Orlando Insight Meditation Group

A Contemporary Buddhist Mindfulness Meditation Community For Central Florida

The Nature Of Clinging

by | Mar 14, 2013 | Listen to Dharma Talks

During this talk, Peter continues the discussion begun in the last meeting on the Second Noble Truth.  Again it was emphasized that there are three levels of approach to the Four Noble Truths: to be understood conceptually, to be noted upon emerging into awareness, and for the first two to be mastered.  This talk explored the concepts associated with clinging, particularly from a neuropsychological perspective.  The value of this approach is to demonstrate the impersonality of the various neural networks involved as initial sensory input is processed through association to prior experience.  This is another way to look at the Buddhist concept of karma and the resultant effects, known as vipaka.During the next talk Peter will present in a few weeks, we will discuss the Third Noble Truth as a progression from personality integration (the mastery of virtue) to spiritual attainment (the mastery of wisdom).

[s3mm type=”audio” files=”wp-content/uploads/2013/03/11130524/The Nature Of Clinging.mp3″ /]

Wanting and Hating

by | Dec 15, 2011 | Listen to Dharma Talks

In this talk, the neurological underpinnings of the Second Noble Truth, tanha (craving) and upadana (clinging) were explored to emphasize the importance of being clearly and immediately aware of the felt sense of urgency and the “enchantment” of internal narrative experience.  This clarity is crucial for setting the conditions for the realization of the Third Noble Truth, through the action of the Noble Eightfold Path.  In this as well as future discussions, the relevance to current cultural and economic crises is established, with an encouragement to find a “Middle Way” between consumerism and ideological purity and material denial and skeptical withdrawal from society.  How can we as a spiritual community support each other in finding this Middle Way?