The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
 
Retreat Dharma Talks at Cloud Mountain Retreat Center

The Buddha’s Gradual Path: Spiritual Progress in Lay Life

The Buddha frequently taught about the practice of the path as “a gradual training” (anupubbasikkhā), which unfolds in stages from the first step to the final goal of enlightenment. He most often talked about this gradual unfolding in terms of monastic life. However, he also made it clear that the path is open and available to lay followers as well and that many, many of his lay disciples were highly accomplished in the Dhamma, having developed the Path and attained the fruits on the way to awakening.

2023-06-03 (13 days) Cloud Mountain Retreat Center

  
2023-06-06 Changing those Deep Patterns 26:19
Ayya Santussika
We may think that our anger, anxiety, regret, jealousy, longing, sorrow, etc. are just a part of our character, or our karma, or that they assail us and we have no control over them or the power to abandon them. In this talk, we look at how to challenge this perception and stop feeding our mental and emotional patterns.
2023-06-06 Anapanasati Part 1 37:13
Ayya Santussika
A short explanation and guided meditation for the first two tetrads of Mindfulness of In and Out Breathing.
2023-06-06 Making a Wish and With Cunda on Purity 63:42
Ayya Santussika
Description of the two suttas in the Numerical Discourses, AN 11.2 Making a Wish and AN 10.76 With Cunda.
2023-06-07 Kalyanamitta 9:02
Ayya Cittananda
The support we get from each other -- Morning Reflection.
2023-06-07 Anapanasati Tetrad 3 and 4 -- Guided meditation 48:47
Ayya Santussika
Brief instruction on Tetrad 3 and 4 of Anapanasati - Mindfulness of in and out breathing, followed by a guided meditation for the 16 instructions.
2023-06-07 Sense Restraint, Moderation in Eating, Wakefulness 1:11:37
Ayya Santussika
Two purposes for sense restraint - wise decisions about what to take in through the senses - using sense restraint to break the chain of dependent origination at the feeling-craving link - moderation in eating - working with drowsiness - using the SN 36:95 Malunkyaputta Sutta, SN 3:13 A Bucket Measure of Food and AN 7.61 Nodding Off.
2023-06-08 Guided Metta Meditation 32:07
Ayya Santussika
2023-06-09 Sati, Samadhi, Panna and Metta 15:16
Ayya Santussika
Going deeper as we enter the 2nd half of this retreat, exploring the Buddha's words: ‘This is peaceful, this is sublime, that is, the stilling of all activities, the letting go of all attachments, the ending of craving, dispassion, cessation, Nibbāna.’ How can we have sati, samadhi and panna continuously?
2023-06-09 Loving-Kindness and Compassion Meditation 39:13
Ayya Santussika
2023-06-09 Developing Immersion Further 43:25
Ayya Santussika
AN 4.41 Developing Immersion Further
Creative Commons License