From Fright to Flight
In this course we will trace the development of Buddhist insight meditation from the earliest source texts through the manifestations in the Theravadin tradition and touch briefly on its transformation in the core Indiana Mahayana meditation tradition.
We will start with the most important Buddhist meditation text of all time, the Satipathanasutta and its presentation of the four foundations of mindfulness, the root practice for both Shamatha-vipashyana meditation and absorption or Dhyana meditation. Next will be the presentation of insight in the famous fifth century manual of Theravadin Buddhism, The Path of Purification or Visudhimagga, which expands upon the stages of insight within the scheme of the seven stages of purification. Then we will see how that tradition is transformed by the famous Burmese Buddhist renaissance master Mahasi Sayasaw in his classic The Progress of Insight. We will explore the tension between the two traditions of absorption meditation and insight meditation.
Finally we will touch briefly on the Mahayana presentation by Kamalashila'a in his famous meditation manual, Bhavanakrama or Stages of Meditation, which was written for the introduction of Buddhism it into Tibet in the eighth century.
Core Materials
Supplemental Materials
"How to Do Analytical Meditation" from Center of the Sunlit Sky
The Three Essential Points of Mahamudra Shamatha Without Support
"Jhanas as Buddha's Discovery from Mindfulness, Bliss, and Beyond" by Ajahn Brahm
"Interviews with Contemporary Meditation Teachers" from Experience of Samadhi by Shankman
"The Path of Spiritual Progress" from Sarvastivada Abhidharma
"Seven Stages of Purification" by Venerable Matara Sri Nanarama