Search found 11 matches

by amrad
Sun Aug 26, 2012 4:19 am
Forum: Sīla
Topic: How important is keeping Precepts?
Replies: 18
Views: 5214

Re: How important is keeping Precepts?

I dont think its a matter of forcing your self to OBEY the precepts. If you have a strong meditation practice you find desire for alcohol drugs, hurting others lying stealing cheating on your wife,ect, just slip away of there own accord, you really start to see them for what they are. And you see th...
by amrad
Mon May 28, 2012 1:58 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat
Replies: 38
Views: 9034

Re: disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat

I have just reread all of your posts in this thread with much interest, and i think that in retrospect i recieved good advice to ignore the experience of the nimitta. After returning from the ten day retreat i have continued to meditate two hours daily, but although it is still easy for me to ''fall...
by amrad
Wed Mar 28, 2012 4:17 pm
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: 10-day goenka retreat
Replies: 135
Views: 43315

Re: 10-day goenka retreat

The course schedule is made available in detail on line and you are asked if you have read and understood it when you apply. Once more when you go to register at the site you are asked if you understand the rules and you are urged to stay for the full ten days. The length of the course is also every...
by amrad
Tue Mar 27, 2012 6:55 pm
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: 10-day goenka retreat
Replies: 135
Views: 43315

Re: 10-day goenka retreat

I think a lot of the op's complaints come from the all to worldly practice of blaming others for our own failures. It would be interesting Breeze if your opinions would be the same if you would have buckled down to work and persevered to the end of the course.
by amrad
Tue Mar 27, 2012 3:30 am
Forum: Vipassanā / Satipaṭṭhāna Bhāvana
Topic: 10-day goenka retreat
Replies: 135
Views: 43315

Re: 10-day goenka retreat

I did a ten day course in Feb, but my experience was the exact opposite of the op. I hadnt meditated in years so the long hours of sitting were very painful, one simply perseveres. The food was very good, the servers caring and all of us, and most were new to retreats and a lot new to meditation, ha...
by amrad
Fri Mar 02, 2012 1:20 am
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat
Replies: 38
Views: 9034

Re: disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat

What happened after you were able to successfully ignore the Nimitta? well I continued to have good concentration but it seemed I had to put much more effort into it, where as before I felt like I just naturally feel into that state of rapture without much effort at all. Its like now its more forced.
by amrad
Thu Mar 01, 2012 7:38 pm
Forum: General Theravāda Meditation
Topic: disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat
Replies: 38
Views: 9034

disturbing experience at a Goenka ten day retreat

Im a lapsed meditator, and havent had a practice for years, until now. I just completed a ten day course at a Goenka center and during the sits had two rather odd experiences that I am hoping someone here could shed light on perhaps. During the second day of anapanna sati meditation I had a very int...
by amrad
Tue Jun 14, 2011 4:52 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Bhikkhu Bodhi Lectures: In the Buddha's Words
Replies: 46
Views: 38056

Re: Bhikkhu Bodhi Lectures: In the Buddha's Words

Hello unspoken, I think its better than reading a book, because Bhikkhu Bodi tend to explain things in a very easy to follow way. And for a beginner he really makes things clear. If you look at the page it usually tells you the length of each lecture if I remember correctly. It would amount to many ...
by amrad
Tue Jun 14, 2011 3:57 pm
Forum: General Theravāda discussion
Topic: Bhikkhu Bodhi Lectures: In the Buddha's Words
Replies: 46
Views: 38056

Re: Bhikkhu Bodhi Lectures: In the Buddha's Words

I also have started to listen to the lectures. The introduction and history of early Buddhism is really fascinating for a beginner like myself. When you go to the monastery home page its hard to tell if its true Theravada or a synthesis of that and Mahayana. Could anyone add any information as to th...
by amrad
Fri Apr 01, 2011 12:04 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Is Buddhism Anti-Life?
Replies: 18
Views: 7652

Re: Is Buddhism Anti-Life?

It could be a wester interpretation of suffering, dhuka or unsatisfactoriness. Perhaps westerners take it all a bit too serious. I dont know, but when I visited Thailand the people and especially the monks seemed deeply happy. Its hard to trans locate a thing as deeply rooted as religion.
by amrad
Sun Mar 27, 2011 3:14 am
Forum: Theravāda for Beginners
Topic: Torn between traditions
Replies: 18
Views: 5103

Re: Torn between traditions

Stick to Theravda (such as Thai Forest tradition). If that is too much for you, then stick to the Nikayas. Life is too short. Don't waste your time. Go with the earliest, tried and proven formular based upon the direct teachings of the one and only fully awakened one . Metta. Really? The one and on...