by Peter Carlson | Oct 6, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, several people who participated in the annual weekend residential retreat at the Franciscan Center in Tampa reviewed their experience during and after the retreat. It is hoped that the opportunity to “think out loud” about the experience, perhaps supported by comments from the teacher and other participant, will enhance the integration of the subtle but significant changes from the retreat into daily life experience. It is also hope the comments will inspire others in their practice and increase a commitment to participate in a residential retreat, an important supportive experience for cultivating the awakening process.
Next week’s discussion will continue the explanations of the cetasikas, that is, the categories of conditioning functions in the mind. The focus will be on the universal unwholesome cetasikas which appear in every self-state organization the manifests dukkha, that is confusion about the true nature of reality and the distress that arises from that confusion.
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 30, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the exploration of the 52 cetasikas, categories that condition how the mind creates a self continues. The focus is the Universal Cetasikas, that is mind conditioning categories that occasionally coordinate with the Universal Cetasikas. These occasional cetasikas are vitakka, (aiming attention at a mind object), vicara, (sustained attention regarding a mind object), adhimokkha, (conviction or determination regarding a mind object’s formation), viriya (energy or persistence regarding the emerging mind object formation), piti, (enthusiasm regarding the emerging mind object formation) and chanda, (will to do, that is, the activating of the emerging mind object formation).
These mind conditioners co-operate with the Universal Cetasikas; these combinations are then aligned either with unwholesome cetasikas (producing dukkha, that is, confusion and distress) or wholesome cetasikas (producing liberation from dukkha).
Peter talked about how the simple practice of mindfulness of breathing supports liberation because mindfulness (a wholesome mind conditioner), when combined with vitakka, vicara and viriya supports deeper insights into how self-state organization is manifested, in the moment of becoming a self.
This was followed by discussion by the other meditators regarding how this understanding of self-organization processes is of benefit for dedicated meditators.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: the-occasional-cetasikas
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 22, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues to explore the functioning of the cetasikas, the categories of factors that condition the mind. The focus this week in on the “Universal Cetasikas”, that is, the cetasikas that cooperate in the formation of a self in every moment of consciousness: Contact, Volition, Concentration, Vitality and Attention. The remaining universal cetasikas, Feeling and Perception, were discussed in depth during the last talk, September 14. Peter emphasized that these conditioners align and cooperate with other cetasikas, whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in their function.
The explanations were followed by group discussion to clarify the functions and application of the cetasikas during the process of awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this week’s talk: universal-conditioning-functions.
Additionally, here is the .doc file listing the 52 cetasikas in total: CETASIKAS POSTER
Next week’s talk will function on the group of cetasikas called “Occasional” or “Particular” cetasikas, which may or may not be included in a moment of self-state organization.
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 15, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues the exploration of the Abhidhamma, Buddhist psychology, focused on the first two of the 52 cetasikas (categories of mental function), vedana (feelings) and sanna (perceptions). These factors provide a bridge between sensory stimulation and the way the mind interprets and creates meaningful self-states. The purpose of Abhidhamma study is to provide conceptual support for the application of mindfulness in the process of awakening. The initial explanation is followed by lively discussion among those present regarding how to make best use of this information.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: feelings-and-perceptions-bridging-sensations-and-the-mind
Next week’s discussion will describe the “Universal Cetasikas”, whose function, like feeling and perception, operates in every moment of consciousness.
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 9, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described the Abhidhamma, the Buddhist approach to psychology. A distinction was made between the term cetasika, which is a category where memories are “stored” and sankhara, the content of the stored memory. This analysis was followed with a lively discussion period.
The next talk will begin more in-depth exploration of the cetasika categories, leading to ways to understand how Abhidhamma can foster deeper understanding of the awakening process.
Here are the notes for this talk: abhidhamma-cetasikas
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