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” /]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Pursuing the development of a more integrated personality prior to spiritual transcendence, Peter described sentient beings as “energy transformation” beings, emphasizing that the five hindrances (sense desire, aversion and ill will, sloth and torpor, restlessness and worry, and skeptical doubt) are “energy dumps”. The first steps on the path involve developing the ability to focus attention on breath awareness to concentrate and calm the mind, combined with the ability to be mindful of distractions away from breath awareness and to turn attention away from the distractions and back to the breath. Each hindrance was described as to characteristics and impact on the body/mind processes. Classical antidotes for the hindrances were also described. The freed up energy from ongoing breath awareness can then be available for cultivating vipassana, which is the ability to note the emergence, fulfillment, and dissolution of self states, in order to further personality integration.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130559/Second Night-Five Hindrances.mp3″ /]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this first Dhamma talk of the one-week retreat, Robert reviewed the five Precepts: Avoiding hurting others, avoiding hurtful speech, avoiding dishonesty and theft, avoiding hurtful speech avoiding hurtful sexual behavior, and avoiding dulling the mind with intoxicants. He also talked of the three Refuges: Buddha (the potential for all of us to wake up from our delusions), Dhamma (the ways and means for waking up) and Sangha (the supportive community of like-minded people). Then Peter talked of the progressive course of training during the week, that is, increasing concentration and tranquility, then the practice of vipassana, often called insight. He also described two stages of development: first, that of the integration of self-states, then, when the personality is more integrated, the development of spiritual transcendence.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130619/First-Night-Precepts-and-Retreat-Perspectives.mp3″ /]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Feb 14, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, various sangha members who have had retreat experience described why the intensive immersion in meditation practice that occurs on retreat is valuable for nurturing personal satisfaction and spiritual advancement.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130531/Why We Go On Retreat.mp3″ titles=”Why We Go On Retreat” /]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download ()
by Peter Carlson | Feb 13, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Robert described the developmental arc of Buddhism from the primary cultivation of ethical balance and transcendental insight through the realization of the absence of a separate self, finalized in the manifestation of compassion in the Mahayana tradition.
[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/02/11130538/The Third Turning Of The Wheel.mp3″ titles=”The Third Turning Of The Wheel” /]
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (0.0KB)
