Shamatha & Vipashyana Meditation
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
Shamatha & Vipashyana Meditation The Core Practice Manuals Of the Indian and Tibetan Traditions An Advanced Buddhist Studies/Rime Shedra NYC Course Ten Tuesdays from September 18 to December 11, 2018, from 7-9:15 pm Shambhala Meditation Center of New York Sourcebook of Readings “All you who would protect your minds, Maintain your mindfulness and introspection; Guard them both, at cost of life and limb, I join my hands, beseeching you.” v. 3 “Examining again and yet again The state and actions of your body and your mind- This alone defines in brief The maintenance of watchful introspection.” v. 108 --Shantideva, Bodhicharyavatara, Chapter Five RIME SHEDRA CHANTS ASPIRATION In order that all sentient beings may attain Buddhahood, From my heart I take refuge in the three jewels. This was composed by Mipham. Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee MANJUSHRI SUPPLICATION Whatever the virtues of the many fields of knowledge All are steps on the path of omniscience. May these arise in the clear mirror of intellect. O Manjushri, please accomplish this. This was specially composed by Mangala (Dilgo Khyentse Rinpoche). Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee DEDICATION OF MERIT By this merit may all obtain omniscience May it defeat the enemy, wrong doing. From the stormy waves of birth, old age, sickness and death, From the ocean of samsara, may I free all beings By the confidence of the golden sun of the great east May the lotus garden of the Rigden’s wisdom bloom, May the dark ignorance of sentient beings be dispelled. May all beings enjoy profound, brilliant glory. Translated by the Nalanda Translation Committee For internal use only Exclusively for the use of the Rime Shedra NYC Advanced Buddhist Studies Program Shambhala Meditation Center of New York First Edition - 2018 Shamatha & Vipashyana Meditation Core Practice Manuals of the Indian and Tibetan Traditions An Advanced Buddhist Studies/Rime Shedra NYC Course Ten Tuesdays from September 18 to December 11, 2018, from 7-9:15 pm Shambhala Meditation Center of New York Sourcebook Table of Contents 1) Chart of the various aspects of Shamatha, SB pp. 5 2) The Three Qualities of Shamatha, from Comments on Longchenpa’s Final Testament, Immaculate Light, By Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje, in The Fearless Lion's Roar Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, Trs. by David Christensen, SB pp. 6 3) An Interview with Buddhist Scholar John Dunne on Mindfulness, FPMT Mandala Magazine, January-March 2014, SB pp. 7-12 4) Sati, Wikipedia, SB pp. 13-24 5) The Maitreya Chapter of the Samdhinirmocana Sutra, SB pp. 25-44 6) The Bhavanakramas by Kamalashila, SB pp. 45-114: a) Table of contents, SB pp. 45 b) Outlines, SB pp. 46-47 c) Part One, SB pp. 48-76 d) Part Two, SB pp. 77-95 e) Part Three, SB pp. 96-114 7) Shamatha and Vipashyana - The Basis for All Samadhis, Chapter Eight Part Two from The Treasury of Knowledge, Root verses, Jamgon, Kongtrul, SB pp. 115-120 8) Excerpts, The Practice of Tranquility and Insight, Thrangu Rinpoche, SB pp. 121-130 a) Identifying Experiences in Shamatha Meditation, SB pp. 121-130 b) The Union of Shamatha and Vipashyana, SB pp. 131-136 9) Excerpts from The Royal Seal of Mahamudra, Khamtrul Rinpoche, SB pp. 137-147: a) There is nothing else to Cultivate than Mindfulness, SB pp. 137 b) How to Structure Your Meditation Session, SB pp. 138-139 c) Rest without Modifying, Sustain without Wandering, SB pp. 139-140 d) Straying into Blank Shamatha, SB pp. 141-142 e) Preventing the Straying of Blank Shamatha, SB pp. 142-144 f) The Fruition of Vipashyana, SB pp. 144-147 10) Excerpts from the Works of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, SB. pp. 148-158 a) The Path of Meditation Seminary: Talk Four, SB pp. 148-154 b) Trenpa, Sheshin and Aloneness, 1974 & 1980 H-M Seminary, SB pp. 155-158 11) Mahamudra Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance, Karmapa Wangchuk Dorje, SB pp. 159-187: a) Outline of Contents, SB pp. 159 b) Mahamudra Shamatha, SB pp. 160-170 c) Mahamudra Vipashyana, SB pp. 171-187 12) Madhyamakopadesha-Madhyamaka Pith Instructions, Atisha, SB pp. 188 Page 3 The Core Practice Manuals of the Indian and Tibetan Traditions of Meditation Shamatha & Vipashyana An Advanced Buddhist Studies/Rime Shedra NYC Course Ten Tuesdays from September 18 to December 11, 2018, from 7-9:15 pm Shambhala Meditation Center of New York Syllabus 1) Class One: Introduction and Overview of Shamatha and Vipashyana a) Chart of the various aspects of Shamatha, SB pp. 5 b) The Three Qualities of Shamatha, SB pp. 6 c) An Interview with Buddhist Scholar John Dunne on Mindfulness, SB pp. 7-12 d) Sati, Wikipedia, SB pp. 13-24 2) Class Two: The Core Mahayana Sutra Presentation-the Samdhinirmocana Sutra a) The Maitreya Chapter of the Samdhinirmocana Sutra, SB pp. 25-44 3) Class Three: The Practice Compendium of Kamalashila for