Ep112: Relaxing Into Nibbana - Bhante Vimalaramsi

In this interview I am joined by Bhante Vimalaramsi: author, American Buddhist monk, and abbot of the Dhamma Sukha Meditation Center in Annapolis, Missouri.
In this episode Bhante Vimalaramsi describes how twenty years of dedicated practice of Mahasi-style vipassana meditation left him unsatisfied and how discarding that method and learning to relax and smile unlocked the spiritual path.
Bhante describes how his current teaching approach, based not on Buddhaghosa’s Visuddhimagga but on Vimalaramsi’s interpretation of the earlier Buddhist scriptures, sees anything from 25% to 50% of his students attain nibbana in a single 10-day retreat.
Bhante Vimalaramsi also details the four path model of enlightenment found in the Theravada schools, and claims that his advanced students experience a permanent cessation of sexual activity and the ability to meditate for up to 7 days without breathing or heart beat.
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www.guruviking.com/ep112-bhan...
Also available on KZbin, iTunes, & Spotify - search ‘Guru Viking Podcast’.
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00:00 - Intro
01:05 - Krishnamurti and Ram Dass
02:30 - Beginnings in Mahasi-style vipassana meditation
07:55 - Attending to U Sīlānanda and ordaining in Thailand
09:56 - Dissatisfaction with the Mahasi method
13:49 - Learning to relax and discarding the Visuddhimagga
32:05 - 50% of students attain stream entry in Bhante’s 10-day retreats in Asia
37:10 - How to handle hinderances
44:59 - Defining ‘mindfulness’
46:39 - The importance of having fun
52:41 - 25-30% of students attain nibbana in Bhante’s 10-day retreats in America
54:37 - How to become enlightened
59:38 - Overcoming anxiety and PTSD
01:03:58 - Effects of becoming a stream enterer, sakadāgāmin, anāgāmi, and arahant
01:09:30 - Dipa Ma and other anagamis can sit for up to 7 days without breathing
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To find our more about Bhante Vimalaramsi, visit:
- www.dhammasukha.org/
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For more interviews, videos, and more visit:
- www.guruviking.com
Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James

[@markjohnson543]

It is great to hear Bhante Vimalaramsi talk about his personal experience as a seeker and later as a teacher. He masterly explains how important it is to experience the whole body and tranquilize the bodily formation, a step clearly in the suttas but not in most contemporary methods. Bhante shows us how to use these steps to attain clarity.

[@simonsays525]

The Thai Forrest tradition is much more in line with what Bhante is speaking about. Monks in that lineage place their emphasis on the suttas. But I’m glad Bhante went on his 20 year journey to learn what works and what doesn’t because we all get to benefit from his practical wisdom. Also, the 6r’s are a lovely practice tool.

[@erickramirez65]

I was thinking the same! It reminded me of the talks with Dhammarato

[@moonmissy]

Zen tradition does the same, but without relying on language but intuitive direct experience through koans and dokusan. It’s nice to hear Bhante put the practice in words so simple and eloquently. The Zen, Thai Forest Tradition, rigpa on converge on the point of relax and release (letting go).

[@penguin0101]

Recognise, release, relax, resmile, refocus, repeat

[@littledarkone1995]

RIP, may he attain Nibbana

[@thehiddenyogi8557]

Sounds like he is teaching Dzogchen or Mahamudra style meditation. Feelings and thoughts self-liberate upon recognition. Relaxing the tensions, and with the focus on Metta. How refreshing!

[@JoshuaRichardson123]

Could you please explain what do you mean they self liberate? Also, how is this in like with Dzogchen? I love what he is teaching, just curious

[@thehiddenyogi8557]

@@JoshuaRichardson123 Try it and see. Get familiar with playing your mind like a musical instrument. I would have to watch the video again to see what I was commenting on exactly, which I am not going to do. But Dzogchen and Mahamudra features a gentle shamatha based off of bodhicitta.

[@deniclassic]

quite similar, but not the same, because bhante's technique still use object of meditation. I've been his student, but also practice Dzogchen style trekcho meditation.

[@backwardthoughts1022]

not even slightly the same.

[@thehiddenyogi8557]

@@backwardthoughts1022 yes, they are. Not identical, but similar. The true Dharma is at the heart of both these teachings. Practice is similar but came from different culture.

[@simonsays525]

The only problem with this interview is it isn’t long enough! More Bhante!

[@JoshuaRichardson123]

I must say, this is what I have been missing! I've been 'relaxing' the mind the past week or 2 and it's helped immensely

[@madhusmitamishra3318]

Really excited for this!!

