Dharma Seed - James Baraz's Dharma Talks

I try to convey that the wisdom and compassion we are looking for is already inside of us. I see practice as learning how to purify our mind and heart so we can hear the Buddha inside. In doing so, we naturally embody the dharma and help awaken that understanding and love in others we meet.

I try to use the formal teachings as a doorway for people to see the truth in themselves. I feel I'm doing my job when people look into themselves to come to their own deep understandings of the truth, access their own inner wisdom and trust in their "Buddha-knowing," as Ajahn Chah called it, which is different from their intellectual knowing.

The Buddha-knowing is a deeper place, underneath the concepts, which is in touch with the truth, with our seed of awakening. I want practitioners to have more and more confidence in, and familiarity with, that deeper place of knowing. It is accessing this dimension of our being that becomes the guide to cutting through the confusion caused by greed and fear. We have everything we need inside ourselves. We do not need to look to a teacher when we remember who we really are.

2009-02-16 Practice As A Path Of Happiness 64:28	Download Stream Order
One aspect of Wise Effort is maintaining and increasing wholesome states that have arisen. This is supported by being present for the wholesome state without clinging. How to integrate wholesome states such as sincere intention, gratitude, being compassionate with suffering, and others into our practice is explored.
Spirit Rock Meditation Center: Insight Meditation February