Spring 2011 Shamatha Retreat

Editor's Note: Due to multiple recording errors, this afternoon's podcast is an optimized recording from an iPhone. Because of this, it is difficult to hear clearly. My very sincere apologies. If anyone can improve the quality further, I would love to publish a better version. Please email Lizzy at [email protected] if you are interested. Also, Alan requests that transcriptions of the afternoon sessions from the past two weeks be created. If you are interested in transcribing one or more afternoon sessions, please email [email protected] with the name of the podcast you want to transcribe. This will be of great benefit to many people. This afternoon, Alan first guides a beautiful meditation that integrates shamatha, equanimity, compassion, and loving-kindness. He then summarizes the pith points of the last two days of discussion on the development of science and its relationship to the science of the mind of Buddhism. After that, [55:00] Alan gives us tips for integrating back into the "outside world," and we finish the afternoon with a comment from a participant.

This morning, Alan first speaks about Dharma practice during periods of transition. This is followed by an unguided meditation, which is not included.

Although there are two more days of retreat, this is our last afternoon session. Alan begins by jumping right in to a guided meditation in which he "puts us through the paces" of the three types of mindfulness of breathing, settling the mind in its natural state, awareness of awareness, and, finally, vipashyana. This is followed by a long question and answer period. [26:55] Alan answers these questions from the group, particularly focusing on the final three questions. 1. I have noticed during the retreat how the English language, with personal pronouns an integral grammatical structure, both serves to assist the development of a concretized sense of self/ego and duality, and then becomes like their protector. (I understand most languages represent individuals or groups to a lesser or greater degree (except for Thai, Burmese, and Japanese).) I experimented during the retreat with not using "I, me or mine" and it showed just how deeply ingrained the constructed sense of the world and self is in language. What is your advice about negotiating the dissonance between language, encoding as it does samsara and ultimate reality, especially anatta, that we are seeking to understand and experience? 2. I am aware of the Tibetan custom of not talking about meditative experiences and realizations. As we begin to talk - and soon will be home and doubtless facing the questions of loved ones and acquaintances ("So how did it go? What did you get to?!?") - do you have any advice on how we talk about our retreat? Or our plans for the future? Could you say a little about why the Tibetans take this attitude of saying little or nothing? Is it relevant for us and does it apply to a very ordinary level of experience? 3. Are vividness and clarity simply alternate translations of the same Tibetan/Sanskrit term or do they carry a difference in meaning? Also Gen Lamrimpa mentions 'lucidity' and 'strength of clarity'; what is the distinction? 4. In one of the talks you mentioned briefly that after the Buddha lived, it did not take very long till different interpretations of his teachings started to emerge. Can you tell us a little bit more how the different schools of Buddhism were formed? (How long after the Buddha we can say there was 'Buddhism'?) 5. How did Buddhism develop also to a religion and why do you think it did? 6. Do all schools of Buddhism share the [worldview + practice + way of life] being the heart of the teachings?

This morning we begin with an unguided meditation (not included in this recording) and then Alan answers the following questions from the group: 1. Could you clarify the terms mind, awareness, and consciousness? Do you use them interchangeably? 2. You mentioned sem and rigpa. What about lo?