by Peter Carlson | Sep 1, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk follows on the preceding exploration of paticca sammupada, traditionally translated as dependent origination, a foundational concept of Buddhist liberation practices. During the previous talk, the organization of the 12 elements of the process of “selfing” was described, using non-linear terms. This talk reviewed the 12 elements, emphasizing how clear awareness of the transition from unprocessed sensory data through the mental conditioners to the misperception of an enduring, separate self can be resolved. The resolution emerges through mindful, non-reactive awareness of feelings and perceptions as just phenomena, not constituting an enduring self. During the discussion period, two levels of awakening were described: personal/psychological, and ultimate/spiritual.
Those interested in further study of this talk should go to the prior talk entitled “How Selfing Operates August 24 2016 and download the two .doc files on paticca sammupada and cetasikas.
Next week’s discussion will begin to elaborate understanding regarding the cetasikas, the categories withing which personal karmic potential are organized, with an emphasis on how this understanding can support the process of awakening.
by Peter Carlson | Jan 6, 2022 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Peter has committed to two-week self-retreats for the last 15 years. This talk reviews that experience during the retreat last December, using excerpts from Analayo’s “Mindfulness of Breathing–a practice guide and translations” to complement what occurred during the retreat, as that book was the primary reference source during the retreat. The intention of this review is to provide ways to understand how a meditative progression through the Four Tetrads of the Anapanasati Sutta, the Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse, was useful for deepening his practice and insights regarding the process of Awakening during the retreat. This presentation also includes questions posed by those participating in the meeting regarding the information in the Sutta.
Here are the extensive excerpts from the book provided by Peter for reference during the talk and for further inquiry by those interested in the approach used by Analayo to improve understanding and practice issues regarding this important discourse: 2021 Year end retreat review Analayo can be considered as one of the preeminent authorities of our era regarding the doctrines and practices found in the Theravada Buddhist tradition.
The topic for next week’s discussion will be a review of Lovingkindness, the first of what are called the Four Divine Abidings.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 1, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
NamaRupa is an important concept in Buddhist psychology. Nama represents the conditioning functions of the mind as Rupa, the experiencing of sensations is transformed into meaningful self-state organizations. NamaRupa is another way to describe the Five Aggregates, that is, form (sensations, that is, Rupa), feelings, perceptions, mind conditioners and consciousness (These four represent the various categories of Nama). During the talk, the importance of being mindfully aware of these different functions in order to not mistakenly believe that mental phenomena are inherently accurate representations of the objective world. This awareness, when clearly established through the Seven Awakening Factors, (mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/persistent Right Effort, joyful engagement, tranquility, stability of focus and equanimity/internal balance), leads to Awakening. Peter emphasized that on a mundane level, the ability to discern the difference between what is sensed and how the mind makes meaning regarding the sensation is a core skill for cognitive therapy, a frequent and reliable way to promote mental health.
Here are the notes prepared for this presentation: Understanding NamaRupa
Next week’s talk will involve a guest speaker, Andy Quinn, who will facilitate a discussion of the important place women occupy in contemporary Western Buddhism as practitioners, teachers and authors. During next week, Peter and other community members will be on the yearly one week retreat, which will be discussed during the following regular Wednesday night meeting.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 15, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the second in a series of discussions regarding the Anapanasati Sutta, (mindfulness of breathing), a core teaching for Buddhist meditation practitioners. During this talk, Peter described several aspects of mindfulness of breathing that supports increasing the frequency and stability of focus, both in the practice of samatha (cultivating concentration) and vipassana (cultivating insight into the conditioned nature of reality). The terms vitakka (aiming awareness at the onset of the in- and out-breaths) and vicara (thorough awareness of the experience of in-and out-breaths) were described as the initial stages for developing dhamma vicaya bojjhanga, (the investigation of mental phenomena awakening factor). Peter pointed out that cultivating sambojjhanga, (the seven awakening factors) is a major orientation in both the Anapanasati Sutta and the Satipatthana Sutta, (The Four Foundations of Mindfulness).
The teaching points of the Anapanasati Sutta will be explored over the next few months, with emphasis on the actual practice of mindfulness of breathing. To further this process, there will be training meditations provided during the normal 45 minute meditation practice period at 7 PM Wednesday nights. It’s uncertain whether the training meditations will be recorded. During next week’s meeting, January 21, meditators will be provided with Mentholatumto apply on the rim of the nostrils with Q-tips, to facilitate ongoing awareness of the cycle of breathing in and out.
by Peter Carlson | Apr 29, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Last week’s discussion was organized around how stressful contemporary life is, compared to the largely agrarian cultures that characterized the earliest centuries of what is now called Buddhism. The results of culturally induced stress in this consumeristic era were emphasized. This week’s topic was the prevalence of anxiety (18% of Americans were diagnotically anxious in 2007, the latest data found on the internet while preparing this talk; this was before the economic stress of 2008 and beyond!). Peter described the Buddhist perspective on anxiety, again related to the first and second noble truths, that is, stress and how craving and clinging bring about stress. This was followed by quotes from a recent peer reviewed research article, “Neural Correlates Of Mindfulness Meditation-Related Anxiety Relief”, published in 2013, which correlated the difference between “state” and “trait” anxiety and the neurological processes that occur.
Suggestions were offered regarding how the regular practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation can reduce the frequency, intensity and duration of anxiety. Peter also described the varieties of clinical anxiety, which are reviewed in this document: ANXIETY FROM A BUDDHIST PERSPECTIVE
Next week’s discussion will focus on depression from a Buddhist perspective.
