Jennifer Dungan began her meditation practice in 2003 with a mindfulness based stress reduction course (MBSR). The discipline of meditation opened a new world of personal discovery and her desire to continue learning propelled her to IMSB in January 2006. Jennifer especially appreciates the scientific method promoted by the Buddha. She lives with her spouse in Mountain View and works at NASA Ames Research Center.
In this fourth and last talk in a speaker series on The Engaged Buddhist, Jennifer Dungan ties together the lessons from previous speakers. She mentions precepts of socially engaged Buddhism put forward by Thich Nhat Hanh, and how various dhamma elements such as compassion, right view, right intention, and right mindfulness can work to reduce the suffering caused by clinging to even the most pro-social and aspirational outcomes.
Meditation instructions are sometimes misinterpreted to imply that one should disengage from activity and suspend all judgment. Buddhist advice on “letting go” can be misunderstood to suggest that problems in the world can or should be ignored. Yet the Pali canon shows that the Buddha taught practical social and economic remedies, and urged monks to travel so they could benefit the largest number of people.
Thích Nhất Hạnh coined the term “engaged Buddhism” to describe efforts to respond to the suffering in his country during the Vietnam war, work he saw as part of meditation and mindfulness practice rather than something apart from it. In this series, some local “engaged Buddhists” will share how they personally apply Buddhist wisdom to engage with the suffering around us, in areas such as social action, prison ministry, and environmentalism.
Jennifer Dungan gave the fourth talk in a speaker series titled "Living Wisely in the World: Caring for Mind, Family, Society. and Planet." She proposed that human-caused climate changes could be regarded as a Heavenly Messenger for us to wake up. She further explored how global warming is a consequence of clinging on a societal and political scale. In addition, we can be mindful of what arises in our mind when we hear about global warming. The spectrum can range from feeling alarmed to feeling dismissive. Our mind state in turn can lead to wholesome or unwholesome actions.
A famous verse in the Dhammapada states:
“All experience is preceded by mind, led by mind, made by mind. Speak or act with a corrupted mind, and suffering follows, as the wagon wheel follows the hoof of the ox … Speak or act with a peaceful mind, and happiness follows, like a never-departing shadow.”
This guest speaker series will explore the ways in which care for our minds leads to care for our families, societies and our planet.
We are facing global warming and drastic global climate change. The resulting disruption in the seasonal patterns and the extreme weather events pose threats to all living beings. Jennifer Dungan explores how the concept of non-harming, right action, Brahma Vihara, and the three marks of existence can help a world in which activities that involve fossil fuel perpetuate or worsen climate disruption.
This collection of talks given at Insight Meditation South Bay discusses the nature of emotions. Topics include how to work with shame, dread, fear and anger.
