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Buddhist Meditation Retreat - Decatur, GA

WALKING THE PATH
WITH THE BUDDHA
RETREAT

(DECATUR, GA)


DEVELOPING A LIFE PRACTICE TO ATTAIN THE FIRST STAGE OF ENLIGHTENMENT
JULY 23-28, 2023

You are invited to attend the Walking The Path with The Buddha Retreat held in Decatur, GA at Wat Buddha Bucha Foundation, a Theravada Buddhist Temple, to learn and practice The Teachings of The Buddha through guided meditations, interactive group discussions, and connecting with a Community of Practitioners to integrate these Teachings into your life practice.

This retreat focuses on guiding Students in developing a solid foundation in The Teachings and practices of Gotama Buddha (i.e. The Buddha) to progress towards Enlightenment where the mind will be peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently. The retreat sessions will be dedicated to sharing The Teachings that will guide a Student to attain the important “First Stage of Enlightenment” which prepares you for continued practice towards the attainment of Enlightenment.


Students will learn how to establish a “life practice” based on independent observation of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings. Students will be guided in how to acquire wisdom through learning and practicing The Teachings to liberate the mind on The Path to attaining Enlightenment.


At the conclusion of this retreat, Students will have a theoretical foundation to start integrating and applying these Teachings in daily life to include a consistent meditation practice to eliminate discontent feelings from the mind such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, boredom, loneliness, guilt, fears, shyness, stress, anxiety, etc. Students will have a solid understanding of The Teachings that lead to The First Stage of Enlightenment and how to attain The First Stage of Enlightenment while having the support to accomplish this goal.


(All classes during the retreat are offered openly and freely to any and all participants, including children and families, at no cost. Students are welcome to attend classes/events during the retreat based on their own needs and interests. You are welcome to attend as many or as few of the retreat classes as you would like. There is no requirement to attend all the classes, as Students are welcome to come and go as they please.)


Each day, the retreat will start with the opportunity for you to participate in a guided meditation session. You will learn Breathing Mindfulness Meditation and Loving-kindness Meditation in the seated, lying, standing, and walking positions, preparing the mind for the day ahead. These are the two most important meditation practices that train the mind to attain Enlightenment.


A morning session will offer in-depth talks on The Path to Enlightenment based on The Teachings of The Buddha to guide you to learn how to develop your life practice towards the attainment of Enlightenment where the mind will be peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy - permanently.


You will have the opportunity to connect with new friends among a Community of Practitioners with daily activities and free time. It is suggested that Students integrate The Teachings from the morning sessions into their day through practicing The Teachings throughout the day.


An evening session will offer guided meditations with an opportunity to discuss and clarify Teachings from the morning session while exploring additional topics on The Path to Enlightenment.


The retreat is offered at no cost to all those with a sincere interest to learn and practice The Teachings of The Buddha on The Path to Enlightenment.


In order to offer this retreat at no cost, donations are needed to support the cost of hosting our Teacher to travel to the USA from Thailand and support expenses associated with hosting the retreat. Donations will contribute to airfare, lodging, food, and the cost of various expenses for the retreat.

Travel and Lodging


The retreat will be held at Wat Buddha Bucha Foundation located in Decatur, GA. You are welcome to reserve a room at any of the local hotels staying at a location that is accessible to the retreat venue. Those local to the Georgia area are also invited and welcome to attend, please be sure to register each participant for the retreat. 

Decatur, GA is an inviting and welcoming small city with all products and services easily available. The retreat location is accessible by Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL). The airport is approximately 20 minutes from where the retreat will be hosted.

You might consider the following lodging recommendations.


Econo Lodge - (Decatur, GA) (8-mins to Retreat Location)
Sheraton - (Atlanta, GA) - (15-mins to Retreat Location)
DoubleTree - (Atlanta, GA) - (25-mins to Retreat Location)


Any and all hotels or lodging in and around Decatur, GA will be accessible to the retreat location at Wat Buddha Bucha Foundation - Decatur, GA. You are welcome to stay at a location that is accommodating to your needs. These are recommendations based on price and location as a low, mid, and high budget option. Food and other needs are readily accessible all throughout the area.

