禪修入門 Introduction to Meditation

Course Content ：

01/29/2021：Introduction to Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati)
Ānāpānasati is also known as Mindfulness of Breathing, etc. The seven suttas under the Buddha Vagga of Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 12.4-10) recount how the previous seven buddhas, when they were bodhisattvas, attained buddhahood by emerging from the fourth jhāna of Ānāpānasati and investigating in Vipassana on the causal sequence of dependent origination thoroughly in both forward and reverse orders. In The Six Dharma Gates to the Sublime, the Great Master Zhiyi in the Tiantai School of Buddhism said that Ānāpāna is the preliminary entrance into the path of enlightenment for all buddhas, past, present, and future. Ānāpānasati is a method suitable for most people as is it easy to grasp at the beginning. Once the practice is fully accomplished, it is like the rain washing away all the dust. Not only does it provide an effective antidote to the scattered mind and wandering thoughts, but it also cultivates right mindfulness and right awareness, bringing peace, stability and full awareness to the mind, and it is conducive to liberation. Moreover, as a result of developing sharper awareness of the breath, the practice also helps one to live a joyful, relaxed and serene life through better understanding of one’s mental and physical conditions. It is particularly superb as it is one of the few meditation practices comprising both training in concentration (Samatha) and contemplation (Vipassana）.

02/26/2021：Introduction to Recollection of the Buddha (Buddhanussati)

itipi so bhagavā arahaṃ sammāsambuddho vijjā-caraṇa-sampanno sugato lokavidū anuttaro purisa-damma-sārathi satthā deva-manussānaṃ buddho bhagavā’ti.
The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened, accomplished in true knowledge and conduct, fortunate, knower of the world, unsurpassed leader of persons to be tamed, teacher of devas and humans, the Enlightened One, the Blessed One. In the Dhajagga Sutta in Saṃyutta Nikāya (SN 11.3), the Buddha said thus: “If you have gone to a forest or to the foot of a tree or to an empty hut, and fear or trepidation or terror should arise in you, on that occasion you should recollect me thus: ‘The Blessed One is an arahant, perfectly enlightened….’” Wherever one is, when confounded with trepidation, fear or backsliding in the noble path, remember to recollect the Buddha’s merits, so that fear will be overcome and obstacles removed. An individual who practises Recollections of the Buddha is a mindful person who cultivates reverence towards the Buddha. He will attain fullness of faith, mindfulness, understanding and merit. He is a practitioner with much joy, training for tolerance of fear, dread, and sufferings of all sorts. He comes to feel as if he were living in the Buddha’s presence, and through such exalted karma, he will be reborn in wholesome realms.

Goal ：
Learning preliminary Buddhist meditation practices with different subjects.

Prerequisite ：
None

Instructor :
Acariya Kaiyin

Course Date ( Denver ) ：
Jan ： 1/29 Introduction to Mindfulness of Breathing (Anapanasati)
Feb ： 2/26 Introduction to Recollection of the Buddha (Buddhanussati)

Denver: Fri 5:00-7:00 PM
New York: Fri 7:00-9:00 PM
Beijing/Taipei/Kuala Lumpur：Sat 8:00-10:00 AM
Berlin: Sat 1:00-3:00 AM

*Course has been conducted.