Guidelines and Instructions for the ten-day courses

Ten-day residential courses are conducted regularly in the practice of the Eight-Fold Noble Path as taught by the Buddha, which comprises three stages of training: morality (sila), concentration or control over the mind (samadhi), and wisdom or insight (panna).

Instruction in mindfulness of the breath (anapana meditation) is then given for five days, with the aim of quieting and concentrating the mind.

The remaining days are devoted to insight meditation (vipassana), whereby students can experience at first hand the essential elements of the Buddha's Teaching: the impermanence of all physical and mental phenomena (anicca), the unsatisfactory nature of all conditioned phenomena (dukkha), the absence of a permanent enduring self or ego in beings (anatta).

One should come with the understanding and intention to enter a ten- day retreat. The training, if followed diligently, will result in a calmer mind through the gradual eradication of impurities, and ultimately in the realisation of the `Nibbanic Peace within'.

To achieve a state of mind perfectly attuned and in balance, it is essential to start with a stable and sound base of conduct. For the duration of the training therefore, each student is asked to observe the five precepts as follows:

To refrain from killing

To refrain from stealing

To refrain from sexual misconduct (at the Centre total celibacy)

To refrain from lying

To refrain from the use of intoxicants and drugs

All these instructions are framed in accordance with those of the International Meditation Center, Yangon (Rangoon) Myanmar (Burma), as established by Sayagyi U Ba Khin

During the period of training students will have to give up their previous practices, and all spiritual activities including those concerning pseudo-sciences. Students should not wear or bring with them spiritual objects or reading material of any kind.

Observance of noble silence throughout the training period will be very beneficial and conducive to a better appreciation of the teaching. This means that the students should not talk amongst themselves, but they may of course speak to the teachers and managers at any time.

During the daily interview with the teachers students should give a true and accurate account of their experiences.

TIMETABLE


              4:00 AM          -  wake up

              4:30 -  6:30     -  meditation in hall, with discourse

              6:30             -  breakfast and rest

              8:00 -  9:00     -  group meditation in hall

              9:30 - 11:00     -  interviews and meditation

             11:00 -  1:00     -  lunch and rest

              1:00 -  1:45     -  meditation

              2:00 -  3:00     -  group meditation in hall

              3:30 -  5:00     -  meditation

              5:00 -  6:00     -  tea and rest

              6:00 PM          -  evening discourse

              7:30 -  8:30     -  group meditation in hall

              9:00 PM          -  take rest

For further enquiries about courses please contact :
IMC-USA