The Thirteen Mindfulness Trainings

The Thirteen Mindfulness Trainings form the moral guidelines to develop harmony in any simple community. One of the essential elements of the Mindfulness Trainings is that they are directly applied in our daily lives. Every moment of our lives gives us the chance to put them into practice. The idea is to recite the Mindfulness Trainings regularly so that we can review our behaviour and observe where we have not lived up to our aspirations. It is important that we observe rather than judge ourselves, so that gradually, without resistance, our lives become imbued with the qualities they represent. Understanding (prajna), concentration (samadhi) and Mindfulness Trainings or ethics (sila) are the threefold trainings that the Buddha passed on to his lay students. The encounter between Eastern philosophies and the West is bringing us something very exciting, very important. The Thirteen Mindfulness Trainings comes from different sources. Tiep and Hien are Vietnamese words of Chinese origin.

Study Guides The Study Guides below are anthologies of readings that focus on a particular topic or theme, and are designed as aids for individual or group study. The texts are drawn from the Pali canon, teachings of the great Thai forest ajaans, and other sources. Unless otherwise indicated, they were prepared and introduced by Thanissaro Bhikkhu. Another useful collection of study materials may be found in Piya Tan's collection of "Sutta Discovery" essays and translations. Beyond Coping: The Buddha's Teachings on Aging, Illness, Death, and Separation, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(1999; ?? Body Contemplation: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2003; 47pp./142KB) An overview of the Buddha's teachings on contemplation of the body, and its role in the development of mindfulness, jhana, and discernment. The Five Aggregates: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(2010; 43pp./129KB) The Four Noble Truths: A Study Guide, by Thanissaro Bhikkhu(1999; 33pp./100KB)