by Peter Carlson | Apr 12, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
As exploration of the Anapanasati Sutta, the Discourse on Mindfulness of Breathing is reaching its completion, a section is dedicated to relating advanced stages of subtlety and discipline in breath awareness to the satipatthana, the four foundations of mindfulness. In this talk, Peter reviews the 16 steps of the Anapanasati development to the attributes of the Four Foundations: mindfulness of the body, feelings, the mind and mind fabricators. The highly cultivated stages of awareness of anapanasati are applied to increase internal sensitivity, the stability of attention and the ability to “depersonalize” those cetasikas (mind fabricators), preparing for the fulfillment of vipassana practice, the direct realization of anicca (impermanence), dukkha (distress and confusion) and anatta (the absence of an enduring and autonomous self). This analytical process discussion was followed by comments from those attending the talk about their understanding of this practice.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: ANAPANASATI AND SATIPATTHANA
Next week’s talk will focus on the first of several discussions regarding the Seven Awakening Factors, which are described at the end of the Anapanasati Sutta.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 4, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on the Fourth Tetrad of the Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse. Peter emphasized how the first three tetrads cultivate sufficient stability and tranquility in the mind to support the practice of vipassana, the goal of which is to realize the Three Characteristics, anicca (Inconstancy), dukkha (Dispassion) and anatta (Cessation). This practice can be realized on a mundane level, achieving mental clarity, emotional tranquility and behavioral effectiveness, as well as on the supramundane level through the experience of Relinquishment (the fourth characteristic mentioned in the Fourth Tetrad), that is, experiential realization of the Unconditioned, Nirvana. This explanation was followed by discussion regarding how mindfulness of breathing can be applied in the practice of vipassana.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Anapanasati and the Three Characteristics
Next week’s talk will focus on the next section of the Anapanasati Sutta regarding the application of anapanasati to the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk completes the exploration of the 52 cetasikas (cheh-tah-see-kahs) that cooperatively aggregate into the selfing process. The cetasikas are referred to in the Anapanasati Sutta in the sections focused on being “sensitive to and calming the mind conditioners”. As the Wholesome Cetasikas mature with practice, the ability to be mindful of the emerging self-state potentials is enhanced (See “The Beautiful Pairs” posting of March 20). This higher level of functioning “revisits” the Virtue and Wisdom aggregates of the Noble Eightfold Path, making it less likely and eventually impossible for a person with those attainments to violate Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood. The enactment of compassion and sympathetic joy are also realized. The final cetasika on the list is Realized Understanding, the integration of Right Understanding thoroughly into one’s life. This explanation was followed by discussion among those attending regarding the implications of the capacity of well-developed mindfulness of breathing for fulfilling the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE BEAUTIFUL OCCASIONALS
Next week’s talk will explore the practice of mindfulness of breathing for the discovery of the Three Characteristics: Impermanence, the inability of life to be reliably satisfactory and the absence of an enduring and autonomous self.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:06 — 119.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Mar 21, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk highlights the beneficial results of mindfulness of breathing meditation in terms of increasing the functionality of the cetasikas, translated as mind conditioners. The Wholesome Cetasikas, combined with the Universal and Occasional Cetasikas provide support for the manifestation of what are called the Six Beautiful Pairs as the interaction of the above-mentioned mind conditioners are reflected in consciousness. For example, the first pairing is Tranquility of Mind Conditioners and Tranquility of Consciousness. Peter reviewed the pairs, adding material downloaded from Shaila Catherine’s “Wisdom Wide And Deep” that expresses traditional commentaries on these mind conditioners. Peter suggested that during a one week residential retreat, participants can become aware of an increasing degree of functioning of attention and heightened sensitivity to what arises in consciousness through diligent and persistent practice of mindfulness of breathing–the Six Beautiful Pairs.
This talk includes extensive exploratory discussion among those attending to clarify the concepts and associated meditation practices that manifest these mind conditioners.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Six Beautiful Pairs
Next week’s talk will focus on the remaining six mind conditioners.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 14, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The presentation title of this talk is “Starving the Demons, Feeding the Angels”, as part of the Anapanasati Sutta focused on “calming the mind conditioners”. Peter mentioned that during the first years of his vipassana practice he was “warding off the demons” and then began “feeding the angels”, that is, the wholesome mind conditioners. This discussion covers the first of the Wholesome Cetasikas: Confidence, Mindfulness, Moral Shame, Fear of Blame, Non-Attachment, Non-Aversion and Equanimity. These mind conditioners combine with the Universal Cetasikas: Feelings, Perceptions, Contact, Volition, Concentration, Vitality and Attention in every moment of self-organizing processes. They are often combined with the Occasional Cetasikas: Bringing attention to a focal point, Sustaining attention, Determination, Energy, Enthusiasm and Zeal.
Peter reviewed these mind conditioning factors, emphasizing that the ability to mindfully note the presence of them clearly as details of perception increases the ability to deconstruct the Wrong View of an enduring and autonomous self; the practice of vipassana incorporates these conditioners at high levels of insight, manifesting as liberation from dukkha, distress and confusion.
This was followed by discussion regarding how to use mindfulness of breathing practice to facilitate this investigation.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: WHOLESOME-MIND-CONDITIONERS
Next week’s discussion will explore the “Beautiful Pairs” of cetasikas, which are not universal and manifest as the result of increasingly activating the Universal Wholesome Cetasikas to a high level of functioning. Peter regards them as the results of intensive and persistent application of mindfulness meditation, most likely experienced first on a one-week or longer residential retreat.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:05:36 — 120.1MB)
