by Peter Carlson | Mar 14, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter continues the discussion begun in the last meeting on the Second Noble Truth. Again it was emphasized that there are three levels of approach to the Four Noble Truths: to be understood conceptually, to be noted upon emerging into awareness, and for the first two to be mastered. This talk explored the concepts associated with clinging, particularly from a neuropsychological perspective. The value of this approach is to demonstrate the impersonality of the various neural networks involved as initial sensory input is processed through association to prior experience. This is another way to look at the Buddhist concept of karma and the resultant effects, known as vipaka.During the next talk Peter will present in a few weeks, we will discuss the Third Noble Truth as a progression from personality integration (the mastery of virtue) to spiritual attainment (the mastery of wisdom).
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/03/11130524/The Nature Of Clinging.mp3″ /]
by Peter Carlson | Mar 7, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviewed the classic Buddhist concepts of craving and clinging in the context of the Second Noble Truth. Special emphasis was placed on the insights of modern neuropsychological research that relates Buddhist notions of craving to the experience of addictive craving. The three aspects of spiritual progress were reviewed as well: craving and clinging are to be understood conceptually, brought directly into mindful awareness, and noting and renouncing craving and clinging is to be mastered. Next week, Peter will continue to explore the nature of the Second Noble Truth as regards clinging.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/03/11130521/The Nature Of Craving.mp3″ /]
by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During another extensive Dhamma dialogue, Peter explained that the cultivation of concentration (samadhi) creates a platform of non-reactivity around the emergence of self-states that might otherwise cause strong craving and clinging tendencies. The unintegrated personality lacks cohesiveness, that is, one’s stated goals are not matched by their actual behaviors. As the various self-states are less conflicted, or overwhelmed by strong emotional urgency, raga, the mind is better prepared to see internally that all self-states are fabrications. As these fabrications are observed dispassionately (viraga), then their provisional nature is realized, leading up through what are called the progressions of insight, eventually leading to the experience of awakening, called Nirvana. This was again followed by a very lively discussion of the process of awakening.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130540/Sixth-Night-PersonalityIntegrationThenTranscendence.mp3″ titles=”Sixth Night Personality Integration Then Transcendence” /]
by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this rather extensive Dhamma talk, Peter reviewed the concept of paticca sammupada, usually translated as dependent origination. He explained why he prefers to name the process “contingent provisional emergence”. This concept is key to the Buddhist understanding of karma, the law of cause and effect. The formation of a momentary self-state, it’s fulfillment as a moment of “selfing” in awareness, then the dissolution of that composite of conditioning factors was described in depth. Emphasis was placed on how important mindfulness of sense inputs is for the practice, and the critical emphasis placed on understanding the emerging self-state as provisional and the value of dispensing with unwholesome states as soon as possible. This furthers the process of personality integration, which is followed by nurturing wholesome states to fruition. The concepts of craving and clinging were described, with tanha, unquenchable thirst for craving and upadana, fuel or nutriment, for clinging. Peter described the “glue” of craving and clinging as raga, passion, heat or fire. The antidote for raga is viraga, dispassion, or the absence of fueling the fire. This was followed by a lively discussion of this process and it’s implications for alleviating distress.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130535/Third-Night-How-The Self-Is-Formed-Deformed-And-Reformed.mp3″ titles=”Third Night How The Self Is Formed Deformed And Reformed” /]