Freeing the Heart
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River Dhamma
Arrow River Forest Hermitage Spring/Summer 2019 RIVER DHAMMA ARROW RIVER FRONT PAGE NEWS Abbots’ Meeting at the Hermitage About the Thai Forest Tradition The Thai Forest tradition is the branch of Arrow River is honoured to be hosting the 2019 Theravāda Buddhism in Thailand that most strictly North American Abbots’ Meeting from September upholds the original monastic rules of discipline 4 to 11. Seven abbots from monasteries in the laid down by the Buddha. The Forest tradition also Ajahn Chah tradition from Canada and the United most strongly emphasizes meditative practice and States will gather for fellowship and to enjoy the the realization of enlightenment as the focus of peace and solitude of the Hermitage. monastic life. Forest monasteries are primarily Needless to say, this event is grand undertaking oriented around practicing the Buddha’s path of for Arrow River. We have made a plan of priorities contemplative insight, including living a life of to complete to get things ship-shape for the visit. discipline, renunciation, and meditation in order to As we are an organization with a tight budget and fully realize the inner truth and peace taught by a small group of volunteers, we are looking for the Buddha. Living a life of austerity allows forest some help. monastics to simplify and refine the mind. This refinement allows them to clearly and directly Here’s what you can do: explore the fundamental causes of suffering within 1. Come out to Arrow River to help with their heart and to inwardly cultivate the path preparations. There will be scheduled work leading toward freedom from suffering and days, but you can also come on your own supreme happiness. -
INSIGHT NEWSLETTER PAID Insight Meditation Society Permit No.2 1230 Pleasant St
INSIGHT NEWSLETTER FALL WINTER 2006/2007 IMS Schedules: Practicing with Vedana: The Retreat Center 2007 The Forest Refuge 2007 The 2nd Foundation of Mindfulness An Interview with Christina Feldman Teacher Interview In 1971, Christina Feldman began Buddhist meditation practice in northern India. She was 17 at the time, and had left her native Canada to travel and explore new IMS News horizons. Since then she has played a key role in bringing the Buddha’s teachings and Developments to the West, offering retreats at IMS and co-founding Gaia House in Devon, England. Married with two adult children, she introduced the Family Retreat at IMS in 1982, and the Women’s Retreat in 1984 – both popular mainstays of BCBS 2006/2007 our annual course calendar. Course Schedule Outline Christina, what are the On his journey towards enlightenment, Buddha’s ‘Four Foundations we know that these ascetic practices of Mindfulness’? didn’t work; they did not bring about the freedom from suffering that he First, it’s helpful to describe the historical sought. One of the turning points of context of the Buddha’s teachings. his awakening was the understanding Siddhartha Gautama - the Buddha - that the very aspects of life he was came from a society rooted in the belief trying to overcome actually held the that life was an obstacle to overcome. key to liberation. He then turned The body, the mind and human rela- towards his body, his mind, his tionships were all to be transcended. feelings and towards everything So, once he started his spiritual search, that arose in his consciousness, it was natural for him to become an seeing them as the ground for his ascetic – he left his family and spent awakening. -
Com 23 Draft B
Community Issue 23 - Page 1 Autumn 2005 / 2548 The Upāsaka & Upāsikā Newsletter Issue No. 23 Dagoba at Mahintale Dagoba InIn thisthis issue.......issue....... InIn peoplepeople wewe trusttrust ?? TheThe Temple at Kosgoda The wisdom of the heartheart SicknessSickness——A Teacher AssistedAssisted DyingDying MakingMaking connectionsconnections beyond words BluebellBluebell WalkWalk Community Community Issue 23 - Page 2 In people we trust? Multiculturalism and community relations have been This is a thoroughly uncomfortable position to be in, as much in the news over recent months. The tragedy of anyone who has suffered from arbitrary discrimination can the London bombings and the spotlight this has attest. There is a feeling of helplessness that whatever one thrown on to what is called ‘the Moslem community’ says or does will be misinterpreted. There is a resentment has led me to reflect upon our own Buddhist that one is being treated unfairly. Actions that would pre- ‘community’. Interestingly, the name of this newslet- viously have been taken at face value are now suspected of ter is ‘Community’, and this was chosen in discussion having a hidden agenda in support of one’s group. In this between a number of us, because it reflected our wish situation, rumour and gossip tend to flourish, and attempts to create a supportive and inclusive network of Forest to adopt a more inclusive position may be regarded with Sangha Buddhist practitioners. suspicion, or misinterpreted to fit the stereotype. The AUA is predominantly supported by western Once a community has polarised, it can take a great deal converts to Buddhism. Some of those who frequent of work to re-establish trust. -
