Vimutti Dhamma Weekend Retreat at Wat Tam Dauy Don

During the week finish of September 24th-27th we attended the single of the Vimutti Dhamma 4-day imagining courses during Wat Tam Dauy Don in Mae Wang, Chiangmai. These courses have been written for those who work as well as would similar to to make use of imagining upon the weekend. This is the single of the couple of reduced courses available for those with non-flexible schedules. But these courses have been not written for the amateur as there is minimal instruction as well as the report is rigorous. It is recommended for those who already have the vipassana make use of as well as would similar to to make use of intensely for the reduced time. There is no set vipassana process which abbot, Phra Ajahn Nawi Piyadassi, teaches in this reduced course. He respects most methods of vipassana as well as feels which if the single knows how to do vipassana practice, the single can make use of any process as well as progress. There is the concentration here upon meditating as there have been no opening or closing ceremonies, evening, sunrise chanting, or pre-meal chants, customarily the reduced chanting in the commencement as well as finish of the retreat. Recordings of Phra Ajahns dhamma talks in Thai have been played for about twenty mins in almost every sitting session. Although his English is limited, he welcomes foreigners very most to come to his retreats.

Phra Ajahn Nawi began vital in the area of Wat Tam Dauy Don twenty-three years ago. For the initial year he was alone in the cavern upon the church drift though during the second year meditators were already coming to practice, as well as the church has stretched to meet the needs of this group. Currently the church is completing the womens college bureau building with twenty-four rooms. Ajahn Nawi places importance upon the significance of women in Buddhism as well as will name the accom! plished bureau building which of the Buddhas mother. And the name of any womanlike room in the dorm will be the single of the womanlike arahats from the Therigatha. This will be accomplished by the finish of 2010 when there will be the one-month shelter starting January 15th. Everyone will arrive upon which day though can leave prior to the month is accomplished if they do not have sufficient time.

Thus Phra Ajahn is still completing his vision for his church as well as imagining center. He does not wish the huge core though 40 people limit for any monthly retreat. This core is mostly for modernized meditators who conclude inlet as well as peace, so he does not wish as well most people to spoil this feeling. The area around the church is beautiful as well as Phra Ajahn finds which most foreigners who come to the church remark which they saw the pictures upon the website as well as this inspired them to come. All of the opposite style buildings during the church were written by Ajahn Nawi himself. The inspiration for any bureau building has come from his travels to America, Japan, as well as alternative Buddhist spots.

The orientation for any march takes place in the categorical bureau where the single of the couple of monks or mae chii in chateau confirm who should stay where upon the grounds. After settling in to their lodging, everybody sits for an hour in the imagining hall until there is the reduced chanting to the three refuges as well as orientation report in Thai by Phra Ajahn. After this is over there is an orientation by Phra Ajahn for the foreigners. On the shelter we attended there were four of us to whom he explained the report as well as asked about our imagining background.

The every day report for the dual days of make use of is quite difficult with most sittings as well as reduced breaks. There is no instruction or directions though everyb! ody foll ows the group as well as relies upon volunteers who have done the shelter before. The Thais as well as foreigners make use of imagining together though have apart dhamma talks. A translator was there to assistance promote the subject as well as answer duration for the foreigners. During the initial subject as well as answer duration with Ajahn Nawi he pronounced which he doesnt teach the sold process since it is such the reduced course. He recommends students to make use of what they know if this helps them see the present moment.

During my speak with Phra Ajahn he pronounced which Thais as well as foreigners have the opposite culturethey have been trained as well as socialized in opposite ways. Thais have faith in the three times gem initial though general meditators do not. Because of this Phra Ajahn can go without delay to training about the dhamma, as well as after his students sense to conclude the teachings, afterwards they customarily acquire faith. So it is the opposite method for the Thais who put priority upon the Buddha as well as proceed with him.

Phra Ajahn has found which not customarily foreigners though additionally people of alternative religions than Buddhism feel worried vital in the wat. Phra Ajahn understands this as well as advises which if any the single feels worried in his core afterwards they have been not forced to crawl when withdrawal as well as entering the imagining halls. But if someone wants to decree afterwards which is the opposite case.

In total the Vimutti Dhamma retreats with Ajahn Nawi has hosted over 100 foreigners. However, sometimes the church conducts special group retreats for general groups. In the past they have had the shelter for Germans as well as the Jesuit the single for novice monks who have been guidance about alternative religions. But during any regular shelter there have been customarily 1 or 2 foreigners. The foreigners started to come bit by bit though it wasnt Phra Ajahns goal to begin an general center. He is demure to embrace ! foreigne rs if they dont already have the practice. Most Thais have practiced during alternative centers though they as well sometimes need the basic background.

Some foreigners which come to Vimutti Dhamma subject if they have to be Buddhist to be Enlightened. Phra Ajahn answers which this doesnt make the difference since if someone is Enlightened afterwards they have satisfied no-self. Therefore, in this case, there is no eremite identity. To this end, Ajahn Nawi has learned to be careful in training foreigners about anatta, or no-self, as this is the very ethereal matter. He doesnt wish to speak without delay about this emanate since it is quite treacherous for general meditators. So Ajahn Nawi teaches in the roundabout way by starting with how the self is shaped as well as the components of the self. This is the large emanate for foreigners though Phra Ajahn emphasizes which it doesnt make the difference if people believe in anatta or not though which they see how the self works.

Having trafficked during length to eremite centers in the U.S., Phra Ajahn is tender by the American people as well as their eagerness to sense about Buddhism as well as meditation. He went to most places as well as has seen there have been most types of Buddhist centers as well as which people have the genuine interest. He finds which Theravada is now receiving deep root in America similar to Zen as well as Tibetan forms already have. Especially this is loyal during centers founded by Americans similar to the Insight Meditation Society of Barre, MA. Phra Ajahn was means to do the U.S. Dhamma tour organized by the single of his Thai followers who is the resident as well as her friends who have been in the Dhamma circles there.

On the last night of the shelter Phra Ajahn shows pictures of his trips to America as well as the charts which he uses in his lectures to uncover the co! mbinatio n of the self as well as alternative points of Buddhism. Along with these charts, he points out to the Thai meditators the small Buddha statue in the American imagining halls as well as the Americans sitting imagining upon most pillows built tall as well as they have been astounded during the differences. They were additionally repelled by the price of the shelter in America.

Thus this is the core with reduced as well as prolonged courses with an ecumenical teacher. It is the strict report with silence, 9-10 hours of every day meditation, as well as small ritual. Foreigners have been acquire as well as means to entrance the dhamma through Phra Ajahn as well as his translator.