Bhante Vimalaramsi - Guide to Forgiveness Meditation

There is no question that

Forgiveness Meditation is part of

Loving-Kindness Meditation development.

It is the first step towards Peace.

The principle guiding Teacher is our Abbot Most Venerable Bhante Vimalaramsi Mahathera;

Trained through the Burmese Theravada School and Mahasi System of training.

But now a declared Suttavadin!

Founder: United International Buddha Dhamma Society 2003,

Abbot for Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center/Anathapindikas Study Park Complex 2005-Present,

Official Founder and Spiritual head for the Buddhist American Forest Tradition (New Suttavada Sect).

Bhante is Head Teacher for Tranquil Wisdom Insight Meditation and he oversees the research, practice, preservation, and teaching of early foundation Buddhist teachings as found in the Pali texts.

He has been a monk since 1986, with over 40 years of practice and with over 12 years of that in Asia. He holds the first life-time position given to a Representative for Buddhists in the USA; to the World Buddhist Council based in Kobe, Japan. 2006 - Questions may be sent to Bhante Vimalaramsi via info@dhammasukha.org

Acknowledgement

This booklet was based on a talk I gave in 2012 at DSMC.

It was done with the intention of making a video for the internet concerning my basic technique of working with Forgiveness in meditation. This talk is on our web site.

I wish to acknowledge Ven. Sister Khema's hard work in transcribing this talk, for seeing and conceiving a potential book, for her primary editing, and offering her own additions and advice during final editing. I also wish to thank a dearly departed Dhamma supporter, Dr. Otha Wingo for his contributions in helping to improve the clarity of this subject into a format for easier reading. This was a great contribution for us all. And David for final editing and publishing in book form.

Other Books by Bhante Vimalaramsi:

Meditation is Life, Life is Meditation 2014

The Dhamma Leaf Series 2014

Moving Dhamma Vol 1. 2012

Breath of Love 2011

Anapanasati Sutta TWIM 1998-2003

When Ven. Sister Khema requested me to write a forward to this booklet I accepted the invitation with considerable pleasure since I esteem being associated with this literary endeavor of unusual significance and immense practical relevance.

It is common knowledge that a large number of books and other literary works have been published on the subject of all aspects of meditative practices leading to Loving Kindness Meditation. The less discerning public might wonder why another booklet on the same subject. The author perhaps anticipating such hesitation and misgiving has stated the principal objective of this booklet in very clear and precise terms. Without being far too exhaustive, highly specialized or too scholarly to be of much practical help to the uninstructed and uninitiated or even to the average person seeking basic concise guidance, the author has provided us a brief, clear and simple handbook which is a much-felt need. Even a cursory glance of the booklet should make it clear that this booklet is an entirely fresh orchestration of most of the salient issues of Forgiveness Meditation.

Often the authors language is unusually illustrative. For instance here is a classic example: .we can clear the runway for our Mindfulness of Loving-Kindness to take off by first learning to use Mindfulness of Forgiveness meditation. This is an extremely powerful cleansing practice.

The Buddhas supreme and timeless proclamation of liberation of thought and the prioritization of the mind over twenty-five centuries ago is now universally accepted by modern day scientists. As humanity advances and with intellectual development, the quest for spiritual solace enhances this advancement. The author clearly indicates the principal and unique feature of the discipline of the mind through meditation.

This booklet shows in clear and simple terms the way towards spiritual cleansing and dispelling psychic irritants.

A commendable feature of this booklet is that the treatment is basic but very precise and comprehensive. I have no doubt whatsoever that this booklet will help the readers towards meaningful practice of Forgiveness Meditation leading to the successful practice of Loving-Kindness Meditation.

Bhavatu Sabba Mangalam !
May you have All Good Blessings!

Ven. H. Kondanna, Abbot
Staten Island Buddhist Vihara

The Buddha was a meditation teacher. He taught meditation for 45 years after he became fully awakened.

When you study and practice meditation you will not be entirely successful until you master the definitions and interwoven nature of two words. Meditation and Mindfulness. I can give you the definitions but then you must experience for yourself how these two work together.

In the Buddhist teachings, Meditation means,

observing the movement of minds attention moment-to-moment, in order to see clearly how the links of Dependent Origination actually work. Mindfulness means remembering to observe How minds attention moves from one thing to another. This use of mindfulness actually causes mind to become sharper as you go as you experience more subtle states of mind. It isnt hard to see why you must develop this precise mindfulness to keep the meditation going smoothly.

Many people practice Loving-Kindness meditation, but, according to a few people, the power of it doesnt seem to change much for them in their daily lives. If it doesnt take off quite right in the beginning, we might run into difficulty with this practice and it can be like hitting a wall.

Its good to know that there is a key to the solution for developing metta in our daily activities. That solution is learning to smile as much as you can remember.

Apparently, in some cases, if we do get into trouble, we can clear the runway for our Mindfulness of Loving-Kindness to take off by first learning to use Mindfulness of Forgiveness meditation. This is an extremely powerful and cleansing practice. Forgiveness is a form of loving-kindness that really clears our mind of negative or unwholesome states.

The reason this book came into being is because of the many questions teachers are asked about why doesnt my Metta arise easily?. It is because we need to forgive ourselves first before we can send out pure love to others.

Other Resources

Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center website: www.dhammasukha.org.

Vimalaramsi, Bhante, Meditation is Life, Life is Meditation (CreateSpace, 2014).

Vimalaramsi, Bhante, Breath of Love (Ehipassiko Foundation of Indonesia, 2012).

Vimalaramsi, Bhante, Moving Dhamma, Volume 1. (CreateSpace, 2012).

Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center

8218 County Road 204

Annapolis, MO 63620

info@dhammasukha.org

May Suffering ones by suffering free

and the fear-struck, fearless be,

May the grieving shed all grief,

and may all beings find relief.

May all beings share this merit that we have thus acquired,

for the acquisition of all kinds of happiness.

May beings inhabiting Space and Earth, Devas and Nagas of mighty power,

share this merit of ours.

May they long protect the Buddha's Dispensation.

SADHU, SADHU, SADHU

APPENDIX 1

A quick brush-up on: