Compassion Cultivation Training

September 20, 2012  

Meditation is all about controlling and having power over our minds which are like leaves that waver in the wind. A wavering mind is deceitful and give birth to evil thoughts. Meditation’s main objective is to calm one’s mind. Meditation helps to overcome stress and develop mindfulness, concentration, supra mundane powers, tranquility and insight. Buddhists pursue meditation as a part of the path towards Enlightenment (Nirvana). Buddhist Meditation Methods Buddhist Meditation is divided into two main branches : Samatha Meditation (Tranquility Meditations) – Calms the mind and develops one-pointed concentration and positive emotions. ”Anapana Sati” (meditation on in and out breathing) and the four divine abodes ‘Metta (lovingkindness), Karuna (compassion), Muditha (empathetic joy), Upekkha (Equanimity) belong to this category. Vipassana Meditation  (Insight meditations) – Builds on calmness, focus and positive emotion generated in ‘Samatha meditation’, and helps to develop an awarenessof the impermanence, interconnectedness, and the indefinite nature of our experience. ‘Contemplation on impermanence’, ‘The six element practice’, and the “Contemplation on conditionality’ belong to this category. Samatha meditations usually precede and prepare for Vipassana meditations. Every form of meditation uses some kind of object on which we direct our attention to. There are 40 ways and means a Buddhist can meditate according to early Buddhist texts. Buddhagohsa’s Visuddimagga describes them as forty meditation subjects. They are also called “Kammattahana” / “Kamatahan”. Some are suitable only to the monks who are in search of eternal bliss, the Nirvana. Some are suitable for both monks and laymen. For laymen, “Anapana Sati” (meditation on in and out breathing), seven recollections out of the ten,’The Buddha, The Dhamma, The Sangha, virtue, generosity, the virtues of deities, death,’ and the four divine abodes ‘Metta (lovingkindness), Karuna (compassion), Muditha (empatheticjoy), Upekkha (equanimity) are suitable meditation methods. A person should select a subject that is most suitable for his own personality from among these for the purpose of developing concentration and consciousness. One should get advice from a learned person who is proficient in Meditation on this matter. Staying conscious of what you are doing and what you should do at all times is also a sort of meditation. Having compassion, loving kindness and sympathy towards others at all times is also a meditation method. The Forty Meditation Subjects Ten Kasinas (External objects of  Meditation used to develop Samadhi) Earth, water, fire, air, blue, yellow, red, white, light, “limited space” Ten Kinds of Foulness The bloated, the livid, the festering, the cut-up, the gnawed, the scattered, the hacked and scattered, the bleeding, the worm-infested, a skeleton Ten Recollections The Buddha, The Dhamma, The Sangha, virtue, generosity, the virtues of deities, death, the body, the breath andpeace (Nibbana) Four Devine Abodes Metta, Karuna, Muditha and Upekkha Four Immaterial States boundless space, boundless perception, nothingness, neither perception nor non – perception One perception of repulsiveness in nutriment One defining (that is, “the four elements”) ~ Meditation centres in Sri Lanka There are many meditation centres throughout Sri Lanka, most of which offer tuition in Sinhala only. The places listed below represent those where at least one teacher can communicate in clear English. Kanduboda Meditation Centre Delgoda Tel. 0112 445518 or 0112 570306 Located 16 miles from Colombo, accessible by bus route 224 (Colombo/Pugoda). Started in 1956, and offers Vipassana instruction in the style of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. The centre can accommodate up to 70 meditators at a time. Accommodation, meals and services are offered free of charge, the centre being funded by donation. Meditators must dress in white throughout their stay (White clothing is available forforeigners). Meditators can stay for a number of weeks or months, and help can be given with visa extensions. It is recommended that meditators undergo an initial training period of 3 weeks at the centre. Tuition continues throughout the year, but as the centre can be full at times (particularly around poya days) it is wise to telephone ahead. ~  Nilambe Meditation Centre Nilambe Near Kandy Telephone  (leave message) or  E-mail address: upulnilambe/AT/ ( – replace /AT/ with @ when sending mail) The teacher, until his death in March 2000, at this centre was Godwin Samararatne, a layman with extensive experience of teaching both in Sri Lanka and abroad. Godwin’s style was firmly within the Buddhist tradition but with an emphasis on metta (loving-kindness) and mindfulness in daily life. The emphasis at the centre under teacher Upul Gamage continues to stress these aspects. The centre is in beautiful surroundings above a tea plantation outside of Kandy. Meditators are expected to adhere tothe outline schedule: 04.45 Wake up 05.00 Group Meditation 06.00 Tea 06.30 Hatha Yoga 07.30 Breakfast 08.30 Working Meditation 09.30 Group Meditation 11.00 Individual and Outdoor Meditation 12.00 Lunch 12.30 Rest/Reading (Library open 12.30pm-1.30pm) 14.30 Group Meditation 16.00 Tea/Developing Right Speech 16.30 Hatha Yoga 17.30 Watching the sunset/Individual Meditation 18.30 Chanting and Group Meditation 19.30 Snack 20.00 Discussion or Talk (not every day) 21.00 Take Rest On Poya (full moon) days there is an optional Group Meditation through the night. On the quarter and half moon days there is an optional extended Group Meditation until midnight. The centre is easily reached by bus from Kandy. Buses for Galaha pass Nilambe Office Junction (about 17km). From there it is a steep walk (or rickshaw ride) through tea plantations to reach the centre. Alternatively, taxis or autorickshaws are available from Kandy. Autorickshaws are generally available from the bottom of the office junction,at Nilambe. It is a good idea to contact the centre in advance to let them know when you will be arriving. Advice can also be sought from the Buddhist Publication Society in Kandy. Meditators stay from one night to several years, and the centre can help long term meditators with visa extensions. Accommodation at the centre is in single or shared rooms. The centre has no electricity supply, and conditions are adequate but basic. Although this is a lay centre, often there are members of the Sangha undertaking personal retreats at Nilambe. The centre charges 500 Sri Lankan rupees per day (about GBP 3.00 sterling, USD 4.50, EUR 3.50 at Feb 2009 rates) to foreigners to cover accommodation and food. Sri Lankans may offer donations instead. The majority of longer-term meditators are Westerners, but many Sri Lankans also use the centre (particularly around Poya days). Teaching is available in English and Sinhala from the resident teachers. There is a good library of books and tapes in Englishand Sinhala. ~ Dekanduwala Meditation Centre Kananwila Kahatapitiya Horana Inquiries and bookings should be made through: Buddhist Cultural Centre, 125 Anderson Road, Nedimala, Dehiwala. Tel: 734256. This is a newer Vipassana centre catering mainly to Sri Lankan meditators. English and Sinhala are both spoken by the monk-in-charge, and foreign meditators are welcome. Transport regularly leaves the BCC in Dehiwala (outskirts of Colombo) to go to the meditation centre, and the BCC should be able to arrange an interview with the teacher beforehand should this be required. The meditation centre is also accessible by bus from Colombo. The centre is under the direction of Ven. K Wimalajothi. ~ Dhamma Kuta Mowbray Galaha Road Hindagala Peradeniya Tel: 08-234649 A meditation centre which follows the instruction of S.N.Goenka. Regular 10 day courses in Goenkaji’s vipassana method take place at the centre. Please telephone for dates. Instruction is with the aid of tapes, and assistant teachersare in attendence. Goenka follows the technique introduced by U Ba Khin of Burma. After instruction in Anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing), the meditator moves on to a form of ‘sweeping’ meditation, whereby mindfulness of the sensations arising and ceasing in the body lead to an understanding of anicca (impermanance), and through that an understanding of dukkha and anatta. Instruction is available in Sinhala and English. No fees are charged, donations welcome. See  for more details on this and other Goenka centres worldwide. ~ Lewella Meditation Centre 160 Dharmasoka Mawatha Lewella Kandy Tel:  E-mail: lewella.meditation/AT/ ( – replace /AT/ with @ when sending mail) A centre for experienced male meditators, and for the study of Buddhism, situated on the outskirts of Kandy. In addition to rooms within the centre several individual retreat kutis (huts) are available on the edge of the Udawattakelle forest reserve.  ~ Meditation centres in India The Burmese Vihara, Gaya Road,