The Five Aggregates of Clinging Notes
Here are the notes accompanying the recording of the dialogue regarding the Five Aggregates of Clinging (Audio).
THE FIVE AGGREGATES OF CLINGING
From Demons to Angels
As a response to requests from various sangha members, I’ve written an article that includes the graphic regarding the “five powers” and how we can progress our practice beyond the influence of the five hindrances and towards the fostering of the seven factors of awakening.
Click to download: FROM DEMONS TO ANGELS
Dharma Work Period
- 2:30 PM to sunset
- Saturday June 21, 2014
- Orlando Insight Meditation Hall
When I attended my first 10 day Meditation Retreat 1n 1994, as taught by S.N. Goenka, ironically with Peter, I was filled incredible gratitude, a deep burning to practice and give to others this incredible Dharma. In fact after that course I located the most unsightly dirty industrial stove in the camp and proceeded to scrub until I could scrub no more.
For most of the next 17 years I was very involved with Dharma Service in the Goenka Sangha. The Southeast Vipassana Group went from “gyspy course” to having a full fledged center in South Georgia called Dhamma Patapa. There were many opportunities to serve, I was usually the lead person to set up for the two 10-day gypsy courses before Dhamma Patapa was established.
I was filled with so much gratitude for being taught the priceless technique of Vipassana Meditation, that it only made sense to give back. It did not hurt that Mr. Goenka would say that those folks who serve typically have a deeper practice. I found that the paramita of Dana or generosity was something that made me feel much more connected to other yogis.
We would usually get to Camp St. John at the Marywood Retreat Center on the St. Johns River the previous day and start setting up. The rustic camp was in a huge oak hammock with the River in slight view. At night one could see or hear nothing, it was so dark and quiet. The group of 5-10 servers would meditate for an hour in the evening and the morning, and share food we prepared together. We had our little retreat before the retreat that left us feeling connected and fulfilled.
When I reflect upon my childhood my most important memories were church service memories. Whether cleaning up the retreat center or serving chili at the state fair, I felt this intimacy to my spiritual community, and a deeper belief in the teachings because of service. For my path it is like service is a part of that consciousness that just knows.
So when Ananda asked the Buddha about the community, the Buddha replied that the community is everything. The Sangha is a necessary and wonderful part of the Path to Enlightenment. I am very grateful to Peter and Orlando Insight for exposing me to this priceless Dharma. I do not think we could possibility have a harder working teacher than Peter. We build our community through service to each member of the Sangha including Peter.
Lately Peter has been discussing Skeptical Doubt. The antidote for Doubt is to discuss the Dharma with teachers and yogis on the Path. I have found that when I am involved through sitting or service with a community, I typically do not have as much doubt. When I am disconnected from the Sangha, then my sitting practice can get inconsistent and I begin to have doubt about the practice, the teacher and my ability to grow on the Path.
Saturday afternoon, I will be at the Meditation Hall to clean. I asked Peter if we can do some cleaning while all the cushions at being used at the weekend retreat. If anyone would like to come earlier please let me know. The goal will be to clean three large rugs, sweep and mop the floors, wipe down surfaces and clean the bathroom. I have a thermos for cold water and cups. Hope to see you there.
Metta, Andy Quinn
Lakeland 863-683-9600
Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization
Satipatthana: The Direct Path to Realization, by Analayo, is becoming admired as an excellent addition to the already existing commentaries on a fundamental discourse of the Buddha, the Four Foundations of Mindfulness.
Analayo was born in Germany and has been a monk in Southeast Asia for many years. This book combines the scholastic manifestation of his PhD. Studies, combined with his ongoing meditation practice on retreats. It isn’t an introductory book, and has quite a few footnotes, but I think it is quite useful for anyone who wants to really understand this profound teaching as one’s practice of mindfulness deepens.
He just published a companion book, Perspectives On Satipatthana, which expands the depth of personal and scholastic research in particular topics that couldn’t be explored in the context of the earlier book. I’m currently reading the second book, and highly recommend the first book.
Here you can download a free copy of the ebook. I hope you enjoy it, and I wish you well. Peter
Two Days of Teaching: “Mahamudra and The Six Yogas of Sister Niguma”
Join the Greater Central Florida Buddhist Community as we welcome Lama Glenn Mullin to the Orlando area for two days of teachings on “Mahamudra and The Six Yogas of Sister Niguma”
- April 12 and 13, 2014 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM
- Suggested Donation $30.00 per day
Lama Glenn Mullin is a Tibetologist, Buddhist writer, translator of Classical Tibetan Literature and teacher of Tantric Buddhist Meditation. He divides his time between writing, teaching, meditating, and leading tour groups to power places of Nepal and Tibet. Canadian born, he presently lives in Mongolia.
A New Approach to Fostering Buddhist Principles
This text accompanies the audio: The Precepts as Commitments
The five precepts have been adopted for millennia by those who desire to cultivate wisdom, that is, clear awareness and benevolent intention. They are traditionally phrased as abstentions, that is, the focus is on noting the emergence of unwholesome self-states and turning attention away from them and alternatively orienting towards wholesome self-states. This is based on the assumption that we must cultivate an ethical foundation that fosters mental clarity, kindness, compassion and generosity in order to have the internal stability and discipline to cultivate spiritual transcendence.