Introducing the five indriya, focusing on the first one, confidence or trust, and how taking refuge in Buddha, Dharma and Sangha and committing to the five precepts helps strengthen inner confidence

The Buddha invites us to 'Live in Joy', touching its source in our own hearts. Mindfulness allows us to clearly see subtle joys and how to cultivate them: joy sustains the heart and leads to liberation. This retreat explores reliable kinds joy that are accessible in every moment, opens our eyes to unexpected sources of joy, and explore the role joy plays in temporary awakening. Knowing the doorway to this nourishment can support us in daily life, and in the challenges of our times.

Land acknowledgment, lineage honoring (homage to the ancestral roots), ancestral honoring. Precepts/taking refuge. The song Honoring, humming.

We will explore ways to engage with the precepts-as prescriptive prohibition; as compassionate inquiry; and as a description of Buddha's mind. To support San Francisco Insight Meditation Community, please go here: sfinsight.org/donate

Welcome Forming the container Brief overview Refuges and Precepts

Looking at ethical actions in terms of the five precepts, exploring the two aspects of restraint and cultivation; while exploring the impact of various feeling tones on our impulses and attitudes.

Ajahn provides a way to hold and use precepts

We start by reviewing briefly the two times' accounts of the foundations for practicing with differences and conflicts, first giving a definition of "conflict" as a difference of values, goals, or strategies, and not necessarily involving hostility or aggression. There's an invitation to focus on a conflict in one's life that is in the moderate range of difficulty, and bring this to mind as we work with ten foundations of skillful practice with conflict. We look again briefly at the multiple reasons why bringing our practice to conflicts is often difficult, and then review the more "inner" four foundations of skillful practice with conflict (1-4). We then bring in six further foundations which are more "outer," including (5) developing guidelines and agreements, especially in groups or organizations, but also with individuals; (6) clarifying a vision of a "win-win" or "both-and" approach to conflicts that meet the underlying interests or needs of all concerned; and (7) developing empathy. We offer two brief empathy practices, including one done in the context of one's own conflict. Three further foundations are offered: (8) grounding in Buddhist ethics, particularly the precepts and the understanding that one should bring care and kindness to all, and that all have Buddha Nature; (9) skillful speech (part of ethical training); and (10) the bringing of these ethical dimensions into collective life, through nonviolent action and the concept, in Dr. King's work, of the beloved community. After the talk, there is a discussion.

This talk unfolds teachings on sila, Buddhist ethics. It will explore the precepts as the heart of the Path, and share how we can use them to stay awake in daily life.

We are always in the centre of our lives, always present, always here.

After illustrating the importance of wisdom by relating a Jataka tale, Sayadaw spoke about the Buddha, the practice of satipatthana for the development of intuitive wisdom.

We are travelling a spiritual highway. Our precepts are like safety belts – upholding the core of our humanity with moral restraints that serve as both compass and anchor. They also act like brakes on our Dhamma vehicle, safeguarding us through the wilderness of the world while grounding the mind in an integrity of presence. With pure awareness, we have a stethoscope of the mind, steering and balancing us joyfully on the path so that we can wake up out of the darkness. We carry the Buddha in our hearts like an imperishable lamp, a supremely compassionate parent, our wise and formidable shepherd to help us overcome every hardship. Yes, we’re in self-drive – selfless – crossing to the far shore, Nibbana.

This recording also includes Alan Lewis

00:18 Whenever I tell someone about my worries or problems I'll be told to think positive. Does positive thinking accord with the teaching of the buddha? 06:16 I've been practicing with the satipatana sutta, establishing mindfulness. Often I get confused with the words "externally and internally" parts of the awareness practice. Can you help please? 24:37 I'm working on opening, meeting and releasing with the sympathetic attitude. I've noticed some joy and yet in unexpected circumstances I've become defensive and angry and this leads to shame. What do you advise? 30:50 If I can't get to a center where there is a more authentically embodied practice, could I practice with traditions that are more disembodied? 33:20 You mentioned the Great Forty sutta (https://www.dhammatalks.org/suttas/MN/MN117.html) regarding the basis of samadhi. Surely it needs the five precepts to be steadfast in right view etc? 37:44 As individuals we have creative potential, skills etc. Do we invite that unique particularity to manifest in our lives?

Precepts are a vehicle for happiness and comfort for the heart – supporting that which can be liberated.

We express the precepts through our external behaviours and internally by how we react to the world. Gaining internal support for coolness and richness to discover our proper centre.

Skilful use of fields – of precepts, skills, virtues, relaxing the sense of self and releasing the citta from it.

Training precepts provide ancient themes for spiritual development, establishing boundaries of restraint. They are guardians of the world creating happiness for yourself and others.

The cultivation of right view of understanding can pave the way to ultimate happiness.

Refuge is refuge in balance and harmony, what we have in common, rather than the individual. The precepts are a voluntary taking on of training rules for mindfulness.