British Mahabodhi Society in association with London Buddhist Vihara
Posted on October 21st, 2018
A Seminar on Mindfulness
SPEAKERS
Ajhan Amaro
Ven. Ajahn Amaro (Jeremy Horner) was awarded a B.Sc. in Psychology and Physiology by the University of London. He ordained in 1979. He served as a Bhikkhu in England at Chithurst, Amaravati and Harnham Monasteries for several years. In 1996 he together with Ajahn Pasanno
established the Abhayagiri Monastery in the Redwood Valley California. They were Co Abbots until 2010 when Ajahn Amaro was appointed as Abbot of Amaravati Buddhist Monastery in Great Gadsden, Hertfordshire.
Ajahn Amaro has written a number of books, including an account of a 830-mile trek from Chithurst to Harnham Vihara called Tudong – The Long Road North, republished in the expanded book Silent Rain. His other publications include Small Boat, Great Mountain (2003), Rain on the Nile (2009) and The Island – A n Anthology of the Buddha’s Teachings on Nibbana (2009) co-written with Ajahn Pasanno, a guide to meditation called Finding the Missing Peace and other works dealing with various aspects of Buddhism.
Ven. Kovida
A pupil of the late Most Ven. Balangoda Anandamaitreya, a renowned scholar, teacher, and meditation practitioner. Since then, he has been travelling and sharing the Dhamma in several countries and across Canada.
Bhante Kovida has worked tirelessly in introducing techniques of mindfulness, meditation, chi gong and hatha yoga as an effective tool in dealing with emotional stress, anxiety and depression and has conducted retreats and sessions across Canada and many other nations the world over.
Dr. Desmond Biddulph, CBE
Chairman of The Buddhist Society which was founded in 1924. He is a practising Psychotherapist specialising in Jungian Analysis and is a member of the Society of Analytical Psychology. He and his wife Darcy co authored The Teachings of the Buddha: The Wisdom of the Dharma from the Pali Canon to the Sutras. Other books include 1001 Pearls of Buddha’s Wisdom and Eternal Moments: Teachings of the Buddha.
He also started the Buddhist Society Chaplaincy to support the training of Buddhist Chaplains for services to Schools, Universities, Hospitals, Prisons and Communities. He is a member of the Jerusalem Article 18 Group and contributes to the Upper House Committees to promote cohesionof religious and ethnic communities. He was awarded the CB E in 2017 for services to Interfaith Relations in the UK .
Prof. Geoffrey Hunt
Founder of’New Buddha Way’ and is the Buddhist Chaplain for the University of Surrey, Author of the three-volume manual ‘New Buddha Way’. He also leads retreats, conducts funeral services, and teaches the Buddha Dharma in local schools. Professor Hunt retired as a Professor of Ethics from the University of Surrey in 2008. He is now the Professor of Philosophy at St Mary’s University College, Twickenham.
October 22nd, 2018 at 6:18 am
I heard in the discussion something like trying to coverup the religious aspect of Mindfulness promoting it as a psychological mental effortr outside religioin. It may perhaps be due to the fact that some may not be willing to accept it if it is intoduced as as an aspect of Buddhist teaching.
There are ofcourse other “mindfulness”. There is mindfulness in Japanese martial art. Even in committing a crime there is careful planning out, then the act itself, and cleaning up all traces thereafter.
But Buddhist Mindfulness is different. It is Samma Sati-noble mindfulness. It has a noble purpose. It begins with Samma Ditthi noble right view which is understqnding the four noble truths. Hence there is so much to it if it is Samma Sati that is being introduced to UK audiences.If there is going to be meditation some where at the end of this Mindfulness project one has to take into account the five Nivarana Dhamma- hindrances, which has in it-vicikiccha (Doubt) If Mindfulness is to be practiced one should not have doubts about it and and doubts about the Buddha, Dhamma and Sangha. That is how we have learnt it. But there may now be new methods of teaching and introducing it to foreign audiences therefore pardon my ignorance of the modern methodology of introducing Buddhism without calling it Buddhism.
October 22nd, 2018 at 1:29 pm
Charles
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT and Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) present a range of clear-cut procedures for practicing mindfulness techniques and teaching them to patients experiencing depression, anxiety, chronic pain, and other problems. Also addressed are ways that mindfulness practices can increase acceptance and empathy in the therapeutic relationship.