Introduction to Buddhism by Thomas Knierim
Introduction to Buddhism By Thomas Knierim Table of Contents About Buddhism............................................................................................................................1 Buddha's Résumé .........................................................................................................................2 The Four Nobles Truths................................................................................................................4 The Noble Eightfold Path............................................................................................................. 6 The Precepts..................................................................................................................................8 Karma and Rebirth......................................................................................................................10 Emptiness....................................................................................................................................13 Buddhist Symbols and Mudras..................................................................................................20 Mudras....................................................................................................................................20 Meditation Instructions in the Thai Theravada Tradition........................................................ 22 Introduction to Insight Meditation........................................................................................22 Sustaining Attention...............................................................................................................22 -
In Any Given Moment
Gradually, gradually, A moment at a time, The wise remove their own impurities As a goldsmith removes the dross. Dhammapada verse 239 in any given moment Ajahn Munindo In Any Given Moment by Ajahn Munindo This publication is made available for free distribution by Aruno Publications Aruno Publications is administered by: Harnham Buddhist Monastery Trust Company No. 6688355, Charity Reg. No. 1126476 Contact Aruno Publications at www.ratanagiri.org.uk This book is available for free download at www.forestsangha.org ISBN 978-1-908444-69-1 Copyright © Aruno Publications 2021 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License. Produced with the LATEX typesetting system, set in EB Garamond, Alegreya Sans and Merriweather. First edition, 2021 CONTENTS Preface x i TAKING SHAPE 1 1 . 1 The End of the River 3 1 . 2 Being Different 7 1 . 3 Doctor Albert Schweitzer 1 1 1 . 4 Difficult Lessons 1 7 1 . 5 Getting Ready to Leave 2 5 YEARS OF CHAOS 2 9 2 . 1 Out Into the World 3 1 2 . 2 Jumping Sundays 3 5 2 . 3 Lifelines 4 1 2 . 4 Journeying 5 1 2 . 5 Ready to Leave, Again 5 9 2 . 6 A Very Foreign Country 6 1 THE SPIRIT OF THE SPIRITUAL LIFE 6 9 3 . 1 A Reorientation 7 1 3 . 2 What Next? 7 5 3 . 3 Heading For Asia 8 1 3 . 4 Dark Clouds Descending 8 9 3 . 5 The Land of the Free 9 5 3 . 6 Different Perspectives 9 9 3 . 7 First Encounter with the Forest Sangha 1 1 3 3 . -
The Stillness of Being
THE STILLNESS OF BEING VIRADHAMMO BHIKKHU This book has been printed for free distribution. sabbadanam dhammadanam jinati The gift of Dhamma surpasses all other gifts. Copyright © Viradhammo Bhikkhu 2005 All commercial rights reserved. This book may be copied or reprinted for free distribution without permission from the publisher. An online version may be viewed at: www.buddhamind.info/stillness/ Inquiries concerning this book can be sent from this site. The concept of this book was originally developed by the lay sangha in New Zealand to commemorate Ajahn Viradhammo’s thirty years as a monk. Many people in New Zealand and Canada have given generously, both of time and money, to make this publication possible. May their kind generosity bring them happiness and freedom. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 Introduction 5 So What 17 Bringing the Teachings Alive 29 Trying to Find a Sweet One 43 Affectionate Living 51 Dhamma and Family Life 67 The End of Rebirth 79 Acceptance and Responsibility INTRODUCTION Welcome! For those of you who don’t know him, what you have in your hands is an introduction, a sampling of teachings from Ajahn Viradhammo. For those of you who do, I’m sure it will be a pleasure to be reminded of “Ajahn V” and to have a collection of his talks that you can carry around and dip into from time to time. I’ll let the teachings speak for themselves. My part in this is just to offer a brief introduction to a good Dhamma friend. I met Ajahn V. in 1978, when I came over to England from Thailand. -
