Dhamma Greetings everyone,
My name is Zach and I have been practicing meditation for about 8ish years now. I am 33 years old and have done temporary ordination under my teacher I study under the most Ven. Bhante Vimalaramsi. I currently live in Farmington, MO in the Ozarks. Beautiful mountain country of Missouri. My monastic name is Ven Gunadasa when I ordained. Gunadasa means literaly a slave to doing good. I'm not sure what else I should type but remembered I had this profile a whiles back. I am a serious practitioner to just watch and see what happens in meditation with the curiosity of a child's mind. Longest sittings I can do is about 3 hours or until my legs fall asleep, haha. I study Dependent Origination which is spoken about many times in the majjhima nikaya. That is the main book I read as well. As far as progress goes... I practice TWIM(Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation) a nice perfect blending of vipissana and samantha yoked together as spoken about in the Buddhist Suttas. I use the brahma viharas as my meditation object. As far as Jhannas are concerned I am not afraid to speak about them nore am I afraid to help give teachings if practicing with TWIM. I have exerienced all Jhannas except Relam of neither perception nor non perception. I am a firm believer we are reborn and not reincarnated... I do not believe in a permanent me, myself, or I that survives after death, but do believe our khamma and habitual tendencies are transmuted into a new being based on our khamma of our past life(s) and our current mind state at time of death along with merit we earn by doing good. Most of my progress in Buddhism has been made from having insights in sitting meditation or carrying the sitting meditation into waking life because I believe what the Buddha said... Meditation is life and life is meditation. I hope all may find relief and be happy!!!
Much Maha Metta Everyone!!!
Zach
Hello from Missouri
- LonesomeYogurt
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- Location: America
Re: Hello from Missouri
Welcome!
Although I do not necessarily agree with some things Bhante Vimalaramsi has taught, I never the less consider him to be a very decent man. I'm glad your progress seems to be going so well!
Have a nice time here!
Although I do not necessarily agree with some things Bhante Vimalaramsi has taught, I never the less consider him to be a very decent man. I'm glad your progress seems to be going so well!
Have a nice time here!
Gain and loss, status and disgrace,
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
censure and praise, pleasure and pain:
these conditions among human beings are inconstant,
impermanent, subject to change.
Knowing this, the wise person, mindful,
ponders these changing conditions.
Desirable things don’t charm the mind,
undesirable ones bring no resistance.
His welcoming and rebelling are scattered,
gone to their end,
do not exist.
- Lokavipatti Sutta
Stuff I write about things.
- Khalil Bodhi
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Re: Hello from Missouri
Welcome Zachary!
To avoid all evil, to cultivate good, and to cleanse one's mind — this is the teaching of the Buddhas.
-Dhp. 183
The Stoic Buddhist: https://www.quora.com/q/dwxmcndlgmobmeu ... pOR2p0uAdH
My Practice Blog:
http://khalilbodhi.wordpress.com
-Dhp. 183
The Stoic Buddhist: https://www.quora.com/q/dwxmcndlgmobmeu ... pOR2p0uAdH
My Practice Blog:
http://khalilbodhi.wordpress.com
Re: Hello from Missouri
Welcome Zachary!
with metta
Chris
with metta
Chris
---The trouble is that you think you have time---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
---Worry is the Interest, paid in advance, on a debt you may never owe---
---It's not what happens to you in life that is important ~ it's what you do with it ---
Re: Hello from Missouri
Welcome Zach!
Liberation is the inevitable fruit of the path and is bound to blossom forth when there is steady and persistent practice. The only requirements for reaching the final goal are two: to start and to continue. If these requirements are met there is no doubt the goal will be attained. This is the Dhamma, the undeviating law.
- BB
- BB
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Re: Hello from Missouri
Welcome to Dhamma Wheel!
Re: Hello from Missouri
Dhamma Greetings LonesomeYogurtLonesomeYogurt wrote:Welcome!
Although I do not necessarily agree with some things Bhante Vimalaramsi has taught, I never the less consider him to be a very decent man. I'm glad your progress seems to be going so well!
Have a nice time here!
Thank you for your kind words. May you feel relief and happiness for all time!
Metta,
Zach
Re: Hello from Missouri
Thank you everyone who posted to this thread! It is much apreciated and thank you for your dhamma suport.
Maha Metta,
Zach
aka Gunadasa
Maha Metta,
Zach
aka Gunadasa