by Peter Carlson | May 10, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the exploration of what the Dhamma means in the 21st century, the basic precepts of Buddhism were discussed. Peter explained that the precepts are organized around the cultivation of wisdom, which is the combination of clear awareness and benevolent intention. The potential value of using the word commitment rather than precept was explained as commitment implies an action phase. A new list of commitments was provided (which will be posted on the web site), carefully constructed to convey the basic aspects of wisdom, hopefully in a way more useful in our era.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 12, 2012 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of two dialogues about the Wisdom aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path, continuing to explore the relevance of traditional Buddhist psychology to modern scientific and psychological insights. Tonight’s discussion emphasized Right Understanding as “clear awareness” of the three characteristics: impermanence, dissatisfaction, and non-self, as well as the realization of the reality of karma, that is, for every effect there’s a cause. Next week’s discussion will emphasize Right Intention as “benevolent intention”, focusing on how urgency is felt and managed to manifest Wisdom.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 15, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk explores the crucial Buddhist concept of Wisdom. In the Noble Eightfold Path, Wisdom represents two qualities: Right Understanding and Right Intention. Mastering these two qualities is the goal of the fundamental path towards Awakening. Peter emphasized how Right Understanding manifests as awareness free from the five hindrances and Right Intention manifests as lovingkindness, compassion and joyful appreciation of others. When Wisdom is fully realized, there is direct experiential knowledge of the three characteristics of reality: impermanence, the absence of an enduring and autonomous self, and the distress and confusion that results from the process of craving and clinging. This awareness leads to the fulfillment of the Noble Eightfold Path, which is full realization of Samma Nanna (pronounced ny-nah), direct knowledge of reality, and Samma Sankappa, liberation/Nirvana.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding Wisdom
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 1, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This evening’s project is to use the worksheet attached below to list various beliefs, values and expectations we experience on a hierarchical scale, in order to practice noticing how craving and clinging occurs as well as how to activate and strengthen nekkhamma, renunciation, to free the mind from attachment to outcomes in daily life experience.
A significant portion of the evening’s discussion involved participants talking through the examples, while Peter commented on how that relates to renunciation.
Here is the worksheet developed for this exercise: RENUNCIATION WORKSHEET
Peter will be away for a few weeks. Various guest teachers will present their discussions over the next few meetings. These talks will not be recorded for posting. During Peter’s next talk on June 21, the Parami of Wisdom will be explored.
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by Peter Carlson | Oct 27, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter describes the categories of mind-conditioning functions called cetasikas that are always operating when the mind is free from dukkha, that is, unburdened from the distress and confusion caused by craving and clinging. The descriptions clarified the ways these cetasikas, particularly mindfulness, set aside the dysfunctional five hindrances.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion, including a graphic that illustrates the dynamic interactions of the wholesome conditioners involved in the practice of vipassana: universal-wholesome-cetasikas
Next week’s discussion will focus on the “Beautiful Pairs” of cetasikas, that is the harmonious interactions between consciousness (citta) and cetasikas (Those conditioning functions that “belong to” the citta). These functions are cultivated through diligent practice of mindfulness of breathing meditation, promoting a flow of subjective experience that is remarkably productive of insight into the nature of experienced reality.
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