PREVIOUSLY OFFERED: Jun – Aug 2018, Sep 4 – Dec 11, 2024
This course will explore the profound teachings and practices that are preserved in the early discourses of the Buddha, in particular, in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta. The Satipatthana Sutta is an extremely important and practical discourse that has influenced most of the approaches to mindfulness and insight meditation that we practice today. The focus of this course will be on the three main areas for cultivating mindfulness of mind—feelings, mental qualities, and states. Topical modules cover lessons in working with feelings and mental states, overcoming hindrances, cultivating and balancing the awakening factors, understanding the nature of awakening in Buddhist practice, and realizing release.
This course is the second in a two-part Satipaṭṭhāna Series; however, it is not necessary to have taken our previous course (on mindfulness of body) to attend this second course on mindfulness of mind.
WHAT TO EXPECT
This online course includes seven content modules with:
- recorded lectures
- reading assignments
- sutta study
- guided meditations
- peer led discussion forums
- optional online video meetings with Shaila Catherine
- online video meetings are recorded as audio files
CONTENT MODULE THEMES
- Mindfulness of Body
- Mindfulness of Feeling
- Mindfulness of Mind
- Working with Hindrances
- Balancing Awakening Factors
- Awakening Factors and Release
- The Goal of Awakening
Daily meditation practice is strongly encouraged.
DATES for the optional online video meetings are subject to change.
The current plan for 2024 is to offer them on Sundays usually at 9:00 AM Pacific Time (San Francisco) on:
Sundays, Sep 15 & 29
Sundays, Oct 13 & 27
Sundays, Nov 10 & 24
Sundays, Dec 8
PREREQUISITE FOR ENROLLMENT
This course is suitable for all levels of experience. Please refer to the FAQ tab for more information.
Required Text
Perspectives on Satipatthāna
by Bhikkhu Anālayo
Windhorse Publications, 2014
Yes, there is a prerequisite for participation in this course. Participants are expected to have an established mindfulness-based meditation practice.
The course is entirely online, and includes recorded lectures and guided meditation instructions, readings, sutta study, discussion forums, a library of resources, and optional live audio or video conferences with Shaila Catherine.
The learning goals for this course are:
- To enhance mindfulness of the mind by developing the practices included in the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta, such as attention to feeling tone, mental states, and phenomena.
- To create a learning structure that will support the study of Perspectives on Satipaṭṭhāna by Anālayo Bhikkhu, a comparative study of Satipaṭṭhāna in the early discourses.
- To encourage direct insight into the impermanent and conditioned nature of the mind.
- To experience a broad range of methods and techniques for cultivating mindfulness of the mind. We will draw on approaches found in the early discourses and also teachings from later developments in Buddhist meditation.
Bodhi Courses is planned and designed for people with busy schedules and every-day demands. The self-paced learning modules offer flexibility for completing assignments. Internet access is needed, but if you have a mobile device or internet access while traveling, your participation can continue without interruption. Audio talks are streamed, not downloadable.
Yes, both. Shaila Catherine will offer several opportunities for optional live audio conferences. These sessions are optional and open to all class participants, and recordings are later made available within the course. These large group conference calls may include reflections on the lesson topic, questions and answers about applying course topics to your meditation practice, or the study of a sutta. Practical questions and comments related to meditation and the course materials are invited. However, Shaila is not available outside these large group calls for individual inquiries or practice guidance.
Students will also interact through the written discussion forums. Shaila reviews the written forums to draw out themes for the audio conferences, but she will rarely add a post directly. The written forums are intended to be a space for peer-to-peer discussions; they are moderated by a team of wise, skilled discussion leaders who help guide the forum discussions toward in-depth and practical explorations of the course themes.
A computer with dependable internet access and a browser, and standard (freely available) software for listening to audio files and viewing PDF documents.
A mobile app for Moodle courseware is also available for those who prefer to access the course via a mobile device.
No. The course is hosted on Moodle, which is courseware widely used by schools, universities, and various learning programs worldwide. Moodle is compatible with both PC and Mac. Moodle is browser-based, requiring no downloads or installations. For mobile devices, the Moodle moblie app is available for (free) download.
Optional live audio or video conferences with Shaila Catherine may be accessed by either computer or phone. Details will be provided in the course.
The registration fee covers participation in the course, but does not include books. Additional donations (dana) for the teacher is welcome and encouraged.
Donations may be offered through our Teacher Support Page.
Registration fees are non-refundable. In the case of cancellations that occur at least 14 days prior to the course start date, Bodhi Courses will credit the amount above half the low end of the sliding scale towards a future course. Voucher credits expire in one year.
Contact: bcregistration
The assignments will likely require about 3 hours per week, depending on your level of interest and inquiry. Each learning module will span 7-14 days, and during that designated period, you may work at your own pace. Daily meditation practice is strongly encouraged.
The sliding scale registration fee is the only payment made to Bodhi Courses. In addition you will need to purchase the required course book(s) from your favorite book supplier or borrow from a library.
Our lectures and guided meditations are streamed, not downloadable. Depending upon the service contract with your internet provider you may incur data charges to listen to the lectures.
We design our recorded lectures, guided meditations, and conference calls to function within the context of a structured course, and therefore we do not make them available for downloading or use outside the course. We envision this to be a classroom experience that is limited in time to the specified course period. We do not offer permanent access or personal possession of the talks, guided meditations, or recordings.
We do, however, provide the following support for enrolled participants: during each 2-3 month course period, the completed course modules remain available and students can review material from earlier modules throughout the duration of the course. We also keep our courses available for a few weeks after the closing date. The number of weeks varies and depends upon how much time our volunteers need to prepare for the next Bodhi Course. Usually the material is available for 3-4 weeks after the course ends, and we announce the final date within the course. This extension offers extra time for students to review the material or catch up if they fell behind. After this period for review, the material will no longer be available and access to the course will be denied.
Yes, our core text, Perspectives on Satipatthana by Bhikkhu Analayo (Windhorse Publications, 2013), is required. This is an excellent book for every meditator’s library so you are encouraged to have a personal copy. Alternatively, through generosity a PDF version is available here.
There will be sutta readings from the Middle Length Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Majjhima Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi (Wisdom Publications), the Numerical Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Anguttara Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi (Wisdom Publications), and also from the Connnected Discourses of the Buddha: A Translation of the Samyutta Nikaya by Bhikkhu Bodhi (Wisdom Publications). You may use personal copies of these texts if you wish, or alternatively, you may choose to rely on the copies provided within the course modules.
Registration fee does not include books.
COST: Sliding Scale from $625 to $225 dollars.
This sliding scale system allows most scholarships to be handled by self-selecting the supported or base rates. The lower end of the scale is intended for those with very limited means. If additional scholarship assistance is needed for either lay or monastic participants, please contact us at bcregistration.The deadline for scholarship applications is 14 days prior to the date registration closes.
WATCH THE VIDEO INTRO
MEET THE TEACHER
Shaila Catherine
Shaila Catherine
