by Peter Carlson | Aug 9, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the exploration of the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, tonight’s topic is the Awakening Factor Dhamma Vicaya, Investigating Mental Phenomena. During the talk, Peter suggested the development of this Awakening Factor begins with the practice of vitakka/vicara, aiming attention at the breath sensations/sustaining attention for the duration of the breath sensations. As the topic was developed, the cooperation of the other Awakening Factors was described in developing mature awareness of how the process of “selfing” occurs and to realize anicca (impermanence), anatta, (non-self) and the distress and confusion that constitutes dukkha. This was followed by general group discussion of the benefits that result from cultivating Dhamma Vicaya.
Here are the notes prepared for this discussion: INVESTIGATING MENTAL PHENOMENA
Next week’s topic will be the Awakening Factor Viriya, translated as Energy/Effort and Determination.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 2, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
At this point on inquiry during these talks, the Satipatthana Sutta emphasizes the “development to fulfillment” of those qualities of mental formations that complete the process of Awakening: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Energy/Effort, Joy/Enthusiastic Interest, Tranquility, Concentration/Stability of Attention, and Equanimity/Balance of Mental Factors.
This evening’s discussion emphasizes the cultivation of Sati, Mindfulness, regarded as “the chief minister of the kingdom, who monitors governance of the kingdom and reports to the king”. In this case, the king is vipassana, the intimate exploration of how the mind creates a self, in order to deconstruct that process, revealing the absence of an enduring and autonomous self.
This was followed by discussion regarding how mindfulness benefits daily life.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: CULTIVATING THE SEVEN AWAKENING FACTORS
Next week’s talk will focus on the second of the Awakening factors, Investigation of Mental Phenomena.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 20, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the focus is on the Sambojjhanga, the Seven Awakening Factors: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Energy/Right Effort/Persistence, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity/Balance. These qualities are operating in every moment of wholesome self-state organization, and become more and more potent when the Five Hindrances have been set aside in the mind’s functioning. Emphasis was placed on the Investigation of Mental Phenomena, as this manifests as the maturation of the initial meditation instruction to aim attention at the breath sensation (vitakka in Pali) and sustain that awareness through the whole of the in-breath (vicara in Pali). The collaberative functioning of the seven factors is essential in the practice of vipassana, which is the primary tool fostering the awakening process. This explanation was followed by discussion of the day’s practice and the information received during this talk.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: BOJJHANGA-7 AWAKENING FACTORS
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by Peter Carlson | Sep 22, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation accompanies the posted talk on September 20 entitled “Emptiness And Fullness September 20 2017”. The meditation proceeds from mindfulness of breathing to a systematic sweeping of investigative attention through the body. As this is practice, the dominating attentional energy normally dedicated to internal narrative is significantly reduced, instead dedicating investigative attention persistently to present-moment sensational awareness. Towards the end of the meditation, the opportunity is provided to contemplate a whole-body awareness process, wherein the perceived and conditioned routine of defining boundaries between self and other (dualistic experiential processing) is disregarded, opening awareness that experiences each moment as unlimited, that is, boundarylessness. This sort of awareness sets the conditions suitable to realize non-dual reality, approaching the experience of nirvana, the unconditioned.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 27, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk begins a series of explorations of the paramis, qualities of the mind to be perfected during the process of awakening. The word parami is translated from Pali as perfection; in Sanskrit, the word is paramita. These qualities emerge as the frequency and potency of wholesome self-state organizations flourish. In describing the paramis, Peter emphasized the importance of cultivating attention through the combination of mindful investigation and benevolent intention. In the Theravada tradition, there are 10 paramis: generosity, virtue, renunciation, Wisdom, energy/persistence, patience, truthfulness, determination, lovingkindness, and equanimity/balance. These were reviewed as a wholesome system for self-state integration and liberation, with an emphasis on the interpersonal/societal benefits as well as personal awakening. This was followed by general discussion of the holistic “package” of the paramis, that is, how the function of one integrates with all the other paramis. In forthcoming talks, each of the paramis will be explored more deeply, with an emphasis on practical applications in contemporary secular life. The first parami, generosity, will be discussed at the next meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk; please note the definition of the paramis follows a very traditional format, that is, characteristic description, specific function, its manifestation and proximal cause: Perfecting Qualities For Awakening
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