Transportation from the airport to your destination is available by hired car or other options you might choose.


Wat Buddha Bucha Foundation

3094 Rainbow Drive
Decatur, GA 30034

Ongoing Support


Continued support and guidance is available to all Students beyond this retreat through books, audiobooks, videos, podcasts, online classes, online community, and personal guidance - offered openly and freely to all. You can gain access to these resources using this link.

https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/

Donations

If you’d like to support this retreat, you are welcome to make your donations using this link. Your kind support is highly appreciated and will help create the very best retreat experience for you.


Donations will contribute to the cost of various expenses for the retreat. 

https://bit.ly/USA-Retreat-Donations-2023

USA Meditation and Buddhist Study Retreat

RETREAT PLAN

Teachings & Discussions (Dhamma Talks)

- Life Story of Gotama Buddha

- Enlightenment: What is “Enlightenment”?

- The Four Noble Truths: Establishing Right View

- Transforming The Three Poisons: Craving, Anger, and Ignorance

- The Eight Fold Path: The Path for All Humans to Enlightenment

- The Five Precepts: A Householder's Guide to Daily Practice

- What is Kamma and How Does It Affect Me?

- What is Merit?

- Understanding & Experiencing the Jhānas: The Light Bulb is Flickering

- Understanding Human Beings: The Five Aggregates & The Six Sense Bases

- Discontentedness and Rebirth: Dependent Origination as The Highest Law of Nature

- Right View: Developing Accomplishment in View to Attain The First Stage of Enlightenment

- Eliminating The Pollution of Personal Existence View: Getting “The Self” Out of The Way

- Eliminating The Pollution of Doubt: Mastering Confidence and Development of Wisdom

- Eliminating The Pollution of Wrong Behavior and Observances: Mastering Moral Conduct and Elimination of Superstition

- How to Determine If You Have Attained The First Stage of Enlightenment?

- Meditation: Developing Your Practice


Meditation

- Meditation Instruction: Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, Loving-kindness Meditation, and Meditation to Realize Non-self

- Meditation Positions: Seated, Lying, Standing, and Walking Position

- Buddhist Chanting in Pali

RETREAT SCHEDULE

Sunday - July 23, 2023


3:00 PM - Welcome & Registration / Open Discussion - Retreat Plan and Schedule

Life Story of Gotama Buddha

5:30 PM - Dinner / Free Time

Monday - July 24, 2023


9:00 AM - Meditation Instruction: Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Seated)


10:30 AM - Enlightenment: What is Enlightenment?


11:00 AM - The Four Noble Truths: Establishing Right View


12:30 PM - Daily Activities / Free Time


7:00 PM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Seated)


7:30 PM - Group Discussion/Open Discussion with Questions & Answers


The Three Poisons: Craving, Anger, and Ignorance


9:00 PM - Free Time


Tuesday - July 25, 2023


9:00 AM - Meditation Instruction: Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Walking)


10:00 AM - The Eight Fold Path: The Path for All Humans to Enlightenment


12:30 PM - Daily Activities / Free Time


7:00 PM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Walking)


7:30 PM - Group Discussion/Open Discussion with Questions & Answers


The Five Precepts: A Householder's Guide to Daily Practice


9:00 PM - Free Time


Wednesday - July 26, 2023


9:00 AM - Meditation Instruction: Loving-kindness Meditation (Seated)


10:30 AM - What is Kamma and How Does It Affect Me?


11:30 AM - What is Merit?


12:30 PM - Daily Activities / Free Time


7:00 PM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Loving-kindness Meditation (Seated, Lying, or Standing)


7:30 PM - Group Discussion/Open Discussion with Questions & Answers


Understanding & Experiencing the Jhānas: The Light Bulb is Flickering


9:00 PM - Free Time

Thursday - July 27, 2023


9:00 AM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Seated, Lying, or Standing)


9:30 AM - Understanding Human Beings: The Five Aggregates & The Six Sense Bases


10:30 AM - Discontentedness and Rebirth: Dependent Origination as The Highest Law of Nature


11:30 AM - Right View: Developing Accomplishment in View to Attain The First Stage of Enlightenment


12:30 PM - Daily Activities / Free Time


7:00 PM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Loving-kindness Meditation (Seated, Lying, or Standing)


7:30 PM - Group Discussion/Open Discussion with Questions & Answers


Eliminating The Pollution of Personal Existence View: Getting “The Self” Out of The Way


9:00 PM - Free Time


Friday - July 28, 2023


9:00 AM - Meditation Instruction: Meditation to Realize Non-self (Seated)


10:00 AM - Eliminating The Pollution of Doubt: Mastering Confidence and Developing Wisdom


11:00 AM - Eliminating The Pollution of Wrong Behavior and Observances: Mastering Moral Conduct and Elimination of Superstition


12:30 PM - Daily Activities / Free Time


2:00 PM - Buddhist Chanting & Guided Meditation to Realize Non-self (Seated, Lying, or Standing)


2:30 PM - Group Discussion/Open Discussion with Questions & Answers


How to Determine If You Have Attained The First Stage of Enlightenment?


4:00 PM - Closing Group Discussion with Questions & Answers

—————

Students are welcome to attend classes/events during the retreat based on their own needs and interests.


You are welcome to participate in as many or as few of the classes/events during the retreat as you would like. All classes during the retreat are offered openly and freely to any and all participants, including children and families, at no cost. Each Student will need to cover the cost of their travel, lodging, and meals.


All instruction during the retreat is provided openly and freely by our Teacher.


David Roylance will provide all talks on meditation instruction and The Teachings of The Buddha.


Begin Your Learning


Students are encouraged to use the book “Developing a Life Practice: The Path That Leads to Enlightenment” (Volume 1) and “The First Stage of Enlightenment (Stream-Enterer)” (Volume 5) by David Roylance as a source text for this retreat. Reading these books prior to the retreat can provide Students advance learning in preparation to gain the most benefit from the retreat.

The books can be accessed using this link. https://www.buddhadailywisdom.com/freebuddhabooks

OUR TEACHER

David Roylance


David Roylance is a dedicated Practitioner and Teacher of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings who has been part of the Thai community since 2001. He visited Thailand for the first time in 2002 and brought the Traditional Thai Healing Arts back to the United States of America to share with people in the Western World.


His Traditional Thai Healing Arts centers, located in the Washington DC area, provided traditional Thai healing arts to clients and educational opportunities to Students to explore the Thai healing arts, Thai culture, and The Teachings of Gotama Buddha. David is a published author with books on the topics of Traditional Thai Healing Arts and The Path That Leads to Enlightenment.


David has taught Gotama Buddha’s Teachings since 2005 in the United States of America. In 2015, he closed his businesses and relocated to Chiang Mai, Thailand to be closer to the Thai culture and the Thai Community of Buddhist Practitioners.


David shares Gotama Buddha’s Teachings with Household Practitioners and Ordained Practitioners in Chiang Mai, Thailand and around the world through courses, retreats, and special events providing guidance to help people attain Enlightenment - a peaceful, calm, serene, and content mind with joy.

Wat Tung Yu - Students_edited.jpg

David Roylance

CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Welcome & Registration / Retreat Plan and Schedule - Open Discussion


Students will register for the retreat and participate in a welcome from our Teacher, David Roylance. David will lead an open discussion to provide Students with an overview of the retreat plan and schedule so that Students can get acquainted with the retreat activities and each other.


This is the perfect opportunity to connect with Students who will participate in the retreat and meet new friends while gaining insight into all the retreat classes, events, and activities.


