by Peter Carlson | Nov 14, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on karuna, the Pali and Sanskrit term for compassion. Peter described compassion as a “subset” of metta, lovingkindness, with a focus on empathizing with the dukkha one is aware of in oneself and others. Contemporary research on mirror neurons (neural pathways we all have that allow us to “read” each other through mimicry and empathic attunement) and attachment theory (psychological research that strongly suggests the innate interpersonal dynamics of us that extends from infancy throughout life) are easily associated with Buddhist compassion meditation practices. The Tibetan Buddhist tonglen, a compassion meditation practice, was described as an effective way to practice compassion, both formally while meditating and informally during daily life routines. This description was followed by general discussion about how karuna can be integrated into one’s life.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk; they include some suggestions regarding various contemplations in the practice: THE VALUE OF COMPASSION
Next week’s topic will be mudita, sympathetic joy.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 14, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter described the core Buddhist concept of sati-sampajanna, usually translated as mindful, clear comprehension. He quoted from the Satipatthana Sutta the stanzas associated with mindfulness of breathing, mindfulness of posture and mindfulness of movement. He then described the “four clear comprehensions” from the Buddhist commentaries, which comprises what amounts to an ongoing process of setting goals, ways and means to achieve them, keeping in mind impermanence, non-self and the distress that arises as the result of craving and clinging. This was followed by dialogues with various folks in the group, with the intention of using their daily routines as ways to illustrate the value of sati-sampajanna.
by Peter Carlson | Jan 19, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is a continuation of a discussion last week about the importance of each generation diving deeply into subjective experience via meditation practice to revitalize the liberating qualities of the Buddha’s teaching. Last week’s discussion involved the importance of clear awareness of emerging mind states in the cultivation of wisdom. This week’s exploration focused on how important benevolent intention is in evaluating what clear awareness reveals. Intention, cetana in Pali, organizes the different mental functions, preparatory to action. When clear awareness isn’t in play, the likelihood of suffering significantly increases, because intention is allied with desire or ill-will and aversion.
by Peter Carlson | Nov 29, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter described two applications of generosity: material and relational. Different ascending levels of generosity were also explored: miserly, giving-to-get and selfless, along with how the development of mindfulness and lovingkindness naturally advances the level of generosity. The following discussion used a worksheet to list valued possessions and then to investigate how contemplating giving them away would reveal the level of craving and clinging that could be discovered and released through the practice of generosity.
This was followed by a discussion of the worksheet with particular focus on how attached the self can be to objects that have little material value, but the memories associated with them become self-defining and therefore hard to relinquish. Please consider using the worksheet to explore how attachment inflates the sense of self and diminishes the ability to be generous.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Benefits Of Generosity Generosity Worksheet
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by Peter Carlson | May 7, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This meditation focuses on practicing satisampajjana (sah-tee-sahm-puh-jahn-yah), mindful clear comprehension, alternatively termed knowing, which is part of the First Foundation of Mindfulness. It is reflected as “Breathing in long, he knows ‘I breath in long'”, and again “…”when walking, he knows ‘I am walking’; when standing, he knows ‘I am standing'”; this quality of knowing attention is found repeatedly throughout the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse. During the guided meditation Peter made several suggestions regarding cultivating a knowing awareness, that is, being mindful of the three characteristics essential to Buddhist concepts about subjective reality: anicca (ah-nee-chah), the transient nature of experiences, dukkha (doo-kah), the distress and confusion that comes from being ignorant about anicca, and anatta (ah-nah-tah), the absence of an enduring, autonomous self. Clearly knowing functions to deconstruct craving and clinging and allows the mind to be free from the five hindrances and, alternatively, able to bring the seven awakening factors to maturity.
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