The Way of Shamatha Retreat with Alan Wallace (10/26)
HTML-код
- Опубликовано: 16 сен 2024
- This session is from the retreat: Way of Shamatha: Soothing the Body, Calming the Mind, Illuminating Awareness with Alan Wallace.
During this retreat, Alan explored in theory and practice a range of methods for developing meditative quiescence, or shamatha. It began with the practice of mindfulness of the breathing as taught by the Buddha, which is an especially effective approach to soothing the body and calming the discursive mind.
Then explored an approach to shamatha that is particularly pertinent for Dzogchen practice, called “settling the mind in its natural state,” as taught by the nineteenth-century Dzogchen master Lerab Lingpa in his commentary to the Heart Essence of Vimalamitra.
Finally, Lama Alan taught the practice of “shamatha without signs” as taught by Padmasambhava in his classic terma Natural Liberation. Although this subtle practice is taught explicitly as a means of achieving shamatha, Padmasambhava comments that it may even result in a realization of rigpa, or pristine awareness.
The achievement of shamatha is widely regarded in the Buddhist tradition as an indispensable foundation for the cultivation of contemplative insight (vipashyana), and this retreat is designed to provide students with a sufficient theoretical understanding and a basis in experience to enable them to proceed effectively toward this extraordinary state of mental and physical balance.
This retreat was co-led with scholar and practitioner of Buddhism, Eva Natanya, (who has edited two of Alan’s most recent books Open Mind and Fathoming the Mind) to lead one guided meditation each day followed by a Q&A session with all participants.
Meditation at 13:14, thank you very much!
Marvelous, precise teaching!
Dzogchen Aproach to Mindfulness of Breathing in this video
48:10 Another book that delves into this is ‘Luminous Emptiness’.
1:14:35
Does anybody know where can I find this written material that he gave at the retreat? I think it would be much more easier to understand whats he talking about.
You can try writing directly to the Vajrayana Institute in Australia to request for the written material from this retreat.
Does anyone knows if in this practice we are aware of perceptions(sounds, smells, physical sensations etc) while being focused on the breath?
Hello Victornali,
I am no expert on the subject, but as I understand his teachings, with this Dzogchen approach to shamatha you are only peripherally aware of all the things you mention, including breathing. So you are not focused on the sensation of breathing at the nostrils, but rather - and because you are resting in awareness of awareness - you notice breathing is happening. You also notice thoughts arise, and bodily sensations, but you remain resting in awareness of awareness. So all these impressions of inner and outer sensations have this character of being peripheral.
It has taken me years to get a grip of what is meant by resting in “awareness of awareness” but I really like Allan’s simple way of explaining it: are you aware that you are aware? Yes I know that I am sitting here, reflecting on the question just posed to me, I am aware of my surroundings, I am aware of the experience of being here now. This is, as I now understand it, awareness of awareness. And that’s where your attention is resting in this approach to shamatha.
At least that’s what I make of it now. 😊
To summarise my attempt to answer you question:
Yes, you are aware of both sounds, smells, physical sensations and breathing, but only peripherally or secondarily; your main focus is on awareness of awareness.
If someone with more experience than me reads this, and has corrections, please do comment as I am also very interested in learning!
What is with Alan's endless rants about materialism? You only need to say it once or twice, not in every single talk! We get it!