Courses / Fall 2015 Stage of Generation, Shamatha, Vipashyana and Mahamudra /

31 Motivation for Shamatha practice

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Fall 2015 Stage of Generation

B. Alan Wallace
30 Jul 2015 – 24 Sep 2015
Araluen Retreat Center, Queensland, Australia

This eight-week retreat will focus on stage of generation, shamatha, vipashyana and mahamudra.

Participants in this retreat should have a sound understanding of the Sutrayana teachings of Mahayana Buddhism, and have experience in the practices of shamatha, the four applications of mindfulness, and the four immeasurables.

Please read the text, A Spacious Path to Freedom: Practical Instructions on the Union of Mahamudra and Atiyoga, by the great 17th-century master Karma Chagmé (from the chapter “The Stage of Generation” up through “Mahamudra”). The book can be purchased from SBI here.

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B. Alan Wallace, 18 Aug 2015

Alan stresses how pure motivation is particularly important, as developing attention skills in itself is not Dharma. Motivation will determine whether the practice will lead to liberation. He quotes the 16th century philosopher of science, Francis Bacon, who urged his contemporaries to consider the “true ends of knowledge” and added two quotes from the founder of quantum mechanics, Max Planck, who said he regarded consciousness as fundamental and matter as derivative and that faith is a quality that you cannot dispense with. This set the scene for the meditation practice on developing a pure motivation.

Meditation is on the four fold vision quest.

Meditation starts at 10:37.

Course notes, other episodes and resources for this retreat are available here

The text for this retreat can be purchased via the SBI Store.

Finally, Please contribute to help us afford the audio equipment we rent to make these, and future podcasts freely available.

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