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The greatest gift is the gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
2025-04-17
Gratitude Practice: "It Would Have Been Enough"
48:01
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James Baraz
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This talk takes a dive into Gratitude as a way to hold suffering. The Jewish holiday of Passover began on Saturday. Passover is a holiday of liberation. One of the most joyous parts of the holiday is singing the song Dayenu, which translates as "It would have been enough." The song's lyrics list one blessing after another, 15 in all. After each verse the refrain is "if that was all, it would have been enough. But then there was this (next blessing)."
When we look at our lives through this lens it gives us inspiration to see and appreciate all the good in our lives as we process all that is challenging.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2025-04-12
Wisdom in Action: Mindfulness and Sampajanna on the Path to Liberation
32:47
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Devon Hase
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This dharma talk explores how mindfulness (sati) functions as a "charioteer" guiding spiritual faculties, with special focus on sampajanna (clear knowing) and its four aspects: intention, suitability, domain, and non-delusion. Through stories and examples, devon illustrates how developing these qualities leads to wisdom that responds appropriately in each moment, supporting liberation from suffering.
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Refuge of Belonging
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2025-04-09
Talk: The Practice of Developing Samadhi (Concentration)
61:45
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Donald Rothberg
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This talks focuses on one of the three areas of practice discussed a week before, on developing samadhi (or concentration), the theme of Donald's four weeks of practice in March. We begin by more generally discussing the nature of samadhi, including short account of the etymology in Pali, and the Tibetan sense of samadhi as "staying," as developing in the nine stages of the "Elephant Path." We look at the place and importance of developing samadhi in our practice and its relationship to insight practice; developing samadhi is one of the eight factors of the Noble Eightfold Path and appears in many of the Buddha's core teachings. We discuss some ways to practice developing samadhi, and then focus especially on several challenges of such practice and how to work with such challenges. The talk is followed by discussion, including further exploration of the relationship of cultivating samadhi and insight practice, the nature of skillful effort, and the joy that can arise in the development of samadhi.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2025-04-09
Guided Meditation: Developing Samadhi (Concentration) 2
40:26
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Donald Rothberg
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This guided meditation gives more detail on developing samadhi than the guided meditation from a week ago. First, after a brief overview of the nature of samadhi (usually translated as "concentration"), instructions are given for a practice session developing samadhi, including on posture, gaze, possible objects of focus, and skillful effort. Midway through the session, some further guidance is given on "intensifying," which helps both to deepen samadhi and to cut through background thinking as well as foreground thinking.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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