by Mary Ann | Sep 30, 2011 | Study Resources
Minding Closely: The Four Applications of Mindfulness, by B. Alan Wallace, 2011, Snow Lion Publications, Ithaca, New York. (Also available on Kindle
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Reviewed by Peter Carlson
There are many excellent books that are commentaries on the Satipatthana Sutta, one of the core teachings of Theravada Buddhism. This one is written by someone who is a well respected author in the Tibetan tradition of Buddhism, the Vajrayana. Alan Wallace has the insights about this sutta from both the Theravada practices (he sat retreats with several acknowledged teachers of this tradition, including S. N. Goenka and Balangoda Ananda Maitreya) and from the teachings he received from his Tibetan teachers, including the Dalai Lama.
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by Mary Ann | Aug 21, 2011 | Study Resources
Some years ago, I wrote an article for our newsletter entitled “Riding the Waves of Change,” reflecting on the basic Buddhist practice of noting impermanence. Because the practice is so central to the Buddhist path to liberation from suffering, I began to use this name for the one week retreats we produce. Since another of those retreats is coming up at the end of October, I thought that it might be helpful to revisit the topic and revise the article, which is below.
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by Mary Ann | Aug 21, 2011 | Study Resources
Buddhism Without Beliefs: A Contemporary Guide to Awakening
Reviewed by: Lillian Perez
In this concise book, Stephen Batchelor, a former monk in the Zen and Tibetan traditions, presents an existential and agnostic interpretation of Buddhism that is provocative, well thought out and lucid. Those seeking to learn or be reminded of the precepts of Buddhism will welcome Batchelor’s unambiguous and compelling writing. Writing in simple terms, Batchelor reminds us that the Buddha’s most important legacy was to teach a way of being, as opposed to something to believe in. Batchelor observes that “there is nothing particularly religious or spiritual about this path.” It is a way of life that encompasses everything in its constant state of flux. “The four ennobling truths are not propositions to believe; they are challenges to act” that lay the ethical groundwork for living authentically.
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by Mary Ann | Aug 6, 2011 | Study Resources
by Peter Carlson
My intention in writing these notes is to help clarify my experiences and readings about the five hindrances to cultivating a stable and peaceful mind, preparatory to practicing vipassana. One of the seeming paradoxes of Buddhist practice is the importance of setting aside the mental preoccupations that are called hindrances in order to settle the mind preparatory to practicing noting the arising and passing away of mental phenomena. (more…)
by Mary Ann | Jul 4, 2011 | Study Resources
By Tommy Harrison
Looking closely at an old riverbed rock, you notice how smooth it is after experiencing the flow of water over its jagged edges over eons of time. What starts out as a rough and jagged form slowly loses its edges over time. Once smoothed, riverbed rocks experience minimal friction with the flow of water. Kindness is a similar force that influences our well-being over time. (more…)
by Mary Ann | Jul 2, 2011 | Study Resources
The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-Arising is an e-book in PDF format that I found while researching for the talk on paticca sammupada, typically translated as dependent origination (My translation is contingent provisional emergence, which isn’t literal, but I think conveys the process more effectively). It is the Buddha’s way of explaining how the law of karma operates. I believe that.
It’s a copy of an analysis written by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, who is a Westerner and well respected translator and commentator. The author’s view is similar to one I’ve held for several years. Typically, this process is described as sequential, that is, one part of the process depends on the preceding part, completing a circle which repeats rapidly. This commentator’s view relates to modern physics and the concept of non-linear processes, known as complexity theory. I find it to be well thought through, and provides frequent excerpts from the various suttas that exemplify his premise. I hope those who read it find it as helpful as it is for me. –Peter Carlson
Download the PDF: The Shape of Suffering: A Study of Dependent Co-Arising