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Samaneri Jayasera
Jeroen
Luminous beings are we, not this crude matterNetherlands Veteran
in Meditation
I just thought I would highlight the reading of this Australian buddhist nun on youtube. Her voice is great for going to sleep to and she’s covering a variety of writings from great spiritual masters.
This one especially made me think of @lobster…
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She also has a long series on Dzogchen and Mahamudra… including these two from Tulku Urgyen Rinpoche
Really good channel. I was listening to the Dzogchen audios and while they were insightful... I did get a taste of the "Not useful if not guided / taught by a qualified teacher" spoon!
Glad you’re enjoying the channel. Her name is actually Samaneri Jayasāra, for the record.
I’ve been exploring this channel some more, and have discovered a number of Ajahn Chah video’s as well as an Ajahn Sumedho one. There is a fair bit of Theravada content there for those who are interested…
I also saw some beautiful quotes in the comments section, people seem to be genuinely grateful for this material from the old masters. It seems to have a consciousness-raising effect.
There was a live session yesterday. She emanated a really peaceful and wise wave of energy. I find really interesting her approach towards spirituality. I would like to hear her stance on the Mahayana /Theravada debate and her view on perennial philosophy.
Illuminating
I’ve really enjoyed this channel as well. Plenty of good stuff there.
These are things that Thich Nhat Hanh might have said, instead we find it is aboriginal spirituality. Truly all paths point in a similar direction, up the mountain.
Many of the Q&A sessions have been transcribed and are available on the website, here:
https://vivekahermitage.com/q-and-a/
I think from the content of the youtube channel its quite likely that Jayasara is a bit of a perennialist. She draws from so many sources and visions that its hard to think otherwise.
Really enjoyed this… “Whats the way to Cold Mountain? There is no clear way.”
This question and answer partially addresses your question @Kotishka
“Q: I am so grateful to you raining down these blessings [i.e. various teachings from different traditions on YouTube]. I want to humbly ask you how you reconcile views of God with your view as a Buddhist Nun. Is it possible to have a deep faith and practice in the Dharma as well as faith in God as pervasive conscious energy in which we are in constant communication with? In your view do all these teachings point to the same non-conceptual, empty but alive consciousness and can you interact with all of these faiths and concepts interchangeably without tangling yourself up? I understand there may be no real answer to this question but am just curious of your perspective. Thank you Bow.
A: Thanks for your question. Not so easy to answer on a comments thread but I’ll give it a go… In terms of the idea or concept of ‘God’, it really depends on how one defines or relates to it. As a child raised in the Catholic tradition, it was embedded in me that ‘God’ was some anthropomorphic ‘man’ in the sky with a white beard who was up there in heaven judging all my naughty and nice behaviours. Clearly once maturity hit, this didn’t gel with me as didn’t much of the behaviour and limitations of the Church. Hence my interest to delve into the Buddhist practice to really understand my mind, heart, and Reality. Reading the words of some of the highly evolved Christian mystics (St John of the Cross, Meister Eckhart, St Teresa of Avila) it is clear that their direct experience and understanding of this concept of ‘God’ is very profound and not like most people relate to it or “him”. The teachings of these mystics do not in any real way contradict the deepest wisdom that is found in all other religious and spiritual traditions, nor the direct insights of those rare ones who have penetrated Reality.
‘God’ is just another word and has become such a loaded and problematic one. If people really experienced ‘God’ in the fullness, depth, and emptiness of what the mystics were pointing to, they would all shut-up and stop arguing. If only that could be so…. I like your expression of God “as pervasive conscious energy in which we are in constant communication with”. Yes, indeed, how can it not be so, and how can we not take faith and refuge in That. We are living, breathing, miraculous expressions flowing from That energy. How come we all miss it so much?
For, as Meister Eckhart says: “You should love God non-mentally — that is to say, the soul should become non-mental and stripped of her mental images. For as long as your soul is mental, she will possess images. As long as she has images, she will possess intermediaries, and as long as she has intermediaries, she will not have unity or simplicity. As long as she lacks simplicity, she does not truly love God, for true love depends upon simplicity . . . Indeed, you must love him as he is One, pure, simple and transparent, far from all duality. And we should eternally sink into this One, thus passing from something into nothing.””
@Jeroen
Thank you so much for sharing this. It has / will help my practice a lot. I will keeping an eye for the next live session. If you find out before me, post it here if you don't mind! If not, I will
Gassho!
Here’s the link for the next live session, on Monday 23rd May.
@Jeroen
Will you be assisting too? If so, see you there! I will have finished my Psychopathology II exam by then.... so some meditation would be great.