Date: 07 Jul 94 14:03:01 EDT From: IMC-UK <100330.3304@compuserve.com> To: "Barry Kapke, Director" Subject: Text file for upload into Dharmanet Library Message-ID: <940707180300_100330.3304_BHB68-2@CompuServe.COM> Status: RO This is an information sheet about the International Meditation Centres in the Tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin --------------------------------------------------------------------------- There are five Centres all with the same course structure in this Tradition. IMC-UK, IMC-WA, IMC-NSW, IMC-USA and IMC-Austria. The International Meditation Centres were founded to provide for the instruction and practice of Theravada Buddhist Meditation. The Centres in the West are direct offsprings of the International Meditation Centres of Yangon, Myanmar (former Burma), which was founded by Sayagyi U Ba Khin. In addition to being a highly respected meditation teacher, Sayagyi U Ba Khin was the first Accountant General of Burma after Independence in 1948. All Centres are guided by Mother Sayamagyi and Sayagyi U Chit Tin, two of Sayagyi U Ba Khin's closest disciples, who have practised and taught meditation for more than forty years and have carried on the tradition since Sayagyi's demise in 1971. Ten-day residential courses are held usually once a month at IMC-UK and regularly at other Centres, beginning on Friday evening and ending early on Monday morning. They are led by Mother Sayamagyi and Sayagyi U Chit Tin or by a regional teacher. The students who come to do courses at the Centres are from all walks of life, professions, religions, cultural backgrounds, races and countries. Anyone who comes with an open mind can gain the necessary confidence in the technique and in himself or herself. Thus, all can attain benefits which will be proportionate to the amount of balanced effort they make. Buddhist meditation is the practice of the Eightfold Noble Path, as taught by the Buddha, which can be divided into three parts. These are: higher training in 1) morality, 2) concentration and 3)wisdom. 1. Morality is the common denominator of all religions. At our Centres, students observe the five precepts of refraining from killing, stealing, sexual misconduct, lying and the use of drugs or intoxicants. By diligently observing this morality, we develop purity of physical and verbal actions. 2. Beginning with this base, training in concentration is taught (Anapana meditation-mindfulness of breathing). Through learning to calm and control the mind during the first four days, the student quickly appreciates the advantages of a steady and balanced mind. 3. The third training in wisdom or insight is introduced through Vipassana meditation, which is practised throughout the remainder of the period. Vipassana is a process which enables the student to develop concentration and awareness and, through personal experience, to gain an understanding of the truths of impermanence, suffering and non-self. Practised with diligence the gradual process of mental purification will lead to the end of suffering and to full Enlightenment or Nibbana. The emphasis is on experiencing directly the truth for oneself by practising the technique. Noble Silence (no unnecessary talk) provides a conducive atmosphere, and discourses given in the morning and evening by the Teachers help to clarify the practice. There are also daily interviews with the Teachers. There has never been any charge for the Buddha's Teachings. The Teachings have always been passed down from the Buddha, through the Teachers to the students, without any expectation of payment, however, the Trusts/ Associations who are responsible for running the Centre ask each student to contribute towards food and accommodation for a ten-day course (the expected contribution varies according to the standards of each country, for example in the UK it is 140 currently). Wholesome and tasty vegetarian food in ample quantity is provided, and those who follow a diet for medical reasons will be accomodated as far as possible. For a person who is genuinely interested, meditation (including Noble Silence) is not difficult. The results of patient practice can be quite astonishing. The day's schedule is neither too servere nor too relaxed but follows the Middle Path. Sayagyi U Ba Khin taught his students to work with "zestful ease". People from many religions have found the meditation courses helpful and beneficial in their day-today lives. Please note that the course lasts for ten days. Students should plan to remain for the full ten days without leaving the Centre. