by Peter Carlson | May 17, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is meant to follow up on the post of May 9 entitled Understanding Feelings, which explained the function of feelings, particularly affect, the potency of whatever draws one’s attention to a particular focus. A core teaching of Buddhism is paticca samuppada, traditionally translated as dependent origination. Peter described an alternative understanding of this process, contingent provisional emergence. This process helps understand the crucial role that mindfulness of feelings plays in the process of self organization as a key element in the formation of karma. This description was elaborate and in-depth, and was followed by considerable dialogue for clarifying the concept and suggesting various ways to make best use of it in furthering the process of Awakening.
Here are the extensive notes prepared for this talk: Contingent Provisional Emergence
Next week’s talk will explore the Third Foundation of Mindfulness, Cittanupassana, Mindfulness of the Mind.
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by Peter Carlson | May 10, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on the Second of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness, Vedanupassana, Mindfulness of Feelings. The Buddhist view of feelings isn’t just about emotions; more emphasis is placed on affect, the potency or impulsive urgency associated with any moment of experience. When unskillfully managed and conditioned by clinging, affect manifests as craving, that is, for pleasant experience to arise and continue or for unpleasant feeling to be avoided or gotten rid of. Peter described some of the important neural brain structures associated with affect and cognition, emphasizing that affect is the “driver” of cognition, as suggested by traditional Buddhist doctrine and current neuroscientific research. This makes mindfulness of feelings a crucial skill to develop, that is, to perceive feelings as just mental phenomena, not a self, not “my feelings”. Modern research demonstrates that mindfulness of breathing meditation develops areas of the brain that function to regulate the degree of reactivity to affect, thereby interrupting craving and clinging.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Feelings
Next week’s talk will focus on a review of paticca samuppada, dependent origination, a key concept of Buddhism describing how the selfing process operates and demonstrating the crucial role mindfulness of feelings plays in the process of Awakening. Peter will explain a different view of this concept that he calls contingent provisional emergence, which combines traditional Buddhist views with a contemporary complexity theory of personality organization.
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by Peter Carlson | May 3, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk is the last focused on the First Foundation of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse (Satipatthana Sutta), Mindfulness of the Body (Kayanupassana). The Four Elements and the Nine Charnel Grounds Contemplations were read and discussed. Peter provided a brief introductory meditation to facilitate using Earth, Air, Fire and Water as subjective contemplations, followed by discussion. The talk then shifted to the Charnel Grounds Contemplations–Peter suggested these have no contemporary relevance, so the discussion then focused on how one can currently contemplate mortality in ways to motivate bringing mindfulness practices into one’s daily life routine.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: Understanding The Four Elements
Next week’s discussion will begin a review of the Second Foundation of Mindfulness, Mindfulness of Feelings, (Vedanupassana).
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 27, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The focus of this talk continues to explore the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, more specifically the First Foundation, Mindfulness of the Body. Sati Sampajanna (sah-tee sahm-pah-jahn-yah) is typically translated as Mindful Clear Comprehension, and is particularly focused on awareness of how we move through the day. This practice focuses on cultivating mindful awareness of the intentionality of everyday thoughts and behaviors. The relatively simple investigation of intentions associated with behavior trains the mind to be more alert and appropriately responsive the the intentionality accompanying each thought as regards Right Action, part of the Noble Eightfold Path.
The commentaries about sati sampajanna describe four considerations regarding this practice: suitability of purpose, suitability of means for achieving the intended purpose, mindfully monitoring the process of activating the suitable means and how this activity will be conducive to realizing the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Clear Comprehension
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 19, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second in an extensive series of talks investigating the Satipatthana Sutta, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. Tonight’s focus is on the First Foundation, Mindfulness of the Body, specifically Mindfulness of Breathing meditation. Peter went through the stanzas focused on that core practice to illuminate the meaning and application of each part. The importance of the four applications of “diligence, clear awareness, mindfulness and setting aside covetousness and grief for the world” to realize the benefits of the practice was emphasized.
This was followed by discussion to clarify the terms and practice.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Mindfulness of Breathing
Next week’s talk will focus on the next two topics of the First Foundation regarding posture and of clear comprehension.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 12, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of an extensive series of in-depth explorations of one of the core teachings of Buddhism-the Satipatthana Sutta. Tonight’s discussion covers the basic structure of the discourse, referring to Bhikkhu Analayo’s “Satipatthana-The Direct Path To Realization” as well as other resources. The intention of these talks is to foster deeper conceptual understanding of the teachings along with a strong commitment to meditation practice to realize the benefits that can be gained from this process.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding the Satipatthana Sutta
Here is a copy of the translated Sutta: Nanamoli Satipatthana Sutta
Next week’s discussion will begin exploring the First Foundation, Mindfulness of the Body, with specific emphasis on mindfulness of breathing practice.
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