Dhamma Talks

Overcoming Sense Desire June 6 2018

The talk explored the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, with specific emphasis on being mindful of what triggers sense desire, how it operates in the brain and what can be done to overcome this hindrance to mental clarity and tranquility. Here are the notes prepared...

The Nature Of The Mind April 23 2018

The Third Foundation Of Mindfuilness is Cittanupassana, Mindfulness Of The Mind.  During this talk, Peter explained how the traditional understandings of cittanupassana foster the process of Awakening.  The mind is the receptive characteristic of human experience, and...

How Selfing Comes To Be May 16 2018

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,...

Understanding Feelings

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...

Understanding The Four Elements

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...

Understanding Clear Comprehension

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...

Understanding Mindfulness Of Breathing

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...