Wfb Workshop Sun Oct 4th (today) 2pm

[sabaijai]

WFB Workshop Sun Oct 4th

18 September, 2009 by Cittasamvaro

The World Fellowship of Buddhists (WFB) has a particularly interesting speaker and topic in October.

Summary

Buddhism is a collection of paradoxes. Perhaps the greatest of these is all Buddhists are striving for a goal – Nibbana – that for the longest time they know virtually nothing about. Most people, Buddhists included, cannot bear living with uncertainty and so over the centuries attempts have been made to fill in the gaps left (deliberately) by the Buddha. Elaborate explanations and descriptions of Nibbana have been fashioned either to inspire or to placate this sense of dis-ease. Although academic, the presentation by Venerable Payutto in Buddhadhamma keeps to the ‘bare bones’ approach delivered by the Buddha. The encouragement is not to try and reach Nibbana by intellectual acrobatics but rather by humble, sustained spiritual practice.

Topic is :

‘Liberation of the Heart From a Buddhist Perspective’

Presented by Robin Moore

In fact Robin has done a good number of presentations at the WFB before during his 20 year stint as a Bhikkhu in the Ajahn Chah temples. He finally disrobed for health reasons after leading the Devon monastery as the abbot for several years.

He is now resident (mostly) in Bangkok and busy with his long term epic re-translation of P.A. Payutto’s seminal Buddhist work ‘Buddhadhamma’.

P.A. Payutto is Thailand’s foremost scholar, and some years ago wrote Buddhadhamma (in Thai Phuttatam) as a modern day detailed examination of every aspect of Buddhism, based on his unrivalled knowledge of the Tripitaka (Buddhist Canon). He is a monk, and abbot of a temple next to Phuttamonthon, about 1 hour from Bangkok.

You will likely have seen a number of books by Ven Payutto, including Good, Evil and Beyond, Buddhist Economics, and Dependent Origination: the Buddhist Law of Conditionality. In fact several books are translations of particular chapters from his epic Buddhadhamma, published separately.

Robin has been translating Buddhadhamma for a number of years, one part of which is now published as ‘the Three Signs’ – an examination of impermanence, dukkha and non-self.

While Buddhadhamma is rather technical and will appeal mostly to the scholarly, the excellence of the work is well known. The next chapter for publication is on Nibbana, or Enlightenment.

This is the topic of the WFB presentation – Robin’s summary and explanation on what the suttas actually say about Nibbana based on this work of P.A. Payutto.

Start 2pm

coffee 4 pm

finish 5pm

attendance is free of charge, and there is no need for advance reservation.

http://littlebang.wordpress.com/2009/09/18...op-sun-oct-4th/

[camerata]

Looks like a good one. I guess I'll have to forgo my walk in the park this afternoon.

[camerata]

Actually, not really worth it. He talked for an hour about Buddhism in general and why nibbana can't be described, then said he wasn't going to say much about what Ajahn Payutto had written about it because the English translation of the book would be published in a few weeks time (70 pages).

I did manage to snag a copy of Ajahn Man's biography, Ajahn Boowa's Patipada and a guide to Thailand's monasteries and meditation centres. They charged me 100 baht for each of the dhamma books despite the "For Free Distribution Only" notices inside. Usually these books are free but there is a donation box for those who wish to donate.

[sabaijai]

Hmm sounds like the walk in the park might have been a better idea

[camerata]

It wasn't that bad, but it just seemed very low-level to me and not as advertised. I left during the coffee break at 4pm, after the meditation, and managed a walk in Benjasiri Park. Generally, I find the Q&A session at the end of these talks excruciating, so I try and avoid them.

Ajahn Sujin will be giving one of the upcoming talks on the Abhidhamma this month.

The trouble with these talks is they have to be low-level because most of the audience are beginners or not even Buddhists. At the one-day retreat I did with Ajahn Brahm, he asked for a show of hands from the Buddhists present and it was only around 50%.

[sabaijai]

One can pretty much guarantee the Aj Sujin lecture will not be low-level. I will attend that one if I can.

[sabaijai]

from Little Bang:

Special Abhidhamma Session Fri Oct 23

25 September, 2009 by Cittasamvaro

Respected Abhidhamma teacher Ajahn Sujin will be leading a special session at the WFB Headquarters on October 23, 2009, from 2 to 4.30pm.

October 23rd is a public holiday dedicated to King Rama V

Special Abhidhamma class in English with renowned teacher Ajahn Sujin. She has been one of Thailand’s leading lights in the field of Buddhism, especially Abhidhamma, for over 50 years. Though retired these days we occasionally get the chance to meet and listen to her directly. In the past her talks were broadcast on numerous radio stations throughout Thailand, and served as a great inspiration to monks and laypeople alike. This is a very special occasion, and everyone who is able to make it on a Thursday afternoon is encouraged to attend.

Abhidhamma is the more metaphysical side of Buddhism, that generally requires more dedicated study than usual Dhamma talks. However, all who attend will be able to benefit from Ajahn Sujin’s lucid explanations of Dhamma, and gain an insight into how these deeper teachings can be brought to life and practise.

Some of her past work can be accessed here: http://www.abhidhamma.org/contents.htm