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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2026-09-09
Practicing the Wise Speech Guideline of Truthfulness: Four Dimensions of Practice
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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2026-08-17
Niramisa Sukha: On Unworldly Pleasant Feeling
46:26
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Devon Hase
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A talk on unworldly pleasant vedana — the kind of ease and contentment that doesn't depend on anything going right. We trace how letting go registers in the body as pleasure before the mind has words for it, and learn to stay with it, let it spread, and receive it rather than manufacture it.
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Various
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2026-08-16
Doubt and Thinking
30:04
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Ajahn Viradhammo
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Ajahn Viradhammo reflects on the use of the "Who is thinking" Koan/question. Used during meditation. When one's whole psychological makeup is all about thinking/problem solving only, then doubt will come up. As thinking begets doubt. The depth of spiritual life is about "silence". And one cannot arrive there through thinking. Then one tries to get rid of thinking, and we fall into the trap, of aversion. One has to be able to see thought as an object, in awareness.
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Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
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2026-08-13
Contentment with little
42:12
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Ajahn Viradhammo
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Talk given on the lunar observance day. Ajahn Viradhammo reflects on Samana Sanna. Or the values of spiritual life. Contentment with little is one such Samana Sanna that one recollects.
The Sanna (or recollection), acts as a mirror, to the where the mind is. Then when a state of discontent arises, one can see it subjectively, rather than going into "becoming". "It's good enough" being a phrase to use as a guide.
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Tisarana Buddhist Monastery
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2026-08-12
A Map of Practice for Our Times: From Ordinary Mind to Awakening, Part 1
46:03
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Donald Rothberg
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In the first part of a two-part talk, we first identify the value of having a comprehensive map of our practice, and how a contemporary map builds on traditional maps but includes dimensions of practice not identified traditionally. We then explore the three traditional areas of training--in wisdom, meditation (including the development of concentration, mindfulness and insight, and the heart practices), and ethical practice--while briefly mentioning (more next time) two further contemporary areas of practice: Psychological learning of different kinds and social engagement that extends ethical practice. 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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2026-08-12
Guided Meditation: Reviewing Our Foundational Meditative Practices
35:43
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Donald Rothberg
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Connected with the talk giving a contemporary map of our practices, we review four foundational practices: (1) developing concentration (samadhi); (2) cultivating general mindfulness, (3) cultivating mindfulness of pleasant or unpleasant feeling-tones, and being mindful of any ensuing reactivity (grasping after the pleasant and pushing away the unpleasant in relatively unconscious, automatic, and habitual ways); and (4) a heart practice developing kindness, compassion, or other heart qualities. The guided meditation is followed by a brief period of discussion.
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Spirit Rock Meditation Center
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Monday and Wednesday Talks
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