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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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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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