by Peter Carlson | Sep 2, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing the review of the 52 cetasikas, those factors that condition the formations of personality, the focus of this talk is on what are termed the Occasional or Particular Cetasikas. These mind conditioning functions appear in most moments of self-organization, but may be absent or “disabled” when associated with certain unwholesome mind conditioning functions. During the review, the interactions between the Occasional Cetasikas and the Universal Cetasikas is described, as these provide a foundational condition that can be aligned with either wholesome or unwholesome mind conditioning functions. This talk was accompanied by a “Guided Mind Conditioner Contemplation”, recorded the same night and posted in the archives.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE OCCASIONAL MIND CONDITIONERS
For further review of the entire listing of the cetasikas, this document is: CETASIKAS POSTER
Next week’s talk will review the Unwholesome cetasikas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:47 — 124.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 2, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This guided meditation reviews the Universal and Occasional mind conditioning functions that may be investigated while practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation. It is intended to accompany the Dharma talk entitled “The Occasional Mind Conditioners” recorded the same evening.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 44:57 — 82.3MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 13, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews the section of the cetasikas (categories of mind conditioning factors) that are termed “occasional” or “particular”, in that they may or may not accompany other mind conditioning factors in the transient formation of a self. As with the preceding talk on August 5 on the Universal Cetasikas, these mind conditioning factors are ethically malleable, that is, they can accompany either wholesome or unwholesome cetasikas in the process of self-formation. The factors are moving attention to an object, sustaining that attention (The topic of the guided meditation that immediately preceded this talk and which can be found in the archives as “Guided Aiming And Sustaining Attention Meditation), determination, energy, enthusiasm and will-to-do. Each of these factors were reviewed as to their characteristics and how they interact with other cetasikas. The talk was followed by a question and answer discussion.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: THE OCCASIONAL CETASIKAS
As an added resource, here is the chart that includes the entire 2 cetasikas: CETASIKAS POSTER
Next week the topic will begin a review of the unwholesome cetasikas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:07:14 — 123.1MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 30, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, the exploration of the 52 cetasikas, categories that condition how the mind creates a self continues. The focus is the Universal Cetasikas, that is mind conditioning categories that occasionally coordinate with the Universal Cetasikas. These occasional cetasikas are vitakka, (aiming attention at a mind object), vicara, (sustained attention regarding a mind object), adhimokkha, (conviction or determination regarding a mind object’s formation), viriya (energy or persistence regarding the emerging mind object formation), piti, (enthusiasm regarding the emerging mind object formation) and chanda, (will to do, that is, the activating of the emerging mind object formation).
These mind conditioners co-operate with the Universal Cetasikas; these combinations are then aligned either with unwholesome cetasikas (producing dukkha, that is, confusion and distress) or wholesome cetasikas (producing liberation from dukkha).
Peter talked about how the simple practice of mindfulness of breathing supports liberation because mindfulness (a wholesome mind conditioner), when combined with vitakka, vicara and viriya supports deeper insights into how self-state organization is manifested, in the moment of becoming a self.
This was followed by discussion by the other meditators regarding how this understanding of self-organization processes is of benefit for dedicated meditators.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: the-occasional-cetasikas
