Wisdom, morality, and meditation comprise the Eightfold Path, the blueprint of Buddhist practice. In the Eightfold Path: A Way to the End of Suffering,  renowned scholar Bhikkhu Bodhi , explores how the application of these to our day-to-day lives, helps us grow in insight, ethical behavior, and meditative skill. Most importantly, we become happier, the reason we undertook this training in the first place. 

In “Dependent Origination,” Christina Feldman   explains how craving and clinging lead to becoming, a core concept in Buddhism.

Ajahn Nissarano explores the insatiable and exhausting nature of craving in his talk “The Slave Driver.”

In this talk on paticca-samuppada, Ajahn Amaro takes the seemingly complicated links of Dependent Origination and makes them not only accessible but also explains how to integrate and work with them to free our minds.

Introduction to Buddhism taught by Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi –This series of course was sponsored by The Buddhist Association of the United States and took place in Woo Ju Memorial Library during the summer from July to August in 2018.

In part one of this six part course, Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses Buddhism as a way of life, a way of understanding, and a way to liberation. Other topics include the life of the Buddha and the Buddhist approach to knowledge.

In part two. Bhikkhu Bodhi explains the four noble truths. He also includes discussion on chapters III and IV from Fundamentals of Buddhism and chapters II and III from Walpola Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught.

In part three, Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses the core doctrines of Buddhism: the three marks of existence; karma and rebirth; dependent origination. He uses readings from chapters VIII, IX, X, XI, XII of Fundamentals of Buddhism  and chapter VI from What the Buddha Taught.

In part four, Bhikkhu Bodhi uses chapters I, II, III from his book The Noble Eightfold Path  to explain the Buddha’s teaching of The noble eightfold path.

In part 5, Bhikkhu Bodhi continues to explain the noble eightfold path using chapters IV and VIII from his book The Noble Eightfold Path.

The course ends in part  6 with Bhikkhu Bodhi using chapter VIII of Walpola Rahula’s What the Buddha Taught  to discuss Buddhism and the world today.

In this series of five short talks, Ajahn Sona explains how each of the hindrances manifest and block progress in meditation. 

Intermediate Mindfulness class with Gil Fronsdal

This 4-week class on Intermediate Mindfulness given by Gil Fronsdal introduces the principles and practices which deepen mindfulness practice.  Suggested participation requirement is 45 minutes of daily meditation practice and keeping a meditation journal. Suggested prerequisite is an introductory course in mindfulness practice or equivalent. Homework materials (Word documents) for each week are also available for download.

“What Makes a Life Truly Worthwhile?” In this video, Venerable Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses Dhammapada verses 110-115 which address what should be the purpose of our life from a Buddhist perspective. The verses mention moral restraint, meditation, samadhi, insight, and wisdom. They compare a life of one hundred years without these to a life of one day with them.

Insight Journal has been published since 1994 by the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies.

In the book, When the Iron Eagle Flies, Buddhism for the West,  Ayya Khema provides a clear exposition of theory as well as a wealth of exercises. Ayya Khema was ordained a Theravada bhikkhuni, female monk. Her ordained name khema means “safety and security,” one of many synonyms for Nibbāna.

Mindfulness of Breathing is a brilliant exposition of the progressive sixteen steps of “mindfulness with breathing” by one of the most beloved Thai meditation masters Ajahn Buddhadasa

The Collected Teachings of Ajahn Chah  Ajahn Chah played an essential role in the establishment of the Thai Forest tradition which revived Buddhist practice in Thailand. When he taught the Dhamma, he relied on examples from everyday life to make the most profound teachings accessible.

The book Living Dharma: Teachings of Twelve Buddhist Masters by Jack Kornfield provides rare interviews and instructions by some of the most highly regarded Southeast Asian meditation teachers.

Dhamma Lists, extensive information about Buddhism

BuddhaNet, a Buddhist education and information network, offers a list of important Theravada sites.

Sakyadhita, International Association of Buddhist Women

Much of the information provided in our glossary comes to us through the generosity of Access to Insight and the Barre Center for Buddhist Studies. Contributions to this glossary by members of Insight Meditation of Ventura (IMV) are indicated in parentheses. Insight Meditation of Ventura is deeply grateful for the opportunity to make this content available as a way to contribute to the turning of the wheel of the Dhamma for current and future generations.

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