Exploring Samadhi and Jhana in Buddhist Meditation with Richard Shankman

There is a wide range of views among teachers about the place of samadhi (concentration) in insight meditation. Some stress the importance of concentration while others teach that insight arises through mindfulness alone and do not give concentration any particular emphasis.Unraveling the mix of ideas about what proper concentration is and its place in dharma practice can be difficult. Students may become confused about the degree or type of samadhi they should cultivate or how to incorporate it into their meditation practice.

In these two Saturday mornings of teaching and discussion we will explore the various ways samadhi (concentration) and jhana are presented in the foundational Pali texts and the range of ways they are practiced and taught today. We will explore how concentration is understood in relation to insight, and how they can be brought together in a mutually supportive way.

Richard Shankman has been a meditator since 1970. He teaches classes and meditation retreats at Dharma centers and groups nationally. Richard is the guiding teacher of the Metta Dharma Foundation and co-founder of the Sati Center for Buddhist Studies and of Mindful Schools. He has sat many silent, intensive meditation retreats for periods up to eleven months long. Richard is the author of The Art and Skill of Buddhist Meditation and The Experience of Samadhi.