Nationality American | ||
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Organization Dhamma Sukha Meditation Centre (DSMC) Notable work The Anapanasati Sutta: A Practical Guide to Mindfulness of Breathing and Tranquil Wisdom Meditation 1998-2006 editions
Breath of Love 2012
Moving Dhamma Volume 1- 2013
The Dhamma Leaf Series - 2014
Life is Meditation, Meditation is Life - 2014
A Guide to Forgiveness Meditation - 2015
A Guide to Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation (T.W.I.M.) - 2015 Books The Breath of Love: A Guide to Mindfulness of Breathing and Loving-Kindness Meditation Profiles | ||
Metta instructions with bhante vimalaramsi
Bhante Vimalaramsi (born 1946) is an American Buddhist monk currently the Abbot of the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center in Annapolis, Missouri.
Contents
Seattle retreat mn 10 mindfulness of breathing instructions re explained satipatthana sutta
Biography
Born Marvel Logan, Bhante Vimalaramsi studied with Anagarika Munindra in 1977 and became a bhikkhu in Thailand in 1986 with further studies in Burma.
Bhante Vimalaramsi is a well known meditation teacher having taught in Malaysia and the United States. He is the founder of the American Forest Tradition and the Suttavada.
He uses the Majjhima Nikaya as his basis for teaching the "Mindfulness of Metta" and the Brahmaviharas, that leads to the realization of Nibbana which many of his students call Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation (T.W.I.M.).
Bhante Vimalaramsi founded the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center (DSMC) located in Iron County, MO.
US Representative to the World Buddhist Supreme Conference
Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi is the first American born monk who has been named as the first US Representative to the World Buddhist Supreme Conference in Kobe, Japan.
As part of his new position he will coordinate U.S. representation at the Summit Conference to be held in Kobe, Japan in the Spring of 2007. The goal of the summit conferences is to bring together the many traditions of Buddhism in the world, and unify them to produce a united position dedicated to working towards balance, harmony, and world peace for mankind. The Conferences are scheduled to meet every two years.
Upon approval he was inaugurated into this lifetime position on November 1, 2008 in the New Royal Grand Hall of Buddhism in Japan.
Teachings
Bhante Vimalaramsi teaches meditation directly from the Suttas using the Pali Canon. He considers the most workable English translation to be the work of Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and Ven. Nanamoli. Generally, Venerable Vimalaramsi places first emphasis on the texts and references the commentarial works only where they agree with the texts. He teaches by directly reading from the Suttas and expounding what they mean as he goes along. He follows the definitions and drills for meditation that were given by the Buddha to the original group of monks. Therefore, the meditation is taught with Samatha and Vipassana yoked together as advised by the Buddha in the texts.
- TWIM, Jhānas and the Relax step.
Bhante Vimalaramsi has been teaching his meditation with a different approach which is Relax step and Tranquil/light Jhānas. Sutta-based interpretation of meditation has led him to teaching what he calls “tranquil-wisdom meditation,” a joint samatha/vipassanā meditation. Vimalaramsi interprets the word ‘samādhi’ as tranquillity, which signifies the same mental characteristics as samatha .
This has been covered in a number of research papers/ Journals, below are the direct quotes with citations.
Vimalaramsi, suggests “it is far more important to observe what is happening in the mind than to sit with uncomfortable or painful sensations…there is no magic in sitting on the floor. The magic comes from a clear, calm mind.” Vimalaramsi warn against the dangers of over straining or forcing meditation and the emotional disturbances and hardening of the mind that may ensue.
I really got it! Whenever you try to focus your attention only on breathing and exclude other things—sound, delusive ideas etc., you will get stuffiness and tension in your body and mind, even if you are not aware of it.
We would suggest following the Buddha’s advice to Ven. Soṇa and returning the approach to bring about harmony rather than stress or tension. Perhaps much can be learned from those like Ven. Vimalaramsi who are careful to avoid the extremes of too loose and too tight. TWIM aims to provide the meditator with a structure within which he or she can remain alert and aware, yet relaxed and open.
Venerable Bhante U Vimalaramsi teaches Jhanas that have only a light absorption. One can sense things happening around one while in these states; one can even do Jhanas while doing walking meditation.He teaches mainly from the Anapanasati-sutta and the Satipaṭṭhāna-sutta, and maintains that jhāna should not be considered ecstatic or one-pointed (ekaggatā). Rather, it is a light, relaxed state in which various Buddhist insights are examined. The light sutta jhāna approach of Vimalaramsi and Thanissaro