Dhamma Practice Menu

Compiled by Santikaro & Leigh Brasington

for folks at our July 2007 retreat in Santa Fe


Select the practices that you would like to cover in your sitting & write them on a card.
Better yet, memorize them firmly.

Only select as many courses as you can digest in the time available.

Quality nutrition trumps bulk food.

Do not wolf your food or chew with your mouth open.

Lubricate your meal with the clear water of mindfulness and the fragrant wine of Bodhicitta seeking the liberation of all beings.

Remember: You can't eat without emptiness.

Minimum meal: a Soup and Entree plus Bill.


Aperitifs

Qigong

Hatha yoga

Spiritual reading (short)


H'our dourves

Bowing

Offering flowers & incense

Going to Refuge & Vowing Precepts

Chanting

Preliminary Metta (or similar heart opening practice)

Recollection of Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha


Soups & Salads

Mindfulness with Breathing steps 1-4

Body scanning

Walking meditation

Parts of the Body (5 or 32)

Mindfulness of the 4 Material Elements

5 Recollections


Pastas & Noodles

Jhanas [*]

1 After any Jhana, can go to Mindfulness with Breathing steps 5 or 9 or the Entrees.

Mindfulness with Breathing steps 5-8 [**]

2 After any of these lessons, can go to Jhanas or Mindfulness with Breathing steps 9 or 13.

Mindfulness with Breathing steps 9-12 [***]

3 After any of these lessons, can go to Jhanas or Mindfulness with Breathing step 13.

Tong Len

Entrees (Vipassana focus)

Mindfulness with Breathing steps 13-16

Contemplation of Dhamma (see Satipatthana Suttas, DN 22 & MN 10).

Examination of the Elements

Investigation of Arising & Ceasing

Descent into Emptiness (MN 121)

Jhanas as basis for Insight (MN 111)

Recollection of Death (Maranasati)

5 Recollections


Desserts

Devanussati (Recollection of Celestials)

Closing Metta


Reckoning the Bill

Review: Practices attempted, results, lessons learned

Gratitude to Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha; teachers, parents, cooks, companions, foes, nature, & all beings.

Sharing/Dedication of Merit


This menu brought to you by Emptiness.


Do all works with empty mind,

offering all fruits to voidness.

Eat the food of voidness as the nobles do

and die to oneslef from the very start.