Dharma Study Program
For those who are serious about liberation — or “the unshakable deliverance of the heart” (as the Buddha called it) — the importance of having a solid grounding in Dharma teachings cannot be overemphasized.
Course Structure, Fall 2023-Winter 2024
This year’s Dharma Study Program meetings will be held via Zoom once a month on Saturdays, from 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
For this year’s Dharma Study Program, we will be studying and reflecting on Ajahn Sucitto’s book, Breathing Like a Buddha.
Here is a link to the digital book:
https://cdn.amaravati.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/27/Breathing-Like-a-Buddha-Web.pdf
Registration and more details below.
Here is some feedback on previous years’ Dharma Study Programs:
- “How wonderful to investigate the Dharma… I’m so grateful to have had the opportunity to participate.”
- “Being able to study…with a group of like-minded friends was extremely helpful. The light, joyful, open atmosphere was very pleasant.”
- “I really feel I got a taste of the Dharma… The balance of meditation, group discussions, questions and answers, and socializing was ideal.”
Preparation
If you wish to participate in the Dharma Study Program, we ask you to:
- Meditate regularly.
- Uphold the Five Precepts and try to integrate them into your daily life.
- Complete the readings and attend the study group meetings.
From Ajahn Sucitto’s book:
…This is a pragmatic approach: the vitality and ease that a settled body can bring can lift the mind out of oppressive emotional and psychological obstructions. It also brings around a greater degree of grounded stability. This has far-reaching significance: with an increase in hyperactive mentality, attention disorders, psychological breakdowns, and social dysfunction, as well as a disregard for the natural world, society in general has become disembodied and groundless. This condition speaks of an urgent need to get aligned with the subtle and life-enhancing aspects of our material reality. In the microcosm of our own bodies.
The discourses describe the ongoing cultivation that leads through samadhi to liberation… samadhi is a firm abiding in ease that serves as the platform for clear seeing and liberation.
Dates and Readings, 2023-2024
- October 7, 2023: Chapters 1, 2, and 3
- November 4: Chapters 4, 5, and 6
- December 2: Chapters 7, 8, and 9
- January 6, 2024: Chapters 10, 11, and 12
- February 3: Chapters 13, 14, and 15
- March 2: Chapter 16 to end.
Schedule
At each session, a volunteer offers a presentation of the assigned reading, then we meet into groups for discussion.
9:00 – 9:50 Saturday Morning Meditation (regular Saturday Morning Link)
10:00–10:30 Presentation of the readings (Dharma Study Participants sign in to new Zoom link.)
10:30–11:30 Group discussions
11:30–12:30 Opportunity for groups to ask questions or make comments. Close with sitting.
Participants are divided into groups to discuss the readings. Some suggested topics for discussion are:
What did you find most helpful in the readings?
How did these readings impact your practice and life?
Registration
You will be sent the Zoom link when your registration is received.
- Regular: $110
- SIMT supporter: $90