[@RohiShetty]

Looking forward to this...

[@iMatia69]

Great podcast, thank you.

[@9816229]

I'll be watching...

[@antkin608]

@Guru Viking Much appreciated, thanks for sharing and for your efforts. 🙂🙏

[@lindaszlagowski8888]

Thank you so much for this amazing wisdom talk. It will be of great help in my meditation practice and beneficial to see more clear what's in the way! Hope souls like him will still be around some time, help to make kaliyug lighter and brighter. Successors in some way are already on the way as I could watch on your channel. Thanks for what you're presenting!

[@CharlieMorley]

Brilliant 👏

[@gopimahadev225]

12 yers of experimented varias meditation including vipassana Finally the search enter with Bhante. Iam from Kerala India

[@Wordartz]

Amazing, I’m also from Kerala. Good you found this

[@OgdenM]

He's pretty Thai / Sri Lankin forest tradition which they are frequently pretty great in general. I just wish he wasn't saying how good he is all the time. We get it. Once was enough not 30misn of it.

[@gideonros2705]

I'm listening and absorbing like a sponge. In a week I'm going on a solo two weeks retreat. Thank you.

[@JoshuaRichardson123]

Amazing! How did you go?

[@lucifvar]

Bro how did it went?

[@lucifvar]

Hoe is het gegaan?

[@WaterSeesWater]

Oh ! I dindn't notice Bhante's interview was here ! Thanks a lot ! I found him after watching his diciple Delson Armstrong's interview in this channel . Guru Viking channel is much better than Buddha at the gas pump channel !

[@baizhanghuaihai2298]

I was just going to ask about neuroscientific investigations into the anagami nirodha. Very glad to hear there are some forthcoming.

[@ceruleandusk]

Although I disagree with some things he says I want to thank you for this great opportunity to bring him on the Podcast! Would it be possible to do one with Lama Surya Das in the future? There aren't many interviews with him on KZbin... With Metta.

[@jonathancopeland1014]

I’m new to all this stuff. What do you disagree with him on? Would love to know!

[@josephstevenson3837]

He asked Dipa Ma why she sat for 7 days straight. “She gave me a one-word answer….” And the video freezes right there for several seconds. Bhante, what did she say??

[@GnomyGnomeGnome]

I believe she said “relief”

[@DarkMoonDroid]

LOL I know! That was funny!

[@harrycheung8532]

Wow 😮 Instant enlightenment It took Buddha 12 years 😢

[@Can-rd4yh]

Sotāpatti or Stream Entry is just ¼ of Buddhas unsurpassed Enlightenment. This is what he means that some people attain on his 10 Day Retreats.

[@DamienMcKinnon]

When talking about stream entry, he mentions that the person will at least be reborn as a human (no less) or in one of the heavenly realms. What's confusing is regarding the understanding of No Self, to whom does the reincarnation happen to? Can we even talk about past lives or future lives when there is in fact No Self?

[@OgdenM]

Does anyone know where Bhante would have being recorded? Had been to the retreat center he ran? That virtual background is honestly, off putting. And btw people, you actually don't have to smile to be happy. I'm a fan of practicing lightness, and I mean of feeling light weight while the body is extremely relaxed. I typically recline for it but you could do it sitting upright probably. It not only feels great, but it makes movement easier. I started practicing it because I felt it would be odd walking around all the time in public smiling. But, it actually can be a great feedback loop. The lighter you feel, the more joyful you can get and the lighter you feel. I've had times where I felt like I was close to floating physically. I wasn't but it sure felt like it. I've done smile meditation stuff, and still do sometimes but at some point a smile stops getting bigger and also gets tiring because it still takes muscles. Again though, I typically recline or even lay down to meditate. But, a suggestion for when sitting upright, or well whenever; just ask the physical body take care of itself. It does a great job of that without us needing to always supervise it. At some point, we have to give up these bodies. Smiling can be a form of attachment and craving to the physical world.

[@a.s2118]

I thought his student Delson was an Arhant?

[@moonmissy]

Nope, anagami

[@robertm3139]

I have never heard a monk praise himself so hard. Things like this (not direct quotes) "this monks said my teachings were more consistent than anyone else." "Half the people on my retreats would attain at least sotapana." "These teachers teach from the commentaries, I teach from the suttas." Just a big infomercial. Let your teachings stand on their own, you don't need to praise yourself or your teachings. 53:40 "I will give a retreat for ten people and 3 sometimes 4 people attain the first stage (of enlightenment)." The arrogance of this guy.

