Free Downloads Knowing & Seeing, 4th Edition
Knowing & Seeing (4th Edition) presents a series of talks and question & answer sessions at a meditation retreat by the Venerable Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw, abbot of the Pa-Auk Forest Monastery in Myanmar (Burma). These sessions present the Buddha's teachings on the traditional Theravadan concentration meditation known as jhana practice. Based on the original Pali suttas, the Visuddhimagga, and later commentaries, the Sayadaw teaches yogis, step by step, how to attain the stages of mental purification and vipassana knowledge. You can find the book freely available on the Web as a PDF. Students of Pa Auk are making it available here for those who wish to have a copy on paper. All royalties paid by (a small amount per book, beyond what they charge for printing and distributing) are donated to a not-for-profit doing charitable work in Burma and around the world. Pa-Auk Forest Monastery is a Buddhist monastery in the Theravada tradition, with emphasis on the teaching and practice of both samatha (tranquillity) and vipassana (insight) meditation.
Paperback: 328 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (January 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 145659964X
ISBN-13: 978-1456599645
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.7 x 9 inches
Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
Best Sellers Rank: #473,313 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #123 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Philosophy > Eastern > Buddhism > Theravada #99171 in Books > Religion & Spirituality
The other review states that this book is available for free download and should not be sold. Many of us, primarily in the West, have downloaded and spent well in excess of the price here having the free download bound. This edition is being sold at cost by people who want to have the book available in a bound form. The small amount of money in excess of the printing costs is donated to a nonprofit feeding the hungry. I appreciate the book being available to those within 's reach. Thank you for making this bound version so easily available!
This volume will tell you everything you need to know about Samatha-Vipassana meditation as it is presented by the Venerable Pa Auk Tawya Sayadaw. It is a powerful method that stays very close to the Buddha's meditation instructions in the Pali suttas as elucidated by the Visuddhimagga. And, although you can certainly find and download a PDF version of the book, I have found that having a well-produced, bound copy at a reasonable cost (with any proceeds offered as dana) is quite helpful to the serious student who wishes to spend time with the text. This publication entirely honors the request of the Sayadaw that this gift of the dhamma not be subject to profit-making. Many thanks to those who undertook to make this available! And be sure to see 'Practicing the Jhanas' by Stephen Snyder and Tina Rasmussen (Shambhala)for some terrific practical insight into how the method is implemented.
This is a wonderful book, but I must admit that it is only for those who already have a deep understanding and knowledge of Buddhist teachings and practices. The uninitiated will soon be lost in the deep and technical language and concepts presented here. The teachings are primarily taken from the Visuddhimagga that was compiled and composed by Buddhaghosa in circa 430 CE in Sri Lanka. If you are, however a serious Buddhist practitioner, this meditation manual is revealing and inclusive. It begins by describing the visuddhimagga method and practice of jhana (absorption) and goes on to lay out the path of the vipassana knowledges that lead to enlightened mind; nibanna. It must be said that the visuddhimagga was written some 800 years after the Buddhas life and death (paranibanna,) and as you would imagine, there are those who dispute that the Buddha taught or felt the need for the depth of absorption and technical methods presented in these teachings. Still, I found the book fascinating even though it took 3 readings (over 300 pages) for me to (intellectually at least) grasp the material. It is clear that Pa-Auk Tawya Sayadaw is a master of this body of work and practice and that he has an incredible mind for the Buddhist suttas, the visuddhimagga and the abhidhamma, much of which he has committed to memory. A truly profound book and teaching for those ready to hear and understand; the accomplishment of which leads to a profound "knowing and seeing."
This is a rare gem of a book for anyone seriously interested in buddhist meditation. I've bought a lot of books on buddhism-this is a good one. It covers a lot of different areas and it has the feel of being handed down through time in a manner that a lot of other reads fall short of. Its not a hard book to read. There is a question and answer section at the end of each major topic that is covered which helps to bring more focus on each subject in detail. And as far as the book being sold when its "free"; it does cost money to print and distribute books. The knowledge in this book is not really something someone can put a price on. Any proceeds are donated to Pa Auk Monastery. I can't speak for anyone else-but personally I'd have gladly payed two to three times the amount.
