Śamatha, Vipaśyanā & Mettā Bhāvanā — Morning Meditation Talks (IBA Kathmandu, TCP 2026)

A 15-part series of short meditation talks and sits, recorded live each morning at the International Buddhist Academy, Kathmandu, during The Complete Path (TCP) 2026 course. Taught by Ven. Ngawang Tenzin (Sakya tradition), each session pairs a short teaching with a guided or silent meditation, following the classical nine stages of śamatha (calm abiding, tranquility — sometimes rendered “stopping,” in Thich Nhat Hanh’s translation) from the Yogācāra/Bhāvanākrama tradition, alongside teachings on the five hindrances, the seven factors of awakening, and mettā bhāvanā (loving-kindness meditation) as one of the four brahmavihāra. The series also explores vipaśyanā (insight — “looking deeply” or “seeing,” in the same style) as it pairs with śamatha in the northern/Mahayana approach. Suitable both for newcomers to meditation and for practitioners wanting a structured, stage-by-stage map of śamatha-vipaśyanā (calm abiding and insight) training.

A rough pronunciation guide (approximate, not authoritative): śamatha ≈ SHAH-muh-tuh, vipaśyanā ≈ vih-PASH-yuh-nah, mettā bhāvanā ≈ MET-tah bah-VAH-nah.

For the full Sanskrit/Pali/Tibetan glossary and nine-stages reference table, see the Glossary and Summary for Morning Meditations.

Teacher: Ven. Ngawang Tenzin (Sakya tradition) · International Buddhist Academy (IBA), Kathmandu · The Complete Path course, 2026 · English

Full transcripts are included on each session’s own page.

Sessions

1. Introduction, Finding the Breath — Talk + guided sit
2. Four Establishments of Mindfulness, Nine Stages Stage One (Sthāpayati) — Talk + silent sit
3. Nine Stages, Stage Two, Continuous Placing (Saṃsthāpayati) — Talk + guided sit
4. Nine Stages, Stage Three (Avasthāpayati), Six Powers — Talk + silent sit
5. Intro to Mettā Bhāvanā — Talk + guided sit
6. Nine Stages, Stage Four (Upasthāpayati), Antidotes to Laziness — Talk + silent sit
7. Hindrances, Laziness and Antidotes — Talk + guided sit
8. Nine Stages, Stage Five (Damayati), Five Hindrances — Talk + silent sit
9. Mettā Bhāvanā Review — Talk + guided sit
10. Nine Stages, Stage Six (Śamayati), Śamatha-Vipaśyanā Northern and Southern Schools — Talk + silent sit
11. Nine Stages, Stage Seven (Praśamayati), Balance, Hindrances and Antidotes — Talk + silent sit
12. Stage Eight, Jhāna Factors — Talk + guided sit
13. Stage Nine, Perception and Labeling — Talk + silent sit
14. Mettā Bhāvanā Finale — Talk + guided sit
15. Closing, Practice Off the Cushion — Talk + guided sit (mettā-spreading)