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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2026-09-16
Practicing the Wise Speech Guideline of Truthfulness: Four Dimensions of Practice 2
53:46
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Donald Rothberg
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We review the importance of giving attention to ethical practice, and how it has often been marginalized in Western Buddhism, with meditation typically being at the center (as is evident in speaking of “meditation centers” and “meditation groups”). Wise Speech, as one of the three aspects of ethical practice named in the Noble Eightfold Path, is particularly important in contemporary Western practice; we can have an opportunity for many hours a day of spiritual practice if we bring Wise Speech practice into our lives!
The Buddha’s four guidelines for Wise Speech were truthfulness, helpfulness, care and kindness, and appropriateness (especially good timing). We focus, in this second talk on the first guideline of truthfulness, on how we understand and practice being truthful in our relational and social lives, with reference also to how truthfulness is understood in Jewish, Christian, and Islamic traditions. We see how truthfulness is crucial in communities and societies, what the consequences are of a lack of truthfulness, and how one dimension of our Wise Speech practice is helping to develop more truthfulness in our communities and societies. 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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2026-09-09
Practicing the Wise Speech Guideline of Truthfulness: Four Dimensions of Practice 1
53:40
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Donald Rothberg
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The Buddha taught four guidelines for Wise Speech (as a core aspect of ethical practice): truthfulness, helpfulness, care and kindness, and appropriateness (especially good timing). We explore the first guideline, partly in connection with the other three guidelines, in four dimensions of practice. First and most basically, we explore how we practice with truthfulness in our individual practice with others. Secondly, we look at how truthfulness is also a central ethical guideline in our communities, organizations, and societies, making possible trust and safety; yet often this guideline is not followed. Thirdly, we look at our contemporary society in terms of truthfulness and the lack of truthfulness. Fourthly, we ask how we might respond, as part of our ethical practice, to develop more truthfulness in the society: What can help? 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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2026-09-06
The Four Noble Truths
34:38
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Ajahn Viradhammo
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The theme of this Sunday talk, the Four Noble truths. Buddhist traditions may vary in many ways, but the one common teaching in each one is this one.
Is there a wellbeing that is not relative to situations? That remains unchanged. This was the Buddha's realisation. And the core of the teaching above.
It allows one to take responsibility for ones discontent.To really understand how things work.
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Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
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2026-09-03
Dukkha and the End of Dukkha: The Core Teaching of the Buddha
51:00
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Donald Rothberg
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The Buddha famously said, "I teach dukkha [suffering or reactivity or a sense of unsatisfactoriness] and the cessation of dukkha.” We explore this core teaching as it is expressed in the Four Noble Truths and the teachings of the Two Arrows and Dependent Origination, including ways that it can be confusing. We suggest ways to understand and implement this teaching both in formal meditation and in everyday life. (See document 328 below, on "Four Meanings of Dukkha, and Contact to Grasping in the Dependent Origination Model.")
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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Attached Files:
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Four Meanings of Dukkha, Contact to Grasping in the Dependent Origination Model
by Donald Rothberg
(PDF)
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2026-09-01
Befriending the Thinking Mind
20:13
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Marjolein Janssen
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We often have the idea that thoughts are our enemy during meditation. If only we could get rid of all those thoughts, then we would be good meditators. But actually, this is a misconception, since thinking is part of being a human being. In this talk we learn how to befriend the thinking mind, so it can be a companion, instead of an enemy.
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Insight Meditation Community of Richmond
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2026-08-23
Witnessing experience
30:56
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Ajahn Viradhammo
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The theme of this Sunday talk, is witnessing experience as it is. The awakened mind, does not demand anything be different to what it is, in the moment free of judgement. The theme that this builds upon, is "Santitikko"- Something that can be verified for oneself. If we can see suffering for what it is, as its is now, in the moment, we get out of it a little easier. So the practice becomes one of Witnessing the way it is now, first. Action can follow later if necessary.
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Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
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2026-08-20
Peace and Stillness: On Passaddhi and Equanimity
39:40
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Devon Hase
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A talk on tranquility as its own awakening factor, not a lesser cousin of joy or concentration. We look at how calm arises naturally out of a happy mind that knows how to let go, what it actually feels like in the body, and how it matures into the absorption of samadhi and, further still, into a stillness governed by equanimity rather than effort.
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Various
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2026-08-19
A Map of Practice for Our Times: From Ordinary Mind to Awakening, Part 2
49:16
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Donald Rothberg
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In this second part of a two-part set of talks, we first review briefly last week's talk, including the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation (including the development of concentration, mindfulness and insight, and the heart practices), and ethical practice. We then identify two further contemporary areas of practice: Psychological work of different kinds (including psychotherapy, various forms of "shadow" work, examination of one's social conditioning) and social engagement that extends ethical practice. We also identify some of the deeper dimensions of traditional practice, including the deepening of concentration practice in the jhanas, the three modes of liberating insight--seeing impermanence, reactivity (or dukkha), and not-self, the opening to non-dual awakened awareness, practices transforming the body (as in tummo practice), and the resting in non-doing. 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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