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Contact is taking a break after 25 years of bringing you news of Tibet and Tibetan issues. We are celebrating our 25 years by bringing you the story of Contact and the people who have made it happen, and our archive is still there for you to access at any time, and below you can read the story of Contact, how it came into being and the wonderful reflections of the people who have made it happen over the years.

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The Four Aspects of Mindfulness

By Corinne Dobinson  /  April 23, 2018;

Photo: Contact/ Lha

Professor Samdhong Rinpoche gave a series of lecturesin English, The Four Aspects of Mindfulness, from April 16 – 19in Lha Charitable Trust’s Ahimsa House in McLeod Ganj. Between 60 and 80 people attended, mostly Westerners from 25 countries; another 80-100 people watched via a live stream broadcast.

Rinpoche is a highly revered figure in the Tibetan world and known for his depth of knowledge about Tibetan Buddhism. He has held many academic and political positions since arriving in India in 1959 and has worked for decades in education, culture, social welfare and administration both in India and abroad.

Photo: Contact/ Lha

Rinpoche explained that the term “mindfulness” is derived from the Sanskrit language and that it is important to be able to distinguish between the Western concept of mindfulness and that followed by the Buddhist spiritual path. From a Buddhist perspective, mindfulness is where memory and awareness work together and assist in personal investigation. It is used throughout all stages of the path. He explained that the purpose of meditation is to keep the mind healthy, just as food sustains the body. The four aspects of mindfulness are body, feelings, mind and phenomena. Meditations on these assist in realising the Four Noble Truths: the truth of suffering; the causes of suffering; the cessation of suffering and the path to the cessation of suffering. Rinpoche explained that to understand the philosophy behind the four aspects of mindfulness, it is necessary to understand something of the mind. He expanded on this and gave practical details on how to begin and progress with the meditations. He advised those beginning to meditate to focus on each of these in a sequence, as the earlier meditations support those that follow. He also reminded practitioners that, in the Buddhist path, a positive intention, or motivation, to practise is crucial to gain merit, which should be dedicated to all sentient beings.

Photo: Contact/ Lha

The audience reported they gained much benefit from the talks. These were organised by Lha Charitable Trust, a social work charity based in McLeod Ganj, in collaboration with The Tibet Fund, the American based Tibet support and humanitarian organisation. The talks are available on Rinpoche’s website and Facebook page, which can be found through the links: www.facebook.com/Samdhongrinpoche and www.samdhongrinpoche.com/en/

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