by Peter Carlson | Jan 8, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this first dhamma dialogue of the new year, Peter began a series of explorations of one of the core teachings of Buddhism, the Anapanasati Sutta, the discourse on mindfulness of breathing
(See notes.)
It was pointed out that this discourse is perhaps the only one in the Pali Canon to include an extensive “prelude” to the actual teaching, during which the dedication and attainments of those attending were expounded upon by the Buddha. Why such emphasis? Peter quoted an exchange between the Buddha and Ananda in which the Buddha said that the Sangha is crucial for spiritual development (the quote is in the accompanying notes posted before this one).
This was related to modern social science which emphasizes that humans are essentially social animals, with the advantage of language and the capacity for abstract conceptual processing. This was also related to the recent development of peer “accountability partners”, using the extensive development of the various 12-step communities dedicated to the overcoming of addictive and compulsive behaviors. It was also noted that modern business organizations are using accountability partnerships to further professional goals. Peter wondered how this could effectively be applied for the Orlando Insight Meditation community. This was followed by discussion.
Next week will begin the more extensive exploration of the teachings within the sutta, emphasizing more refined breath awareness and increasing ability to integrate breath awareness into daily life routines.
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 8, 2015 | Study Resources
Sangha and Mindfulness of Breathing
This is the first of several essays I want to produce as we study the Anapanasati Sutta, the discourse on the development of mindfulness through breath awareness. This teaching is the only one I’m aware of in the Pali Canon that has a fairly well developed “prelude” extolling the virtues and dedication of the sangha present as the Buddha talked about the cultivation of the four foundations of mindfulness and the seven awakening factors using breath awareness as the primary strategy.
This essay focuses on possible reasons for emphasizing the high quality of practice among the assembled men and women listening to the talk (I’m assuming women were present although this is not explicitly stated in the sutta).
The discourse begins by describing the site, Savatthi, the town where the Buddha lived during most of his years of teaching. At the beginning, he names several of his most senior monks who were teaching many students there at the time. He’s so impressed by their diligent practice that he announces he will remain there for another month.
Here an excerpt, downloaded from the website Access To Insight; the translation is that of Thanissaro Bhikkhu:
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by Peter Carlson | Jan 2, 2015 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation
This year the approach to the dhamma dialogues on Wednesday nights will be a little different. The Anapanasati Sutta (usually translated as the “Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse” will be explored in depth.
This teaching from the Pali Canon provides specific instructions on how to cultivate breath awareness to a very high degree of skill, providing deep insights into the process of awakening. It can be considered as a companion to the Satipatthana Sutta (usually translated as “The Four Foundations of Mindfulness Discourse”), both of which are ways to cultivate the Sambojjhanga (usually translated as “The Seven Awakening Factors”). The seven factors are: mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/effort, joyful interest, tranquility, concentration and equanimity.
During the Wednesday night meetings, Peter will alternate between explaining the various elements of the sutta with training meditations during the 45 minute meditation periods that normally occur at the start of the evening at 7. This process will hopefully help the attending sangha members deepen their understanding of the mindfulness of breathing practice. The intention of this format is to provide ways to discuss how to integrate mindfulness of breathing into daily life routines, furthering the ability to cultivate virtue, that is, Right Speech, Right Action and Right Livelihood.
The discussions will also include the information Peter has gathered during his research into modern scientific evidence that supports Buddhist psychology. Back in the early centuries of the development of Buddhism, the cultures involved relied on their understanding of the universe, mainly their beliefs regarding gods and supernatural forces. In this modern scientific era, our understanding of the universe is derived from scientific inquiries into physical, biological and psychological phenomena; in a sense, the new “priests and priestesses” are garbed in lab coats!
This series of explorations work best for all concerned when those interested in Buddhist practices to attend the Wednesday night meetings and participate in the training sessions as well as the regular dhamma dialogues. I hope you can join us. The dhamma dialogue on the 7th, next Wednesday, will explore why the Anapanasati Sutta is perhaps the only one in the Pali Canon that has an extensive “prelude” that describes the qualities of the group of meditation students who heard the original discourse from the Buddha.
by Peter Carlson | Jan 1, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this talk, Peter reviewed his experience on the recently completed 2 week self retreat. Emphasis was placed on consistent breath awareness, using the notion of “channeling energy” to the breath, rather than trying to “make the internal narrative stop”. This channeling process was associated with the scientific evidence that the neurons that are most activated elicit the most glucose “fuel”, and that shifting the flow of this fuel to body awareness is comparable to directing the flow of watered fertilizer through the hose, being careful to only feed the flowers, vegetables and fruits rather than weeds (the five hindrances).
This channeling strategy also applies to the practice of vedanupassana, mindfulness of feelings, called ”body sweep” meditation. Peter explained that the body sweep, combined with mindfulness of breathing, cultivates the seven awakening factors, particularly mindfulness, investigation of mental phenomena, energy/effort, and concentration. The emergence of the awakening factors of joy, tranquility and equanimity are manifestations of the process of awakening, enhancing the practice of vipassana, which is direct, clear awareness of impermanence, non-self, and the presence or absence of the dissatisfaction that arises due to craving and clinging.
Next week’s dhamma dialogue will begin a long series of discussions and trainings organized around the Anapanasati Sutta, the discourse describing the liberating capacity of mindfulness of breathing.
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by Peter Carlson | Dec 8, 2014 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this second evening of the weekend retreat at the Franciscan Center, Peter summarized the previous talks and instructions during the retreat, fostering increasing skill in the practice of anapanasati, mindfulness of breathing. He read an excerpt from the Anapanasati Sutta, translated by Thanissaro Bhikkhu, downloaded from the site “Access To Insight”, that illustrated what he had described previously. A progressive degree of the more subtle details of the sensation of breathing was used to explain how the process of awakening develops: first, complete identification with internal narrative as definitive of lived experience (that is, ignorance, from the Buddhist perspective), through a “half-and-half” awareness of narrative and breath awareness, to full breath awareness with no intrusive narrative. This is the cultivation of Samadhi, concentration. The practice of vipassana was described as a revisiting of the narratives, with enough “dispassion” (viraga in Pali) to see the narratives as mental fabrications, impermanent and non-self. These insights constitute the process of awakening.
This practice was related to the cultivation of the Seven Awakening Factors: Mindfulness, Investigation of Mental Phenomena, Energy/Right Effort, Joy, Tranquility, Concentration and Equanimity.
Hopefully, the next posting will include the recording of the Wednesday night dhamma dialogue, a review of the retreat experience by those present who participated in the weekend retreat.
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