Truly Understanding the Teachings of the Buddha

Editorial note

This document is available as web (HTML), print (PDF) and e-book (ePub).

It was prepared from the original PDF from 2019 (linked from anthonymarkwell.com), following encouragement by the author (indicated page numbers refer to the 2019 PDF). There was no alteration to the content. Sectioning hierarchy was slightly modified for easier navigation.

Created from the source, git version a5c5a60, on Oct 27, 2024.

About the book

This book contains the Dhamma talks given by Anthony Markwell, when he was resident teacher at Wat Kow Tahm Insight Meditation Center in Thailand during Vipassana meditation retreats offered by him.

Anthony is teaching the Dhamma in a unique way, comprehensive and interlinked, which allows the reader to get a profound understanding of the teachings of the Buddha.

This book is not only a comprehensive guide to understanding Vipassana meditation but it gives the full background and practical instructions and maps out the way leading to Nirvana – here and now in this very life.

• 1. Day 0 afternoon: Orientation
  • 1.1. Meditation
  • 1.2. Retreat
  • 1.3. Guidelines
  • 1.4. Silence
• 2. Day 0 evening: Meditation Instructions
  • 2.1. Sila
  • 2.2. Sitting meditation
  • 2.3. First stage: Internalizing awareness – letting go of past and future
  • 2.4. Second stage: Feeling body sensation – letting go of the body
  • 2.5. Third stage: Using the breath to maintain awareness
  • 2.6. The four elements
  • 2.7. Walking meditation
• 3. Day 1, morning
  • 3.1. General outline
  • 3.2. Noting, Knowing, Letting go
• 4. Day 1, afternoon
  • 4.1. Awareness of daily activities
  • 4.2. Wise attention
  • 4.3. Labelling technique
  • 4.4. Karma
• 5. Day 2, morning
  • 5.1. Reflning sitting meditation instructions
  • 5.2. True Vipassana technique
• 6. Day 2, afternoon
  • 6.1. Feeling
• 7. Day 3, morning
  • 7.1. First hindrance kāmacchanda
  • 7.2. Second hindrance vyāpāda
  • 7.3. Third hindrance thīnamiddha
  • 7.4. Fourth hindrance uddhachakukkucca
  • 7.5. Fifth hindrance vicikicchā
• 8. Day 3, afternoon
  • 8.1. First enlightenment factor sati
  • 8.2. Third enlightenment factor viriya
  • 8.3. Painful sensations
• 9. Day 4, morning
  • 9.1. Second enlightenment factor dhamma vicaya
  • 9.2. Intention
• 10. Day 4, afternoon
  • 10.1. Third foundation of mindfulness citta nupassana
  • 10.2. Craving
  • 10.3. Ignorance
  • 10.4. Aversion
  • 10.5. Wrong attitude
• 11. Day 5, morning
  • 11.1. Intention and desire
  • 11.2. Contentment
  • 11.3. The five faculties
  • 11.4. Balancing the five faculties
  • 11.5. Developing the five faculties
• 12. Day 5, afternoon
  • 12.1. First noble truth
  • 12.2. Craving, conceit and views
  • 12.3. The six sense bases
  • 12.4. The five aggregates
  • 12.5. Identity view
• 13. Day 6, morning
  • 13.1. Enlightenment factors, bojjhangas
  • 13.2. Fourth enlightenment factor piti
  • 13.3. Fifth enlightenment factor passaddhi
  • 13.4. Sixth enlightenment factor samadhi
  • 13.5. First jhana
  • 13.6. Second jhana
• 14. Day 6, afternoon
  • 14.1. Second noble truth
  • 14.2. Third noble truth
  • 14.3. Nirvana
  • 14.4. Dependent origination
  • 14.5. Dukkha creating process
  • 14.6. Dukkha ceasing process
• 15. Day 7, morning
  • 15.1. Seventh enlightenment factor upekkha
  • 15.2. Third jhana
  • 15.3. Fourth jhana
  • 15.4. Determined striving
• 16. Day 7, afternoon
  • 16.1. The ten pāramī
• 17. Final words
• 18. Chanting
  • 18.1. Morning Chanting
    • 18.1.1. Homage
    • 18.1.2. Going for Refuge
    • 18.1.3. Taking the Eight Precepts
  • 18.2. Evening chanting
    • 18.2.1. Recollection of the Buddha
    • 18.2.2. Recollection of the Dhamma
    • 18.2.3. Recollection of the Sangha
    • 18.2.4. The Sublime Attitudes
      • 18.2.4.1. Metta – Loving-Kindness
      • 18.2.4.2. Karuna – Compassion
      • 18.2.4.3. Mudita – Sympathetic Joy
      • 18.2.4.4. Upekkha – Equanimity
• 19. Appendices
  • 19.1. Four foundations of mindfulness and the five aggregates
  • 19.2. The noble eightfold path, the five faculties, the seven factors of enlightenment
  • 19.3. Right concentration
  • 19.4. Dependent origination
  • 19.5. Vipassana insights (vipassanā ñāṇas)
  • 19.6. The four noble individuals (ariya-puggala)
• 20. Anthony Markwell