Meditation and Study Day: outlining the six perfections (paramitas)

We are delighted that Paul Rogers will return to the Bristol Centre this Autumn to lead this day of study and meditation.

Paul is a long standing student of Lama Jampa Thaye and coordinator of our Exeter Buddhist Group, Sakya Namgyal Ling.

This day will explore and expand on the third line of the Refuge prayer, which refers to the 6 “perfections”:

“By the merit of this practice of giving and so on.”

“And so on” covers a multitude of virtues apart from giving – namely morality, patience, effort, meditation and wisdom.

These six embody the bodhicitta of the Mahayana path . (Bodhicitta being the enlightenment thought, the wish to become enlightened for benefit of all sentient beings).

Wisdom is the crucial element which runs through all of the perfections, so we will begin the day with an outline of that before returning to it in the final session.

The core text for the day will be chapter 3 of Lama Jampa Thaye’s “Rain of Clarity” and parts of chapter 4.  (Mention will be made to texts by Sakya Pandita and Shantideva referred to in this work.)

The day will be ideal for anyone wanting to deepen their understanding of the Buddhist path. There will be some time for periods of meditation and reflection interspersed amongst our exploration of perfections.

Sessions:

Each session will involve sitting meditation, listening to a section of the teaching, and time for reflection and questions.

• Please arrive by 10.15am for a 10.30am start
• Four sessions: 10.30-11.30, 12.00-13.00, 2.00-3.00, 3.30-4.30
• Refreshments will be provided but please bring some lunch (to share if you wish)
• Facility Fee: £15 per day or £5 per session

We look forward to welcoming you to this teaching

[please note that there will be no Chenrezik puja at 10.30 on this day.