The Inconceivable Emancipation — Themes from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa | Order/Mitra Day Retreats (February Event)

The Inconceivable Emancipation — Themes from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa
Order/Mitra Day Retreats

Join us in the new year for four day retreats exploring the Vimalakirti Nirdesa! Come together with other Order Members and Mitras for a deep dive into one of the most profound, inspiring, exciting and humorous Sutras of the entire Buddhist Canon.

The day retreats will include meditation, discussion groups, dramatic readings of the text, and creative ritual. A vegetarian lunch will be provided.

Participants will be encouraged to read the actual text as well as Sangarakshita’s commentary over the course of four months. We encourage participants to attend all four day retreats, but understand that this may be impossible for some. We have therefore made it possible to book for each day individually. Zoom participation is also possible.

From the Mitra Study Module:
“In The Eternal Legacy, Sangharakshita writes:

The Mahāyāna’s elucidation of the true meaning of the term Sangha, or spiritual community, is contained principally in the Vimalakīrti-Nirdeśa or ‘Exposition of Vimalakīrti’, probably the most important sūtra of its class... this is undoubtedly one of the oldest Mahāyāna scriptures, belonging to the same period, approximately, as the Saddharma-puṇḍarīka [White Lotus Sūtra] and the Aṣṭasāhasrikā [Perfection of Wisdom in Eight Thousand Lines].

The lecture series he gave on the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, entitled The Inconceivable Emancipation – Themes from the Vimalakīrti Nirdeśa, was Sangharakshita’s last (from 1979) and is considered by many to be his best. It is a brilliant blend of conceptual exposition, imagery, humour, and insight – a fitting commentary to Robert Thurman’s translation of a marvellous text.”

Schedule:
Jan 27, 10-4
Covering The Magic of a Mahāyāna Sūtra & Building The Buddhaland + Chapters one & two of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
Feb 24, 10-4
Covering On Being All Things to All Men & The Transcendental Critique of Religion + Chapters three & four of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
March 23, 10-4
Covering History Versus Myth in Man’s Quest for Meaning & The Way of Non-duality + Chapters five through nine of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti
April 27, 10-4
Covering The Mystery of Human Communication & The Four Great Reliances: Criteria For The Spiritual Life + Chapters ten through twelve & the epilogue of The Holy Teaching of Vimalakirti 

Texts you will need:
We will be using Thurman’s translation of the Vimalakirti Nirdesa and that is available through the Aryaloka bookshop or through Penn State Press.

We have a few copies of ‘The Inconceivable Emancipation’ in the Aryaloka bookshop and library. It is also available as a book or ebook through Windhorse Publications in this volume of Sangharakshita’s complete works. The original talks and transcripts are available at Free Buddhist Audio.

Facilitated/Supported by Viriyalila, Sunada, Sravaniya, Suddhayu and Satyada
 

Image detail of ‘The Buddhist Layman VImalkirti’ by Hakuin Ekaku, 18th century 
 

How are we coming together safely?

• Please take a Covid-19 rapid test on the day of the event (Aryaloka does not provide this test). A negative rapid test is required for entry; please take a photo of your test results and present at the door. 
• If you know you have been exposed to Covid-19 within a five day period of the event’s start-time, we ask that you not attend in-person.*  Stay up-to-date with exposure guidelines here.
• Masks are optional unless otherwise stated. Masks are required indoors for anyone testing negative of Covid-19 within days 6-10 of post-covid exposure without infection.
• If you have recently recovered from Covid-19, stay up-to-date with CDC guidance here as to when you’re clear to be back in public.*
• If you have cold or flu symptoms, we ask that you do not attend in-person.*
• We have installed new air purifiers with virus-destroying technology!
• There are new cleaning and sanitation protocols.

*Zoom options are available for many events. Transfer of fees or refunds are also available for illness or illness-preventative related absence. 
Please email info@aryaloka.org if you have any questions about our safety protocols. Aryaloka may adjust these policies in relation to current, local infection rates, and will keep retreatants posted on such changes.