by Peter Carlson | Jul 20, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk focuses on the Parami of Truthfulness (Sacca in Pali). Truth is a core concept of Buddhism, most importantly at the core of the Four Noble Truths. The traditional application of this Parami relates to verbal action, that is, Right Speech. In this talk, Peter refers to the recently talk entitled “Buddhism And Existentialism”, posted on July 12. Existential terms such as freedom, anguish, bad faith and authenticity can be understood from a Buddhist perspective as sunnata (emptiness), dukkha (distress and confusion), tanha and upadana (craving and clinging) and sanna (wisdom, that is, clear awareness and benevolent intention). Peter emphasized that truthfulness is perfected as internal subjective experience is guided by mindfulness, investigation and benevolent intention. This explanation was followed by discussion among the participants regarding how to bring truthfulness to fruition.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: The Benefits Of Perfecting Truthfulness
Next week’s talk will involve a report by a sangha member on a 10 day retreat in the Goenka body sweep practices.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 59:55 — 109.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Jul 13, 2017 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This week’s talk involved a guest speaker, Armando Garcia, who recently wrote a book entitled “Buddhism & Existentialism-Not Self, Nothingness And Being”. This was the topic of the evening’s discussion. Armando explained the basic assumptions of existentialism, a Western philosophy developed in the late 19th and 20th centuries in Europe. This philosophy has striking similarities to the concepts of anatta (the absence of an enduring as autonomous self) and anicca (the transient nature of reality). What is absent in existentialism is clarity about the nature of dukkha (dissatisfaction, distress and confusion) and the ways and means to resolve dukkha. Existentialism describes “bad faith” as the absence of responsibility for the consequences of the inevitable choices life presents to human experience, and proposes life as presenting the opportunity to repeatedly choose an “authentic” life. This has similarity to the nature of dukkha, but existentialism doesn’t provide the Noble Eightfold Path strategies for cultivating authentic responses to life.
Armando’s book can be purchased through Amazon.
Next week’s discussion will resume the exploration of the Paramis with “Truthfulness”. This Parami can be understood as the attainment of an existentially “authentic” life.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:01 — 122.7MB)
