This is the ultimate installment of an eight-week collaboration between Michael Owens and Michael Taft. Every Sunday, Michael Owens taught a (no less than one) chapter of the VNS. The following Thursday, Michael Taft led a guided meditation based mostly on that chapter.
The non-dual guided meditation lasts one hour. Then there’s a dharma discuss and a Q&A session of about half-hour.
Also this week we begin the meditation with rousing bodhicitta. Bodhicitta is the robust intention to steer all beings within the universe to excellent awakening. It is the basic temper or angle of the bodhisattva.
After inducing bodhicitta, we do samatha with an object for quarter-hour. Then shamatha with out object for quarter-hour. Then we meditate on the ‘mirror-like consciousness’ (characterised by the buddha Akshobhya) till the tip.
Quote from this chapter
“We have benefited greatly from seeing a holy man like him. We have benefited greatly from hearing such a teaching from the Dharma, whether the Tathagata himself still really exists or whether he has already attained ultimate liberation. Therefore, there is no need to mention the great benefit to those who have heard it, believe it, trust it, embrace it, remember it, read it and penetrate it to the depths, and have found faith in it, teach it, recite it and show it to others and apply themselves to the yoga of meditation based on its teachings.
“Those living beings who correctly understand this teaching of the Dharma will obtain the treasury of the jewels of the Dharma.
“Those who correctly study this teaching of the Dharma will become the companions of the Tathagata. Those who honor and serve the adherents of this teaching will be the true protectors of the Dharma. Those who write, teach and worship this teaching of the Dharma will be visited at home by the Tathagata. Those who take pleasure in this teaching of the Dharma will embrace all the merits. Those who teach it to others, whether it be no more than a single stanza of four lines, or a single summary sentence of this teaching of the Dharma, will make the great Dharma sacrifice. And those who devote their forbearance, their diligence, their intelligence, their discernment, their vision and their aspirations to this teaching of the Dharma, thereby become subject to the prophecy of future Buddhahood!”
~ from The Learn from Vimalakirtitranslated by Robert Thurman
Read a improbable article by Ken McLeod on bodhicitta: https://driewieler.org/magazine/wat-is…
Read a bit concerning 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
