Concentration or Meditation?

When we focus on something we are concentrating, directing our attention towards a specific object or activity. While this act of focusing will help us learn how to better guide and control our thoughts, worldly concentration is not meditation.

Meditation is our single-minded focus on controlling our thoughts with a more spiritual goal in mind. Our Buddhist practice has the ultimate goal of supreme, perfect enlightenment. For example, as we chant "Amituofo" our goal is to become one with Amitabha Buddha so we will be reborn in his pure land and become a Buddha in one lifetime.

As we meditate, we need to be acutely aware of our purpose. I once received a copy of an email that was being sent to someone else. The writer of the email was asking the leader of the Buddhist group he attended what the purpose of their meditation was. Since the person had been studying Buddhism for some time, this question surprised and then saddened me.

As Buddhists, we do not meditate merely to relax or feel good. That's straying into the sensory-enjoyment area.

Feeling less stressed and more content after our meditation is a side-effect of our committed practice. What will make us really happy in our meditation is the understanding that we have taken one tiny step forward on the path and are, thus, one tiny step closer to enlightenment.