by Peter Carlson | Aug 13, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues a review of the contemplations found in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, namely the Five Aggregates. An overview of the interactions between Form, Feeling, Perception, Mind Conditioning Factors and Consciousness is provided, relating the aggregates to the other Foundations of the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, using several quotes from Analayo’s “Satipatthana–The Direct Path To Realization”. Also included is a brief review of the next contemplation, the Six Sense Bases, as these are represented by the Form aggregate. Because this contemplation provides a key insight into the concept of Dependent Origination, several subsequent Dharma talks will provide a review of the Mind Conditioning Factors, numbering 52 in the commentaries, and called Cetasikas, because of the key function these factors provide in Dependent Origination. After reviewing the cetaskikas the Dependent Origination concept will then be considered. The Cetasikas and Dependent Origination are not described in the Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse, but understanding how they operate is a key component in the process of Awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Understanding The Five Aggregates
An important book that analyses the Five Aggregates entitled “The Five Aggregates–Understanding Theravada Psychology and Soteriology” by Matthieu Boisvert can be downloaded in .pdf format here: The-Five-Aggregates-Understanding-Theravada-Psychology-Soteriology (Soterilogy is the study of salvation).
Next week’s talk will focus on beginning a review of the Cetasikas with the “Universal Mind Conditioners”, which function in every moment of consciousness.
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by Peter Carlson | Oct 3, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dialogue, Peter described the extraordinary complexity of our material culture, compared to the time of the Buddha. He also emphasized how easy it is to just think about pollution, global warming, and resource scarcity in the abstract, at a distance from the daily choices we make. He described the history of his developing concerns regarding the environment, beginning with such books as “Silent Spring”, “Diet For A Small Planet” and “Voluntary Simplicity”. The inspirational and informative quality of the books combined with the development of his Buddhist practice. He presented this as a realistic model of how the Four Clear Comprehensions (satisampajjana) can provide ways to make concrete decisions that are beneficial for the environment (in a small, personal way) and one’s sense of meaningful action in the world. During the ensuing discussion, examples from the persons attending the meeting were analyzed through the lens of satisampajjana.
by Peter Carlson | Nov 6, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviewed the nature of the Five Hindrances: How they are triggered, the characteristics of each, how they can be set aside and how the re-emergence of them can be limited. Humans were described as “energy transforming organisms” and the hindrances represent “energy dumps”. Skillful practice doesn’t involve fighting to control the hindrances–rather, the intention is to understand how they function through “feeding the energy of attention” to them and denying that feeding through the practice of mindfully returning to the breath rather than indulging them, redirecting the energy of attention to more wholesome channels of awareness. This was followed by a discussion interlude in Noble Silence to clarify understanding through questions.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: PRACTICE NOTES FOR OVERCOMING THE FIVE HINDRANCES These notes are extensive, covering more than was discussed during the talk. Some areas have been highlighted for emphasis.
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by Peter Carlson | Jun 29, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This week’s talk focuses on the perfection of viriya, typically translated as Energy/Right Effort/Persistence. Peter described contemporary understanding of energy as the provision of glucose and oxygen to the neural pathways associated with wholesome or unwholesome self-state organizations. This awareness suggests that the process of awakening involves careful attention to the flow of the energy of attention and channeling it towards minimizing craving and clinging. Right Effort is comprised of 4 applications: to notice and channel attention away from arisen unwholesome states, to notice the potential arising of wholesome states, to promote the fulfillment of arisen wholesome states, and the notice and prevent the arising of unarisen unwholesome states. The progress towards Awakening occurs initially in “starving” the five hindrances, then channeling the energy of attention towards nurturing sufficiently sophisticated internal investigation for discovering the characteristics of subjective reality, that is, impermanence, nonself, and the distress and confusion that comes as the result of craving and clinging. When Right Effort is sufficiently developed through persistent practice, the renunciation of duality, that is, self-and-other, supports the realization of nondual awareness.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Benefits Of Perfecting Right Effort And Persistence
Next week’s talk will focus on the Parami of patience.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:18 — 108.6MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 25, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the awakening factor of joy was described as the consequence of combining the factors of mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/effort and concentration. As these factors operate to set aside the “energy dumps” of the five hindrances, the resultant freed-up flow of energy is, by nature, joyfully engaged in life experience. Piti, the Pali word for joy, is identified as one of the jhana factors and as one of the four divine abidings associated with lovingkindness. After the explanation, Peter led a brief guided meditation, during which the participants were invited to practice noting the different sorts of energy present when mindfulness wasn’t totally engaged, compared to the improved quality of experience when mindfulness was fully engaged.
Here are the notes prepared for this evening’s exploration: The Joy Of Awakening
Next week’s discussion will explore the awakening factor of tranquility.
