Learning Center Theravadan Buddhism & Insight Meditation

Learning Center -> Study -> Theravada Buddhism

Topics - - - Background Meditation Triple Gem & refuge Four Noble Truths Eightfold Path Dependent Origination Kamma Annata, non-self The Ten Perfections The Five Spiritual Faculties The Four Foundations of Mindfulness The Five Hindrances The Five Aggregates The Seven Factors of Enlightenment The Brahma-Viharas Metta Texts & sutras Miscellaneous

Web sites with extensive teachings
Web sites with audio teachings

Background

See the Ashoka online course The Buddha's Teaching As It Is taught by Bhikkhu Bodhi.

All of Us (Beset by Birth Decay and Death)
Twelve Dhamma talks on practice.
Ayya Khema

The universal teaching of the Buddha
S.N. Goenka

Walking the Path
Bhikkhu Buddhadasa

A Look at the Kalama Sutta
Bhikkhu Bodhi
Some popular contemporary teachings claim that the Buddha advocates putting one's trust solely in what one can know and experience directly for oneself. In fact, when we take into careful consideration the context of this sutta, it becomes clear that this interpretation altogether misses a much more important point.

Meditation

Introduction To Insight Meditation
Amaravati Buddhist Centre, U.K. (1988)

Practical Vipassana
Bhante Henepola Gunaratana

Instructions to Insight meditation
Mahasi Sayadaw

Two Styles of Insight Meditation
Bhikkhu Bodhi
With the surging worldwide popularity of insight meditation, teachers have occasionally been tempted to "streamline" the practice, by teaching it as a secular activity divorced from the framework in which the Buddha originally presented it. Bhikkhu Bodhi urges meditators not to neglect the development of the full range of qualities necessary to bring about transcendent release.

Art of Living: Vipassana Meditation
S.N. Goenka

The Basic Method of Meditation
Brahmavamso, Ajahn

The Five Mental Hindrances And Their Conquest
Nyanaponika Thera

Insight Meditation: Basic and Progressive Stages
Mahasi Sayadaw

Thinking
This talk explores the role and nature of conceptual thought, how to relate to it skillfully, as well as acknowledging the value and right use of reflective thinking.
Ajan Amaro

The Benefits of Walking Meditation
Sayadaw U Silananda

Samadhi Is Pure Enjoyment
Ajahn Sucitto

Mindfulness on Breathe – Anapanasati Sutta

Anapana Sati: Meditation on Breathing
Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma

Anapana Sati: Meditation on Breathing
Ven. Mahathera Nauyane Ariyadhamma

Anapanasati Sutta– Mindfulness of Breathing
Thanissaro Bhikkhu (translation)

The Anapanasati Sutta – A Practical Guide to Midfulness of Breathing and Tranquil Wisdom Meditation
Ven. U Vimalaramsi

Triple Gem, refuge and the precepts

What is the Triple Gem?
Ajaan Lee Dhammadharo Translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Buddha Dhamma Sangha
Ven. Ajahn Sumedho

Refuge in the Buddha
Bhikkhu Bodhi

Refuge An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Sangha: The Ideal World Community
Ven. Prayudh Payutto

Going for Refuge & Taking the Precepts
Bhikkhu Bodhi
An excellent introduction to the purpose, meaning, and fruits of taking refuge in the Triple Gem and of observing the precepts.

Precepts

The Five Precepts - panca-sila
Access the Insight

Taking the Precepts
Bhikkhu Bodhi

The Healing Power of the Precepts
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Four Noble Truths

The Four Noble Truths
Ajahn Sundeho

Four Noble Truths
Bhante Gunaratana

Understanding Dukkha
Ajahn Chah

The Nobility of the Truths
Bhikkhu Bodhi

The Four Noble Truths
Thanissaro Bhikkhu- from The Wings to Awakening

The Four Noble Truths
Steve Armstong

Eightfold Path

The Way to the End
Bhikkhu Bodhi

The Path to Freedom: A Self-guided Tour of the Buddha's Teachings
Access to Insight

The Fourth Noble Truth: The Noble Truth of the Path Leading to the Cessation of dukkha

The Noble Eightfold Path
Ajahn Jagaro

The Eightfold Path for the Householder
Jack Kornfield

Samma Ditthi: Right View
Bhikkhu Seelawimala

Dependent origination

Transcendental Dependent Arising: A Translation and Exposition of the Upanisa Sutta
Bhikkhu Bodhi
The seldom-studied Upanisa Sutta contains an important alternative presentation of the principle of dependent arising, offering a "roadmap" of the entire path of practice as it progresses toward final liberation.