This is an excellent and rare work which should be welcomed by all who are interested in meditation and spiritual development in a serious way. Shamatha/anapana and vipassana are the essential and basic methods of all buddhist meditation. Some authorities have stated that they are the basic methods of any type of meditation regardless of the cultural origin. It is all about calming the fleeting mind, and then focusing it upon your chosen subject/object.K&S is one of the primary teachings available from a tradition which specialises in shamatha and vipassana, above all else. From the outset, the fundamental teachings of buddhism are presented clearly and simply so that anybody can understand them. Beginning from the most basic and essential foundation - which is very valuable and often overlooked by seasoned veterans - it progresses in a highly practical manner which is at the same time very easy to understand. As someone who sped past the basic teachings in my youth (thinking that time is of the essence and I need to get to the more advanced teacings asap, because I believed I understood them) I greatly appreciate the approach the author takes. The introduction may seem a bit long, but in my opinion it is already down to the bare essentials and everything there has practical and foundational value for what is practised later.An added bonus for me, was that The Sayadaw gives practical instructions on the teachings found in the Visuddhi- magga. This is considered a very important text in the Theravadan tradition It is voluminous, ancient (circa. 5th century if memory serves) and considered authentic, however it is also short on details of how to actually train in some of the practices.. Knowing and Seeing covers some of these practices and this is of itself very interesting.I highly recommend this work to all those who are interested in practical meditation training and especially people from the buddhist tradition - regardless of which of the three vehicles they may adhere to.This is a valuable gem easily recognised and appreciated by those already on the path.This is a stand alone work. Meaning that it is self contained and one does not need to access other works, commentaries and so on, unless it is in one's personal interest.For people who are new to buddhism, the novelty of the terminology and volume of this work may be a bit much to digest in the early stages of their approach . As such I would advise that they first read What The Buddha Taught by Rahula Walpola. This is a much more condensed presentation and very good preparation for further in depth study.This is much like splashing around in the pool before learning formal swimming teachnique.May this work benefit all people who read it ! May all people be happy !
This book should be a great help for anyone who is practicing the Samatha and Vipassana meditations. The author has a thorough experience of the Path of Meditation as well as an equally great knowledge of Buddhist philosophy. Really remarkable!
Knowing & Seeing, 4th Edition The Zen of Seeing: Seeing/Drawing as Meditation Seeing Trees: Discover the Extraordinary Secrets of Everyday Trees (Seeing Series) Design Elements, 2nd Edition: Understanding the rules and knowing when to break them - Updated and Expanded Financial Intelligence, Revised Edition: A Manager's Guide to Knowing What the Numbers Really Mean A Designer's Research Manual: Succeed in Design by Knowing Your Clients and What They Really Need (Design Field Guide) Knowing When to Stop: A Memoir Knowing Dance The Book: On the Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are Knowing the Enemy: Jihadist Ideology and the War on Terror Gizmos & Gadgets: Creating Science Contraptions That Work (& Knowing Why) (Williamson Kids Can!) Hebrews: A 12-Week Study (Knowing the Bible) Psalms: A 12-Week Study (Knowing the Bible) Experiencing God - Leader Guide: Knowing and Doing the Will of God The Book of Not Knowing: Exploring the True Nature of Self, Mind, and Consciousness Take Your Eye Off the Puck: How to Watch Hockey By Knowing Where to Look Knowing the Imams Becoming Acquainted with the Imams Volume 3 Click!: The Girl's Guide to Knowing What You Want and Making It Happen FOREX Currency Pairs Explained: Knowing The Foreign Exchange Pairs and how to trade them without shrinking your balance The Book on Estimating Rehab Costs: The Investor's Guide to Defining Your Renovation Plan, Building Your Budget, and Knowing Exactly How Much It All Costs (BiggerPockets Presents...)