Newsletter, Summer 2008
Summer 2008•2551/2552 Volume 13, Number 2 During the ceremony out at the Cool Oaks today, Bennett who, in recol- lecting Todd, was certainly missing his friend, was also remembering the good qualities of his generosity, curiosity, and humor. It is the quali- ties that we remember of each other as we think about our friends. It’s the qualities that are important, and those are the things that are actually carried on—various qualities. So, for ourselves as well, trying to recollect what kind of qualities to bring into our own lives. How do we want to associate with others? And how are we able to relate to each other in ways of friendship? In particular, in Buddhist teachings, the Buddha places a great importance on spiritual friendship or admirable friendship, Kaly€namitta. When we have noble friends or have Nathan, Steven, Sunny, Faith and Brandon, and Bennett good friends, those are the things that help support us in our own life and in our own aspiration for living skillfully. There is a very famous discourse Friendship or teaching where the Buddha was By Ajahn Pasanno. approached by his attendant, šnanda. A Saturday night talk, Abhayagiri Monastery, April 26, 2008 šnanda had spent the day in solitude. Today we have had a very special ceremony for Todd Tansuhaj, a young boy who When he was meditating during that died about two years ago and who was a novice here just prior to his hospitalization day, he had an insight and was really for an illness. His parents and friends have come for a memorial service. -
12.1 Vimutti Email March 2012
“A place of refuge, to abide at ease, For developing Samadhi and wisdom, This is a monastery, The best of gifts, Highly praised by all the Buddhas. So for those who are wise And care about themselves, Let them then build a monastery For the learned sages to reside. They will then teach one the Dhamma, Putting all one’s sorrows to flight. Having seen the truth, With a heart purified, One awakens to Nibbana.” The Buddha News from Vimutti Monastery In recent months there has been a great amount of wholesome and inspiring activities at, or associated with, Vimutti Monastery. Already 2012 has seen a 24-day pilgrimage to Thailand, completion of important stages of the stupa, our largest ceremony to date, completion of a large workshop/shower/laundry building, a special visit from one of the top Buddhist masters alive and an intensive meditation retreat. Buddhist Masters Pilgrimage in Thailand Just after New Year, a group of 20 people joined Ajahn Chandako on a pilgrimage to visit many of the greatest living Dhamma teachers and enlightened masters of Thailand. The group visited and received teachings from Luang Por Piak, Luang Por Utai, Luang Por Sumedho, Luang Por Baen, Luang Por Om, Maichee Khun, Tan Ajahn Anan, Tan Ajahn Dtun and Tan Ajahn Jundee. At Wat Ratanawan the pilgrims took part in a large Sangha gathering to mark the enshrining of relics in a stupa. The ceremonies stretched over three days, including Dhamma talks and visits from many of the leading teachers in Thailand, including one of the oldest people in the world, Luang Pu Sopah. -
July 2003 Issue
BODHI BULLETIN DHARMA NEWS FROM BODHI MONASTERY • JULY 2003 ሟሠሡ WELCOME How to Become a Powerful Person VEN. XIN-XING It is not through arsenals stacked with lethal weapons We are happy to welcome Nor by battalions of lightning-swift troops to Bodhi Monastery, as a That we can vanquish the forces of darkness full-time resident monk, Ven. Xin-Xing Shi. Ven. And open the gates to freedom for the world. Xin-Xing was ordained as a bhikkhu in Taiwan in The source of true power lies not in domination 1988. He is a graduate of By the brute force of armies or the bright lure of gold. the Yuan-kuang Buddhist The source lies hidden deep within ourselves, Research Institute and has taught at the Chung-hua But to find it we must use the appropriate tools. Buddhist College and Tsyr-kuang Buddhist The first key to success is the power of faith, College in Taiwan. He Trust in a supreme wisdom that points us to the good. speaks fluent English and before coming to Bodhi Faith settles the mind and inspires us with courage, Monastery was the vice- Inciting us to deeds of joyful self-transcendence. guest master at the Chuang-Yen Buddhist But the agents of harm lurk in the mind’s dark shadows, Monastery in Carmel, NY. Ready to spring their traps when our vigilance slackens. To stem their attacks and sustain our self-respect AJAHN SUNDARA The power of shame keeps us firmly on the path. Ajahn Sundara, a senior Buddhist nun of the Theravada tradition, will Contemplate deeply our relatedness to others, be residing at Bodhi Consider the value of esteem in others’ eyes. -
