From the book, "In truth, this simple meditation is probably the most powerful meditation practice that there is. It can clear away mental blocks that pop up from old attachments or dislikes towards various people or events that happened to you in your past life experiences. If you follow directions closely, and you are patient when you practice, then pain and suffering will gradually dissolve away any hard-heartedness you still carry in your mind." With Forgiveness all things are possible. Learn how to let go of the past with the clear and simple technique spelled out here. About the Author: Bhante Vimalaramsi has practiced meditation for more than 40 years and is a well-known meditation teacher interested in going back to the earliest Buddhist Suttas. During the last 10 years, at the encouragement of an elder monk, he dedicated himself to "direct experience through study of the suttas and meditation practice". What caused this change in direction was meeting a Sri Lankan Senior monk named Bhante Punnaji in Malaysia who pointed out this way for him. His advice given was to 'study the suttas directly and to let go of relying on commentary'. Specifically he said, 'Read only the suttas. Then practice.' This was very significant because the commentaries were influencing how he was seeing the entire Dhamma at the time. He was not told to abandon the commentaries but to place them into their original position of references beyond one's own experience of following the suttas. When Bhante began to do this, he discovered firsthand the interwoven nature of the Teachings. In each sutta Bhante found the elements of the 4 Noble Truths, the 8-Fold Path and the impersonal process of Dependent Origination to be the core of the teachings. He realized that the word sutta literally meant "thread" and that the threads together created a finely woven cloth whereas, one single thread does not equal a cloth! Through his own objective experience, he found that Venerable Punnaji was right! The 8-Fold Path began to come alive with full meaning as he pursued this directive. Bhante has guided many retreats in Malaysia, Germany, Indonesia, South Korea, and several locations throughout the USA. In 2003, he founded the United international Buddha Dhamma Society [UIBDS] in 2003 and created Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center and Monastery [DSMC] in 2005 in the Ozark Mountains of Missouri near Annapolis, Missouri. He currently resides there and teaches year round personal retreats and offers private Sutta study for any interested persons. He travels during the Winter season, doing retreats and talks in Asia and Europe, though now he spends more time at his center in Missouri.
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