Meditation Instruction: Breathing Mindfulness Meditation (Seated, Lying, Standing & Walking)


Learn Breathing Mindfulness Meditation in the seated, lying, standing, and walking positions to train the mind to cultivate mindfulness and concentration to attain Enlightenment through The Teachings of Gotama Buddha on The Path to Enlightenment.


David will guide you in understanding Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, how to do Breathing Mindfulness Meditation, guide you in doing Breathing Mindfulness Meditation during group meditation sessions, and will accept questions from Students to help you develop your "life practice”.


Meditation Instruction: Loving-kindness Meditation (Seated, Lying, & Standing)


Learn Loving-kindness Meditation to eliminate anger, hatred, ill will, resentment, negative self talk, and other discontent feelings associated with the unEnlightened mind.


David will help you understand "What is Loving-kindness Meditation", how it can help you, and how to do Loving-kindness Meditation during guided group meditation sessions of Loving-kindness Meditation.


Buddhist Chanting


Buddhist chanting has been used throughout multiple generations to orally remember The Teachings of The Buddha. Each generation of Practitioners have learned specific chants and practiced those in the Pāli language as a way of sharing The Teachings of The Buddha with the next generation through the oral tradition.


Today, these Teachings are in the English language in multiple formats including written format so there is no need to learn chanting as a way to remember The Teachings in the Pāli language. But, Practitioners can still learn these traditional chants as a way to develop mindfulness, concentration, memory, and to ease the mind in and out of meditation sessions gaining more benefit in each meditation.


David will help you develop your Buddhist chanting practice through group chanting prior to and after each meditation session.


Life Story of Gotama Buddha


Learn the life story of Siddhartha Gotama, who eventually becomes known as Gotama Buddha or “The Buddha".


David will share a detailed recounting of The Buddha’s birth, early life, journey to Enlightenment, teaching career, and what motivated him to discover The Teachings that lead to Enlightenment.


Enlightenment: What is “Enlightenment”?


Enlightenment is attained gradually over time through learning and practicing The Buddha’s Teachings so that you can observe truth that will allow you to acquire wisdom.


But what is Enlightenment?


David will help you to understand the mental state of Enlightenment, how to progress on The Path to Enlightenment, and how to attain Enlightenment.


The Four Noble Truths: Establishing Right View


For anyone interested to explore and study The Path to Enlightenment, one must begin with a deep understanding of The Four Noble Truths.


The Four Noble Truths is the first discourse offered by The Buddha as his very first Teaching upon him attaining Enlightenment as The Fully Perfectly Enlightened Buddha.


The Four Noble Truths is the core understanding required to establish “Right View”. Right View gives a Practitioner’s mind the foundation in which to apply all the other Teachings and practices taught by The Buddha. A Practitioner would have no ability to attain Enlightenment unless they learned, reflected, and practiced The Four Noble Truths to establish “Right View”.


David will share The Four Noble Truths explaining the noble truth of discontentedness, the noble truth of the cause of discontentedness, the noble truth of the elimination of discontentedness, the noble truth of the way leading to the elimination of discontentedness to help you establish Right View.

The Three Poisons: Craving, Anger, and Ignorance


The Buddha’s Teachings to eliminate, craving, anger, and ignorance (unknowing of true reality) are known, for good reason, as The Three Poisons, The Three Unwholesome Roots, and The Three Fires. Also known as, greed, hatred, and delusion.


These are The Three Poisons that exist and are present in the mind as part of rebirth into the human realm. It is our goal, through these Teachings, to eliminate these Three Poisons through practice of non-craving or generosity, non-anger or loving-kindness, and non-ignorance or wisdom. To attain Enlightenment, one would need to completely eliminate The Three Poisons.


David will help you understand The Three Poisons, how they cause you problems in life, and how to eliminate them from the mind.

