Dhamma Talks
Relationships Are Spiritual Practice
This is the first of two dialogues exploring the vital importance of relationship experience for developing an integrate sense of self, that is, ego. Peter combines Buddhist teachings with current psychological understanding of how necessary relationship is, from...
A Lifestyle For Awakening
Continuing the series of dhamma dialogues regarding the Four Noble Truths, this talk begins exploring what is traditionally called Right Livelihood, part of the virtue aggregate of the Eightfold Path. As previously, Peter emphasized the importance of developing new...
Karma And The Brain
During this dialogue about the practice of Right Action, Peter again emphasizes the importance of combining a deepening understanding of our internal processes through mindfulness practice with a revisiting of the classic concepts and jargon of the Buddha. Peter...
Karma In The 21st Century
During this talk, Peter again emphasized how different 21st century culture is from the time of the Buddha. During that era, it was assumed that a person's karma was determined by what clan he or she was born into, and karma was equivalent to fate. The Buddha's...
Right Speech in the 21st Century
This dhamma dialogue continues on the theme introduced last week on the contemporary meaning of the teachings of the Buddha found in the discourse on the Four Noble Truths. In particular, the topic reviews the classical characteristics of Samma Vaca, Right Speech,...
How We Know Virtue
In another of a series of dialogues during which Peter explores ways to transpose the wisdom of the Buddhist teaching called The Four Noble Truths, modern ways of validating the usefulness of virtue to support peace of mind and clarity regarding our daily lifestyle...
Interdependence Day, 2013
During this talk, Kitty explored the complexity of relationships that are inherent to reality and to human experience. Since this talk occurred on the eve of American Independence Day, Kitty commented upon how dependent the colonists in rebellion were to the...
Being An American Buddhist
Robert has been practicing his awakening process through involvement in Korean Zen and American Vipassana (Theravada) for the last ten years. He recently attended a one-day sitting practice with a Soto Zen master. During this talk, he describes the benefit he's...
Wisdom In The 21st Century
Continuing with the theme of relating the teachings that can be understood and applied in our current era, Peter noted that current psychological research on characteristics of wisdom relate easily to the classical Buddhist doctrines of Wholesome Understanding and...
The Middle Way In The 21st Century
Continuing the theme developed during Peter's talks this year, we explored the value of thinking of and applying ways to alleviate suffering using the Four Noble Truths. While beginning the discussions of the Noble Eightfold Path, we spent one night on the Middle...
