by Peter Carlson | May 2, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues a long series of discussions of the Anapanasati Sutta, the Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse. The focus here is sati bojjhangha, the rmindfulness awakening factor, considered to be a primary element of the Seven Awakening Factors, monitoring and coordinating their function towards Awakening. Peter described the various ways sati is described: the four foundations of mindfulness, right mindfulness, the power of mindfulness to overcome the hindrances and to foster the development of wholesome self-state organizing processes. This was followed by a question and answer period to clarify the functions of mindfulness.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE MINDFULNESS AWAKENING FACTOR
Next week’s topic is Dhamma Vicaya Bojjhanga, the Investigation of Mental Phenomena Awakening Factor.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 25, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Robert Lockridge is the guest speaker for this evening. He is one of the guiding teachers of the Orlando Zen Center, which provides opportunities to practice Korean Zen as taught by Seung Sahn, who originated the Kwan Um School in the U. S. The title of the talk reflects basic principles and practices of Zen Buddhism, organized around questions such as “How do I determine what is the true direction of my life? Robert talked about Kong-An (Better known as Koan) practice, which is the presentation of a “question” to a student by a master in order to initiate an internal, often non-verbal investigation and response from the student to promote deeper understanding of the Dharma.
Next week’s talk will involve an in-depth exploration of Mindfulness as the premiere of the Seven Awakening Factors.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 18, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk begins a series of discussions exploring how increasingly skillful anapanasati (mindfulness of breathing) enhances the potency of the satta sambojjhanga (the seven Awakening factors). These capabilities for spiritual development begin being applied to setting aside the Five Hindrances; as this is accomplished, the Awakening factors are then applied to experientially realizing the Four Noble Truths through the mindful investigation of anicca (impermanence), dukkha (the distress and confusion caused by craving and clinging) and anatta (the absence of an enduring and autonomous self). The Awakening factors were briefly reviewed; future talks will address each of them in particular as they cooperate in furthering the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Anapanasati And Satta Sambojjhanga
Next week’s talk will feature a guest speaker, Robert Lockridge, one of the founding teachers of the Orlando Zen Center, which practices in the Korean Zen tradition. The talk is entitled “The Practice of Clear Direction: Only Go Straight, Just Do It”. Robert’s talks have been well-received in the past as he emphasizes direct seeing and action through the Dharma. It will be recorded and posted.
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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.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:33 — 118.2MB)
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)