The Eight Fold Path: The Path for All Humans to Enlightenment


The Buddha gave us “The Path” forward to pursuing our own Enlightenment as The Eight Fold Path. In his explanation of The Eight Fold Path, we learn exactly how to attain Enlightenment through a life practice or a better way of life.


The Eight Fold Path is the way to completely eliminate all discontentedness from the mind. You will need a detailed and thorough understanding and practice of The Eight Fold Path to attain Enlightenment.


Using The Words of The Buddha, David will share The Eight Fold Path in detail helping you to deeply understand each individual step to develop your life practice and progress towards Enlightenment.


The Five Precepts: A Householder's Guide to Daily Practice


The Buddha gave us guidance to conduct life without harm to other beings or ourselves. This is titled “The Five Precepts”.

These are not commandments nor rules to follow, rather how to ensure you are not causing harm to others or yourself. By causing harm to others, we cause harm to ourselves by the Natural Law of Kamma. Through practice of these precepts, you will drastically eliminate unwholesome Kamma production and, thus, experience a more peaceful and content existence.


The Buddha’s Teachings are not to control an individual nor dictate what they should or should not do. But instead, provide guidance that when practiced will lead to Enlightenment, liberation of the mind, a peaceful and content mind and, thus, a peaceful and content life.


David will help you understand what The Buddha taught regarding The Five Precepts and how to apply them to your daily life in modern times.

What is Kamma and How Does It Affect Me?


All of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings center on the importance of “not doing any harm”. By doing harm to other beings, we do harm to ourselves because of The Natural Law of Kamma.


But what is Kamma? Is it really as mystical and magical as some people say?


David will demystify The Natural Law of Kamma and help you understand "What is Kamma and How Does It Affect Me?".


What is Merit?


Merit is an important Teaching to understand as it relates to The Path to Enlightenment. Merit is thought of as a unique type of wholesome Kamma.


A Practitioner would be unable to attain Enlightenment without understanding "What is Merit?" and without producing merit.


David will help you understand what is merit, why it is beneficial, and how to create merit.


Understanding & Experiencing the Jhānas: The Light Bulb is Flickering


The Jhānas are preliminary phases the mind goes through as it is nearing closer to the first Stage of Enlightenment providing an indication that your life practice is starting to come together. Every Practitioner who progresses to Enlightenment will need to progress through the Jhānas. But, how do you attain the Jhānas and move into the first Stage of Enlightenment?


David will help you to understand what the Jhānas are and how to attain them and, know when you have attained them so that you can continue your journey through the Jhānas and to Enlightenment.

Understanding Human Beings: The Five Aggregates & The Six Sense Bases


To attain the first Stage of Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to understand The Five Aggregates and The Six Sense Bases. This will help a Practitioner to eliminate the fetters/taints/pollutions of mind described as “personal existence view” and “sensual desire”. Without an understanding of The Five Aggregates and The Six Sense Bases, a Practitioner would be unable to attain the first Stage of Enlightenment or progress to Enlightenment.


These important Teachings provide a deeper understanding of a human being and what is leading to continued and repeated discontentedness in the mind. With a deep understanding of the problems faced by human beings and what is causing discontent feelings, as it relates to The Five Aggregates and The Six Sense Bases, then a Practitioner can focus on implementing the solutions to experience the results.


David will guide you in deeply understanding The Five Aggregates and The Six Sense Bases so that you are able to progress to the first Stage of Enlightenment and beyond, on your way to Enlightenment.


Discontentedness and Rebirth: Dependent Origination as The Highest Law of Nature


Gotama Buddha shared The Four Noble Truths which explains the problem of the unEnlightened mind, the cause, the elimination, and the path leading to the elimination of the problem in the unEnlightened mind which focuses on craving/desire/attachment at its core. But, it is his Teaching on Dependent Origination that fully explains, in detail, exactly what the twelve (12) interconnecting links are that cause all the problems in the unEnlightened mind and what leads to rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth.


A Practitioner who has attained the first Stage of Enlightenment will understand, in detail, The Teaching of Dependent Origination.


