Ajahn Amaro and Meditation

[Prasadachitta]

I have found this book by Ajahn Amaro (Tai Forest Tradition) to be very helpful to my attitude towards mediation. While the communicated form of the meditation practice I do (which is annapana sati) remains the same, Ajahn Amaro helps me keep an eye towards a more open ended perspective to unfold. Becoming aware of "the view of the view" is one thing I remember from the book.

I highly recommend it.

You can download it at.

http://www.abhayagiri.org/index.php/main/book/138/


Metta

Gabriel

[Cittasanto]

thanks I have listened to some of his talks but not read anything

[Jechbi]

Here's a Vajra perspective one might erroneously assume doesn't exist based on debates that have surfaced elsewhere:

It is therefore entirely possible when someone
practices free of laziness and procrastination any of these three
paths to attain the same level as Buddha Shakyamuni.

Thanks for the link.

[Jechbi]

I love this story:

Over the thousands
of years since the death of the Buddha, different schools
have evolved in their own unique ways. Typical of the pitfalls was
a meeting in the late 1970s between a Korean Zen master and a
respected Tibetan rinpoche. The meeting had, of course, been set
up by their Western students in hopes of fostering an exchange
between two lineages long estranged. The Zen master began with
a Dharma challenge. Holding out an orange, he asked forcefully,
“What is this!” The Tibetan master sat in silence and continued
to thumb through the beads of his mala. The Zen master asked
again: “What is this!” The rinpoche turned to his translator and
inquired softly, “Don’t they have oranges in his country?”

[jcsuperstar]

I love this story:

Over the thousands
of years since the death of the Buddha, different schools
have evolved in their own unique ways. Typical of the pitfalls was
a meeting in the late 1970s between a Korean Zen master and a
respected Tibetan rinpoche. The meeting had, of course, been set
up by their Western students in hopes of fostering an exchange
between two lineages long estranged. The Zen master began with
a Dharma challenge. Holding out an orange, he asked forcefully,
“What is this!” The Tibetan master sat in silence and continued
to thumb through the beads of his mala. The Zen master asked
again: “What is this!” The rinpoche turned to his translator and
inquired softly, “Don’t they have oranges in his country?”

i actually never liked that story, i 1st came across it years ago, from the korean side of the story and it was made out as if the zen guy was oh so much more enlightened than the tibetan. but really all it was was a zen guy speaking zen talk to someone who doesnt speak zen talk. being from texas i've seen this sort of thing where you get some white guy who thinks he's oviously better than any mexican and his proof will be that some mexican he comes in contacct doesnt understand english, not even when he speaks it louder and slower. nevermind that the mexican man may be a brain surgen on holiday in the states, he cant speak english, therfor he's an idiot and the white guy is the superior.

[Jechbi]

Yeah, I can see that side of it. But I always thought the Tibetan guy comes off looking better in the story, actually. The Zen guy gets a taste of his own medicine.

[bodom]

i actually never liked that story, i 1st came across it years ago, from the korean side of the story and it was made out as if the zen guy was oh so much more enlightened than the tibetan. but really all it was was a zen guy speaking zen talk to someone who doesnt speak zen talk. being from texas i've seen this sort of thing where you get some white guy who thinks he's oviously better than any mexican and his proof will be that some mexican he comes in contacct doesnt understand english, not even when he speaks it louder and slower. nevermind that the mexican man may be a brain surgen on holiday in the states, he cant speak english, therfor he's an idiot and the white guy is the superior.

Actually i dont like your story as i am a white guy living in texas with a mexican girlfriend. I never see myself as superior and i never see any issues with race here in San Antonio the largest hispanic city in the country.

[jcsuperstar]

i saw/ heard all sorts of racist stuff in texas, and here too.. though for some reason people just say the dumbest crap to me. seriously i was working as a cashier when i was a teenager and some guy came in my line and starting talking about how bad it must be to have to deal with n****rs etc. this sort of thing always happens to me, maybe i've just got the type of face that says "hey racists, i'm here to listen"