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- INTERNATIONAL MEDITATION CENTRE The International Meditation Centres were founded by the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust to promote the practice of Buddhist Meditation according to the Teachings of the BUDDHA. Ten-day residential courses are conducted regularly in the practice of the Eight-Fold Noble Path as taught by the Buddha, which comprises three stages of training: morality (sila), concentration or control over the mind (samadhi), and wisdom or insight (panna). Instruction in mindfulness of the breath (anapana meditation) is then given for five days, with the aim of quieting and concentrating the mind. The remaining days are devoted to insight meditation (vipassana), whereby students can experience at first hand the essential elements of Buddha's Teaching: the impermanence of all physical and mental phenomena (anicca), the unsatisfactory nature of all conditioned phenomena (dukkha), the absence of a permanent enduring self or ego in beings (anatta). One should come with the understanding and intention to enter a ten-day retreat. The training, if followed diligently, will result in a calmer mind through the gradual eradication of impurities, and ultimately in the realisation of the `Nibbanic Peace within'. To achieve a state of mind perfectly attuned and in balance, it is essential to start with a stable and sound base of conduct. For the duration of the training therefore, each student is asked to observe the five precepts as follows: 1. To refrain from killing 2. To refrain from stealing 3. To refrain from sexual misconduct (here total celibacy) 4. To refrain from lying 5. To refrain from the use of intoxicants and drugs All these instructions are framed in accordance with those of the International Meditation Centre, Yangon(Rangoon) Myanmar(Burma), as established by Sayagyi U Ba Khin. During the period of training students will have to give up their previous practices, and all spiritual activities including those concerning pseudo-sciences. Students should not wear or bring with them spiritual objects or reading material of any kind. Observance of noble silence throughout the training period will be very beneficial and conducive to a better appreciation of the teaching. This means that the students should not talk amongst themselves, but they may of course speak to the teachers and managers at any time. During the daily interview with the teachers students should give a true and accurate account of their experiences. TIMETABLE 4:00 AM WAKE UP 4:30 - 6:30 MEDITATION IN HALL 6:30 - 8:00 BREAKFAST AND REST 8:00 - 9:00 GROUP MEDITATION IN HALL 9:30 - 11:00 INTERVIEWS AND MEDITATION 11:00 - 1:00 LUNCH & REST 1:00 - 1:45 MEDITATION 2:00 - 3:00 GROUP MEDITATION IN HALL 3:30 - 5:00 MEDITATION 5:00 - 6:00 TEA AND REST 6:00 PM DISCOURSE 7:30 - 8:30 GROUP MEDITATION IN HALL 9:00 PM TAKE REST For a course schedule for the forth coming courses in our Centres, and an application form please request for infos in USA at CIS: IMC-USA, 74163,2452 or any other country at CIS: IMC-UK, 100330,3304 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Worldwide Contact Addresses in the Tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin AUSTRIA: International Meditation Centre, A-9064 St. Michael/Gurk 6, Austria; Tel: +43 4224 2820, Fax: +43 4224 28204 EASTERN AUSTRALIA: International Meditation Centre, Lot 2 Cessnock Road, Sunshine NSW 2264, Australia; Tel: +61 49 705 433, Fax: +61 49 705 749 UNITED KINGDOM: International Meditation Centre, Splatts House, Heddington, Calne, Wiltshire SN11 OPE, England; Tel: +44 380 850 238, Fax: +44 380 850 833, Email: CIS, IMC-UK, 100330,3304 USA: International Meditation Centre, 446 Bankard Road, Westminster MD 21158, USA; Tel: +1 410 346 7889, Fax: +1 410 346 7282, Email: CIS, IMC-USA, 74163,2452 Contact address California: Linda H. Kemp-Combes, 1331 33rd Avenue, San Francisco, California 94122, USA. WESTERN AUSTRALIA: International Meditation Centre, Lot 78 Jacoby Street, Mahogany Creek WA 6072, Australia; Tel: +61 9 295 2644, Fax: +61 9 295 3435 GERMANY: Sayagyi U Ba Khin Gesellschaft, Christaweg 16, 79114 Freiburg, Germany; Tel: +49 761 465 42, Fax: +49 761 465 92 THE NETHERLANDS: Sayagyi U Ba Khin Stichting, Oudegracht 124, 3511 AW Utrecht, The Netherlands; Tel: +31 30 311 445, Fax: +31 30 340 612 SINGAPORE: Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Association, 10 Anson Road #24-04A, International Plaza, Singapore 0207; Tel: +65 281 3381, Fax: +65 225 4021 SWITZERLAND: Sayagyi U Ba Khin Gesellschaft, Greyerzstrasse 35, 3013 Bern, Switzerland; Tel: +41 31 415 233, Fax: +41 61 691 8049 BELGIUM: Address as for the Netherlands, Tel: +32 2414 1756 DENMARK: Contact Address: Mr. Peter Drost-Nissen, Strandboulevarden 117, 3th, 2100 Kopenhagen, Denmark; Tel: 031 425 636 JAPAN: Contact address: Mrs. Mindy Martin-Feng, 14-17-201 Aoki-cho, Akedia 21, Nishinomiya-Shi,Hyogo - 662, Japan. Tel: 0798-74-4769 ITALY: Contact address: Mr. Renzo Fedele, Via Eugena 94, 35033 Bresseo PD, Italy. Tel: +39 55 603 333 Published by the Sayagyi U Ba Khin Memorial Trust, United Kingdom Address as above, registered charity no. 280134 [end of file]