by Peter Carlson | Aug 27, 2021 | Listen to Dharma Talks
Continuing a review of the 52 cetasikas, conditioning factors in the mind, the focus for this talk are each of the 7 Universal Mind Conditioners: Feeling, Perception, Contact, Volition, Concentration, Vitality and Attention. These factors participate in every moment of consciousness, whether the mind manifests wholesome or unwholesome self-organizations. Understanding the function of these mind conditioners conceptually creates the conditions that support direct identification of them as impersonal while practicing mindfulness of breathing meditation, and this insight reveals the non-self characteristic of human personality.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Reviewing The Universal Mind Conditioners
Here is the document that shows all 52 of the cetasikas: CETASIKAS POSTER
The focus for the next talk will be what are called the Particular or Occasional Cetasikas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 45:42 — 83.7MB)
by Peter Carlson | Aug 15, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This meditation is meant to accompany the August 5, 2020 talk that reviews the Universal Mind Conditioners. Suggestions are provided during the meditation to support increasing and direct awareness of the mind conditioners that participate in the fabrication in every moment of self-consciousness.
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by Peter Carlson | Aug 15, 2020 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk reviews the first 7 of the 52 categories of mind conditioners called the cetasikas, part of Buddhist Abhidhamma (higher teachings). They are feeling, perception, contact, volition, concentration, vitality and attention. These factors in the self-formation process are considered to be ethically neutral and malleable in that they operate in every moment of self-consciousness and can be affected by either wholesome or unwholesome cetasikas in that process. Each of the mind conditioners are reviewed during the talk and their relation to each other is clarified. After the descriptions there is a general discussion among those participating about how they are experienced.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk:Universal Conditioning Factors
Here is the poster that lists all 52 of the cetasikas: CETASIKAS POSTER
Next week’s talk will review the cetasikas that can be termed as the occasional or particular cetasikas.
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:04:27 — 118.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Feb 14, 2019 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of a series of discussions describing the cetasikas, those factors that condition the selfing process. In the context of the Anapanasati Sutta, investigating and calming the mind conditioners are two of the sixteen stages in the process of Awakening and are preceded by breath awareness that relaxes the body and calms the mind, reviewed in previous discussions. This talk reviews the first 13 cetasikas. They are termed “Universal” and “Occasional” mind conditioners, which are considered as ethically neutral or malleable in their function, meaning that their self-manifestation depends upon whether they are accompanied by Wholesome or Unwholesome cetasikas. The Universal cetasikas participate in every moment of self-formation, and the Occasional cetasikas occur predominantly but not always, and are conditioned by internal mental processes. The cetasikas were described in detail and this was followed by general discussion regarding how they can be mindfully recognized and “calmed” through the practice of mindfulness of breathing.
Here are the notes prepared for this talk: Factors That Condition The Mind
Next week’s discussion will focus on the first of the Unwholesome Mind Conditioners which appear in every moment of distress and confusion (Buddhism terms this experience as dukkha).
Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 1:03:22 — 116.0MB)
by Peter Carlson | Sep 22, 2016 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This talk continues to explore the functioning of the cetasikas, the categories of factors that condition the mind. The focus this week in on the “Universal Cetasikas”, that is, the cetasikas that cooperate in the formation of a self in every moment of consciousness: Contact, Volition, Concentration, Vitality and Attention. The remaining universal cetasikas, Feeling and Perception, were discussed in depth during the last talk, September 14. Peter emphasized that these conditioners align and cooperate with other cetasikas, whether they are wholesome or unwholesome in their function.
The explanations were followed by group discussion to clarify the functions and application of the cetasikas during the process of awakening.
Here are the notes prepared for this week’s talk: universal-conditioning-functions.
Additionally, here is the .doc file listing the 52 cetasikas in total: CETASIKAS POSTER
Next week’s talk will function on the group of cetasikas called “Occasional” or “Particular” cetasikas, which may or may not be included in a moment of self-state organization.
