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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2026-02-04
The Importance of Investigation
59:56
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Walt Opie
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One of the seven factors of awakening is investigation-of-dhammas (or phenomena), which includes an attitude of patient curiosity or keen interest. This important factor works together with strong mindfulness to help us discriminate between the wholesome and unwholesome mind states present at any given moment. The Buddha described this as one of the key qualities that led to his awakening. This talk will explore how we can better understand this factor and begin implementing it more in our practice.
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Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
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2026-02-04
Responding to Our Times on the Basis of Our Practice 2: The Bodhisattva
58:28
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Donald Rothberg
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We first hear from a member of the community about how he is experiencing and responding to what's happening in the larger society and world in our times. We then fairly briefly review last week's session, first identifying the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation, and ethics--and how each can be important resources for responding to what's happening in our own experience and in our society and world. We focus especially on reviewing our exploration of "ethical practice," responding in our everyday lives and in the larger society and world in caring and compassionate ways.
We then explore the traditional figure of the bodhisattva as one who brings together deep commitments both to awakening and to helping others--helping others both in awakening and in terms of their life needs. We look at examples of bodhisattva vows from Theravada, Japanese Zen, and Vietnamese traditions, as well as from passages from Shantideva's "Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life." We show images of archetypal bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara, Tara, Kwan Yin, and Manjushri and discuss the ten ways of training of the Mahayana bodhisattva. We suggest a number of contemporary exemplars of the bodhisattva vocation, and invite participants to develop their own personalized bodhisattva vows. The talk is followed by discussion.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2026-02-02
Q&A
40:50
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Q1 [from an online participant] I bumped into some Jehovah's witnesses on a walk sometime and they asked me what do Buddhists believe. How would you answer this question? Q2 09:15 When I'm doing Qigong I feel a lot of heaviness in my feet and after a while pain. Is this normal? Q3 11:07 I enjoy solitude to limit sensory input and unnecessary chatter. Is there such a thing as too much solitude? Q4 29:47 can I please ask about how you start an end your days? Do you have intentions you set? Any specific recollections or practices? Do you practice mindfulness of sleep and dreams?
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Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat
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Holding the ‘me-bag’ with kindness
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2026-01-30
Q&A
59:32
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Q1 How do we release trauma, painful memories? Q2 22:27 During meditation how do you know when to deflect pain, when to change posture? Q3 27:04 How do you maintain unconditioned love while holding boundaries? Q4 34:12 How do we manage or minimize sexual energy? Q5 41:31 What skilful techniques can illuminate the process of nama?
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Dharmagiri Sacred Mountain Retreat
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Holding the ‘me-bag’ with kindness
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2026-01-29
The Buddha on Views + Sangha Q&A
48:57
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James Baraz
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This talk discusses the Buddha's words on holding to fixed views from The Paramatthaka Sutta (Sn 4.5) followed by an open Q&A.
While the Buddha warned against attachment to views, some views are clearly aligned with the Dharma such as: causing harm will lead to suffering for oneself or another. How can we reconcile not holding to fixed views when you're clear that it is appropriate to take a strong stand against harm?
After reflections on this topic there is a Q&A session on this theme and other practice questions are explored.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2026-01-28
Impermanence as a Possibility for Liberation
49:37
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Andrea Castillo
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If things didn’t change, there would be no hope to become free. Those not trained in perceiving impermanence embrace it only as long as the change is pleasant. However, those trained in the Dharma experience the flow of change with equanimity. We recognize that it is the changes that cause us suffering that spark the most spiritual urgency for cultivating clear seeing, wisdom, and freedom. In this talk we will explore a discourse from the Buddha in which we are instructed how we can train in the perception of impermanence. Recognizing and understanding impermanence (anicca) brings the greatest happiness, which is peace.
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Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
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2026-01-28
Responding to Our Times on the Basis of Our Practice 1: Developing Caring and Compassionate Responses
62:58
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Donald Rothberg
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We begin by hearing from two members of the community about how they are experiencing and responding to what's happening in the larger society and world in our times. Donald then discusses how we might respond on the basis of our practice, identifying the three areas of training--in wisdom, meditation, and ethics. Guided by wisdom teachings, we can see the society and world as both manifesting greed, hatred, and delusion, and also awakened qualities. In our meditation, we can practice on many levels, including working with challenging emotions, seeing through social conditioning, and bringing mindfulness to our thoughts, emotions, and bodies.
We focus especially on "ethical practice," re-framed as developing caring and compassionate responses. We briefly outline the five ethical precepts, and then focus especially on the guideline of non-harming, clarifying how this is understood both more individually and socially, identifying teachings from the Buddha, King Ashoka, and Thich Nhat Hanh. We ask what our practice of developing "caring and compassionate" responses might look like, bringing in also material from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including his nonviolence and understanding of interdependence, and Elie Wiesel, including his commitment always to speak up whenever there is suffering.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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