During this first of a series of talks exploring the Satipatthana Sutta, Peter talked of the mutually supportive functions of samadhi (concentration) and vipassana (insight). This was followed by a lively discussion regarding how different meditators cultivate these qualities, both during formal meditation and normal daily routines.
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This talk, on the last evening of the 2014 Deerhaven retreat, reviewed Buddhist concepts of a virtuous home life, from a contemporary perspective. Peter also reviewed which skillful means were practiced on the retreat and how important it is to maintain a regular meditation practice in order to integrate the skills into every day life routines.
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In this talk, the progression from self-state integration is described, beginning with combining the Virtue aggregate and the Mental Training aggregate of the Noble Eightfold Path. As the self-states no longer function with less internal and interpersonal conflict, then the Buddhist “Progressions of Insight” are developed. These concepts were linked with various teaching instructions provided during the retreat, to help the participants understand the Theravada Buddhist notions of how enlightenment can occur.
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During this guided meditation, the participants were invited to “look closer, to feel the texture, the details of sensation” in the areas of breath awareness ranging from the outer upper lip, through the nasal passages, down into the upper soft palate and hard palate areas, the upper gums, the teeth and inside of the upper lip. The intention of this practice is to nurture a stronger and more continuous practice of investigation of phenomena, as well as to introduce the participants to the dynamics of the body scan practices.
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During this talk on the second night of the 2014 one week retreat, Peter talked of the contemporary views on karma, relating this to the characteristics of the five hindrances. Ways to use the skills developed during the retreat to set the hindrances aside were described, setting the stage for the cultivation of concentration and tranquility, which would then be applied to the practice of vipassana.
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