Dharma Talks
given at Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
2011-05-21
Habits, Action and Personality
46:13
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Shaila Catherine
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Underlying tendencies (toward greed, hate, and delusion) fuel habits that obstruct our freedom. Tendencies toward irritation, anger, craving, and ignorance may arise in times of stress when our mindfulness is weak, and they distort our perception of things. But tendencies arise in both luxurious and modest environments, in situations of comfort as well as pain. How we relate to experience reinforces patterns and conditioning. Greed, hate, and delusion are causes for the arising of kamma (karma). The simile of the two darts describes the difference between simply enduring bodily feelings of pain, and proliferating reactions of anger and aversion that add suffering to our pain. This talk explores the primary tendencies of sensual desire, anger, and ignorance, and shows how we can free the mind from their influence in our everyday life.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Everyday Dhamma—Teachings for the Lay Life
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2011-04-23
Decision Making
44:12
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Shaila Catherine
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We make many decisions and choices in our lives. To choose one option, we inevitably sacrifice other possibilities. Beliefs and personal standpoints limit the range of our options. What are your priorities in life? What are your strongest intentions and aspirations? The Kalama Sutta offers recommendations for making decisions—consider what leads to happiness and what leads to harm. The ten unwholesome and ten wholesome actions, and ethical precepts are explored in this talk as guidelines for wise decision making.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Everyday Dhamma—Teachings for the Lay Life
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2011-04-19
Four Elements Meditation—Instructional Talk and Guided Meditation
41:58
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Shaila Catherine
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This talk introduces the Four Elements Meditation as a systematic method for developing mindfulness of the body. A guided meditation and instructions are provided that reveal the body as a dynamic interaction of characteristics classified as earth (hardness, roughness, heaviness, softness, smoothness, lightness), water (flowing, cohesion), fire (heat, cold), and wind (supporting, pushing).
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Tuesday Talks—2011
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2010-11-09
Recollection of the Dhamma-part of a three part series on the Triple Gem: As Refuge, Inspiration, and Meditation Practice
54:00
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Shaila Catherine
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The Triple Gem: Recollection of the Dhamma—The Liberating Teachings. This is the second installment in a three part series on the three jewels or three refuges. This talk introduces the practice of contemplating the Dhamma (dhammanusati) as a meditation practice that enhances joy, delight, energy, and faith in the efficacy of the path. The reflection considers the Dhamma as good in the beginning, good in the middle, and good in the end, pure in its meaning and in its detail, immediate, timeless, inviting one to come and see, worthy of application, to be experienced by the wise.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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In
collection:
Triple Gem: As Refuge, Inspiration, and Meditation Practice
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2010-10-05
Recollection of the Buddha-part of a three part series on the Triple Gem: As Refuge, Inspiration, and Meditation Practice
34:34
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Shaila Catherine
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The Triple Gem: The Awakening Recollection of the Buddha. This is the first installment in a three part series on the three jewels or three refuges. This talk introduces the practice of recollecting the worthy qualities of the Buddha and meditating on his virtues. Contemplation of the Buddha, Buddhanusati, enhances joy, inspiration, and confidence in the possibility of liberation. This talk tells the story of the Buddha's enlightenment, his struggle for knowledge and attainments, development of integrity and right speech, blossoming of his remarkable teaching abilities, great compassion, full understanding of mind and matter (nama-rupa), knowledge of the world, unsurpassed concentration, and pure conduct. The example of the Buddha's achievements can serve as an inspiration for us today.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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In
collection:
Triple Gem: As Refuge, Inspiration, and Meditation Practice
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