Posts Tagged ‘vipassana’
Breathe, you are alive! Actually do we need to tell each other to breathe? The breath is automatic. Under most normal situations the breath is just a function of the living breathing person. We do not create or give thought to the fact that we are breathing. If you exert yourself or suffer lung disease you may be more aware of your breath. In meditation we take a look at the ordinary breath as a tool to calm our minds. Under normal condition we do not concentrate our minds upon our breath. It is a function of living. One very …
(Read More) Tags: anapanasati, Dharma Talks, mindfulness, samsara, vipassana
January 27th, 2008 · 1 Comment
The question “what is the origin of Dharma” is an unusual one. Much like asking, “how is the sky blue,” and not “why is it blue. ” But what is the origin of Dharma?
More often we as western practitioners of Buddhism look to the effects of Dharma and not the origin of Dharma. People have commonly used the definition of Dharma as the body of teachings from the Buddha. Dharma is teaching. It is the teachings from texts and classrooms and Dharma teachers. Moreover, Dharma is the events of life [phenomena]. These are the opportunities we can use for …
(Read More) Tags: akusala, anger, compassion, dharma talk, hatred, ill will, kusala, meditation, vipassana
January 12th, 2008 · 6 Comments
Meditation is the cornerstone of Buddhist practice. It can not be overstated. The pure act of meditation is the vehicle by which self knowledge is achieved. We as practitioners of meditation, if we are to be successful, need to be aware of the factors that impede our personal achievements in meditation. Theravada Buddhism stresses the need for meditation using the technique known as Vipassana or Insight Meditation.
There are found in Buddhism chiefly two types of meditation techniques. The Buddha developed two interrelated systems of meditation which enabled him to achieve enlightenment. The first meditational system is called the …
(Read More) Tags: dharma talk, five hindrances, impermanence, metta, non-self, samadhi, suffering, vipassana
“Body impermanent like incense rising;
mind enlightened in the empty sky;
thoughts un-attached like the falling breath.”
- Bhante Kassapa
Our thoughts are never ceasing. Some of them are connected to other thoughts or ideas, some are connected to feelings and all are a barrier to a good meditational practice. For us the goal of non-thought is not realistic. Thoughts continue without prompting. Our goal is non-attachment to the thought. What do we mean by that? Allowing the thought the freedom to exist and enter our thinking is very natural. What we must do is begin to train our minds …
(Read More) Tags: Dharma Talks, meditation, vipassana
