user-1: Once, when I went to a Buddhist meditation center, an experienced meditator said: "Sometimes, for meditation, all it takes is five minutes [in a session]." I'm wondering what is the meaning of such a statement.
Does this refer to relaxation? Insight? Or something else? What is the most plausible meaning?

user11009: According to Abhidhamma Jhana is one thought moment. One thought moment is so small there could be billions of thought moments in a splash of the light. So the five minutes of Jhana is quite an achievement for a beginner.

user-1: 
"If one were to develop even for just a finger-snap the perception of inconstancy, that would be more fruitful than the gift, the great gift, that Velāma the brahman gave, and [in addition to that] if one were to feed one person... 100 people consummate in view, and were to feed one once-returner... 100 once-returners, and were to feed one non-returner... 100 non-returners, and were to feed one arahant... 100 arahants, and were to feed one Private Buddha... 100 Private Buddhas, and were to feed a Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened — and were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, and were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four directions, and with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha for refuge, and with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules — refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from illicit sex, refraining from lying, refraining from distilled & fermented drinks that cause heedlessness — and were to develop even just one whiff of a heart of good will."
  https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html


user12022: Ah, well you'd have to ask them. In 1999, when i began the Buddhist practices of meditation, I started with 5 minutes per day and it was enough to keep me anchored and get results, and expand the time and depth of practice. I still only average 45 minutes per day but i augment that with "spacing out" practice where i just stop everything and return to meditation. 
Or it could mean that in only 5 minutes time a meditator can reach the deep end of the pool. But for me the longer i sit, the deeper the pool is.
Five minutes is great goal for the "spacing out pratice" - to stop and remember the practice. Maybe thats what they meant.

-1: <p>Once, when I went to a Buddhist meditation center, an experienced meditator said: "Sometimes, for meditation, all it takes is five minutes [in a session]." I'm wondering what is the meaning of such a statement.</p>

<p><strong>Does this refer to relaxation? Insight? Or something else? What is the most plausible meaning?</strong></p>
 11009: <p>According to Abhidhamma Jhana is one thought moment. One thought moment is so small there could be billions of thought moments in a splash of the light. So the five minutes of Jhana is quite an achievement for a beginner.</p>
 -1: <blockquote>
  <p>"If one were to develop even for just a finger-snap the perception of inconstancy, that would be more fruitful than the gift, the great gift, that Velāma the brahman gave, and [in addition to that] if one were to feed one person... 100 people consummate in view, and were to feed one once-returner... 100 once-returners, and were to feed one non-returner... 100 non-returners, and were to feed one arahant... 100 arahants, and were to feed one Private Buddha... 100 Private Buddhas, and were to feed a Tathagata — a worthy one, rightly self-awakened — and were to feed a community of monks headed by the Buddha, and were to have a dwelling built and dedicated to the Community of the four directions, and with a confident mind were to go to the Buddha, Dhamma, &amp; Sangha for refuge, and with a confident mind were to undertake the training rules — refraining from taking life, refraining from taking what is not given, refraining from illicit sex, refraining from lying, refraining from distilled &amp; fermented drinks that cause heedlessness — and were to develop even just one whiff of a heart of good will."
  <a href="https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html" rel="nofollow noreferrer">https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/an/an09/an09.020.than.html</a></p>
</blockquote>
 12022: <p>Ah, well you'd have to ask them. In 1999, when i began the Buddhist practices of meditation, I started with 5 minutes per day and it was enough to keep me anchored and get results, and expand the time and depth of practice. I still only average 45 minutes per day but i augment that with "spacing out" practice where i just stop everything and return to meditation. </p>

<p>Or it could mean that in only 5 minutes time a meditator can reach the deep end of the pool. But for me the longer i sit, the deeper the pool is.</p>

<p>Five minutes is great goal for the "spacing out pratice" - to stop and remember the practice. Maybe thats what they meant.</p>
