Treasure Mountain is a podcast channel aimed at people interested in spiritual development from a Buddhist perspective. Most of the guests are practising Buddhists with many years (even many decades) of experience. Part of the aim of Treasure Mountain is to encourage Buddhists everywhere in the English-speaking world to look beyond the confines of their local Buddhist group and see that there is a renaissance in Buddhist practice and culture occurring at a global level, and that there are many inspiring teachers and community leaders across many countries adapting to 21st century life whilst trying to stay true to the origins of Buddha’s teaching. Treasure Mountain also seeks to raise awareness about some of the lesser known but dedicated teachers and community leaders and their worthy projects, and to provide listeners with an opportunity to give to these causes.
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Treasure Mountain is a podcast channel aimed at people interested in spiritual development from a Buddhist perspective. Most of the guests are practising Buddhists with many years (even many decades) of experience. Part of the aim of Treasure Mountain is to encourage Buddhists everywhere in the English-speaking world to look beyond the confines of their local Buddhist group and see that there is a renaissance in Buddhist practice and culture occurring at a global level, and that there are many inspiring teachers and community leaders across many countries adapting to 21st century life whilst trying to stay true to the origins of Buddha’s teaching. Treasure Mountain also seeks to raise awareness about some of the lesser known but dedicated teachers and community leaders and their worthy projects, and to provide listeners with an opportunity to give to these causes.
Samatha: developing calm and tranquillity in meditation | Prof. Peter Harvey
Treasure Mountain Podcast
38 minutes 44 seconds
2 years ago
Samatha: developing calm and tranquillity in meditation | Prof. Peter Harvey
In this episode of Treasure Mountain we will explore the purpose and nature of samatha meditation, and it’s relation to other forms of meditation - notably vipassana meditation - and to the Buddhist path as a whole.
And our guest to help us have a deeper appreciation of samatha meditation is Professor Peter Harvey. Professor Harvey did a philosophy degree at Manchester University. Whilst there, he became a Buddhist after attending talks at the Buddhist Society and learning mindfulness of breathing Buddhist meditation. This then inspired him to visit India and do a doctorate in Buddhist Studies at the University of Lancaster, under Ninian Smart. From 1976 to 2011, he was a lecturer in Religious Studies at the Polytechnic then University of Sunderland. He taught Indian religions, the study of religion and also some Philosophy, and ended up Professor of Buddhist Studies, running an online MA Buddhist Studies. On top of all that he has taught Buddhist meditation in the Samatha Trust tradition since 1977, in Durham and Sunderland, and since 2015 in York and online. Peter Harvey’s publications on Buddhism include 'An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices' and 'An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics; Foundations, Values and Issues'. Whilst Peter retired from academia in 2011, he is still teaching meditation online through the Samatha Trust. He now spends his time writing and editing Buddhist material, teaching meditation to beginners and more experienced meditators, in recent years over Zoom, as well as gardening, and travelling around Yorkshire.
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Links related to this episode:
The Samatha Trust
Videos and publications of the Samatha Trust
Books written by Peter Harvey:
An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices
An Introduction to Buddhist Ethics: Foundations, Values and Issues
The Selfless Mind
Books related to the topic of samatha meditation:
Paul Dennison, Jhāna Consciousness: Buddhist Meditation in the Age of Neuroscience. Shambhala, 2022: the jhānas, aspects of the Samatha Trust method, and brain scans of Samatha meditators- by a senior Samatha Trust teacher.
L.S. Cousins, Meditations of the Pali Tradition: Illuminating Buddhist Doctrine, History and Practice, Shambhala, 2022: an excellent survey of the history of mainly Theravāda samatha and vipassanā practices over the millennia up to today, by a senior Samatha Trust teacher
L. S. Cousins, 1984 paper, ‘Samatha-yāna and vipassanā-yāna’: https://www.academia.edu/1417366/Samatha_y%C4%81na_and_Vipassana_y%C4%81na ).
Peter Harvey, An Introduction to Buddhism: Teachings, History and Practices, 2nd edition, Cambridge University Press, 2013. Chapter...
Treasure Mountain Podcast
Treasure Mountain is a podcast channel aimed at people interested in spiritual development from a Buddhist perspective. Most of the guests are practising Buddhists with many years (even many decades) of experience. Part of the aim of Treasure Mountain is to encourage Buddhists everywhere in the English-speaking world to look beyond the confines of their local Buddhist group and see that there is a renaissance in Buddhist practice and culture occurring at a global level, and that there are many inspiring teachers and community leaders across many countries adapting to 21st century life whilst trying to stay true to the origins of Buddha’s teaching. Treasure Mountain also seeks to raise awareness about some of the lesser known but dedicated teachers and community leaders and their worthy projects, and to provide listeners with an opportunity to give to these causes.
