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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2026-02-04
The Importance of Investigation
59:56
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Walt Opie
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One of the seven factors of awakening is investigation-of-dhammas (or phenomena), which includes an attitude of patient curiosity or keen interest. This important factor works together with strong mindfulness to help us discriminate between the wholesome and unwholesome mind states present at any given moment. The Buddha described this as one of the key qualities that led to his awakening. This talk will explore how we can better understand this factor and begin implementing it more in our practice.
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Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
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2026-02-04
Responding to Our Times on the Basis of Our Practice 2: The Bodhisattva
58:28
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Donald Rothberg
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We first hear from a member of the community about how he is experiencing and responding to what's happening in the larger society and world in our times. We then fairly briefly review last week's session, first identifying the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation, and ethics--and how each can be important resources for responding to what's happening in our own experience and in our society and world. We focus especially on reviewing our exploration of "ethical practice," responding in our everyday lives and in the larger society and world in caring and compassionate ways.
We then explore the traditional figure of the bodhisattva as one who brings together deep commitments both to awakening and to helping others--helping others both in awakening and in terms of their life needs. We look at examples of bodhisattva vows from Theravada, Japanese Zen, and Vietnamese traditions, as well as from passages from Shantideva's "Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life." We show images of archetypal bodhisattvas such as Avalokiteshvara, Tara, Kwan Yin, and Manjushri and discuss the ten ways of training of the Mahayana bodhisattva. We suggest a number of contemporary exemplars of the bodhisattva vocation, and invite participants to develop their own personalized bodhisattva vows. 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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2026-01-29
The Buddha on Views + Sangha Q&A
48:57
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James Baraz
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This talk discusses the Buddha's words on holding to fixed views from The Paramatthaka Sutta (Sn 4.5) followed by an open Q&A.
While the Buddha warned against attachment to views, some views are clearly aligned with the Dharma such as: causing harm will lead to suffering for oneself or another. How can we reconcile not holding to fixed views when you're clear that it is appropriate to take a strong stand against harm?
After reflections on this topic there is a Q&A session on this theme and other practice questions are explored.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2026-01-28
Impermanence as a Possibility for Liberation
49:37
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Andrea Castillo
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If things didn’t change, there would be no hope to become free. Those not trained in perceiving impermanence embrace it only as long as the change is pleasant. However, those trained in the Dharma experience the flow of change with equanimity. We recognize that it is the changes that cause us suffering that spark the most spiritual urgency for cultivating clear seeing, wisdom, and freedom. In this talk we will explore a discourse from the Buddha in which we are instructed how we can train in the perception of impermanence. Recognizing and understanding impermanence (anicca) brings the greatest happiness, which is peace.
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Cambridge Insight Meditation Center
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2026-01-28
Responding to Our Times on the Basis of Our Practice 1: Developing Caring and Compassionate Responses
62:58
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Donald Rothberg
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We begin by hearing from two members of the community about how they are experiencing and responding to what's happening in the larger society and world in our times. Donald then discusses how we might respond on the basis of our practice, identifying the three areas of training--in wisdom, meditation, and ethics. Guided by wisdom teachings, we can see the society and world as both manifesting greed, hatred, and delusion, and also awakened qualities. In our meditation, we can practice on many levels, including working with challenging emotions, seeing through social conditioning, and bringing mindfulness to our thoughts, emotions, and bodies.
We focus especially on "ethical practice," re-framed as developing caring and compassionate responses. We briefly outline the five ethical precepts, and then focus especially on the guideline of non-harming, clarifying how this is understood both more individually and socially, identifying teachings from the Buddha, King Ashoka, and Thich Nhat Hanh. We ask what our practice of developing "caring and compassionate" responses might look like, bringing in also material from Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., including his nonviolence and understanding of interdependence, and Elie Wiesel, including his commitment always to speak up whenever there is suffering.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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2026-01-17
How Do I Apply Dhamma to Diseas and Death: An Arrow SN 36.6
1:33:28
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Ayya Santussika
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This dhamma talk, guided meditation, comments, questions and responses was offered on 17 January, 2026 for “How do I apply the Dhamma to THIS!?!”
