Weekly practice - Sunday from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm.
For more information contact: Doug Holmes
The Theravada group meeting is both in person and via Zoom, so you can join remotely if you wish. The Zoom link to attend is:
https://zoom.us/j/306417993?pwd=L3hncUsvdnE3YzBpUzJCL0lmVlozQT09 - meeting ID 306 417 993 Password: buddha
The Theravada Buddhist Tradition
In the Theravada Buddhist tradition, the Buddha is not considered to be a god or any kind of divine being. When the Buddha taught, he did not demand that his listeners believe what he was saying. Instead, he invited them to try out his teachings and practices and decide for themselves if they were beneficial. The teachings focus on practical methods of working with the mind and living ethically in the world. This humble, pragmatic approach to Buddhism has struck a chord in the west, and has been popularized by authors such as Jack Kornfield and Tara Brach. See our list of resources below for good places to start learning about this tradition.
The Theravada tradition traces its roots to India in the 3rd century B.C. The name means “The way of the elders.” The tradition focuses on the words of the Buddha as recorded in its scriptures, a text known as the Pali Canon. It began to spread throughout Asia when Ashoka, a 3rd century B.C. Indian king, is said to have sent Buddhist missionaries from this tradition to Greece, Sri Lanka, Egypt, Afghanistan, Thailand, and other areas. In modern times, Theravada Buddhism spawned the Vipassana movement which has spread a form of mindfulness meditation throughout southeast Asia and to our own shores as well.
Many of the books we read are from the Thai Forest Tradition of Theravada Buddhism. This tradition focuses on the simple, psychologically based teachings that have always formed the heart of Theravada Buddhism. This tradition has monasteries across Asia, Europe, England, and the United States.
The Thai Forest Tradition focuses on meditation, ethics, and developing a deep understanding of the teachings. While many people practice meditation by itself and derive great benefit from it, in this path meditation is part of a larger spiritual journey that involves our whole life. The Buddha called this way of living the Eightfold Path. As we study Buddhist teachings and apply them to our meditation and to our lives, we gain insight into our own true nature. Click here for a brief set of meditation instructions from the Spirit Rock website if you’re unfamiliar with meditation and would like to try a quick meditation session on your own.
Weekly Practice
The group meets Sunday nights at 7 p.m. The practice is simple and ritual free and includes silent sitting meditation and discussion. The group is peer led, and each week you will find us discussing our current book or article, how to apply the ideas we are studying to our daily life, and timely Buddhist topics of all sorts. Visitors are welcome. If you'd like to visit or to request information about this practice, please contact Doug Holmes.
Current Reading
Currently (Fall of 2023) instead of reading a book we are reading short articles and suttas (scriptures) to discuss.
Books We Like:
Here is a selection of books that provide a solid foundation in Theravada Buddhist teachings and Buddhist psychology:
What the Buddha Taught by Walpola Rahula (available online)
The Noble Eightfold Path by Bhikkhu Bodhi (available online)
The Wise Heart by Jack Kornfield (description)
Radical Acceptance by Tara Brach (description)
The Four Noble Truths by Ajahn Sumedho (available online)
Here are two books on meditation in the Theravada/Vipassana tradition:
Mindfulness in Plain English by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (available online)
Introduction to Insight Meditation by Ajahn Sucitto (available online)
Online Resources:
DharmaSeed.org - Thousands of audio lectures including teachers such as Ajahn Sumedho and Ajahn Amaro (http://dharmaseed.org)
DhammaTalks.org - Website of Theravada Texts and Commentary (https://www.dhammatalks.org/)
AccessToInsight.org - An Older Source for Theravada Texts and Commentary (http://www.accesstoinsight.org/)
Forest Sangha Website - Monastery, ebooks, and audio lectures - a central tradition for our group (https://forestsangha.org/)
The Buddha's Teaching As It Is - Introductory lectures by Bhikkhu Bodhi (http://www.buddhanet.net/audio-lectures.htm)
Buddhism Now - Articles and videos (https://buddhismnow.com/)
Tricycle Magazine - Monthly Magazine with Free Articles (https://tricycle.org/)
Resources on Samadhi practice:
If you're interested in this special meditation topic, here are some places to start:
Beyond Mindfulness in Plain English - by Bhante Henepola Gunaratana (publisher)
Focused And Fearless - Shaila Catherine (publisher)
Entering the Jhanas - online article in Lion's Roar by Leigh Brasington
Right Concentration by Leigh Brasington (publisher)