Retreat Resource
It may be a bit late to schedule a Buddhist retreat for this summer. But for future reference, bookmark Tricycle's guide to the top 11 Buddhist retreat centers in the U.S., as chosen by readers. Most are in the northeast or Pacific coast, but the Southern Dharma Retreat Center of Hot Springs, North Carolina, made the list, as did the Shambhala Mountain Center of Red Feather Lakes, Colorado.
There are links to some websites to help you check out the schedules. I learned that Cloud Mountain Retreat Center of Castle Rock, Washington, has upcoming retreats on Vipassana, Tonglen and beginner Qigong, for example.
I would love to create a find-a-retreat-center resource for this website, too, so I've set up a "Recommend a Retreat Center" page. If you want to recommend a retreat center that's not on Tricycle's list -- or comment on one that is -- please share your experiences there.
Comments
Hello. Could you help me please? i really take an intrest in Buddhism & beilive in Karma. But i know that thats not the only belief of buddhists. Please could you email me explaining the rules & the beliefs that buddhists follow.
Thankyou!
Talking of “Buddhist retreats” is nonsense. For real Buddhist meditation (practical path) place is of no use. If one seeks a proper place he/she is attached to the place. Buddhism is all about detachment!
All forms of meditation practised by Buddhists today is not what The Buddha practised to attain Buddhahood or enlightenment. All are practising various forms of Hinduist (Brahmin) meditation inserted later into Buddhism by Brahmins.Due to this there had been no enlightened persons for a long time and Buddhism had become another religion or faith.
It is said that the next Buddha (Maitriya) attains enlightenment at his palace! Not in a retreat!
If somebody is practising true detachment place, time, season, age, nationality or religion are no barriers. Any thing coming from the surrounding environment can be used to practise detachment or giving up. All outside happenings are a blessing in disguise.
Buddhism is not for solving personal problems. It is not for those who run away from the society. It is for those inteligent few who want to know the truth irrespective of religion, race, age or occupation. The Buddha himself was a prince!
Keerthi
Keerthi, it’s entirely wrong to say that Buddhism is about detatchment. Detatchment is the other extreme from attachment. Where is the middle way? Where is compassion? Further, many people who are new to Buddhism need instruction, and a beginner retreat is an excellent way to get instruction. I dare say you could use a little instruction yourself.
Ophelia, there is a lot of information here on this site, including an article about karma. You also are welcome to ask questions in the forum.
Dear Barbara
Don’t think Buddhism means Buddha’s teaching. The Pali word is Buddha Dhamma or in sanskrit Buddha Dharma. Buddha is realisation or awakening. Dhamma is detachment! The detachment is acheived by practising non-attachment (middle path or Majjima Patipada). Therefore, Buddha dhamma means realisation of detachment. Detachment is the ultimate goal of a Buddhist. The bliss of detachment is called Nirvana. When one attains detachment only, he/she realises the Four Noble Truths.
The four Noble truths have to be realised by the follower. Simply they are
1. Dukka – One fathomed body with mind and memory(Vinnana)
2. Samudaya – Reason for Dukka – attachment to body,mind and memory (the three planes of mind activity called three Bhoomis)
3. Nirodha – Detachment from three Bhoomis
4. Marga – The path to detachment or practise of non-attachment.
The reason why The Buddha has explained the path to detachment as the fourth Noble truth is that it can be realised only when one attains a certain destination that he/she can be sure that the path travelled is correct.
Due to this reason any teaching, any religion and any path remains suspicious for the follower until he/she meets the goal.
Unluckily out of millions of books written on Buddhism none gives you how to recognize any of the four stages of detachment!!!!
When you practise non-attachment or middle path only you would see the whole teaching of The Buddha is for detachment.
It seems Therawada gives various explanations for the path or non-attachment and Mahayana gives those which have to be realised after acheiving detachment.
Buddha was given that name because he realised(Avabodha) the path to detachment.
Keerthi
Keerthi — I think you’re having some problems with English. “Detatchment” means to separate from things; withdraw; close yourself off from everything else. According to the Buddhist doctrine of anatta, this is not possible, because there is no one to “detatch.”
According to Anatta there can’t be a Barbara on payday also! Is that so?
Of course there is no soul to detach and I never mentioned about anything like that.
Buddhism cannot be found in books. Please leave them aside.
The body is made of physical materials and is undergoing continuos change. Therefore, body is impermanent and called Anithya.
Mind is changing at a far rapid rate than physical body. Therefore, mind is also impermanent and anithya.The same mind never appears twice.
The life is a process of rapid combinations of changing mind and changing matter.
Detachment is to stop this combinations from taking place giving the ignorant the conception of self.
Keerthi
Keerthi — our problem is that you are misusing English. I understand what you are saying, but “detachment” is the wrong word. It doesn’t mean what you think it means. To be “detached” connotes being cold and indifferent to other people, for example. It means separating yourself everything else; emotional and spiritual isolation. This is not what Buddha taught. You couldn’t even take the refuges if you are “detached.” The word you want to use, I believe, is “renunciation.” Buddhists “renounce” but they do not “detach.”