The core mental conditions to foster liberation through the practice of vipassana are called the “Seven Factors For Awakening”: mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/effort, joy/enthusiastic interest, tranquility, concentration and equanimity. This talk describes their functions in the process of awakening and how to cultivate them.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: BOJJHANGA-7 AWAKENING FACTORS
During this talk, the exploration of the 52 cetasikas, categories that condition how the mind creates a self continues. The focus is the Universal Cetasikas, that is mind conditioning categories that occasionally coordinate with the Universal Cetasikas. These occasional cetasikas are vitakka, (aiming attention at a mind object), vicara, (sustained attention regarding a mind object), adhimokkha, (conviction or determination regarding a mind object’s formation), viriya (energy or persistence regarding the emerging mind object formation), piti, (enthusiasm regarding the emerging mind object formation) and chanda, (will to do, that is, the activating of the emerging mind object formation).
These mind conditioners co-operate with the Universal Cetasikas; these combinations are then aligned either with unwholesome cetasikas (producing dukkha, that is, confusion and distress) or wholesome cetasikas (producing liberation from dukkha).
Peter talked about how the simple practice of mindfulness of breathing supports liberation because mindfulness (a wholesome mind conditioner), when combined with vitakka, vicara and viriya supports deeper insights into how self-state organization is manifested, in the moment of becoming a self.
This was followed by discussion by the other meditators regarding how this understanding of self-organization processes is of benefit for dedicated meditators.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: the-occasional-cetasikas
During this talk, the lojong commitment “Don’t Put A Horse’s Load On A Donkey” was reviewed. The emphasis of the commitment is to avoid idealizing expectations of self or others, that is, to avoid perfectionism. One of the benefits of being relieved of the stress and confusion of the five hindrances is the release of energy into the process of awareness. This can manifest as overreaching one’s capabilities, or displacing responsibility on others, thereby expecting too much of their capabilities. This leads to contempt and a feeling of disconnection from self and others. A goal of this practice is to become clearly aware of how self-organization either leads to clarity or to confusion, and eventually understanding how to release the “hardened” expectations that result from craving and clinging.
Here are the notes for the discussion: MANAGING THE BURDEN OF RESPONSIBILITY
Here is the worksheet provided for those attending the meeting: Relationship Responsibility Worksheet
During this talk, Peter reviewed his self-retreat from May 9-22. The experience was related to the previous discussions about the Anapanasati Sutta (the discourse on mindfulness of breathing), and to the sorts of experiences that might arise during an intensive retreat. He specifically associated the cultivation of the the seven awakening factors–mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/effort, joy/interest, tranquility, concentration and equanimity–to the experiences during the retreat. This was followed by discussion among those present to clarify some of what was described.
Next week, the topical theme will change significantly. Since Peter has been a psychotherapist nearly as long as he’s practiced and taught mindfulness, there will be discussions about stress in this culture, producing anxiety, depression, addictive behaviors, relationship discord from a Buddhist perspective, with suggestions about how Buddhism may be useful in providing relief from the stress.
This talk was recorded on April 8, 2015, and is the follow-up on the talk entitled “Anapanasati And Anicca April 1 2015. During this talk, Peter described how mindfulness of the arising and passing away of mental fabrications leads naturally to a sense of decreased “energy” or “thirst” regarding craving and clinging. Peter also emphasized how important samadhi/passadhi (concentration/tranquility) are to “draining away:” the potency of craving. This was followed by a lively discussion of how to cultivate dispassion. During next week’s talk, the topic of cessation will be explored as part of the Fourth Tetrad of the Anapanasati Sutta.