by Peter Carlson | Aug 5, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews the characteristics of the fifth of the Five Hindrances, Skeptical Doubt: doubt, uncertainty regarding action, along with hesitation and conflicted thoughts. The talk also reviews the potential influence of skeptical doubt in reference to the other hindrances: doubt about the negative consequences of Sense Desire, about the harm of resistance and hostility that comes from Aversion and Ill-will, regarding the loss of mental clarity associated with Sloth and Torpor, or the disruption that results from Restlessness and Worry. The talk includes various suggestions for setting aside Skeptical Doubt. There is an accompanying recording posted: “Guided Skeptical Doubt Contemplation”, found in the archives.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Setting Aside Skeptical Doubt
The topic for next week is an overview of the next contemplation in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, the Five Aggregates of Clinging.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 53:56 — 98.8MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 13, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation focuses on how to cultivate mindful awareness of each of the five aggregates mentioned in the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness. It is intended to accompany the Dharma talk recorded the same evening entitled “Understanding The Five Aggregates”, which can be found in the archives of this site.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:09 — 82.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 19, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This Dharma talk is a continuation of reviews regarding the Fourth Foundation of Mindfulness, particularly focusing on the 4th of the 5 Aggregates, the Mind Conditioning Factors called Cetasikas. The talk provides a generalized view of how Buddhism describes those mental constituents that form a subjective experience of a self. The intention of this review is to create an understanding of the general characteristics of the several categories of cetasikas: Universal, Particular, Unwholesome and Wholesome. These categories will be reviewed in more detail over the course of several subsequent Dharma talks. During the talk, a chart of the cetasikas was provided during the Zoom meeting through screen sharing; here is that document for future reference: CETASIKAS POSTER
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Overview of the Mind Conditioning Factors
The focus for the next talk with be the Universal cetasikas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 41:10 — 75.4MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 23, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews those qualities of awareness that are the highest development of consciousness attained through mindfulness meditation. They represent the harmonious integration of mind conditioning functions with the flow of conscious awareness. Each of the 12 cetasikas are reviewed with the intention to foster meditative awareness of these states of mind as they are occurring–this pairing produces a remarkable level of mental stability, lucidity and flexibility, for directly observing how the mind liberated from craving and clinging operates. There is a recording entitled “Guided Contemplation of the Six Beautiful Pairs of Cetasikas” posted in the website archives, which is intended to integrate the concepts of this talk into meditative awareness.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: SIX-BEAUTIFUL-PAIRS-OF-WHOLESOME-CETASIKAS.docx
Here is a chart listing all 52 of the cetasikas: CETASIKAS POSTER
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:02:20 — 114.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Oct 7, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk provides a thorough review of the core Buddhist concept Paticca Samuppada, typically translated as Dependent Origination. A different rendering of the concept is provided, including reference to a contemporary concept, complexity theory which led to the term Contingent Provisional Emergence. The Theravadin tradition describes 12 elements to the concept and each is reviewed, with emphasis on the nonlinear aspects of how the moment-by-moment process of self organization operates.
This talk can be accompanied by: “Guided Investigating Feelings Meditation”, found in the archives, to reinforce the importance of mindfulness of feelings to realize the potential of the paticca samuppada concept.
Here are the extensive notes prepared for this talk; it is recommended to download and read them to more thoroughly understand the concept: Contingent Provisional Emergence Review
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:20 — 116.0MB)
