Concentration
Teachings from the annual Cultivating Concentration Retreat held over Labor Day weekend.
Cultivating Concentration Retreat
For several years, Venerable Thubten Chodron led an annual Cultivating Concentration Retreat over Labor Day weekend. She taught on how cultivating single-pointed concentration or serenity fits into the Buddhist path and the methods for developing this mental state to benefit ourselves and others. Explore the teachings by year below.
Learn more about Venerable Thubten Chodron’s signature courses and retreats on the Sravasti Abbey website.
Subcategories
Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2010
The causes and conditions necessary to cultivate concentration and do a retreat focused on this practice.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2011
Methods for cultivating serenity laid out in texts by Maitreya and Asanga in the Sanskrit tradition.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2012
Hindrances to developing serenity and their antidotes according to the Pali and Sanskrit traditions.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2013
Mental factors we need to strengthen to develop serenity and how to overcome hindrances to developing serenity.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2015
Nagarjuna's teachings on the perfection of concentration from his Treatise on the Great Perfection of Wisdom Sutra.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2016
More teachings on concentration from Nagarjuna on the Six Perfections translated by Bhikshu Dharmamitra.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2017
Teachings on The Essentials of Buddhist Meditation by Chinese master Zhiyi, translated by Bhikshu Dharmamitra.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2018
Venerable Sangye Khadro teaches on the hindrances to developing serenity and their antidotes.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2019
Conditions required to develop serenity and hindrances to doing so according to the Pali and Sanskrit traditions.
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Cultivating Concentration Retreat 2020
Methods for developing serenity and commentary on the sutra, The Removal of Distracting Thoughts.
VIEW CATEGORYRelated Books
Following in the Buddha’s Footsteps
Volume 4 of The Library of Wisdom and Compassion delves into the core of Buddhist practice: the Three Jewels and the three higher trainings of ethical conduct, concentration and wisdom.
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Guided Buddhist Meditations
This invaluable resource provides Dharma practitioners with clear explanations of the stages of the path (lamrim), complemented by guided audio meditations on each of the topics covered.
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All Posts in Concentration
Venerable Thubten Chodron Discourse on “The Removal of Distracting Thoug...
Nagarjuna’s analogies for the hindrances continued. Also advice on how to remove distracting thoughts.
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Structuring the meditation session
How to structure a meditation session, including the six preliminary practices before meditation. Identifying the…
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Venerable Thubten Tarpa Guided meditation on the Buddha
A guided meditation on the Buddha and answers to questions on meditation.
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The benefits of and conditions for developing serenity
Where serenity fits on the path to liberation, the three higher trainings of ethics, concentration,…
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Concentration as a Buddhist practice
Instructions on walking meditation, the four immeasurables as aids to concentration, the breath as an…
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Stages of sustained attention
The nine stages of sustained attention prior to developing serenity or calm abiding.
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Lethargy, sleepiness, restlessness, remorse
The third and fourth hindrance to developing concentration: lethargy and sleepiness, and restlessness and remorse.
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Sensual desire and malice
Walking meditation instructions, sitting meditation posture, and the first two hindrances to developing concentration.
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Conditions conducive for developing concentration
The six conditions conducive for developing concentration and selecting an object of meditation - either…
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Venerable Sangye Khadro The five faults and eight antidotes
How to identify the five faults that arise when doing concentration meditation, and how to…
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Restlessness, regret, and doubt
How to identify and apply antidotes to the hindrances of restlessness, regret, and deluded doubt.
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