David will teach you Dependent Origination as “The Highest Law of Nature” so that you will fully and deeply understand the causes and conditions that lead to discontentedness in the unEnlightened mind and what leads to rebirth in The Cycle of Rebirth.


Right View: Developing Accomplishment in View to Attain The First Stage of Enlightenment


The Eight Fold Path is, “The” Path to Enlightenment. The very first step towards the attainment of Enlightenment on The Eight Fold Path is to “establish Right View”. Without first establishing Right View, a Practitioner would have no ability to make significant progress on The Path to Enlightenment or attain Enlightenment.


It is The Four Noble Truths that helps a Practitioner to first start establishing Right View. However, there are additional Teachings beyond The Four Noble Truths that allows a Practitioner to acquire “accomplishment in view”.


David will explain how to develop "accomplishment in view”, through The Words of The Buddha, so that you can ensure you deeply understand and are practicing Right View which is needed to progress to the first Stage of Enlightenment.


Eliminating The Pollution of Personal Existence View: Getting “The Self” Out of The Way


To attain the first Stage of Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “personal existence view”. The Buddha provided Teachings on The Universal Truth of Non-self to guide Practitioners to eliminate “personal existence view”.


David will teach you what is “personal existence view”, how it is complicating your interactions with others inhibiting harmony in relationships, and how by eliminating it one can reside more peaceful. He will guide you in understanding how to eliminate “personal existence view” from the mind so that one is able to progress to the first Stage of Enlightenment and beyond.


Eliminating The Pollution of Doubt: Mastering Confidence and Development of Wisdom


A Practitioner who starts off on The Path to Enlightenment most likely has a certain amount of “doubt” about whether these Teachings lead to Enlightenment or if Enlightenment is actually even “real”. As one develops their “life practice” on The Path to Enlightenment, a Practitioner will need to eliminate the fetter/taint/pollution of mind described as “doubt”. However, this is not accomplished through belief or blind faith. Instead, there are specific Teachings of how to eliminate “doubt” from the mind through mastering confidence and developing wisdom.


David will teach you what is “doubt”, how it is hindering your progress on The Path to Enlightenment, and how by eliminating it one can continue their forward progress to the first Stage of Enlightenment and beyond.


Eliminating The Pollution of Wrong Behavior and Observances: Mastering Moral Conduct and Elimination of Superstition


During the life of Gotama Buddha, there were countless practices being taught and employed by various Teachers that could be considered rites, rituals, ceremonies, and worship. These practices did not lead to Enlightenment so Gotama Buddha helped guide his Students to understanding how to train the mind to progress to Enlightenment without rites, rituals, ceremonies, and worship. He also taught moral conduct that would lead to a practice of harmlessness through our intentions, speech, actions, and livelihood so that no harm would be returned to you.


David will teach you what is “wrong behavior and observances”, how it is an obstacle to experiencing Enlightenment, and how by eliminating it one can experience improved results in their personal and professional relationships while bringing the mind into the first Stage of Enlightenment and beyond.


How to Determine If You Have Attained The First Stage of Enlightenment?


This retreat is dedicated to guiding Practitioners to develop the understanding and wisdom needed to progress to the first Stage of Enlightenment. Through attaining the first Stage of Enlightenment, a Practitioner will ultimately be able to attain Enlightenment in this life or in a future life. A Practitioner who attains the first Stage of Enlightenment is destine to attain Enlightenment. Once the mind is in the first Stage of Enlightenment, the mind will not regress and instead, will experience significant improvements to what one experienced prior to embarking on the journey to Enlightenment.


But, how do you know if you have attained the first Stage of Enlightenment?


David will teach you how to determine if you have attained the first Stage of Enlightenment and what will be experienced by the Practitioner when the mind is residing in this attainment.


