Refuges and precepts provide a field of conscience and concern that wards off carelessness, imbalance, distractedness and negativity – and helps in moving towards a true norm that won’t let us down.
From Harris Park. Death contemplation guided by Bhante Akāliko. Dhamma talk by Bhante Sujato: Carrion sutta (Snp 2.2) Amaganda: literally "raw stench". A (presumably) hard-core vegan ascetic challenges the Buddha about his eating a cooked meal with meat. The Buddha's response: a conduct of practicing the four Brahma Viharas is what a monastic / ascetic lifestyle is about.
Words like “central axis” and “periphery” help create a template for awareness of all the senses in a field rather than seizing on points or a particular sensory experience. This is citta / mind/ heart, an awareness of a psychosomatic field.
(Questions are précised and read later into the file to protect participants’ anonymity) 00:12 Q1 One-pointedness; 08:22 Q2 Can you comment on the widely taught practice of one pointed concentration; 16:31 Q3 I struggle with narratives filled with self-limiting beliefs I create in meditation and daily life. Can you help with this please?; 30:31 Q4 When do we choose open curiosity versus directed compassion or loving kindness? What is the relationship between them and their utility?
