Leigh brasington, a student of ayya khema, teaches in her style, but wants a bit more absorption in the first jhana than ayya wanted, and is willing to accept less absorption in the fourth jhana. Who is my self a guide to buddhist meditation paperback. As with many aspects of the buddhas teachings, different traditions and lineages have different views on what. Content on this site is licensed under a creative commons attributionnoncommercialnoderivatives 4. Samatha meditation teacher and book author leigh brasington, who is a student of ayya khema and jack kornfield, wrote in his guide entering the jhanas the path to entering the jhanas begins with what is called access concentration. To enter the fourth jhana, drop down the well to the. To have an understanding of jhana, you need to look at teachers from other traditions eg ayya khema, ajahn brahm etc. In 1987, she helped coordinate the firstever sakyadhita international association of buddhist women. With specific, practical advice ayya khema illuminates the practices of compassion and sympathetic joy and offers forthright guidance in working with the hindrances that we all encounter in meditation.
The jhanas are not in themselves awakening, but they are a skillful means for stilling the mind in. Jack kornfield, author of a path with heart leigh brasington presents a clear map of jhana practice as he learned it from his teacher, ayya khema. Meditations on the buddhist path by khema, ayya and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Buddhistdoor global your doorway to the world of buddhism. A guide to buddhist meditation by khema, ayya isbn. Ayya khema has 37 books on goodreads with 3678 ratings. Venerable amathagavesi, a sri lankan meditation master, taught the 4 rupajhanas as a. For those interested in exploring jhana, leigh brings many years of skillful teaching to this accessible, clear, and helpful guide. A guide to buddhist meditation paperback oct 9 1997. The late ayya khema was one of the first buddhist teachers in the last 30 years to write on the subject of jhana.
Ayya khema being nobody going nowhere meditations on the buddhist path by ayya khema in this book, ayya khema gives clear, practical instruction on meditation and techniques for overcoming conditioned mental habits, ideas. Born in berlin in 1923 to jewish parents, ayya khema was educated in scotland and china and later emigrated to the united states. To enter the fourth jhana, drop down the well to the bottom. In the last year of her life, she also published her autobiography. So, we owe her a debt of gratitude for being the first to break the ice so to speak in the buddhist community. Ayya khema 19231997played an important role in the ongoing revival of western interest in buddhism. She wrote over two dozen books on meditation and the buddhas teaching in english and german. This tribute was originally published in german translation in. Meditation teacher and political columnist jay michaelson explains how jhana meditation is a transformative and vital part of the eightfold path. Meditation ohne geheimnis by khema, ayya and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Ayya khema said that being in the third jhana is like sitting in the mouth of a well you are a little bit isolated from the world around you. Gedenkschrift fur ayya khema, jhana verlag, 1998 isbn 3931274128 many of those who knew ayya khema in recent years will have known her as their beloved teacher, and most of the tributes appearing in this present volume will. What is the difference between a vipassana jhana and a. Even if one cannot fallow all of what she is saying, one is left with the confidence that one is with an authority.
Mam zajem o vyhodne nabidky pro skoly a moznost vyuziti vernostniho programu mega skolam. Commentaries for the suttas of the pali cannon worst book on buddhism ive yet read leigh brasingtons bio ayya khemas books jhana interpretations. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. They compliment each other well, and are from them same lineage ayya khema was leigh brasingtons jhana teacher.
Kupuji ucebnice, pracovni sesity ci jine materialy pro sve studenty ci skolu. Few introductory books are both simple and profound. I definitely learned quite a lot by reading this book. Ayya khema 19231997 was the first western woman to become a theravadan buddhist nun. A complete buddhist guide to meditation, faith, and everyday transcendence by khema, ayya isbn. Leigh brasington, student of ayya khema, described sutta jhana vs. Books by ayya khema author of being nobody, going nowhere. Ayya khema august 25, 1923 november 2, 1997 was a buddhist teacher and was very. Ayya khema s most popular book is being nobody, going nowhere. In 1988, her book being nobody, going nowhere received the christmas humphreys memorial award. Her autobiography i give you my life 1997, completed just before her death, tells the story of the development of her commitment to buddhism and spirituality and of her decision at age 55 to become a buddhist nun. The author of twentyfive books, she was ordained as a nun in sri lanka in 1979 and established several buddhist centers, including wat buddha dhamma in australia, parapuddua nuns island in sri lanka, and buddha haus in germany.
National library of sri lankacataloguing in publication data ayya khema all of us. Praise for those interested in exploring jhana, leigh brings many years of skillful teaching to this accessible, clear, and helpful guide. As such, she has served as a model and inspiration for women from all the buddhist traditions who have sought to revive the practice of womens monasticism in modern times. The jhanas include eight levels of conscious awareness, and they appear to be the.
The jhanas are eight progressive altered states of consciousness that can be identified with the aspect of the buddhas eightfold path called right concentration. Ayya khema retreat germany 1995 04c 1st jhana a home for. Leigh brasington is an american student of ayya khema who now teaches regularly on the jhanas across the united states, mainly to students at insight meditation centers. Khema explains the eight jhanas meditative absorbtionslevels in a way that is simple yet fascinating. Over two dozen books of her transcribed dhamma talks in english and german have been published. Id say right concentration is better used as a practical, instructional guide to the jhanas, and who is my self includes the jhanas within a greater overview of the whole path still quite instructional, though. The book clearly explains what each jhana is, what it. Ayya khema combines clear and concise instructions that are, for the most part, are a commentary on sections of the potthapada sutta that expound on the jhanas.
Ayya khema was born in berlin in 1923 of jewish parents. Ayya khema is the author of being nobody, going nowhere 4. Online shopping from a great selection at books store. As thanissaro bhikkhu has pointed out, there is no such thing as vipassana jhana in the suttas. This book has chapters on the jhana absorptions, morality, the hindrances, the noble truths, and the illusion of self.
Ayya khema has written twentyfive books on meditation and the buddhas teachings in english and german. She also includes an eloquent outline of the buddhist path that can be. Ayya khema, a wellrespected buddhist nun, centers her book around a littleknown part of buddhist scripture called the potthapada sutta, in which a wellmeaning but unsophisticated student asks the buddha how to achieve the highest level of conscious awareness. Training in concentration leads to these states, each of which yields a deeper and subtler state of awareness than the previous one. Matara sri nanarama of nissarana vanaya, who inspired her to teach jhana meditation. Meditation buddhism printed in sri lanka by ruchira printers.
1237 1352 286 1492 442 1352 419 671 575 124 93 286 888 1022 1072 1046 1204 502 662 918 56 1429 1473 322 1324 553 1422 1406 335 584 121 159 478 972 118 195 788 839 226 1291 793