Insight Series: An Approach to Mahamudra with Antonio Satta

This mahamudra retreat requires that you have completed a vipassana retreat or one of the insight retreat weekend with  Venerable Antonio in 2012

There are two different paths or approaches to generating the correct view;  generating the view for the sake of meditation is where one first generates the view (conceptually) and then meditates, meditation for the sake of generating the view is where one seeks to generate the view through meditation. In Insight Meditation one adopts the latter approach.

In order to generate the view that is based on meditation one first trains in the practice of shamata and then in the practice of vipassana.  With shamatha we calm our confusion; with vipassana we understand why we are confused. In the basic or 'Early Buddhism', shamata is based on non-attachment, while vipassana is aimed at understanding its nature.

In the Mahayana or the 'New Wisdom School' shamata is based on single pointedness while vipassana is aimed at understanding ultimate nature, particularly the nature of the mind, or more precisely the non-finding of the mind.

In these weekend retreats (one back in April, 2 in July) we will show how early and later Buddhism (Sharavaka and Mahayana Buddhism) are nothing else than a gradual development of an individual mind that firsts experiences the world (like in the vipassana practice) and then transcends it (like in the mahamudra).

The mahamudra (final) weekend July 13-15  requires one to have completed at least  one previous weekend with Venerable Antonio, or a 10-day Vipassana elsewhere. 

Requirements for attending this retreat

1. You must attend the entire retreat; every day, every session.

2. You must be able to sit on cushions on the floor. Only if you have a diagnosed medical condition preventing you from doing so will you be permitted to sit in a chair. Kneeling stools are acceptable; bring your own.

3. If you’re not staying on the property, you must remain on the hill from the first session in the morning to the last session in the afternoon (i.e. no smoking, and no sneaking to the car for phone calls, or the radio)

4. You must be prepared to maintain silence and the strict discipline of the retreat.

Venerable Antonio Satta was born in Italy in 1956. He was first introduced to Tibetan Buddhism at Lama Tsong Khapa Institute, Italy. After meeting Lama Yeshe and Lama Zopa Rinpoche in Italy he took ordination in 1979. He has studied Buddhism and the Tibetan language from various teachers.

Since 1991 he has been living in Australia, translating and teaching at VI in  Sydney, then teaching and tutoring for the BSP here at Chenrezig Institute. Over the last 16 years Antonio has been concentrating on leading Vipassana and basic Mahamudra retreats as a way to introduce students to the practice of meditation. 

Friday 13^h July 7pm – Sunday 15^th July 5pm. Facility fee $120

10% discount for FPMT members and concession card holders. Limited spots; bookings are essential. Registration must be completed before the retreat begins