A Discourse on Paticcasamuppada or The Doctrine of Dependent Origination
Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw

The Wheel of Birth and Death
Bhikkhu Khantipalo

Paticca Samuppada - Dependent Origination
Ajahn Brahmavamso

Kamma

Buddhist Theory of Kamma
Venerable Narada Mahathera

Kamma and Its Fruit
Ven. Nyanaponika Maha Thera

Kamma
Dr. Sunthorn Plamintr

The Buddha's Words on Kamma: Four Discourses of the Buddha from the Majjhima Nikaya
Ñanamoli Thera (translation)

Buddhist Theory of Kamma
Venerable Mahasi Sayadaw

The Undeclared and the Declared
Steven Batchelor

Anatta or not-self

No-self or Not-self?
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Meditating on No-Self
Ayya Khema

The Not-self Strategy
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Self and Self-Naughting
Ajahn Sumedho

Anatta (Non-Self)
Ven. Ajahn Brahmavamso

Anatta: Understanding Not Self
Myoshin Kelley

The Ten Perfections (paramis)

The Ten Perfections: A Study Guide
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

A Treatise on the Paramis
From the Commentary to
the Cariyapitaka
Acariya Dhammapala

Generosity First
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

Dana: The Practice of Giving
Bhikkhu Bodhi (editor)

Discernment
Thanissaro Bhikkhu, The Wings to Awakening

Paramis: The Heart of Buddha's Teaching and Our Own Practice
Sylvia Boorstein

The Paramis
Gil Fronsdal

The Five Spiritual Faculties

The Five Spiritual Faculties
Bhikkhu Bodhi
An introduction to the five indriya, or spiritual faculties (faith, energy, mindfulness, concentration, and wisdom), and their role in the practice of Dhamma.

The Five Spiritual Faculties
Gil Fronsdal

The Way of Wisdom: The Five Spiritual Faculties
Edward Conze

The Spiritual Faculties
Ajahn Nyanadhammo

The Five Faculties
Thanissaro Bhikkhu, The Wings to Awakening

Five Spiritual Powers
Sarah Doering

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: Satipatthana Sutta

The Four Foundations of Mindfulness: A Summary
Ven. Sayadaw U Siilaananda

Satipatthana Vipassana
Ven. Mahasi Sayadaw

Satipatthana Sutta – The Foundations of Mindfulness
Nyanasatta Thera (translation)

Satipatthana – The Fourfold Focus of Mindfulness
Ajahn Brahmavamso

The Satipatthana Sutta
Read by Sally Clough (SuttaReadings.net )

The Five Hindrances

See the Ashoka online course Rest Your Weary Mind: Letting Go of the Hindrances taught by Joseph Goldstein

The Five Hindrances
Ajahn Sumedho

The Five Mental Hindrances and Their Conquest
Selected Texts from the Pali Canon and the Commentaries
Nyanaponika Thera (compilation and translation)

Concentration: Abandoning the Hindrances
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Five Hindrances (Nivarana)
Ajahn Brahmavamso

The Five Aggregates

The Five Aggregates
Dr. Peter Della Santina

The Five Aggregates: A Study Guide
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

The Five Aggregates
Guy Armstrong

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
Piyadassi Thera

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
Sally Clough

Bodhipakkhiya-Dipani, A Manual of The Factors Leading to Enlightenment
Mahathera Ledi Sayadaw,

The Seven Factors of Enlightenment
Saddhamma Foundation

The Brahma-Viharas

See the Ashoka online course Liberating the Heart: The Brahma Viharas taught by Sharon Salzberg

The Four Sublime States – Contemplations on Love, Compassion, Sympathetic Joy and Equanimity
Nyanaponika Thera

Mudita
Eileen Siriwardhana

Metta

Lovingkindness, or metta as it is known in Pali, is a universal, unselfish and all-embracing love that protects, supports and heals both oneself and others.

