by Peter Carlson | Jun 26, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk Peter reviews Viriya, the Energy Awakening Factor, which, when combined with the Mindfulness and Investigation of Mental Phenomena Awakening Factors, coordinates and empowers the remaining 4 Awakening Factors. Peter talked of the manifestation of Viriya as Right Effort in the Noble Eightfold Path, with four attributes: to deny unwholesome states, support the arising of wholesome states, enabling wholesome states to reach fulfillment and prevent the future arising of unwholesome states. His review was followed by discussion of how participants can further understand and contemplate this quality of attention.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Energy Awakening Factor
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by Peter Carlson | Jul 23, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This discussion reviews the characteristics of upekkha (ooh-peh-kah), the seventh Awakening Factor, translated as equanimity regarding one’s state of consciousness. Upekkha is also considered as one of the Four Divine Abidings (lovingkindness, compassion and sympathetic joy being the other three), one of the ten Perfections and the primary characteristic of the Fourth Jhana, experienced at extraordinarily developed levels of concentration. Equanimity is not indifference but rather the ability to be aware of and non-reactive to emotional urgency and impulsive reactivity. This quality is synonymous with tatramajjhatata, (tah-trah-muh-jah-tuh-tah), a term that describes a state of mind that is “in the middle”, that is, not too excited or too dull, nor too identified with a thought or too skeptical. Upekkha is relevant in daily life as the ability to stay present and do the right thing even under trying circumstances, while tatramajjhatata is more associated with the refined levels of awareness that involve the seven Awakening Factors. Peter reviews the other six Awakening Factors: Mindfulness, Investigation, Energy/Right Effort, Joy, Tranquility and Concentration, explaining how Equanimity interacts with each of them to create the optimal conditions for Awakening. Several suggestions were made regarding lifestyle choices and finding opportunities to develop equanimity that are sufficiently challenging but not overwhelming. This was followed by discussion of how upekkha is experienced by those participating in the Zoom meeting.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE EQUANIMITY AWAKENING FACTOR (AutoRecovered)
Next week’s discussion will begin a series of reviews of the 52 cetasikas (cheh-tah-see-kahs), conditioning factors of the mind, also termed sankharas (sahn-kah-rahs).
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 12, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the last talk of 2019 as Peter begins his year-end two-week self retreat December 13. During the talk, Peter described the early context of Christmas and the season associated with the Winter Solstice, the shortest and often among the coldest days of the year in the northern hemisphere–a time of reflection, companionship and renewal. This intention has been significantly altered by American consumerism and this has inspired Peter to dedicate this period of time towards the gift of meditation in an attempt to create a contemporary effort towards renewal. Participants were invited to contemplate interactions with others and the festivities that occur through the lens of the Four Noble Truths as an effort to cultivate more clarity regarding the potential of the season for kindness, compassion, generosity and tolerance. This was followed by general discussion about the current status of the holiday season and what those at the meeting might do to integrate mindfulness into their experience.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Four Noble Truths And The Holidays
The next talk will be on Wednesday January 8, as the first Wednesday is New Year’s day; there is likely to be an opportunity to sit together on that evening, but there will not be a talk. The focus of the January 8th talk will be on the insights derived from the just finished retreat.
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by Peter Carlson | Apr 25, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Robert Lockridge is the guest speaker for this evening. He is one of the guiding teachers of the Orlando Zen Center, which provides opportunities to practice Korean Zen as taught by Seung Sahn, who originated the Kwan Um School in the U. S. The title of the talk reflects basic principles and practices of Zen Buddhism, organized around questions such as “How do I determine what is the true direction of my life? Robert talked about Kong-An (Better known as Koan) practice, which is the presentation of a “question” to a student by a master in order to initiate an internal, often non-verbal investigation and response from the student to promote deeper understanding of the Dharma.
Next week’s talk will involve an in-depth exploration of Mindfulness as the premiere of the Seven Awakening Factors.
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by Peter Carlson | Oct 25, 2018 | Listen to Dharma Talks
The internet has had a revolutionary impact on contemporary culture, including the study and practice of Buddhism. During this talk, Peter described the benefits and deficits of the internet and all that is available through the system: social media, streaming from websites, emails, twitter, etc. We all benefit from the ready access available to new scholarly insights regarding Buddhist history and doctrine and a myriad of .mp3 recordings of Dharma talks. However, the nature of the way media is structured and presented fosters craving and clinging processes similar to addiction. Peter used the structure of the Four Noble Truths to invite investigation of the nature of dukkha prior to and during exposure to what the internet offers, then to further investigate the nature of craving and clinging, the Second Noble Truth that is fostered by deeply applying the Noble Eightfold Path to the experience; this provides opportunities to not feel compelled to engage in the internet beyond reasonability, thereby creating opportunities to realize the mundane aspects of the Third Noble Truth. The participants in the meeting engaged in dialogue following the presentation.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: MINDFULNESS AND THE MEDIA
Next week’s topic will follow upon the issues raised in this talk, that is, how the Four Noble Truths concepts and practices can bring relief from addiction.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:52 — 116.9MB)
