Dharma Talks
given at Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
2009-06-02
Appreciative Joy
44:02
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Shaila Catherine
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Appreciative joy (sympathetic joy, mudita) is the third of four qualities called Brahma Viharas (divine abodes) which are the subjects for this 4-part lecture series. Appreciative joy is presented as an extension of the loving kindness (metta) practice. Joy refers to the ability to delight and rejoice in the success and good fortune of others. Mudita overcomes the hindrances and obstacles of conceit, comparing, envy, avarice, jealousy, aversive criticism, resentment, competitiveness, and boredom. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
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In
collection:
Four Brahma Viharas
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2009-05-26
Compassion
22:19
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Shaila Catherine
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Compassion, karuna, is the intention of non-cruelty. It is the aspect of loving kindness (metta) that responds wisely to pain, and wishes to alleviate suffering. Compassion training helps us to remain present with pain. There is no need to fear pain, no need to consider pain bad or wrong. A compassionate self-acceptance allows us to remain present and responsive in the face of life's most difficult moments. With compassion we can ask "How can I help?" and stay present to respond. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
In
collection:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
|
2009-05-19
The Ten Paramis
4:23:42
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with
Shaila Catherine,
Stephen Fulder
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This is a collection of talks and guided meditations given at Insight Meditation South Bay on the ten paramis of generosity, virtue, renunciation, wisdom, energy or effort, patience, truthfulness, determination, loving-kindness and equanimity. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
|
2009-05-19
Loving Kindness
30:02
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Shaila Catherine
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Loving Kindness, friendliness (metta) is a clear intention and attitude of heart that supports a connected and joyful encounter with life. Metta is not sentimentality; it is not affection or attachment. It is a strong quality of heart that overcomes ill will, hatred, fear, and anger. Loving kindness practice is a way to take responsibility for our own happiness; it is a way to cultivate an attitude to life that supports deep friendship. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
Also in
collection:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
|
2009-06-09
Equanimity
41:43
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Shaila Catherine
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This talk explores equanimity as the fourth of the four qualities called Brahma Viharas. Previous talks in this series addressed loving kindness, compassion, and appreciative joy. Equanimity allows us to remain present and awake with the fact of things—equally close to the things we like and the things we dislike. It is important to develop equanimity in two arenas: 1) in response to pleasant and painful feelings, and 2) regarding the future results of our actions. Equanimity develops in meditation and in life. We can use unexpected events that we cannot control to develop this quality. Our job is not to judge our experiences, but to be present and respond wisely. Equanimity is a beautiful mental factor that can feel like freedom, but if "I" and "mine" still operate, there is still work to be done. Many suggestions are offered for cultivating equanimity. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
Also in
collection:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
|
|
|
2009-05-19
Four Brahma Viharas
2:18:08
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Shaila Catherine
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A collection of four talks on the immeasurable and boundless qualities of heart known as the Brahma Viharas: loving kindness/friendliness, compassion, joy, equanimity. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
2009-05-19
Loving Kindness
30:02
|
Shaila Catherine
|
|
Loving Kindness, friendliness (metta) is a clear intention and attitude of heart that supports a connected and joyful encounter with life. Metta is not sentimentality; it is not affection or attachment. It is a strong quality of heart that overcomes ill will, hatred, fear, and anger. Loving kindness practice is a way to take responsibility for our own happiness; it is a way to cultivate an attitude to life that supports deep friendship. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
Also in
collection:
The Ten Paramis
|
|
2009-05-26
Compassion
22:19
|
Shaila Catherine
|
|
Compassion, karuna, is the intention of non-cruelty. It is the aspect of loving kindness (metta) that responds wisely to pain, and wishes to alleviate suffering. Compassion training helps us to remain present with pain. There is no need to fear pain, no need to consider pain bad or wrong. A compassionate self-acceptance allows us to remain present and responsive in the face of life's most difficult moments. With compassion we can ask "How can I help?" and stay present to respond. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