Meditation on Loving-Kindness (Metta)
Bhante Gunaratana

Universal Loving Kindness
Ajahn Sumedho

Reflecting on kindness
Ajahn Candasiri

The Practice of Loving-Kindness (Metta) As Taught by the Buddha in the Pali Canon
Ñanamoli Thera (compilation and translation)

Facets of Metta
Sharon Salzberg

The Power of Metta
Guy Armstrong

Guided Lovingkindness Meditation
This guided meditation for cultivating the power of metta begins by directing positive sentiments towards oneself and progresses to radiate this well-wishing outward towards specific people and finally to all beings everywhere, without limit.
Sharon Salzberg

Texts & sutras

Befriending the Suttas: Tips on Reading the Pali Discourses
John Bullitt
Why should I read the suttas? Which ones should I read? How should I read them?

Wings to Awakening: An Anthology from the Pali Canon
Thanissaro Bhikkhu

 See the Learning Center's Theravadan Texts and Suttas page

Miscellaneous

Suffering on the Road
Ajahn Chah

The Problem of Personality
Ajahn Sumedho

Dhamma Nature
Ajahn Chah

The Second Arrow
Ajahn Amaro

Turning The Mind Toward The Dharma
Reflections on impermanence and karma that in the midst of our lives in the world can help turn the mind towards the Dharma, towards liberation.
Joseph Goldstein

Opening the Dhamma Eye
Ajahn Chah

Papanca
Papanca is a Pali word meaning proliferation of thought in the mind. Mental proliferation leads into the creation of self and into craving and comparing, as well as holding on to views and opinions.
Sally Clough

"Not Sure!" - The Standard of the Noble Ones
Ajahn Chah

The Peace Beyond
Ajahn Chah

The Things We Cling To & Aves
Bhikkhu Buddhadasa

Grasping and Clinging
Bhikkhu Buddhadasa

Forgiveness: The Most Tender Part of Love
Myoshin Kelley

No Second Arrow
Jose Reissig
Pain and Loss are inevitable occurrences in our lives, but the self-torture that follows -the "second arrow" we habitually shoot at ourselves - is entirely avoidable.

Knower Of The Worlds
Ajahn Sumedho
We can be empowered in practice through getting to know the nature of the world we live in and through learning from the way it is. Taking refuge in knowing the truth-- the laws of nature-can free us from a selfish struggle with the way things are.

---

Web sites with extensive teachings

Access to Insight

Buddhist Publication Society

BudhaSasana

Buddhism Today

Forest Sangha
Teachings by Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho and others in the forest tradition

Nibanna.com

Dhammatalks.org

Buddhist Library

Bhavana Society -

Buddhist Society of Western Australia

---

Web sites with audio teachings

Dharma Seed and Dharma Stream
Preserves the oral tradition of contemporary dharma teaching by taping talks and meditation instructions given by teachers at various retreat centers around the country, and supports the daily practice of students everywhere by making these tapes and other materials inexpensively available to all.

Sutta Readings
A library of free audio recordings of English translations of Pali suttas, selected and read aloud by respected Dhamma teachers within the Theravada Buddhist tradition.

Audio Dharma
Chanting and Dhamma Talks from a Buddhist community in Redwood, California, in the tradition of Ajahn Chah, Ajahn Sumedho & Amaravati Buddhist Monastery.

Abhayagiri Monastery

Audio Dharma
Audio at Mid-Peninsular Insight Meditation Center; this site is an archive of dharma talks given by Gil Fronsdal and various guest speakers at the center since 2000.

Dhamma Talks
Dhamma talks given by various teachers in the Theravada Forest Sangha tradition.

Audio at Seattle Insight Meditation Society
Dharma talks offered by Rodney Smith and guest teachers at the Seattle Insight Meditation Society.

Satipanya Association
Guided meditations and talks by Bhante Bodhidhamma.

Sutta Readings
A selection of the Buddha's Suttas, read aloud by senior teachers and practitioners in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.