This is week seven of an eight week collaboration between Michael Owens and Michael Taft. Every Sunday Michael Owens teaches a (a minimum of one) chapter of the VNS. Then Michael Taft will lead a guided meditation primarily based on that chapter the next Thursday.
The non-dual guided meditation lasts one hour. Then there’s a dharma discuss and a Q&A session of about half-hour.
This week is just a little totally different as we begin the meditation with uplifting bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the sturdy intention to steer all beings within the universe to good awakening. It is the basic temper or perspective of the bodhisattva.
After inducing bodhicitta, we do samatha with an object for quarter-hour. Then shamatha with out object for 15 min. We meditate on each compound (“destructible”) and non-composite (“indestructible”) objects till the top.
Quote from this chapter
“What does not rest in the uncomplicated? The bodhisattva practices emptiness, but he does not realize emptiness. He practices signlessness, but does not realize signlessness. He practices desirelessness, but does not realize desirelessness. He practices non-performance, but does not realize non-performance. He knows impermanence, but is not complacent about his roots of virtue. He considers misery, but he voluntarily reincarnates. He knows selflessness, but he does not waste himself. [F.230.a] He contemplates peace, but does not seek extreme peace. He cherishes loneliness, but does not shy away from mental and physical exertion. He contemplates placelessness, but does not leave the place of good deeds. He considers the occurrence of events, but undertakes to bear the burdens of all living things. He considers impeccability, but he follows the process of the world. He considers immobility, but he moves to develop all living beings. He contemplates selflessness, but does not give up great compassion towards all living beings. He contemplates birthlessness, but he does not fall into the final determination of the disciples. He considers vanity, futility, insubstantiality, dependence and placelessness, and yet he settles on merits which are not vain, on knowledge which are not futile, on considerations which are substantial, on the pursuit of the consecration of the independent gnosis, and on the buddha line in its definitive sense.”
~ from The Learn from Vimalakirtitranslated by Robert Thurman
Read a implausible article by Ken McLeod on bodhicitta: https://driewieler.org/magazine/wat-is…
Read a bit in regards to the Vimalakirti Nirdesa Sutra: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vimalak…
Want to know extra about non-duality? Start right here: https://deconstructingyourself.com
Support extra movies like this contributing to Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/michaeltaft
