by Peter Carlson | Feb 23, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the exploration of how to increase the relevance of Buddhist wisdom in our era, this discussion explored the relationship between the concept of kamma (karma) and action. Emphasis was placed on using mindfulness to restrain impulsive action in order to promote behavior that cultivates kindness and compassion. This was related to current personal, cultural and spiritual conditions. This sets a foundation for thorough exploration of Right Livelihood in the next few talks.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 17, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This discussion reviewed classic Buddhist Suttas to describe the qualities of Right Speech and some insights from modern psychology that support the development of virtue. This talk should be integrated with the previously recorded discussions on the value of virtue and effective listening.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 9, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
In reviewing the Virtue aggregate of the Eightfold Path, this week’s focus is on effective listening. We live in a culture that doesn’t support a long attention span, which leads to poor interpersonal communication. Using Right Speech as a guideline, ways of cultivating mindfulness for effective listening were reviewed. Next week’s topic will be Right Speech.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 2, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This dialogue further explores how modern cultural influences affect our sense of the Buddhist Dhamma in the 21st century. The fact that humans experience selfhood through the ability to string together various moments of awareness into a narrative creates the need for virtue to integrate the process. When our personal narrative is distorted, lacking awareness of important memories that link past events to current events, suffering is inevitable. The virtue of Samma Vaca, Right Speech, provides a well-integrated narrative self, setting the foundation for further spiritual transcendence. Right Speech will be discussed in the next Dhamma dialogue.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 26, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This dhamma dialogue continues an ongoing exploration of the importance of using mindfulness practice to examine the classic Buddhist teachings so they can be adapted to a world experience that is much more complex than the time of the Buddha. Virtue is examined as the manifestation of wisdom (clear awareness plus benevolent intention) in our daily routines. This talk is laying the foundation for exploring the meaning of Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood in the 21st century, drawing on modern psychological research.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 19, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is a continuation of a discussion last week about the importance of each generation diving deeply into subjective experience via meditation practice to revitalize the liberating qualities of the Buddha’s teaching. Last week’s discussion involved the importance of clear awareness of emerging mind states in the cultivation of wisdom. This week’s exploration focused on how important benevolent intention is in evaluating what clear awareness reveals. Intention, cetana in Pali, organizes the different mental functions, preparatory to action. When clear awareness isn’t in play, the likelihood of suffering significantly increases, because intention is allied with desire or ill-will and aversion.
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