May 2005 – Vesak Edition
"
Like the earth, resenting nothing.
Firm as a strong high
pillar,
pure as a lake unsullied by mud,
for such a balanced
one,
no more births arise."
-
Dhammapada
Vesak
Greetings
to all our readers
The full moon of May commemorates the final birth, Enlightenment and passing of the Buddha. May the blessings of this vesak season be with you. May contemplation on the Buddha's mission inspire our practice.
September Meditation Course open for registration
Vipassana Fellowship's online meditation courses have been offered since 1997 and have proven helpful to meditators in many countries around the world. Registration is now available for the September course. The main text is based on a tried and tested format and serves as a practical introduction to samatha (tranquility) and vipassana (insight) techniques from the Theravada tradition of Buddhism. Intended primarily for beginners, the 90 day course is also suitable for experienced meditators who wish to explore different aspects of the tradition. The emphasis is on building a sustainable and balanced meditation practice that is compatible with lay life.
The course is suitable for users of any major operating system (Windows, Apple Mac, Linux) provided they have a recent web browser that can display Macromedia Flash files. The course uses our Online Course Campus which adds additional flexibility and permits greater interactivity. Participants also receive an audio supplement on CD-Rom containing guided meditations and chants to support the online material.
The course is led by Andrew Quernmore, an experienced meditation teacher based in England.
Registration details are available at:
Blessings
A deva asked:
“Many angels and men
Have held various things to be blessings,
When they were yearning for happiness.
Declare to us the greatest blessing.”
The Buddha replied:
“Not to serve the foolish,
But to serve the wise;
To honour those worthy of honour:
This is the greatest blessing.
To dwell in a pleasant land,
Good works done in a former birth,
Right desires in the heart:
This is the greatest blessing.
Much insight and education,
Self-control and pleasant speech,
And whatever word be well-spoken:
This is the greatest blessing.
To support father and mother,
To cherish wife and child,
To follow a peaceful calling:
This is the greatest blessing.
To bestow alms and live righteously,
To give help to kindred,
Deeds which cannot be blamed:
These are the greatest blessing.
To abhor, and cease from wrong-doing,
Abstinence from strong drink,
Not to be weary in well-doing,
These are the greatest blessing.
Reverence and lowliness,
Contentment and gratitude,
The hearing of the Dhamma at due seasons,
This is the greatest blessing.
To be long-suffering and meek,
To associate with the tranquil,
Religious talk at due seasons,
This is the greatest blessing.
Self-restraint and purity,
The knowledge of the Noble Truths,
The realization of Nibbana,
This is the greatest blessing.
Beneath the stroke of life's changes,
The mind that shaketh not,
Without grief or passion, and secure,
This is the greatest blessing.
On every side are invincible
They who do acts like these,
On every side they walk in safety,
And theirs is the greatest blessing.”
What did the Buddha reveal?
Once the Exalted One was staying at Kosambi, in Simsapa Grove. Then the Exalted One, taking up a handful of simsapa leaves, said to the brethren:
"Now what do you think, brethren? What are more, these few simsapa leaves that I hold in my hand, or those that are in the simsapa grove above?"
"Few in number, Lord, are those simsapa leaves that are in the hand of the Exalted One: far more in number are those in the simsapa grove above."
"Just so, brethren, those things that I know by my super-knowledge, but have not revealed, are greater by far in number than those things that I have revealed. And why, brethren, have I not revealed them?
Because, brethren, they do not conduce to profit, are not concerned with the holy life, they do not tend to repulsion, to cessation, to calm, to the super-knowledge, to the perfect wisdom, to Nibbana. That is why I have not revealed them.
Then what, brethren, have I revealed? That this is suffering, brethren, has been revealed by me: that this is the arising of suffering: that this is the cessation of suffering: that this is the way to the cessation of suffering. And why have I so revealed it? Because, brethren, it conduces to profit ... to Nibbana."
(From S.N. v 437)
Fellowship
Support Network
Our Internet based courses have been running for eight years and we have regularly received requests from former participants for continuation courses and ongoing access to support from Andrew. We have always been happy to continue correspondence with any participant beyond the confines of a particular course but recognise that many people would like to formalise this relationship and help to support our activities at the same time.
From September we will be offering anyone who has participated in at least one of our courses the opportunity to join the Fellowship Support Network. This is intended to be a rolling subscription programme where members always receive access to the latest version of our course, web based support from Andrew whenever a course is running (usually 9 months of each year), and new monthly themed teachings that expand on the material and approach used in the original course. Further details will be available in future newsletters.
The Vipassana Fellowship Newsletter is published about 10 times each year and is sent only on request and to previous participants of our courses. Vipassana Fellowship is an organisation dedicated to the dissemination of accurate and useful information on Buddhist meditation practices as found in the Theravada tradition. Our next mailing will be in June. Our site can be accessed via the vipassana.com and vipassana.org domains.
Vipassana Fellowship, BCM Box 4398, London, WC1N 3XX, United Kingdom.
Newsletter © Copyright 2005, Vipassana Fellowship Ltd. (Registered in England No. 4730782).