A story of a mass murder in the time of the Buddha, offers us lessons in how ethical conduct can help support us and countering the forces of ignorance and cravings
We first explore further the "three ways of seeing that free" (examining the "three characteristics" of phenomena), with particular emphasis on a practically-based overview of anatta (not-self). We then see how samadhi practice and insight practice develop, as they progress, toward a third mode of practice--opening to "awakened awareness" or "radiant mind." We look at the nature of awakened awareness, and point to several practical methods of accessing awakened awareness.
A guided session. We can forget that there's a whole range of qualities of friendliness that are non-doing or passive. Listening, caring, empathizing, respecting, allowing, appreciating, honoring and more.
Dhammas are wave-like qualia rather than things. They are conditionally arisen. With dispassionate mindfulness they can subside. They need not define or belong to anyone.
This talk gives a general overview of practice, follow up thoughts from the previous night's talk on samadhi, and an introduction to the process of orienting perception towards change and dukkha.
Judging ourselves or comparing ourselves with others is a central issue for many. How we get caught and how to skillfully work with these habits is the topic of the talk.
We explore the nature and importance of samadhi (or concentration) practice in the context of the sequence of the three core practices of the retreat—samadhi practice, insight practice, and opening to “radiant mind.” We also examine a number of ways to engage skillfully in samadhi practice, including in the context of several core challenges to such practice.
Mindfulness of mind is the ability to hold the range of mind states in the field of mind so that dispassionate presence is realized. This ‘holding’ is not grasping any phenomenon as a real thing, more relating to it as a potential citta characteristic.
To respond to what arises is important – how to avoid blind reactions? Citta, core presence, can be accessed through mindfulness. When it is stable, a true response arises.
