An Introduction to Buddhism and Selected Discourses of the Buddha

There are two courses starting in January at the London Buddhist Vihara on the Avenue in Chiswick.

An Introduction to Buddhism is an 8 week course starting 7pm Monday 26th January. The tutor ia Julian Wall. Enrol at the class on first day of attendance. There is no charge but donations are welcome.

Programme

26th January - Pre Buddhist India
2nd February - The Life of the Buddha The Spread of Buddhism
9th February -Sources of knowledge (PāliCanon.) Investigating the teachings (KālāmaSutta) The Buddha's Charter of Free Enquiry
16th February - The First & Second Noble Truth
23rd February - The Third & Fourth Noble Truth
2nd March - The Law of Kamma Natural laws,Process of Cognition
9th March - The Wheel of Life (Paticca Samuppāda) The Three Characteristics of Existence
16th March - The Goals and Methods of Meditation (Bhāvanā)

Selected Discourses of the Buddha is a nine week course taught by Richard Jones. It starts on 15th January and, once again, there is no charge but donations are welcome. Sessions run from 7pm - 9pm.

Programme

15 & 22 January 2015 - Sammaditthi Sutta The Discourse on Right View. How the four noble truths, dependent origination, and the knowledge that ends mental fermentation (asavas) all build upon the basic dichotomy between skillful and unskillful action.

29 January & 5 February 2015 - Alagaddupama Sutta The Snake Simile/The Water-Snake Simile. Using two famous similes, the Buddha shows how the development of right view calls for the skillful application both of grasping and of letting-go. The sutta includes one of the Canon's most important expositions on the topic of not-self.

5 & 12 February - Maha-hatthipadopama Sutta The Great Elephant Footprint Simile. An explanation of the four noble truths, focusing on the aggregate of physical form and showing (1) how all the aggregates are interrelated and (2) how all four noble truths, together with the principle of dependent co-arising, are related to the aggregates.

19 & 26 February - Satipatthana Sutta The Foundations of Mindfulness/The Discourse on the Arousing of Mindfulness/Frames of Reference. The Buddha's comprehensive practical instructions on the development of mindfulness as the basis for insight.

5 March - Sabbasava Sutta Discourse on all the Asavas (fermentations). The Buddha teaches seven methods for eliminating from the mind the deeply-rooted defilements (sensuality, becoming, views and ignorance) that obstruct the realisation of Awakening.

12 March - Ambalatthika-rahulovada Sutta Instructions to Rahula at Mango Stone. The Buddha admonishes his son, the novice Rahula, on the dangers of lying and stresses the importance of constant reflection on one's motives.

December 30, 2014