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Intensive 8 session practical and comparative exploration of the ?n?p?nasati Sutta, culminating in a weekend practice retreat.
About this Event
Motivation
The ?n?p?nasati Sutta is one of the most central meditation instructions found in the tripitaka. It’s interpreted widely through different commentaries and traditions, and this course is an attempt to get a better overview of both the sutta and the various interpretations.
Goal
Understanding the core sutta, its various interpretations and knowing how to practice it.
Course Description
This class is a practical and comparative exploration of the ?n?p?nasati Sutta and its various interpretations found in commentaries and traditions. We are going to look at it from the classic commentary tradition (patisambhagga/ vimutti/ visuddhi magga) that has informed the orthodox Theravada schools, the modern sutta centered interpretation of Buddhadasa Bhikku and modern western interpretation as presented in Culadasa’s The Mind Illuminated.
We will meet 8 times every other Saturday, rounding the series off with a virtual weekend retreat to further practice what we have learned.
Prerequisites
A daily meditation practice, understanding of the core Buddhist principles. A rudimentary understanding of pali is helpful but not required.
Time commitment
Attendance at all the classes and the weekend retreat, plus a couple of hours to prepare before each class (reading, reflection, and practice).
Study materials (required)
Vimuttimagga, p156
Visuddhimagga, p719
Anapanasati, a Teacher’s Manual by Bhudadasa Bhikku
The Mind Illuminated by John Yates (Culadasa) Note: would need to be purchased prior to first class
Supporting material
What You Might Not Know About jh?na & Sam?dhi
Class structure
Check in: 10 min.
Intro to discussion topic: 20 min
Meditation: 1 hour
Small group study discussion: 1 hour
Course schedule
Every other Saturday, beginning March 20
Time:
9:00 – 11:30am Pacific / 10:00-12:30pm Mountain / 11:00-1:30pm Central / 12:00-2:30 Eastern
Dates:
March 20: Orientation & Sutta Intro
April 3: Four foundations of mindfulness
April 17: 7 enlightenment factors
May 1: Tetrad 1
May 15: Tetrad 2
May 29: Tetrad 3
June 12: Tetrad 4
June 26-27: Weekend retreat and course wrap-up
Facilitator bio – Henrik Norberg
Henrik has been practicing since the late ’90’s with 40+ retreats and a background in Japanese Tendai, Korean Seon, and the Thai forest tradition, and joined the Dharma Treasure teacher training program in 2016. He considers himself a religious Buddhist but has an agnostic stance on several metaphysical subjects and has no issues working with secular practitioners.
Henrik finds it interesting to explore the Dharma from multiple perspectives and started out studying Tendai with Pia Shoken Trans in Denmark while learning traditional energy practices from Sabonim Ko Tai Jeong, a former Tae Kwondo monk. In 2008, to get a better understanding of classical Theravadin teachings, Henrik trained with Sumana Ratnayaka, the former abbot of Stockholm Buddhist Vihara, and is currently studying with Ajahn Suchart. Henrik lives in Berkeley, California, where he enjoys long-distance walking meditation, samadhi practices, and Buddhist esoterica.
All proceeds from the course will go to support Dharma Treasure and the Retreat Center at Cochise Stronghold.
