We have a strong tendency to try to understand why things happen to us. This talk explores meeting what is happening moment to moment, which begins to reveal the "why" of the present moment.
All the phenomena of our senses are empty of any solid substance or essence. It may be more appropriate to refer to phenomena as "appearances" rather than "objects." This theme is explored through the Sutta "A Lump of Foam" in the Samyutta Nikaya.
Our dedication to appropriating all that comes our way has wreaked havoc with our collective life. It has caused much collateral damage to both society and the environment, and has grievously damaged the core of our social integrity. To reverse the damage we need, first and foremost, to restore this integrity.
The Buddha often used the schema of the Five Aggregates to show that what we take to be self is actually impermanent and unsatisfactory, and that clinging to the aggregates will bring suffering.
