Led By: Viriyalila, Sunada, Sravaniya, Suddhayu, and Satyada
Starts Saturday, January 27th, 2024 at 10 a.m. (see dates below)
In Person at Aryaloka Buddhist Center
14 Heartwood Circle, Newmarket, NH 03857
Event Description:
Join participants at Aryaloka Buddhist Center in New Hampshire in the new year for four day retreats exploring the Vimalakirti Nirdesa! The day retreats will include meditation, discussion groups, dramatic readings of the text, and creative ritual. A vegetarian lunch will be provided.
Participants will be encouraged to read the actual text as well as Sangarakshita’s commentary over the course of four months. We encourage participants to attend all four day retreats, but understand that this may be impossible for some. We have therefore made it possible to book for each day individually. Zoom participation is also possible.
The lecture series Sangharakshita gave on the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, entitled The Inconceivable Emancipation – Themes from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, was his last (from 1979) and is considered by many to be his best. It is a brilliant blend of conceptual exposition, imagery, humor, and insight — a fitting commentary to Robert Thurman’s translation of a “marvelous text.”
Texts You’ll Need:
We will be using Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakirti Nirdesa, which is available through the Aryaloka bookshop or through Penn State Press.
A few copies of The Inconceivable Emancipation are in the Aryaloka bookshop and library. It is also available as a book or e-book through Windhorse Publications in this volume of Sangharakshita’s complete works. The original talks and transcripts are available at Free Buddhist Audio.
Schedule:
January 27th, 2024, from 10 am - 4 pm
Covering The Magic of a Mahāyāna Sūtra & Building The Buddhaland + Chapters one & two of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
BOOK HERE
February 24th, 2024, from 10 am - 4 pm
Covering On Being All Things to All Beings & The Transcendental Critique of Religion + Chapters three & four of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
BOOK HERE
March 23rd, 2024, from 10 am - 4 pm
Covering History Versus Myth in Our Quest for Meaning & The Way of Non-duality + Chapters five through nine of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
BOOK HERE
April 27th, 2024, from 10 am - 4 pm
Covering The Mystery of Human Communication & The Four Great Reliances: Criteria For The Spiritual Life + Chapters ten through twelve & the epilogue of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
BOOK HERE