Ready for Retreat?

Expectations in a SEVEN / FOURTEEN / TWENTY ONE day retreat
ONLINE and OFFLINE at a location

Should have basic knowledge and understanding of Buddha Dhamma and not the tradition as in – Burmese, Sri Lankan, Thai, Indian, Tibetan etc., When we meet up, should not introduce ourselves as followers of a particular tradition eventhough, those traditions follow what has been indicated by Buddha, but in a very restrictive way.

You need to discuss with the teacher on your knowledge and setup a goal on what you want to accomplish while you are here, As an example, if the goal is to be proficient in a particular tradition or technique, then this retreat might not produce much result as we are going to be doing through sutta way.

Should be interested in knowing through the sutta way rather than only techniques like breath meditation, kasina etc.,

Buddha dhamma has many aspects and different meditation objects. If you already have progressed a lot using one of the object say breath, then it is better to keep that object and apply other key technique indicated in sutta to enhance the experience.
Do note that breath, kasina, dhātu etc., are all related to Buddha dhamma and there is no need for each person to be proficient in all.

One has to be go through below sutta and know at an intellectual level to begin with:
1. SN22.95 Pheṇapiṇḍūpamasutta – for understanding 5 aggregates
2. MN62 Mahārāhulovādasutta: – for understanding the complete practice
3. MN140 Dhātuvibhaṅgasutta – for knowing the dhātu or six quality
4. MN137 Saḷāyatanavibhaṅgasutta – for knowing the six sense bases indepth
5. DN15 Mahānidānasutta – for knowing everything one needs to know
6. DN2 Sāmaññaphalasutta – step to step guide for awakening – from a normal worldling to arahat
7. AN3.61 Titthāyatanasutta: – To know what Buddha taught in his own words
8. AN 5.168 Sīlasutta: To know how to practice silā for getting into Samādhi
9. SN12.63 Puttamaṁsasutta: To establish samādhi & pañña in aahara or food
10. AN9.36 Jhānasutta – To establish all jhānas using etaṁ santaṁ etaṁ paṇītaṁ
11. SN35.236 Paṭhamahatthapādopamasutta -To establish sampajanana

Please go through this sutta once and observe your understanding. Also, would be good to know what is your basic type from the FIVE faculties. Recommend to and would assist you to know which Nikaya would be appropriate for you. I’ve selected the above sutta’s from each nikaya which would help majority of practitioners.
However, the teacher would be able to help you with which nikaya would help considering the mentality type.

We shall be taking one of the above sutta as a reference and start meditation which would involve:
1. FIVE hours of Samatha including guarding sense doors and reflections on four requisites (paccavekkhana) – using breath as an object or any other mode of object you have learnt in traditions as in Vipassana Research Institute, Pa-Awk, Sri Lankan, Thai etc., along with being mindfulness in all the postures. (if you have been introduced to in those traditions)
2. FIVE hours of vipasanna – using this particular sutta which we have taken up for that day.
3. Dhamma discussion – TWO hours with relation to this sutta and the tradition one is introduced with or working with along with Q&A

Reduce and remove FIVE hindrances in order to get into Samādhi while establishing Samatha. You may need to discuss with your teacher to know what hindrance is blocking you from samādhi.

Result of this retreat: Development, establishment and experience of:
FOUR satipatthana (four foundation of mindfulness)
FOUR sammapadhana (four right endeavours)
FOUR iddhipada (four achievements)
FIVE indriyas (five faculties)
FIVE bala (five powers)
SEVEN Bhojjhanga (seven factors of awakening)
EIGHT ariyā maggo (eight noble path)

With this, one would be able to experience:

nibbidāya	Seeing foulness in body and hence “dis-illusioned”
virāgāya	Seeing that senses do not give any lasting pleasure
nirodhāya	Seeing that everything ceases
upasamāya	Getting a relief, peaceful, calm feeling due to the above
abhiññāya	Seeing for oneself what is the truth – Ex: Food is the source of everything – physical and mental
sambodhāya	Experiencing for oneself 4 NOBLE TRUTH
nibbānāya	Ending of craving, which then removes raga, dvesa and moha

What should one do prior to arriving and at retreat?

1. Establish silā – FIVE or EIGHT depending upon your interest. Samādhi would not get established without sila. This moral binding should be during all situations, conditions on all the days prior to arriving and also in the retreat. For experiencing sila, refer to AN3.70 Uposathasutta without fail and ask the teacher questions relating to it before the retreat starts and establish it completely so that you could benefit it.

2. Establish and finalize an object for meditation – While you deepen your understanding and experience of dhamma, you should have established in any of the objects like breath, kasina, dhatu etc., and stick to that for entire retreat.

3. Clarifications if any, relating to the retreat, sutta, sila etc., should be done prior to the retreat and if you get any questions during retreat, please get it clarified in private and don’t deviate from that topic and moving into other dhamma subjects.

4. Please maintain noble silence and do not speak to anyone or discuss any dhamma topic before and during retreat.

5. During online retreats, the teacher would be available all the time and it is upto the practitioner to notify the teacher on the doubt he/she has in private and get it resolved. After that, the practitioner is expected to continue on his meditation object without a break and in all postures.

6. Take this practice seriously and let us not indulge in discussions, debates, opinions, traditions and not undermine different traditions, techniques or over emphasise on Buddha teachings as all of these makes the mind restless.

7. Identify your hindrance and discuss with the teacher in private

8. Practice ONE meal or TWO meal a day before and during the retreat

9. Maintain proper hygiene, hydration (drinking of water), restrict coffee / tea, NO aerated drinks before, during and after retreat.

10. Sleeping in moderation. We can discuss one on one to understand the sleep schedule and how one can improve or continue keeping in mind what best suits to establish samādhi and pañña (wisdom)

Daily meditation schedule (SEVEN / FOURTEEN / TWENTY ONE)

Samatha – 6:30 am to 8:30 am (breath, walking, sitting, standing)

Reading through the sutta –8:30 am to 10:30 am –
pariyatti – Reading & reciting to get the concept of the sutta
patipatti – Comprehending the practice of the sutta.
pativedan – Developing experiential knowledge

Discussion with teacher on the sutta – 10:30 am to 11:30 am for gaining practice – patipatti

Vipassana on the sutta – 11:30 am to 4:30 pm (in all postures, lunch. household work, talking to people etc.,) for gaining pativedan

Samatha – 4:30 pm to 6:30 pm (breath, walking, sitting, standing)

Continue vipassana on sutta – 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm – for pativedan on your daily activities whatever it can be.
From household to family to going out or coming in, talking to people. (try to restrict talking to people to bare minimum or address their questions or discussions to whatever is required rather than details.)

Discussion with teacher. – 8:30 pm to 9:00 pm – patipatti and pativedan

Retire for night – 9:00 pm onwards by watching breath / posture etc.,

NOTE: In Samatha, we would have established sila, guarding the sense doors and after that would be watching breath or any other object of meditation.