by Peter Carlson | Mar 12, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma dialogue, Peter completed the review of the 52 cetasikas (mind conditioners), in order to clarify the meaning of “calming the mind conditioners” in the Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse). The focus was on the “six beautiful pairs” of mind conditioners, that is, the pairing of mind conditioners and the level of conscious awareness which is harmonious and integrated in functioning. These conditioners play a key role in the practice of vipassana and foster the process of awakening to direct realization of Wholesome Understanding, the first of the Wisdom characteristics of the Noble Eightfold Path.
The accompanying notes are attached just prior to this posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of two discussions about the wholesome cetasikas, the mind conditioners that foster the process of awakening. The seven factors are confidence, mindfulness, wholesome conscience, fear of consequences (respect for karma), non-attachment, non-aversion (lovingkindness), and equanimity. Peter described the process of identifying and cultivating these factors as “feeding the angels”.
During the discussion, Peter encouraged participants to develop the ability to quickly identify each mind conditioner as another way to see the impersonality of life experience, that is, that there are moments of awareness of the associated mind conditioners, not a separate, enduring self.
These conditioners are essential elements in the practice of vipassana, developing the process of awakening. Next week’s discussion will investigate the remaining wholesome conditioners, especially those 12 called “the beautiful pairs”.
The notes for this discussion are found in the next posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 26, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues the exploration of the section of the Anapanasati Sutta that refers to “…sensitive to the mind conditioners…calming the mind conditioners”. The focus of tonight’s discussion are the 14 unwholesome mind conditioners. During the dialogues, Peter emphasized that the elaborate categorization of the various mind conditioners isn’t intended to be just a scholarly, intellectual analysis, but rather a way to notice that each moment of self-experience is composed from different elemental conditioners. The practice of vipassana trains the mind to be agile enough and insightful enough to “see with the mind’s eye” how the various conditioners can be noted, demonstrating that there is no solid, enduring self.
This recording is accompanied by the preceding post, containing notes for the presentation. Next week’s exploration will begin to focus on the wholesome mind conditioners, as they function to overcome the unwholesome conditioners and build momentum towards awakening.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 19, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues the exploration of the Anapanasati Sutta. The topic this week is “…sensitive to the mind fabrications…calming the mind fabrications”, regarding the cetasikas, the categorically listed functions of the mind. Specific attention was given to the universal cetasikas, involved in every moment of cognition, and the particular or occasional cetasikas, which may or may not be involved. Peter emphasized that these functions were developed over the centuries after the historical Buddha as part of the Abhidhamma, the “higher teachings” of Buddhist psychology. They can be somewhat dry as a focus of study; their value is in “deconstructing” the belief in a separate, enduring self or soul.
This was followed by general discussion of how training awareness to discern the emerging formations increases the functional competency of the seven awakening factors, particularly “investigation of mental phenomena”.
Next week’s discussion will review the 14 “unwholesome mind conditioners”.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 12, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma dialogue, Peter explored the transition from cultivating a calm and stable focus of attention to the practice of vipassana, insight into the conditioned nature of subjective reality. He described the meanings of kamma (karma in Sanskrit), sankhara, cetasikas and cetana. Kamma and sankhara are almost synonymous and the cetasikas are categories of the different functions of the personality that are organized into kamma by cetana, intention.
This was followed by discussion of how kamma functions in action and how breath awareness interrupts the formation of self-states, allowing opportunities to modify the mind conditioners toward more wholesome and adaptive functions.
Next week’s discussion will focus in on the cetasikas, to foster a deepening insight into how self-states are formed, deconstructing the misperception of a separate, enduring self.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 5, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This week’s discussion focused on the stanzas in the Anapanasati Sutta related to the cultivation of piti and sukha, Pali words often translated as rapture and pleasure. During the talk, Peter related the commentaries that describe piti dramatically, associated with so-called “Visuddhimagga jhanas”, then suggesting an alternative view regarding “sutta jhanas”, which are more accessible and workable in regards to the process of awakening. Peter then reinforced the passage in the Anapanasati Sutta that describes the culmination of practice as being the maturing of the seven awakening factors, and that piti is one of those factors, generated by the skillful and persistent focus on the mind/body process set forth in previous stanzas of the sutta.
This talk is accompanied by Peter’s notes, posted after this posting.
Next week’s discussion will focus on the next stanza of the sutta, regarding the calming of mental fabrications.
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