Tibetans, Part One a) The Bhavanakramas Part One, Kamalashila, SB pp. 45-61 4) Class Four: The Practice Compendium of Kamalashila for Tibetans, Part Two a) The Bhavanakramas Part One, Kamalashila, SB pp. 61-76 5) Class Five: The Practice Compendium of Kamalashila for Tibetans, Part Three a) The Bhavanakramas Part Two, Kamalashila, SB pp. 77-95 6) Class Six: The Practice Compendium of Kamalashila for Tibetans, Part Four a) The Bhavanakramas Part Three, Kamalashila, SB pp. 96-114 7) Class Seven: Jamgon Kongrul’s Condensed Presentation a) Shamatha and Vipashyana - The Basis for All Samadhis, Chapter Eight Part Two from The Treasury of Knowledge, Root verses, Jamgon, Kongtrul, SB pp. 115-120 b) Excerpts from The Practice of Tranquility and Insight, Thrangu Rinpoche, SB pp. 121-136 8) Class Eight: Nuances of the Kagyu System of Meditation a) Excerpts from The Royal Seal of Mahamudra, Khamtrul Rinpoche, SB pp. 137-147 b) Excerpts from the Works of Chogyam Trungpa Rinpoche, SB pp. 148-158 9) Class Nine: The Kagyu Mahamuda System of Meditation, Part One a) The Mahamudra Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance by the ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, SB pp. 159-170 10) Class Ten: The Kagyu Mahamuda System of Meditation, Part Two a) The Mahamudra Dispelling the Darkness of Ignorance by the ninth Karmapa, Wangchuk Dorje, SB pp. 171-187 b) Madhyamakopadesha-Madhyamaka Pith Instructions, Atisha, SB pp. 188 Page 4 NINE STAGES OF SHAMATHA FOUR MENTAL FIVE THREE THREE NINE STAGES EIGHT ANTIDOTES SIX POWERS EXPERIENCE APPLICATIONS OBSTACLES LEVELS QUALITIES 1. Placing the Attention on 1. Laziness 1. Faith the Object engaging through (stages 1&2) 2. Aspiration concentration 3. Effort 2. Forgetting the hearing (stages 1-2) 4. Suppleness/ movement 2. Continual Placement instructions Preparation Stability (stages 1-3) pliancy (stages 1-3) (waterfall) (stages 1&2) (stages 1-3) (stages 1-3) contemplating (stages 1-3) (stages 1-3) 5. Mindfulness 3. Repeated Placement (stages 1-3) 4. attainment Close Placement Vividness (coarse laxity) (brook) (stage 4) Clarity mindfulness Actual (stages 4-5) (stages 4&5) interruptedly Meditation awareness/ 3. Elation/ Laxity 5. Taming (subtle laxity) engaging (stages 4-7) introspection (stages 3-7) familiarity (slow (stages 3-7) 6. Introspection (stages 5&6) river) (stages awareness (sheshin) 6. Pacifying (subtle elation) 5&6) (stages 3-7) 7. Thoroughly Pacifying (subtle elation and laxity) exertion stability (calm Strength (stages 7&8) lake) (stages 7&8) Increasing (stages 5-9) 4. Not applying uninterruptedly 7. Applying the Meditation 8. Making One-Pointed the antidotes (stages 7-9) engaging (stage 8) antidotes (stage 8) (stage 8) 8. Resting in 5. Over- thorough perfection 9. Placement on effortlessly equanimity (stage application of the familiarity (mountain) Evenness/Equalness engaging (stage 9) 9) antidotes (stage 9) (stage 9) (stage 9) Nine Stages Chart Revised v4.xls 2/6/2015 Page 5 The Three Qualities of Shamatha From Comments on Longchenpa’s Final Testament, Immaculate Light By Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje Translated by David Christensen Page 39 in The Fearless Lion's Roar: Profound Instructions on Dzogchen, the Great Perfection By Nyoshul Khenpo Jamyang Dorje The subsequent verses teach us how to meditate with mindfulness (dran pa), attentiveness (shayzhin; shes bzhin), and conscientiousness (bag yod). Mindfulness, moreover, is like a virtuous hook That catches the crazed rampant elephant of the mind, Leading it away from all faults and toward what is virtuous. Rely on this from now on! Attentiveness is like an undistracted watchman Who affords the thief of nonvirtue no opportunity, And protects the supreme wealth of virtue. Let your mind rely on it with certainty from now on! Conscientiousness is like a well-constructed moat, Which prevents brigand bands of afflictive emotions from striking. It leads an army to victory over the foes of karma. Strive to guard your mind from now on! We must keep the virtuous practices of love, compassion, rejoicing, and so forth, in our minds. Mindfulness is like a hook that can subdue the wild elephant of mind, and attentiveness is like a guard who protects the wealth of our virtuous practice. So we should never separate from them. In essence, we must always practice with mindfulness, attentiveness, and conscientiousness. Page 6 Dharma and the Modern World An Interview with Buddhist Scholar John Dunne on Mindfulness Mandala Magazine, January-March 2014 What do we think of when we hear the word mindfulness? Does it change depending on the context? How has the term been understood in the past? Is its popularity significant to Buddhism's future? john Dunne, associate professor of religion at Emory University and a fellow of the Mind and Life Institute, has both the technical Buddhist philosophical background and connection to contemporary scientific research exploring mindfulness necessary to address these questions.