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The greatest gift is the
gift of the teachings
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Dharma Talks
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2013-09-10
Five Preconditions for Insight: Wisdom (the fifth precondition)
36:03
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Shaila Catherine
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The Buddha taught that there are five preconditions necessary for the development of meditation practice in seclusion—good friends, virtue and restraint,
engaging in talk on the Dhamma, wise effort, wisdom. These preconditions, presented in the Meghiya Sutta, are developed progressively and support one another, with wisdom as the crowning jewel and chief. This talk explores the importance of wisdom for revealing the impermanent nature of all things. With the clarity of wisdom we discern the arising and passing of phenomena. This insight into impermanence undercuts habitual delusions that perpetuate blindly grasping and clinging transient things. Wisdom is important at all stages of the path. At the beginning of our practice, we need wisdom to discern the right direction, clarify our purpose and learn skillful methods; we need wisdom in the midst of the practice to make the many adjustments that sustain us on this path; and the path culminates in the wisdom that leads to release. With wisdom, we will see the changing nature of all things, and understand how we construct our perception of reality, discern the four noble truths of suffering, and recognize how we can realize the end of suffering.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Tuesday Talks
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2013-09-03
Five Preconditions for Insight: Wise Effort (the fourth precondition)
33:04
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Shaila Catherine
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The Buddha taught that there are five preconditions necessary for the development of meditation practice in seclusion—good friends, virtue and restraint,
engaging in talk on the Dhamma, wise effort, wisdom. These preconditions, presented in the Meghiya Sutta, are developed progressively and support one another. This talk explores the role of effort and energy on the path of awakening. We make the effort to avoid and abandon unwholesome states, and to cultivate and maintain wholesome states. We apply our energy with diligence and balance. If too lax we will fall short of the goal and permit obstructions to distract the attention; if there is too much striving and forced effort we will exhaust ourselves and become discouraged. Right effort is balanced between relaxation and vigor; it is appropriate to the situation—applying just enough strength to meet the current conditions with wisdom and clarity. Skillful effort requires the commitment to endure difficult and painful situations without becoming disheartened. We persevere on our path, adjusting the quality of effort with mindfulness and sensitivity.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Tuesday Talks
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2013-08-23
Pilgrimages to India and Tibet with Q&A
1:10:28
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Ajahn Sucitto
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Ajahn describes two pilgrimages, one a six month to India's holy places (audio book here: https://whereareyougoing.podbean.com/), and one to Mount Kailash. 01:04:10 Q1 Did you cry ever? 01:04:33 Q2 Did you feel you achieved your objectives? 01:05:17 Q3 Would you recommend this to others? 01:06:26 Q4 Would you do it again? Q5 01:06:56 In Poland where I come from, a big religious [experience] is national sport, with thousands of people walking to the shrine [/ stadium]. It’s not a pilgrimage but a great sense of community, a mass movement. 01:07:46 Q6 What was the purpose of your talk this evening? 01:08:44 Q7 One of the things I got from reading the book, somehow we get the idea we should be getting somewhere in meditation, and this got smashed to pieces several times in the book.
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London Insight Meditation
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2013-08-20
Five Preconditions for Insight: Engage in Talk of the Dhamma (the third precondition)
21:35
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Shaila Catherine
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The Buddha taught that there are five preconditions necessary for the development of meditation practice in seclusion—good friends, virtue and restraint,
engaging in talk on the Dhamma, wise effort, wisdom. These preconditions, presented in the Meghiya Sutta, are developed progressively and support one another. This talk explores the importance of engaging in dhamma talk, reflecting on the teachings, and wise speech as ways of nurturing the path of awakening. How do you know when to speak and when to remain silent? What kind of speech is most true and useful? What types of conversation will distract you from your goals, or support the realization of nibbana? Does your engagement in conversation encourage attachments, identification, self-grasping, or does it nurture letting go, release, and peace?
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Tuesday Talks
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2013-08-13
Five Preconditions for Insight: Virtue and Restraint (the second precondition)
22:34
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Shaila Catherine
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The Buddha taught that there are five preconditions necessary for the development of meditation practice in seclusion—good friends, virtue and restraint,
engaging in talk on the Dhamma, wise effort, wisdom. These preconditions, presented in the Meghiya Sutta, are developed progressively and support one another. This talk explores the importance of restraint in a successful practice, and considers virtuous action to be an expression of wisdom. Ethical behavior and the inner respect that comes with the knowledge that we can refrain from unwholesome impulses is a foundation for practice. Precept training encourages wise reflection regarding the many choices that we make in our lives. We can reflect on the intention that initiates an action, the experience while engaged in the action, and the result that develops from an action so that we bring wisdom into every action and interaction. The five precepts, and the ten unwholesome and ten wholesome actions are presented. We have the power to choose what we develop with diligence and wisdom.
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Insight Meditation South Bay - Silicon Valley
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Tuesday Talks
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