For the next 8 weeks or so, the group will be working with the new meditation guide by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, ‘With Each and Every Breath’. We have a pile of free copies for people to use and it can also be downloaded as an e-book at dhammatalks.org. It isn’t essential to have read the book as the evenings will be led, but it’s the best way to get the most out of it.
These talks build on each other, adding up to a rounded introduction to Buddhism, with the emphasis on practical application. However each talk is also meant to stand on its own and to be useful even if you can’t attend all of them.
JANUARY
Wed 9th How To Approach Buddhism
Meditation: body awareness
Wed 16th The Noble Quest
Meditation: body awareness
Wed 23rd The Buddha’s Enlightenment
Meditation: body awareness
Wed 30th The Four Noble Truths
Meditation: mindfulness of breathing
FEBRUARY
Wed 6th View and Intention
Meditation: mindfulness of breathing
Wed 13th Speech
Meditation: mindfulness of breathing
Wed 20th Action
Meditation: metta bhavana
Wed 27th Livelihood and Effort
Meditation: metta bhavana
MARCH
Wed 6th Mindfulness and Concentration
Meditation: metta bhavana
Wed 13th The Historical Development of Buddhism
Meditation: karuna bhavana
Wed 20th Buddhism and Society
Meditation: just sitting
Wed 27th The Five Hindrances
APRIL
Wed 3RD The ‘Meditation Roadmap’
Wed 10th Discussion
The Wednesday evening meeting will be taking a break for the duration of the school summer holidays. Ian’s (re-)rescheduled talk, ‘Buddhism and Helicopters’ on Wednesday the 4th will be the last meeting in July. We’ll be back on the 22nd of August and will have a beginners’ class some time around then.
Download: ABG programme 2012 Apr-Jun
Theme: Different Approaches To Buddhism
25 Apr Theravada and Mahayana on the Wheel of Life
Sometimes it is easier to understand something through a visual image. This talk by Alan uses the image of the Wheel of Life to illustrate the differences between the Theravada and Mahayana approaches to Buddhism.
02 May Teachers and Spiritual Friends
On the idea of ‘vertical’ and ‘horizontal’ relationships on the path of development.
09 May Buddha Day Celebration
Saturday the 5th of May is Wesak or Buddha Day, the traditional anniversary of the Buddha’s enlightenment. Julian will lead a double meditation.
16 May The Triratna Buddhist Community
The Aberdeen Buddhist Group is currently affiliated to the Triratna Buddhist Community, also known as the Friends of the Western Buddhist Order. Alan will talk about the history, organisation and teachings of the TBC.
23 May The Thai Forest Sangha
The Thai Forest Sangha is a movement within Theravada Buddhism that seeks to get back to the original practices of the Buddhist sangha. It is now established in the West with teachers like Thanissaro Bhikkhu at the Metta Forest Monastery in San Diego County, California. Nigel will talk about the approach to Buddhism taken by this tradition.
30 May Discussion on the Future of the Aberdeen Buddhist Group
It has been some time since the group has discussed how it is organised and what its affiliations are, to the extent that the situation has become rather vague. This discussion will help to clarify things and give everyone a chance to contribute to decisions about our future.
06 Jun Compassion
A talk by Mhairi about this core Buddhist quality.
13 Jun Buddhism and Helicopters
Ian will talk about an example of applying Buddhism to daily life – applying it to a job that you hate.
20 Jun Double Meditation
27 Jun The Four Contemplations
A talk by James.
February
8 Julian Persistence
15 Ian Is Buddhism a Religion?
22 Alan Cultivating Sangha
29 Khemaka The Buddha’s Last Year
March
7 Mhairi Happiness
14 Ian Buddhism & Helicopters
21 Nigel Purity of Heart
28 Julian TBC
April
4 Emma Good Conditions for Practice
From October to January, we will be teaching an introduction to Buddhism from the beginning, with no need for any prior knowledge. It starts on Saturday the 1st of October, with an Introduction to Meditation course and continues on our Wedesday evening meetings. You can download the programme below.
07 Sep – Welcome back, mindfulness of breathing and planning the beginners’ course
14 Sep – The Kutadanta Sutta – the Buddha’s teaching on sacrifice
21 Sep – Talk by Julian – subject to be confirmed
28 Sep – The Dharma Brothers – video about Vipassana teaching in a high-security prison in Alabama
Aberdeen Buddhist Group 