|
2009-06-02
Appreciative Joy
44:02
|
Shaila Catherine
|
|
Appreciative joy (sympathetic joy, mudita) is the third of four qualities called Brahma Viharas (divine abodes) which are the subjects for this 4-part lecture series. Appreciative joy is presented as an extension of the loving kindness (metta) practice. Joy refers to the ability to delight and rejoice in the success and good fortune of others. Mudita overcomes the hindrances and obstacles of conceit, comparing, envy, avarice, jealousy, aversive criticism, resentment, competitiveness, and boredom. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
|
2009-06-09
Equanimity
41:43
|
Shaila Catherine
|
|
This talk explores equanimity as the fourth of the four qualities called Brahma Viharas. Previous talks in this series addressed loving kindness, compassion, and appreciative joy. Equanimity allows us to remain present and awake with the fact of things—equally close to the things we like and the things we dislike. It is important to develop equanimity in two arenas: 1) in response to pleasant and painful feelings, and 2) regarding the future results of our actions. Equanimity develops in meditation and in life. We can use unexpected events that we cannot control to develop this quality. Our job is not to judge our experiences, but to be present and respond wisely. Equanimity is a beautiful mental factor that can feel like freedom, but if "I" and "mine" still operate, there is still work to be done. Many suggestions are offered for cultivating equanimity. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Four Brahma Viharas
|
Also in
collection:
The Ten Paramis
|
|
|
|
2009-04-21
Mind is the Core
47:36
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Bhikkhu Bodhi
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Mind (citta) as the Buddha’s focus of investigation.
As both the cause of suffering and the means to its cessation
The Buddha points to two states or tendencies of mind
Akusala - unwholesome, unskillful
Kusala - wholesome, skillful, beneficial
Suffering follows the unwholesome mind, Happiness follows the wholesome mind like a shadow that never departs.
Our task, step by step, is to train the mind and supplant the unwholesome state with the wholesome states.
Greed, hatred and Delusion are the root causes for the unwholesome mind.
We must cultivate the factors that are the cause for the wholesome mind at three levels.
Coarse - Actions, bodily or verbal. We use the five precepts to prevent unwholesome tendencies at this level. Obsessive, compulsive patterns - Thoughts, emotions. We use meditation, deep samadhi directed to an object, to see the arising of these tendencies and still the mind. Underlying tendencies, attachments - the remaining defilements We use wisdom, insight, to investigate the body and mind and see their impermanence and stop the clinging to a false self to uproot these final tendencies. This is liberation.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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2009-04-07
Lessons from the Buddha on Relationship and Simplicity
54:56
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Tony Bernhard
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Viewing our relationship to others, the world - are we projecting our dissatisfaction onto the world.
Our state of mind affects how we view the world. What is the difference between loneliness and solitude - our state of mind.
What are we willing to set aside for the Dhamma - our opinions, taking sides, clinging to our beliefs…
Using the five precepts as practices to guide us in our relationships. Our wisdom is acted out in our behavior
Can we give up what we want to do to do to think of what others would like. Can we give up our clinging, can we give up being right?
Do our opinions enhance our suffering or reduce it?
Rather can we bring Metta to all our relationships.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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2009-03-10
Simplicity Of Being
40:20
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Shaila Catherine
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Be as you are. This talk encourages a spacious and accepting attitude that embraces experience just as it is occurring. It is inspired by non-meditation approaches that bring relaxation, release, and ease to awareness without the exertion or efforts of striving. Mindfulness instructions are simple: observe your experience of sensory contact, observe what occurs at any sense door. You don't need to do very much with what you observe. See what is happening; be present with what is. Several obstacles to deep presence are examined. We learn to release attachments to material stuff, to overcome the influence of social expectation, and to renounce distracting and unskillful speech. We also learn to free the mind from mental proliferation, worry, and restless wandering; to embrace precepts that protect us from doing habitual or selfish actions; and to let go of clinging whenever it arises. This approach illuminates the power of renunciation; the calming of concepts of self, I, me, and mine; and the great peace that brings an end to suffering. |
Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
:
Tuesday Talks
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