Daily Activities / Free Time


There are daily activities and free time built into the retreat plan where you are welcome to enjoy an activity with other retreat participants by planning your own activities during the free time. You are also welcome to spend time at the retreat meditating, reading, eating food, or just relaxing. The free time is for you to reflect on The Teachings being shared and implement them into your daily interactions, while getting to know new friends and enjoying local activities that you choose.


You are also welcome to spend time in personal discussion with the Teacher through seeking support with specific challenges you are experiencing in life and how to apply these Teachings in your life.


Lunch & Dinners


Students will have a full range of restaurants to eat meals or are welcome to bring their own food. Students will need to support the cost of their own meals.


Closing Group Discussion with Questions & Answers


David will lead a closing group discussion providing the opportunity for Students to ask any remaining questions from all the talks in the retreat receiving answers to any questions that still remain.

RESTORATION OF
THE BUDDHA'S TEACHINGS
---
THE PATH TO ENLIGHTENMENT

The Buddha taught over 2,500 years ago. He taught The Path to Enlightenment guiding countless beings to a mental state that is peaceful, calm, serene, and content with joy that is permanent, where the mind has eliminated 100% of all discontent feelings such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, stress, anxiety, etc.


Immediately following the death of The Buddha (i.e. Gotama Buddha), The Teachings were shining in the world continuing to guide countless people to Enlightenment. But, over the course of many generations, just as Gotama Buddha predicted, people’s understanding of his Teachings gradually diminished due to modifications and adjustments made by people after him. The modifications made to his Teachings, handed down through oral transmission, have made it increasingly difficult for human beings to attain Enlightenment.


The goal of David’s Teachings is to root the learning and practice he shares in “The Words of The Buddha” based on The Teachings that existed during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha, so that countless beings can now attain Enlightenment based on the original Path to Enlightenment discovered and declared by Gotama Buddha.


David does this through connecting what he teaches to the largest most complete source of Teachings from Gotama Buddha - The Pāli Canon. The Pāli Canon is the original source text of The Teachings from Gotama Buddha as spoken by him during his lifetime.


David has spent countless hours dedicated to restoring The Words of The Buddha by updating a significant portion of the translations of Gotama Buddha’s Teachings from The Pāli Canon. He now offers several resources for Students to learn, reflect, and practice The Path to Enlightenment to experience the results of an Enlightened mind.


David offers books, audiobooks, videos, podcasts, online learning programs, personal guidance, and retreats without any requirement for financial support. All the work that is being done is offered openly and freely for all beings without any requirement to provide any financial support. David accepts donations but Students are not required to provide donations for any work that he does in supporting them on The Path to Enlightenment. David does not request donations and instead, just accepts whatever is offered to him, if anything at all.


His dedication to sharing these Teachings is not motivated by finances. He shares openly and freely with everyone who has a sincere interest in learning and practicing The Path to Enlightenment.


Ultimately, David plans to preserve The Teachings of The Buddha in a format that is easily, readily, and openly accessible to anyone in the world while offering support to learn, reflect, and practice to experience the results of the Enlightened mind.


His plan is to guide countless people to Enlightenment during his lifetime and leave a Community of Enlightened beings who can continue to share The Teachings long after his death. Through developing a Community of Enlightened beings and preserving The Path to Enlightenment in resources that are easily, readily, and openly accessible to anyone in the world, David is revealing the hidden Teachings of Gotama Buddha and doing the best he can to remove any obstacles one might have to learn, reflect, and practice these Teachings, allowing countless people to experience the results of an Enlightened mind.


Upon his death, David predicts that his closest Student, his son and a continued lineage of Teachers, will share these same Teachings continuing to support and grow The Community of Enlightened beings long into the future - for the next 1000 years.


These efforts will culminate into restoring The Path to Enlightenment back into the world so that all of humanity can experience Enlightenment evolving the human species to one where every being has the opportunity to attain Enlightenment creating “heaven on earth”.

