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Double-Up Dharma! Objects of Shamatha and Gaining Confidence in Meditation | Venerable Thubten Wangdu
February 8 @ 2:30 pm - 4:00 pm
About the series
Double-up Dharma! Incredible teachers. Two sessions each. Profound Buddhist wisdom.
About these sessions
Several Jamyang team members and students were fortunate enough to attend the November course at Kopan monastery in Kathmandu, led by our very own Resident Teacher, Geshe Tenzin Namdak. Venerable Thubten Wangdu – teacher at Tushita Meditation Centre in Dharamsala, India – led the meditations during the retreat. We were all deeply moved by his lucidity and open-heartedness, both on the cushion and off. So much so, we jumped at the chance for him to teach for the Jamyang community!
Session 1: Objects of Shamatha. 1 Feb 2024.
The practice of shamatha (Sanskrit for meditative quiescence, tranquillity) refers to the category of meditation whose purpose is the development of stable concentration. According to Lama Yeshe, the benefits of an undistracted mind are ‘almost unimaginable’. When you abide in samadhi (the Sanskrit term given to those states of consciousness characterised by indestructible one-pointed concentration), the mind becomes so clear and sharp that you feel as if you could ‘count all the atoms of the universe’. It is this unfathomably powerful mind that is conjoined with analytical meditation to fully realise the nature of reality.
Most commonly, the breath, the mind or the visualised physical form of the Buddha are suggested as possible objects to be used in the development of concentration. But the traditional Buddhist teachings put forward various other intriguing options, including ugliness, dependent-origination, love, the elements, and more. Each one is said to have particular benefits and to be more or less suited depending on the disposition of the practitioner. Venerable Wangdu will help us explore the practice of shamatha, as well as understand more about these oft-neglected objects of meditation.
Session 2: Gaining Confidence in Meditation. 8 February 2024.
‘My practice is a bit on-and-off’. ‘I’d like to meditate, but I can’t find time’. ‘I’m just not not very good at it’. ‘I’m never sure if I’m doing it right’. ‘I just don’t feel like I’m progressing’.
Sound familiar? Venerable Wangdu shares his experience as a teacher and meditation leader to help us shake off our self-doubt when it comes to our meditation practice.
About Venerable Wangdu
Ven. Thubten Wangdu is an Austrian monk who has been involved in the study and practice of Tibetan Buddhism since 2012. He finished the 5-year residential FPMT Basic Program of Buddhist Philosophy at Nalanda Monastery in France in 2022 and completed his studies with a three month lamrim retreat. Before this, for two years Ven. Wangdu was a resident at Tushita Dharamshala and led the meditations in the various ten-day courses. He also led meditations at Kopan Monastery in Nepal for the one-month November Courses in 2019 and 2022. Ven. Wangdu is involved in giving regular Dharma talks and meditations for the Austrian FPMT Centre in Vienna. He was ordained as a monk in the Tibetan Buddhist tradition in 2022 at Kopan Monastery by Lama Zopa Rinpoche.
Recordings
Recordings of the sessions will be made available to those who have registered shortly after the event.
Schedule
01 & 08 February 2024 | 14:30 – 16:00
Recordings
Recordings of the sessions will be made available to those who have registered shortly after the event.
How to join
Book your ticket below to receive the Zoom link for the second session by Venerable Thubten Wangdu.
Speakers in this series
Professor Guy Newland, Venerable Thubten Wangdu, Venerable Robina Courtin, Professor Jan Willis, Kabir Saxena, Dr Alex Berzin, and Venerable Thubten Chodron. View series.