This point has been discussed by Ajhan Amaro (Jeremy Horner) and he accepted that fact that during these techniques they had to drop the religious interpretation deliberately as the main purpose is to treat the patients and not to confuse the patient with ancient eastern religions. As he explained the practice is similar to the method used by Ajhan Buddhadasa in Thailand. But the vital part of morality is introduced unnoticed during the process.
Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT) is a modified form of cognitive therapy that incorporates mindfulness practices such as meditation and breathing exercises. Using these tools, MBCT therapists teach clients how to break away from negative thought patterns that can cause a downward spiral into a depressed state so they will be able to fight off depression before it takes hold.
MBCT was developed for people with recurring episodes of depression or unhappiness, to prevent relapse. It has been proven effective in patients with major depressive disorder who have experienced at least three episodes of depression.
Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) is a program that incorporates mindfulness to assist people with pain and a range of conditions and life issues that were initially difficult to treat in a hospital setting.
If you are trying to use Mindfulness for your liberation then you have to follow the eight fold path recommended by Buddha.
October 23rd, 2018 at 1:35 am
Thank you Neela Maha Yoda for explaining why the mutilation of Dhamma had become necessary for modern physical relief practices.
October 24th, 2018 at 4:05 am
Charles! “mutilation of Dhamma” – A somewhat selfish statement from Buddhist perspective
You don’t have to change name of Buddhist philosophy to Cognitive science whenever they overlap each other. We should let people to get benefit out of Buddhist practice even for mundane results.
Buddha also has used these techniques for pain management
Once Buddha asks Ven Sariputta to take over the teaching, so that he can relieve his back through jhana meditation.
Then in Anathapindikovada Sutta: Instructions to Anathapindika Ven Sariputta and Ven Ananda went to help Aanathapindika in the pain management.
According to Sutta it says; …
Then Ven. Sariputta, having put on his robes and, taking his bowl & outer robe, went to the home of Anathapindika the householder with Ven. Ananda as his attendant. On arrival, he sat down on a prepared seat and said to Anathapindika the householder: “I trust you are getting better, householder? I trust you are comfortable? I trust that your pains are lessening and not increasing? I trust that there are signs of their lessening, and not of their increasing?”
[Anathapindika:] “I am not getting better, venerable sir. I am not comfortable. My severe pains are increasing, not lessening. There are signs of their increasing, and not of their lessening. Extreme forces slice through my head, just as if a strong man were slicing my head open with a sharp sword… Extreme pains have arisen in my head, just as if a strong man were tightening a turban on my head with a tough leather strap… Extreme forces carve up my stomach cavity, just as if an expert butcher or his apprentice were to carve up the stomach cavity of an ox with a sharp butcher’s knife… There is an extreme burning in my body, just as if two strong men, seizing a weaker man with their arms, were to roast and broil him over a pit of hot embers. I am not getting better, venerable sir. I am not comfortable. My severe pains are increasing, not lessening. There are signs of their increasing, and not of their lessening.”
[Ven. Sariputta:] “Then, householder, you should train yourself in this way: ‘I won’t cling to the eye; my consciousness will not be dependent on the eye.’ That’s how you should train yourself. ‘I won’t cling to the ear… nose… tongue… body; my consciousness will not be dependent on the body.’ … ‘I won’t cling to the intellect; my consciousness will not be dependent on the intellect.’ That’s how you should train yourself.
“Then, householder, you should train yourself in this way: ‘I won’t cling to forms… sounds… smells… tastes… tactile sensations; my consciousness will not be dependent on tactile sensations.’ … ‘I won’t cling to ideas; my consciousness will not be dependent on ideas.’ That’s how you should train yourself.
“Then, householder, you should train yourself in this way: ‘I won’t cling to eye-consciousness… ear-consciousness… nose-consciousness… tongue-consciousness… body-consciousness; my consciousness will not be dependent on body-consciousness.’ … ‘I won’t cling to intellect-consciousness; my consciousness will not be dependent on intellect-consciousness.’ That’s how you should train yourself.
Read full sutta https://www.accesstoinsight.org/tipitaka/mn/mn.143.than.html
October 24th, 2018 at 6:44 am
Yes Buddhism -Theravada Buddhism has already been spoken of as egoist. Nibbana is one’s own effort .