Sayadaw
U Lakkhana is
a senior meditation teacher in the Mahasi tradition. He is abbot
of a monastery and meditation centre in northern Burma, and is a
regular guest teacher at BMIMC.
Sayadaw
U Pannathami is a senior
student of U Pandita and the abbot of the Sydney Panditarama Meditation
Centre. he was the first resident teacher of BMIMC. Sayadaw speaks
excellent English, and frequently teaches overseas.
Sayadaw
U Vivekananda is a senior meditation teacher in the Mahasi tradition and the abbot of Panditarama International Meditation Centre in Lumbini, Nepal. He also teaches a busy schedule in North America and Europe.
Venerable Pannyavaro is
an Australian Buddhist monk and an experienced meditation teacher
who has spent long periods of intensive practice in Burma and Sri
Lanka. He teaches both insight and loving-kindness meditation. He is the founder and webmaster of BuddhaNet and the Bodhi Tree Forest Monastery and Retreat Centre, near Lismore NSW.
Venerable
Ariya Nani is
a Swiss-born Buddhist nun who lives and works in Burma at the Chanmyay Myaing Meditation Centre in Yangon, established by Sayadaw U Indaka where she guides foreign yogis in their vipassana and metta meditation practice. |
Lay teachers at BMIMC
The foundation of Buddhist practice rests upon ethical guidelines (known
as sila). In Buddhist countries meditation teachers are usually monks
or nuns who have committed themselves to living by the traditional code
of ethical conduct. For Theravadan monks this is governed by 227 vows
contained in the vinaya and for nuns it is the 10 precepts. In countries
that do not have a traditional Buddhist culture (like Australia) meditation
is often taught by lay teachers who are not necessarily committed to
one of the traditional codes of conduct.
The Blue Mountains Insight Meditation Centre recognises the importance
of maintaining the tradition of ethical integrity for teachers of the
Buddha Dhamma. In keeping with this understanding all teachers at the BMIMC:
1. Have made a personal commitment to live in accordance with the Buddhist
precepts.
For lay teachers this means the five precepts of - refraining
from killing¸ refraining from stealing, refraining from sexual
misconduct, refraining from false or harsh speech, and refraining from
intoxicants that cause heedlessness or loss of awareness.
2. Are current meditation practitioners with at least 10 years experience
in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw.
3. Have undertaken to maintain confidentiality in relation to each student’s
personal information.
4. Offer their teachings at the Centre freely.
Patrick
Kearney has been a resident and visiting teacher at BMIMC. He has over 30 years
experience
in Buddhist meditation and since 1984 has trained in vipassana insight
meditation in the tradition of Mahasi Sayadaw of Burma. Please visit Patrick's site at www.dharmasalon.net for his further information about his teaching schedule.
Tara MacLachlan is a
senior member of the Buddha Sasana Association
has been closely involved with the establishment of the Centre. She has
practised
vipassana
meditation for many years, in Burma, Nepal and Australia, with Sayadaw
U Pandita, the
senior disciple of Mahasi Sayadaw. Tara is the
resident manager of the Centre.
Steven
Smith is a founder of Vipassana Hawai'i and Kyaswa Valley Retreat Centre and MettaDana
health and education project both in Myanmar.
Steve has practised and studied vipassana as
a monk and layperson for more than 30 years
and is
anchored in theTheravadan tradition of
Lynne Bousfield is a co-founder of BMIMC.
Trained in the Theravadan tradition in
India and Burma for 30 years, Lynne combines
teaching with her work as a clinical psychologist
where she uses mindfulness meditation in
her clinical practice. She teaches in Australia
and North America.
Michael Dash has
been a Buddhist practitioner for over 20
years, studying in Australia, Thailand
and Burma, where he trained in vipassana meditation
in the Mahasi tradition. He also teaches
at the Buddhist Library and Wat Buddha
Dhamma.
Lesley Lebkowicz (formerly Fowler) has practised vipassana meditation
since 1983 and has spent several years in silent retreat in Australia,
the USA and Burma. She has worked as a teacher, counsellor and writer
and currently divides her time between formal spiritual practice and writing.
Danny Taylor has been a student of Eastern traditions since the early 1970s,
and a practitioner of Buddhist meditation in the Mahasi Sayadaw tradition
since 1986. He has worked as a psychologist and is a management consultant.
Danny emphasises the integration of meditation with our daily reality.
He is also a leader of the group’s meditation sessions in Sydney.
Graham Wheeler has been practising vipassana meditation
for over twenty-five years, studying in Australia, Burma, Thailand and Sri
Lanka. He also has been leading the centre’s group meditation sessions
in Sydney since 1999. He has his own legal practice in Sydney and much of
his work is with community-based organisations. |