The School of the Wisdom classes by Ven. Olande Ananda Thera

11 - 22 October

Classes are two hours on Monday, Wednesday, Friday
at 17:30, ie. 5:30 PM India time, GMT 12 noon - see time in your location

During the classes on Mindfulness in Daily Life, we will explore the definition of meditation and its practice in some religions. For instance, we will look at the Islamic Zikr, the Christian Jesus Prayer, the Dhyāna in Hinduism, and Buddhist meditation. We will then focus on Buddhist meditation as practised in three different schools, e.g., Zen, Tibetan and Theravada.

There are only two types of Buddhist meditation, Samatha tranquillity of the mind and Vipassanā, insight. Samatha makes use of concentration on an object, either external or internal, such as Ānāpānasati, that is the breath; or Mettā, that is loving-kindness. Vipassanā (insight) meditation contemplates body, feelings, mind and qualities of mind with awareness or mindfulness. Mindfulness is nowadays a multi-million business,
without acknowledging where it comes from. Buddha taught mindfulness in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta in a systematic way, that is, to be aware of one’s body, feelings and mind.

RECOMMENDED STUDY MATERIAL
Download the recommended study material for this course (on the right of the page soon)

The Experience of Insight by Joseph Goldstein
https://www.bps.lk/olib/bp/bp520s_Goldstein_Experience-of-Insight.pdf

Seeking the Heart of Wisdom by Goldstein and Kornfield
https://moam.info/from-seeking-the-heart-of-wisdom-by-joseph-goldstein-and-jack_5a2ad85b1723dd8f38f823a6.html

https://budsas.net/sach/en201.pdf

Satipatthana – the Direct Path to Realization by Analayo
https://www.windhorsepublications.com/satipatthana-meditation-audio/

The Heart of Buddhist Meditation by Nyanaponika
https://terebess.hu/keletkultinfo/the_heart_of_buddhist_meditation.pdf

FACILITATOR

Born in Amsterdam, The Netherlands, Jan. 1948. Ven Ananda Thera studied Economic Sociology at the University of Amsterdam. He was Ordained in Sri Lanka in 1975 at Pagoda, Nugegoda, and practised meditation at Kanduboda Meditation Centre, in 1975 and 1976. In 1977, he received Higher Ordination received and stayed at Sri Vidya Vijaya Aramaya, Pagoda from 1975 onwards. From 1979 to 1984 he was a resident teacher at Rockhill International Meditation Centre. From 1982- now: Buddhist Delegate to Inter-religious living Dialogue, held in Germany, Sri Lanka, India, Bali, Japan, Pakistan, France etc.

• 1985-1997: Rain Forest Hermitage near Galle, Sri Lanka
• 1989-90: Vipassana Meditation Retreats held in South Africa
• 1991-1996: Conducted yearly meditation sessions in Ladakh, Himalayas
• 1993 and 1995: Conducted Meditation Seminars at Borobudur, Indonesia, around Wesak Festival.
• Since 1997, connected to Pagode Vanh Hanh, Vietnamese Temple in Holland
• Teaching meditation around Europe.
• Since 1997 Resident meditation teacher at Pagoda Meditation Centre, Pagoda, Nugegoda, Sri Lanka