THE GOAL
AN ENTIRE SPECIES OF ENLIGHTENED BEINGS

Having experienced Enlightenment and knowing the peace, calm, serenity, and contentedness with joy that comes with having attained Enlightenment, a Buddha’s goal is to share his Teachings worldwide so that “all beings” can experience Enlightenment.


The Enlightened mind no longer experiences any discontent feelings such as sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fears, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, anxiety, stress, etc.


All discontent feelings have been eliminated 100% from the Enlightened mind (i.e. all suffering is eliminated).


An Enlightened mind will have loving-kindness, compassion, sympathetic joy, equanimity, and generosity among many other wholesome qualities.


Can you imagine an entire world where all human beings have liberated their mind to no longer experience these discontent feelings and are practicing wholesome qualities of mind at all times?


With “The Buddha” (Gotama Buddha) having attained this permanent mental state of Enlightenment on his own as The Perfectly Enlightened Buddha, he would have known that through his dedicated and persistent pursuit to Enlightenment, he had acquired the wisdom needed to guide “all beings” to this same mental state.


However, his teaching career of 45 years would not be enough time to share his Teachings worldwide. He knew, that it would require many centuries for his Teachings to reach all parts of the world. During his lifetime, travel of people and information was limited based on several constraints.


Today, we are in a unique time in history where these same constraints have been eliminated. A time when people and information are able to travel around the world in an instant.


Not only can information travel quickly but all of humanity is slowly coming to the point where there is a common language spoken around the world - the English language.


Criteria exist today that did not exist during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime that make now the perfect time for all of humanity to gradually attain Enlightenment realizing a better existence.


  • People can travel worldwide.

  • Information can be shared worldwide in an instant.

  • Commonly spoken language among a large percentage of the worldwide population and this is only growing.


These criteria did not exist during the lifetime of Gotama Buddha and it is only now that the world has come into an age where his original goal is realistically possible.


But, during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime it seems they had something that we may not have….


The people during Gotama Buddha’s lifetime had perseverance and dedication to learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings to realize the results of experiencing the Enlightened mind. They were not afraid of hard work.


With our modern day conveniences, I am unsure how many people are willing to apply their determination, dedication, and diligence with time, effort, energy, and resources towards The Path to Enlightenment with the goal to experience the Enlightened mind.


When a being decides they are finished with the sadness, anger, frustration, irritation, annoyance, guilt, shame, fear, boredom, loneliness, shyness, jealousy, resentment, etc., that is the time when one can turn towards The Teachings and goal of experiencing Enlightenment.


Through each individual deciding to learn and practice The Teachings of Gotama Buddha, as a collective world, our species will gradually evolve. We evolve to a higher consciousness where we train the mind to not harm others through our intentions, speech, nor actions.


Through each individual deciding to learn, reflect, and practice The Teachings of Gotama Buddha, each person benefits and we all benefit as there will be less and less harm in the world.


Through individuals deciding to focus on developing a comprehensive approach to learning and practicing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha with guidance from a Teacher, your life drastically improves and the entire world improves essentially creating “heaven on earth”.


We do not need to “fix” the world. That is not the problem. The problem is the unEnlightened mind does not understand The Natural Laws of Existence and it is quite a struggle to live in a world that one does not understand.


Through learning and practicing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha, a Practitioner comes to deeply understand The Natural Laws of Existence to acquire wisdom that will end the struggles and misery one may face on a regular basis.


Are you ready to apply determination, dedication, and diligence with time, effort, energy, and resources towards The Path to Enlightenment with the goal to experience Enlightenment?


If one enjoys anger, sadness, boredom, loneliness, resentment, etc., there is nothing to do.


But, if you are interested to eliminate these unwelcomed feelings from the mind, then I suggest you turn towards The Path to Enlightenment and apply your dedication and diligence to learning, reflecting, and practicing The Teachings of Gotama Buddha.


And then, as all of humanity gradually experiences Enlightenment we will have accomplished “the goal”.


“An entire species of Enlightened beings”.

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