Practice

Five Faculties of a Meditator

A meditator must have the five faculties strong, powerful, sharpened and balanced.

They are:

• Saddhindriya - firm and strong faith based on right understanding.
• Viriyindriya - strong and strenuous effort in the practice.
• Satindriya - sustained and uninterrupted mindfulness.
• Samadhindriya - deep concentration.
• Pannindriya - penetrative wisdom, insight.

These faculties must be balanced to attain insight. Faith or confidence must be balanced with wisdom, energy with concentration. Mindfulness need not be balanced with any other factor. It is the most important faculty that leads the other four to their goal.

Typical Retreat Timetable

4:00 a.m. wake up
4:30 a.m. walking
5:30 a.m. sitting
6:30 a.m. walking
7:00 a.m. breakfast
8:00 a.m. walking
9:00 a.m. sitting
10:00 a.m. walking
11:00 a.m. lunch
12:00 p.m. rest
1:00 p.m. sitting
2:00 p.m. walking
3:00 p.m. sitting
4:00 p.m. walking
5:00 p.m. drinks served
5:30 p.m. walking
6:30 p.m. sitting
7:30 p.m. walking
8:00 p.m. Dhamma lecture
9:30 p.m. sitting
10:30 p.m. private meditation or rest

Actual timetables will be set daily by each Teacher