Jackie framed our discussion of Virya using one of Joseph Goldstein’s many talks on the subject, which can be found on the web at
Rebecca led our reflections on Prajna today, reading from an extended definition of Prajna
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wisdom_in_Buddhism
and from a Shambhala Sun article on “The Sharp Sword of Prajna”
http://www.shambhalasun.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1675
Donia led our reflections on Renunciation, drawing on her years of experience in a Gurdjieff community. The emphasis was on using renunciations strategically, to break up habitual attachments, and thus bit by bit erode habitual ways of viewing the self.
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5/12/2013 – Morality (2nd Parami)
Today Payton led our reflections on Morality, the second of the ten perfections. In Pali, this is Sila, which is a word with many meanings and shows up in many of the Buddhist lists (Paramis, Paramitas, Eightfold Path, etc.).
Payton chose three viewpoints on Sila.
The first was a talk by Sylvia Boorstein. (http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/174/talk/6541/)
Sylvia discussed how Morality develops in the human life and how it can be very subjective.
Particularly, this quote was interesting:
“a moral act is something that you do out of the conscious intention to make things better for somebody else.”
Second was a talk by Gil Fronsdal. (http://www.audiodharma.org/series/1/talk/1859/)
Gil remarked that there are two main points to Sila: Compassion for others, and Care for the self.
The third was a brief (and paraphrased) excerpt from a talk by Trudy Goodman (http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/183/talk/5953/)
Our mind is always altering and changing and re-creating who we are. This is great freedom, but also can be a problem for us. We can’t just work hard and achieve some state which will last forever. Sila is a guardian of dharma, protecting the learning that we achieve. It acts like a crucible for our karma, transforming our intent over and over again.
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5/5/2013 – Generosity (1st Parami)
Today Maryann led our reflections on Generosity, the first of the ten perfections, and the initial teaching in many paths to establish a Buddhist practice. The first thirty minutes of an exchange with James Baraz, discussing a project which cultivated a generous outpouring can be found here:
http://www.dharmaseed.org/teacher/86/talk/18132/
As sangha members listened to and discussed that project, we began exploring the possibility of doing something ourselves which gave back to the community, and cultivated this quality in our own lives. If you haven’t already heard the talk, you might want to have a listen to the first 30 minutes, in order more fully to participate in our sangha’s discussions.
Our sangha’s all day Spring retreat was held today, with ten members able to attend. In addition to the benefits of simply practicing together for a more extended period – sitting, walking, eating meditation – we also had the opportunity to focus on the least examined of the classical three poisons that erode the quality of our lives: delusion. Joey shared a number of perspectives which converged on this difficult and elusive topic.
Sky Dawson: Connecting with Life (delusion) http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/199/talk/17524/
Jack Kornfireld’s compilation “The Buddha is Still Teaching,” on Dipa Ma’s “no problem” teaching.
Rodney Smith, “Stepping out of Self-Deception: The Buddha’s Liberating Teaching of No-Self”, pp. 4-7, xiii-xiv, 20-22.
Rick Hanson, “The Practical Neuroscience of Buddha’s Brain,” pp. 216, 110-111.
Mary Oliver, “When I Am Among the Trees,” from her book “Thirst”
When I Am Among the Trees
When I am among the trees,
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
especially the willows and the honey locust,
equally the beech, the oaks and the pines,
they give off such hints of gladness,
I would almost say that they save me, and daily.
I am so distant from the hope of myself,
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
in which I have goodness, and discernment,
and never hurry through the world
but walk slowly, and bow often.
Around me the trees stir in their leaves
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
and call out, “Stay awhile.”
The light flows from their branches.
And they call again, “It’s simple,” they say,
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
“and you too have come
into the world to do this, to go easy, to be filled
with light, and to shine.”
~ Mary Oliver ~
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4/21/2013 – Hard Core Dharma
The Buddha’s first sermon presented his most shocking and difficult to accept teaching right off the bat. Michael was an energetic talk by Steve Armstrong this teaching, offered during a recent retreat he attended at IMS.
http://dharmaseed.org/teacher/170/talk/18959/
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4/14/2013 – Walking Meditation
Nancy led the sangha in an exploration of walking meditation today. Walking meditation has, from the time of the Buddha been not only a way to vary the routine from sitting meditation, but also a profound and revealing practice in its own right. Using insights from Aya Khema and others, as well as the brisk spring weather outdoors, Nancy directed our attention to the variety of potentials in walking. Aya Khema’s facilitation of walking meditation itself can be found at
http://dharmaseed.org/talks/audio_player/334/8005.html
Also, to help focus concentration for walking and other meditative work, Nancy offered a guided sweeping meditation by Aya Khema similar to this one:
http://ayyakhematalks.org/Topics.html
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4/7/2013 – Karma and Identity
Anne B led our reflections on the question of Karma and Identity, using as a jumping off point a talk on that topic by Tony Bernhard at Spirit Rock.
Nancy let the sangha in using the Five Recollections as a way of examining the question of our karma. ” The Buddha recommended that every person should recollect these five facts every day. They are well known to us, but we like to forget them . We like to pretend that these five experiences do not really exist…
The five recollections are these (in English and Pali)
Five Subjects for Frequent Recollection
(LEADER):
Handa mayaṃ abhiṇha-paccavekkhaṇa-pāthaṃ bhaṇāma se:
Let us now recite the passage for frequent recollection:
(ALL):
Jarā-dhammomhi jaraṃ anatīto.
I am subject to aging. Aging is unavoidable.
Byādhi-dhammomhi byādhiṃ anatīto.
I am subject to illness. Illness is unavoidable.
Maraṇa-dhammomhi maraṇaṃ anatīto.
I am subject to death. Death is unavoidable.
Sabbehi me piyehi manāpehi nānā-bhāvo vinā-bhāvo.
I will grow different, separate from all that is dear & appealing to me.
Kammassakomhi kamma-dāyādo kamma-yoni kamma-bandhu kamma-paṭisaraṇo.
I am the owner of my actions, heir to my actions, born of my actions, related through my actions, and live dependent on my actions.
Yaṃ kammaṃ karissāmi kalyāṇaṃ vā pāpakaṃ vā tassa dāyādo bhavissāmi.
Whatever I do, for good or for evil, to that will I fall heir.
Evaṃ amhehi abhiṇhaṃ paccavekkhitabbaṃ.
We should often reflect on this.
– – – —- – – – – —– – – – —
A video of this chant of the five contemplations can be found at
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mTjggNeEyjA
This is a contemplation and not a meditation…
In meditation we try to focus and become on-pointed on the meditation subject, so that the mind eventually becomes very calm, serene and one-pointed, and gains power and strength, in order to realize insights.
In contemplation we take one subject which is a universal fact, not an individual problem, and see how it applies to us. We try to see how we react to that universality. Only our own reaction imbues the fact with importance to us.”
Nancy also used a guided meditation I read comes from Ayya Khema. (1991) When the Iron Eagle Flies: Buddhism for the West (pp 33 – 36). London, England: ARKANA, Penguin Books Ltd. pp.34 – 36.