Recollections of Ajahn Chah for Free Distribution Sabbadānaṃ Dhammadānaṃ Jināti the Gift of the Dhamma Surpasses All Other Gifts
Recollections of Ajahn Chah For Free Distribution Sabbadānaṃ dhammadānaṃ jināti The gift of the Dhamma surpasses all other gifts. Published by Amaravati Publications, Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, Hertfordshire, Great Britain [email protected] www.amaravati.org Produced by Aruno Publications, Aruna Ratanagiri Buddhist Monastery, Northumberland, Great Britain www.ratanagiri.org.uk This book is available for free download at www.forestsanghabooks.org ISBN 978-1-870205-65-8 Copyright © 2013 AMARAVATI PUBLICATIONS Cover design by Nicholas Halliday If you are interested in translating this text into another language, please contact us at [email protected] This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported Licence. http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/ See page 167 for more details on your rights and restrictions under this licence. Produced with the LATEX typesetting system. Typeset in Gentium, distributed by SIL International, and Crimson Text, by Sebastian Kosch. Second edition, 8,600 copies, 2013, Printed in Malaysia We would like to acknowledge the support of many people in the preparation of this book, especially that of the Kataññutā group in Malaysia, Singapore and Australia for bringing it into production. CONTENTS Part I · Interviews with Senior Sangha Members 1 Chapter 1 · Being with Ajahn Chah 3 Part II · Forest Sangha Newsletter Articles 31 Chapter 2 · Gratitude to Ajahn Chah 33 Chapter 3 · Living with Luang Por 45 Chapter 4 · Ajahn Chah Passes Away -
FSNL 42.Qxd Copy
FOREST SANGHA newsletter October 1997 2540 Number 42 Wings of the Eagle Ajahn Jayasaro, who is currently Abbot at Wat Pah Nanachat, gave the following teaching during a retreat for the monastic community in 1995. n Thai language they speak of two kinds of discovered are still fragile, they don’t stand up to I friends. There are ‘eating friends’, who are adverse circumstances. We have to nurture and friends when there is something to eat, when protect them, and sometimes we have humbly to everything is going well, but who disappear as accept that there are certain things that our minds soon as things get heavy; and ‘dying friends’, who are not strong enough to deal with yet. So we need would die for you. I sometimes think of those to give attention to developing wisdom in relating phrases in reflecting on our Dhamma practice. to various phenomena or problems that arise in There are practices our practice. In that we use as the Sabbåsava refuges when things So we have to put effort into developing Sutta (Majjhima are going well, but Nikaya 2) the they disappear as our practice because these teachings that we Buddha gives soon as things start have discovered are still fragile, many different to get tough. It methods of reminds me also of they don’t stand up to adverse circumstances. dealing with a scene in a movie I åsavas* or their saw many years manifestations. ago, in which the hero, Woody Allen, had There are certain things to be avoided, for a thought up a clever idea of how to escape from monk they’d be påråjika* offences. -
In This Issue
Community Issue 15 - Page 1 !!! Spring 2001 / 2544 The Upasaka & Upasika Newsletter Issue No. 15 In this issue....... Uncertainty and the Mortgage What is Welcome Disengaged Buddhism? Parkinsons and Meditation Insight Random Thoughts Reviews Connections 1 Issue 15 Community Community Issue 15 - Page 2 Uncertainty and the Mortgage I am writing this editorial in a warm hotel room in and talented individuals have stagnated in a large Hong Kong. After working for many years for a large bureacracy, trapped by the company pension scheme? company in England I accepted a redundancy package in October 2001. There had been similar rounds of The new world of work challenges us to build up a redundancy for many years and it became apparent that portfolio of skills and to take risks. Buddhist practice my time had come. I decided to accept the offer and is very helpful in this uncertain environment, since enter the world of the self-employed Information we are challenged to wake up to and be open to the Technology consultant. way things really are, rather than imagining some ‘golden age’ or trying to hang on to a way of life that Unfortunately, my timing was not very good, as during is over. Letting go of the familiar, letting go of a the latter part of 2001 (and 2002 so far), there has a career and colleagues, is a bereavement which we can been a recession in the IT world. Numerous internet, open to and allow to reach a natural ending. We are telecoms and IT companies have been badly hit by a then sensitive and alive to the new possibilities and global recession and have been laying off staff.