindfulness, practitioners observe body, feelings, states of mind, and various mental and experiential patterns. Sensations, thoughts, and emotions are watched as they arise, change, and pass away, revealing their impermanent and unsatisfactory nature and the absence of a solid, controlling self. This careful observation loosens the habitual tendency to cling to pleasant experiences or resist unpleasant ones. As clinging weakens, suffering correspondingly diminishes, and wisdom regarding the nature of reality is gradually strengthened.

Alongside these, practices such as loving‑kindness and walking meditation play an important role. Loving‑kindness meditation systematically cultivates a warm, non‑possessive goodwill, beginning with oneself and extending to benefactors, friends, neutral persons, difficult persons, and eventually all beings, often using simple phrases like “May you be safe, may you be peaceful.” Walking meditation brings the same quality of mindfulness to slow, deliberate movement, focusing on the sensations of each step and maintaining present‑moment awareness. In daily life, mindfulness is extended to ordinary activities—walking, eating, speaking, working—so that intentions, reactions, and emotions are observed as they unfold. Traditionally, all of these practices are undertaken under the guidance of experienced teachers, and are understood as a gradual path in which attention, ethics, and wisdom mature toward the cessation of suffering.