The TWIM Retreat Series -Day Four MN38 Dependent Origination

Day Four of the TWIM retreat series brings a discussion based on Sutta#38 from the Majjhima Nikaya. This is the most important concept which the Buddha taught : “Dependent Origination”. Every moment there are many dependent origination moments arising. Each is a 12 link chain which the meditator finally sees as his meditation deepens. It is important to understand these links and be able to see them in your own mind as they arise. They comprise Ignorance, Formations, Consciousness, Mentality-Materiality, 6 fold base, contact, feeling, craving, clinging, habitual tendency, birth and sorrow, lamentation, pain grief and despair! By understanding these links you can start to let go at the craving link and avoid the rest of the links from arising. When ignorance is let go Nibbana arises. Bhante Vimalaramsi is a Buddhist Monk with 35 years experience studying with all of the major Asian Meditation Masters in Asia. After many many months of retreats and intense meditation he was told he was ready to teach. However, Bhante wasn’t satisfied and got a copy of the Buddhist Suttas (The Majjhima Nikaya) and went to a cave in Thailand started all over again only practicing what was written in the Buddha’s words. He was amazed at what he found when you followed those instructions exactly. What he found was the existence of the eight “Tranquil Aware Jhanas” or levels of insight which arise when you the practice with the “Relax Step” left in… He thought he had been practicing what the Buddha taught but this was something different and went to the very end of the practice as the Buddha described it over 2500 years ago. This DVD is the fourth in a series where Bhante goes back and re-interprets the Buddhist Suttas based on his own practice.