Advanced Buddhism

One of the earliest of all Buddhist texts, the Atthakavagga, or Book of Eights, is a remarkable document, not only because it comes from the earliest strain of the literature - before the Buddha, as the title suggests, came to be thought of as a "Buddhist" - but also because its approach to awakening is so simple and free of adherence to any kind of ideology. Instead the Atthakavagga points to a direct and simple approach for attaining peace without requiring the adherence to doctrine.

Self-Inquiry provides practical methods for making use of abiding inner silence (the Witness) cultivated in deep meditation, resulting in increased inner stability and happiness amidst the ups and downs of life. The practice of self-inquiry also aids us in realizing the ultimate truth of existence - the oneness that we are and the unity of all that exists. With the dawn of the Witness, we develop an increasing ability to observe our thoughts as objects.