Shamatha (‘calm abiding’) refers to a state of mind free of defilements, clear, calm and focused. Such a mind is necessary in the pursuit of wisdom, which is the only tool to overcome ignorance, the root-cause of all suffering. For this reason, proficiency in shamatha meditation is an essential part of the Buddhist training, regardless of which tradition one follows.

In this meditation retreat, Ven. Dhammadipa offers guidance for the cultivation of deep states of meditative absorption based on mindfulness on the ‘in-and-out-breath’ (anapana-sati). After a general introduction to the practice, Bhante shares instructions from the northern tradition as taught in Asanga's Yogācārabhūmiśāstra. To supplement this approach, he weaves into the path of shamatha the bodhisattva's wisdom of nonduality, which makes this method exceptionally profound.  

Each "lesson" of this course corresponds to one day of the retreat, including various recordings of general teachings, practice instructions, and Q&A sessions. For the participants of this course at IBA, this was supplemented with the possibility to consult the teacher in daily private interviews to help fine-tune the practice according to the individual's needs. The course also offered Chigong and Yoga classes to help the body adjust to extended periods of sitting. 

The prayers and recitations for this course can be downloaded from the bottom of the page for DAY 1.