by Peter Carlson | Mar 28, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma talk, Peter described paticca sammupada, typically translated as dependent origination. Peter expressed a different view of this concept, calling the process contingent provisional emergence. This contemporary view applies understandings derived from complexity theory, which is a non-linear perspective on the incredible complexity of the mind’s ability to respond to sensory input. He described the links of associated factors in this process, with an emphasis on how important vedanupassana, mindfulness of feelings, the second of the four foundations of mindfulness, is for reconfiguring how the mind responds to each moment of self-state organization. This awareness requires the full functioning of the wholesome mind conditioners, through the practice of vipassana.The practice of vedanupassana will be cultivated later during the retreat through the training in body sweep meditation.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 12, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma dialogue, Peter completed the review of the 52 cetasikas (mind conditioners), in order to clarify the meaning of “calming the mind conditioners” in the Anapanasati Sutta (Mindfulness of Breathing Discourse). The focus was on the “six beautiful pairs” of mind conditioners, that is, the pairing of mind conditioners and the level of conscious awareness which is harmonious and integrated in functioning. These conditioners play a key role in the practice of vipassana and foster the process of awakening to direct realization of Wholesome Understanding, the first of the Wisdom characteristics of the Noble Eightfold Path.
The accompanying notes are attached just prior to this posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Mar 12, 2015 | Intro to Buddhism & Meditation
This posting contains the notes for the dhamma dialogue presented by Peter on March 11, 2015. The focus of this talk reviews the remaining wholesome mind conditioners, emphasizing the “six beautiful pairs”. Peter suggested that these conditioners represent a harmonious and integrated reflective interaction between the mind conditioners and the quality of conscious awareness associated with them. He also suggested that these pairings are most effective in the process of vipassana, stating that after several days of cultivating samadhi/passadhi (concentration/tranquility) during an intensive retreat, the operation of these pairs becomes increasingly evident, enlivening the practice of vipassana. He then reviewed the wholesome virtues (Right Speech, Action and Livelihood) and the cultivation of compassion and sympathetic joy. Culmination of the process of awakening, fostered by vipassana practice, perfecting the seven factors of awakening, results in the last of the mind conditioners listed, Wholesome Understanding. Here is the attached file: WHOLESOME MIND CONDITIONERS PART 2
by Peter Carlson | Mar 5, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
This is the first of two discussions about the wholesome cetasikas, the mind conditioners that foster the process of awakening. The seven factors are confidence, mindfulness, wholesome conscience, fear of consequences (respect for karma), non-attachment, non-aversion (lovingkindness), and equanimity. Peter described the process of identifying and cultivating these factors as “feeding the angels”.
During the discussion, Peter encouraged participants to develop the ability to quickly identify each mind conditioner as another way to see the impersonality of life experience, that is, that there are moments of awareness of the associated mind conditioners, not a separate, enduring self.
These conditioners are essential elements in the practice of vipassana, developing the process of awakening. Next week’s discussion will investigate the remaining wholesome conditioners, especially those 12 called “the beautiful pairs”.
The notes for this discussion are found in the next posting.
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by Peter Carlson | Feb 12, 2015 | Listen to Dharma Talks
During this dhamma dialogue, Peter explored the transition from cultivating a calm and stable focus of attention to the practice of vipassana, insight into the conditioned nature of subjective reality. He described the meanings of kamma (karma in Sanskrit), sankhara, cetasikas and cetana. Kamma and sankhara are almost synonymous and the cetasikas are categories of the different functions of the personality that are organized into kamma by cetana, intention.
This was followed by discussion of how kamma functions in action and how breath awareness interrupts the formation of self-states, allowing opportunities to modify the mind conditioners toward more wholesome and adaptive functions.
Next week’s discussion will focus in on the cetasikas, to foster a deepening insight into how self-states are formed, deconstructing the misperception of a separate, enduring self.
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