00:00 - GUIDED MEDITATION
19:37 - DHAMMA TALK
56:14 - COMMENTS, QUESTIONS & RESPONSES
From January 4th to April 2nd 2026 the regularly scheduled Saturday morning program taught by Ayya Santussika, will take many of the suttas referenced in "Mindfully Facing Disease and Death" by Bhikkhu Anālayo as their basis.
For those who want to dive deeply into this material, you may want to read the book as we discuss the suttas, listed below.
Jan 10 SN 22.1 Nakula’s Father Chapter 2
Jan 17 SN 36.6 An Arrow Chapter 3
Jan 24 SN 22.88 With Assaji Chapter 10
Jan 31 SN 22.89 With Khemaka Chapter 11
Feb 7 AN 10.60 With Girimānanda Chapter 12
Feb 14 SN 3.22 Grandmother and SN 47.13 With Cunda Chapters 13 & 14
Feb 21 MN 143 Advice to Anāthapiṇḍika Chapter 16
Feb 28 SN 55.3 With Dīghāvu and SN 55.54 Sick Chapters 17 & 18
Mar 7 SN 36.7 The Infirmary (1st) Chapter 19
Mar 14 AN 6.56 With Phagguna Chapter 20
Mar 21 SN 35.74 Sick (1st) and SN 41.10 Seeing the Sick Chapters 21 & 22
Mar 28 DN 16.31, 34-36 The Buddha’s Last Words Chapter 23
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Karuna Buddhist Vihara
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2026-01-15
One Arrow is Sufficient, Thanks. (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
55:34
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Gullu Singh
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This talk explores how mettā supports freedom from the “second arrow” of mental reactivity. Drawing on vivid teachings from the Buddha, it shows that ill-will harms the one who holds it and that kindness is an aspirational training pointing to the limitless capacity of the heart. The path is framed through the Satipaṭṭhāna: purification of mind, the surmounting of sorrow, and the end of dukkha. Central is the role of vedanā—the pleasant, unpleasant, or neutral tone that conditions craving and resistance. Most suffering arises not from experience itself but from the mind’s rejection of what is here. Mettā becomes a relational posture toward life, saying “yes” to each moment and softening identification with pain. By noticing greed, aversion, and delusion, we transform them into generosity, love, and wisdom. The impartial heart learns to meet all experience with balance, discovering ease even amid difficulty.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Metta Retreat: Teachings and Practices to Cultivate a Wise, Compassionate, and Responsive Heart
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2026-01-15
The Gift of Practice: A Choice in Every Moment
45:10
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James Baraz
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It seems with every day of news, there is more uncertainty, deep concern and unease. As much as we would like to, we can't control reality. However, the great gift of practice is that we can choose how to skillfully relate to our experience. This is a time for our practice to hold us. Instead of reacting impulsively in ways that just contract us more or with actions we later regret, we can respond effectively with a wise heart. This talk discusses teachings and practices that help us make that wiser choice.
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Insight Meditation Community of Berkeley
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2026-01-13
Guided Compassion (Karuna) Practice (Retreat at Spirit Rock)
56:16
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Gullu Singh
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This talk explores karuṇā as the heart that meets suffering with kindness and the sincere wish for its relief, without attachment to outcome. Compassion is not kind behavior but a wholesome state of mind from which wise action naturally flows. The talk distinguishes karuṇā from empathy: affective empathy can lead to exhaustion by taking on others’ pain, while compassion is “feeling for,” supported by warmth and equanimity. Rather than merging with suffering, we attune to the care already present within it. Karuṇā is a brahmavihāra—abundant, immeasurable, and energizing—capable of meeting personal and global pain with clarity and agency. Practical guidance is offered: begin with manageable suffering, pair compassion with balance, use simple phrases, and end with spaciousness for all beings.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Metta Retreat: Teachings and Practices to Cultivate a Wise, Compassionate, and Responsive Heart
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