[@RohiShetty]

Hi Robert, I suggest you listen to some of his other talks. Sometimes first impressions can be deceptive. For example, 2019 Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta with Bhante Vimalaraṁsi (MN 10) Foundations of Mindfulness kzbin.info/www/bejne/jGOuk5dvr9iWnq8 Much metta, Rohi

[@downtownjb100]

Do you feel better now?

[@rihhard1072]

Perhaps youre projecting here. The question is whether what he says is factual or not. If its factual then whether he is self praising depends on what his intention is, and it's quite an assumption to say that the statements are presented through the intention of self validation. The Buddha said factual things about being the teacher of men and gods and being the rightfully awakened one. He wasn't seeking praise, he was being factual. So the question is - who is the arrogant one ? The one presenting facts or the one assuming he knows anothers intention ?

[@thehiddenyogi8557]

There is a big debate in the Theravada community on how it seems that the commentaries and the suttas are teaching different styles of practice, with some teachers teaching according to the commentaries and other teachers teaching according to the suttas. Saying which you find definitive doesn't seem arrogant to me.

[@tomidavidson3902]

All I know is this method he talks about works. I did a couple of their online retreats barely knowing anything about Buddhism. And I just followed the instructions I kept it simple and easy and didn’t even need to go to the Dhammasukta retreat center. Please don’t be so quick to judge someone. I think he is just trying to convince people of how effective and easy it is. And by doing that maybe he sounds arrogant from your perceptive. But I’m very grateful to Bhante because he has brought forward this method from the suttas to help us all get off the Wheel. Metta, Tomi 😊

[@backwardthoughts1022]

he nor any of his students are anywhere near shamata let alone jhana

[@moonsod1113]

And you know that - how? Telepathy , is it? or just ignorance? Some of us are too quick to judge based on an unwarranted opinion. Some peole have said it works, it is effective, it does what he said. Apparently you missed the bit in buddhist teachings on Loving-Kindness. You try it sometimes. Unkind remarks are a cheap shot without evidence.

[@backwardthoughts1022]

@@moonsod1113 his instructions descriptions and general explanations are mistaken. also within the small cluster of still authentic lineages, all of the leaders have stated noone is reaching even basic genuine shamata anymore. this included, ven. ananda maitreya thero, dudjom rinpoche, hh dalai lama, zopa rinpoche, and gyatrul rinpoche. the last 2 recently died and accomplished tukdam. you can look that up to see what it means. in the case of gyatrul he maintained tukdam for over a month post clinical death. these days neuroscientists are testing these sort of accomplished practitioners in what has been called 'the tukdam project'. you can search it here on yt. its accepted that the theravada lineages have completely degenerated, it now being very common for a senior monk to tell their student they have accomplished jhana, despite the student complaining of intense lust. this sort of thing is very common and the lineage was considered essentially dead by ven. ananda maitreya decades ago, if you know who that is. modem teachers these days are total abominations, unable even to distinguish between noself and dependently arisen existent persons. it is utterly common to hear explanations by bad theravadin teachers asseting that only impersonal configurations of nature exist. and their explanations of shamata and jhana are just as bad eg. clueless that the nimitta are objects of the form realm, completely unknowable to desire realm minds, yet these fools are teaching to use nimitta to begin shamata training. genuine instructions and accomplishment still exist, but it is utterly rare in buddhadharma let alone the other great lineages that used to produce accomplishment regularly, which are now all dead.

[@Rapture_Ready_Rabbit]

( TIME HAS RUN OUT !! John 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. Don't ignore this message !! REPENT NOW !! God the Son - JESUS came in the flesh to die for sinners. TRUST that God raised JESUS from the dead !! By FAITH accept JESUS's blood alone as payment for your sins unto Salvation, to escape what's about to happen !! Don't say you were not warned !! ONLY true believers in JESUS will be suddenly taken. THEN comes 7 horrific years of God's JUDGEMENT, poured out on the world. I pray that the LORD will open your eyes and heart to the GOSPEL.

[@ALLISMIND]

People like you are the reason why Christianity is mocked. You're shaming your own religion

[@kevinjoseph517]

im 12 minutes in and im getting bored w his biography.

[@mattrousseau3121]

I like this channel but really. Another monk making ridiculous claims.

[@backwardthoughts1022]

you scared?

[@kevinjoseph517]

@@backwardthoughts1022 dull talk from this man.