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 Wholesome Intentions (which he terms Clear Awareness and Benevolent Intention).
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This talk reviews the Seven Awakening Factors: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Energy/Effort, Joy/Enthusiastic Interest, Tranquility, Concentration/Stability of Attention and Equipoise/Balance of Factors. Each factor is briefly reviewed, describing its characteristics and function. The intention originally was to include a review of the Progressions of Insight, a Theravadin system for identifying states of mind that are increasingly subtle, oriented toward realizing directly the characteristics of impermanence (anicca), the absence of an enduring/autonomous self (anatta), and the distress and confusion that results from the mind’s subjugation by craving and clinging (dukkha). Regrettably, due to the complexity of the reviews, there was insufficient time to adequately review the Progressions of Insight. You are invited to download and review the extensive notes regarding the Seven Awakening Factors and the Progressions of Insight prepared for this talk in order to more fully comprehend these important concepts that allow the mind to be liberated, with the potential for realizing the ultimate attainment, Nirvana.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Cultivating The Factors For Awakening
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Robert Lockridge is the guest speaker for this evening. He is one of the guiding teachers of the Orlando Zen Center, which provides opportunities to practice Korean Zen as taught by Seung Sahn, who originated the Kwan Um School in the U. S. The title of the talk reflects basic principles and practices of Zen Buddhism, organized around questions such as “How do I determine what is the true direction of my life? Robert talked about Kong-An (Better known as Koan) practice, which is the presentation of a “question” to a student by a master in order to initiate an internal, often non-verbal investigation and response from the student to promote deeper understanding of the Dharma.
Next week’s talk will involve an in-depth exploration of Mindfulness as the premiere of the Seven Awakening Factors.
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Peter participated in a one week retreat led by Steve Armstrong, a well-respected Buddhist teacher. During the retreat, he contracted a chest cold, having to spend most of the retreat and one week at home in bed recuperating. During this talk, he reviewed his experience of the three forms of Dukkha: that caused by physical circumstance, that caused by impermanence, and that caused by the conditioned response of the mind to the first two. The intention of the talk and ensuing dialogue was to foster concrete understanding of how Buddhist teachings and practice can be beneficially applied while ill, not with the intention to “fix” the illness, but to understand at a deeper level the body/mind experience of dukkha. Despite the physical misery, there was a quiet acceptance and equanimity about the disease process that consistent mindfulness of breathing provides us.
Here is the essay Peter prepared for this talk: MINDFUL MISERY
This dialogue is the first of two explorations of samma samadhi, right concentration. Peter explained the terms samadhi and passadhi, and why he groups them together. Six considerations were illustrated to support the cultivation of samadhi-passadhi. The value of samadhi-passadhi in the practice of vipassana was explored. The explanations were followed by dialogue about the supportive considerations and the value of samadhi-passadhi in daily life. There is a post following this one containing the notes used for the evening’s discussion. the notes include a link to a website where Richard Shankman’s book “The Experience Of Samadhi” can be downloaded free in .pdf format. Next week’s dialogue will explore the practice of jhana.