2-Day New Year’s Amitabha Buddha retreat with a focus on Shamata and Vipassana meditation with Drupon Samten Rinpoche. 

9am to 5pm Saturday & Sunday December 28th & 29th

Drupon Samten will teach us about both Shamata and Vipassana meditation and lead us in practice sessions of both these meditations during the retreat. There are two main meditation practices on the Buddhist path: Shamata (calm abiding) and clear seeing (Vipassana). The method of calm abiding is to work with the conceptual mind.  When you are able to go beyond that and reach the domain of the wisdom, it is called clear seeing or Vipassana.

 Shamata meditation can be translated as “tranquility” or “clam abiding.”  It is a state in which the mind is brought to rest, focused only on one item and not allowed to wander. When this is done, a deep calm pervades body and mind, a state of tranquility which must be experienced to be understood. Vipassana can be translated as “Special Insight,” a clear awareness of exactly what is happening as it happens.  In Vipassana mediation, the meditator uses their concentration as a tool by which their awareness can chip away at the wall of illusion that cuts us off from the clear light of reality. It is a gradual process of ever-increasing awareness into the inner workings of reality itself.

 Drupon Samten will guide these teachings and meditations along with walking meditations outdoors. We will also take the 8-Precepts Glorious Ordination vows for 1 day.  This is a special method to accumulate merit.  Along with this, we will follow the guideline of not taking any meals after the lunch time on Saturday.

 Amitabha Buddha

Drupon Samten Rinpoche will give teachings on the generating and completion stage of Amitabha practice. Amitabha  is one of the Five Dhyani Buddhas. The name Amitabha means "Infinite Light" and he is often referred to as the Buddha of Immeasurable Light. He is fire red color and associated with the aggregate of discernment, pure perception and the deep awareness of emptiness of phenomena. Amitabha  possesses infinite merit resulting from good deeds over countless past lives as a bodhisattva named Dharmakāra. 

Through his efforts, Amitabha  created a pure land called Sukhavati which means "possessing happiness". Sukhavati is situated in the uttermost western Buddha field. By the power of his vows, Amitabha has made it possible for all who pray and meditate to him to be reborn into this pure land. Amitabha because of his powerful commitment in the past, one can be reborn in the pure land and purify ones’ negative karma and achieve complete liberation.  Buddha Amitabha is an important Buddha for all 3 Yanas, (Theravada, Mahayana and Vajrayana), thus Dharma students from all these traditions practice Buddha Amitabha.  

Meals & Retreat Costs

We have overnight accommodations available for this retreat: Shared bedroom (up to 3 people), $20 each. Or sleeping in the kitchen area floor (Dorm style), $10.  Email us to reserve and confirm your space for overnight.

·         For Saturday, please bring your lunch or something to share for the potluck lunch.

·         For Sunday, we will order pizza & salad ($6 ea.) DKC will also provide breakfast ($4 ea.)  If you are on a special diet, you can bring your own food and keep in the refrigerator. If someone wants to sponsor lunch, please let us know.

Suggested donation: $25/day or $40 for both days for the retreat. Please see details for cost of meals and lodging (if space is available for over night stay.)