by Peter Carlson | Sep 1, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is a first of a series of talks that review the cetasikas, “Those factors that condition the mind”. There are 52 mind conditioners in Theravada Buddhist doctrine, and this review focuses on the first two subsections, the Universal and Particular cetasikas. The remaining subsections, the Unwholesome and Wholesome cetasikas will be covered in future talks. The benefits of understanding these concepts are realized when they can actually be noted while practicing mindfulness meditation, as they indicate the impersonal and fabricated nature of self-experience.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing Mind Conditioners-Part 1
The focus of the next talk will begin a review of the Unwholesome mind conditioners, which are the primary cause of dukkha, the distress and confusion of life.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 58:05 — 53.2MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 25, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides a view of a core Buddhist concept that describes how karma is formed that differs from the traditional Theravaden understanding–instead of the terminology of Dependent Origination, a case is made for an alternative rendering, Contingent Provisional Emergence, which includes more contemporary concepts and research regarding the formative drives that create our personality structures. This view complements comments from the previous meeting of August 17, 2022 regarding the Five Aggregates of Clinging, part of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Contingent Provisional Emergence
Next week’s talk will begin a review of the Seven Awakening Factors, qualities of attention that significantly develop liberation from distress and confusion in the mind, leading to a transformative understanding regarding our self-state organizations.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 19, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation provides an experiential review of the characteristic elements found in the section of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness dedicated to contemplating what is regarded as a Buddhist theory of personality. it is intended to supplement the talk of October 18, 2022 titled “Reviewing the Five Aggregates of Clinging”.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:56 — 41.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 11, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk begins an extensive review of Dhammanupassana, the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, first with an analysis of Mindfulness of Mental Phenomena, followed by a review of the Five Hindrances. Cultivating insight into the way these factors condition the mind is a core practice that fosters the process of Awakening. Future talks will review the other factors in the Fourth Foundation: The Five Aggregates of Clinging, the Six Sense Bases, the Seven Awakening Factors and the Four Noble Truths. This recording is longer than usual in order to adequately review the topics involved. The accompanying notes provide even more information regarding the hindrances.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing What Conditions The Mind-Five Hindrances
Next week’s focus will be a review of the Five Aggregates of Clinging, Buddhism’s form of what contemporary psychology would term a Theory of Personality.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:29 — 61.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 4, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The Third Foundation of Mindfulness, cittanupassana, is a contemplation of the various ways consciousness reflects subjective experience; the goal of this contemplation is to realize that the mind is impersonal, not a self. This review also includes discussion of contemporary scientific concepts such as complexity theory, which validate the concepts about how the mind operates that were developed millennia ago by Buddhist practitioners.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Mindfulness Of The Mind Review
The focus for next week’s talk will be a review of the first concepts of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, contemplation of the Five Hindrances.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:37 — 54.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 21, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
In the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, Mindfulness of the Body is the first of the four foundations. This talk reviews important elements of this teaching, including mindfulness of breathing meditation, mindfulness while involved in everyday activities and mindfulness of breathing integrated with whole body awareness. The fundamental value of cultivating mindfulness of the body is that embodied sensory experience is much easier to be persistently and actively aware of than the other three foundations, and this is emphasized during the talk. There were several references to the guided contemplation focusing on mindfulness of the body that preceded the talk, but the frequent disturbance caused by a significant thunderstorm during the meditation severely disrupted the recording, so it was not posted.
Here are the notes prepared for this course: Reviewing Mindfulness of the Body
The topic for the next talk is the second foundation of mindfulness, mindfulness of feelings.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:39 — 59.2MB)
