tom moylan:
Thanks Tom, for this marvelous link to this obviously remarkable man. Joesph Goldstein's introduction frames his accomplishments perfectly:
Joseph Goldstein, intro to Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: A Practice Guide
Bhikkhu Anālayo’s first book, Satipaṭṭhāna, The Direct Path to Realization, was a seminal work, bridging the divide between rigorous scholarship and meditative understanding and practice. Following in the tradition of great scholar-practitioners, Anālayo illuminated the profound details of the Satipaṭṭhānasutta, which inspired my own interest in further exploring this pivotal discourse. Meeting Anālayo in person, and later teaching a retreat with him at the Insight Meditation Society, confirmed my initial enthusiasm for what he was offering to Western Dharma practitioners. His remarkable breadth of knowledge and depth of practice have elucidated with great clarity the liberation teachings of the Buddha.
In this current volume, Satipaṭṭhāna Meditation: A Practice Guide, Anālayo moves from a more scholarly approach to an eminently pragmatic discussion of how to put these teachings into practice. Although his comparative study of both the Pāli and the Chinese versions of the text informs this work, it is the clear expression of a graduated path of practice that makes it so compellingly helpful. Anālayo has developed a simple and straightforward map of practice instructions encompassing all four satipaṭṭhānas – the body, feelings, mind, and dharmas (the hindrances and awakening factors) – that build upon one another in a coherent and comprehensive path leading to the final goal.
nuff said, there. What a gift this guy is. We're blessed with a few scholar-practioners here on DhO as well, and they are astounding creatures. I take them one sentence at a time, because this stuff is dense. But I am grateful to be in a place where the dense stuff repays every effort a hundredfold, to snag a New Testament phrase on the fruits of the seed of the scriptural Word.
And hey, fellow alumnus of the DhO class of 2011! when are they going to get that reunion organized in some sunny beach place with umbrella drinks?
love, tim
