Exploring the middle way of pride, its positive role, and negative implications in our life and practice. Also, of the benefits and challenges of a comparison-based mind and its necessity in discernment. Apologies for the occasional scratchy sound in the recording: Nathan is wearing a thick scarf due to a persistent cough, and it catches on the microphone. (includes responses to unheard questions)

Q1 You mentioned there are also other bodies such as the energy and emotional body and others. Could you elaborate please? 22:02 Q2 How does a sotapanna / stream enterer still have conceit as a fetter if they have uprooted self view? 36:11 Q3 It seems there is a very strong “not enough” mind. Not still enough, not calm enough, not practicing enough. How can I shift this negativity to a more positive chanda / motivation? 41:41 Q4 How can we measure our spiritual progress?

This talk explores the Buddha’s teaching of Anattā (Not-self) and ways to practice with the world experience or perception of self and how we can notice with mindfulness how this sense of self ebbs and flows with conditions. The Buddha also suggested beneficial ways to engage the self such as to use conceit as a tool to generate faith.

Mindfulness of the five aggregates of clinging can lead to freedom from clinging and letting go of conceit and wrong view

We have a deeply ingrained tendency to compare ourselves with others or with an idealized standard that is bound to create suffering in the mind. The Buddha called this tendency mana "the conceit of I am." When we through see through our identification with experience we open to a freedom beyond the comparing mind.

Proliferating tendencies that condition our lived experience, and how to free ourselves from them

Proliferating tendencies that condition our lived experience, and how to free ourselves from them

Papanca is rooted in craving, conceit, and views.

Dharma Talk: How is our sense of self being created? One major way is our tendency to constantly compare and measure ourselves against others. The conceit (mana) that arises, that is, the feeling of being better than, worse than, or the same as others, is the source of much suffering. The talk discusses different forms of conceit based on birth, knowledge, beauty, etc., and shows ways in which we can practice with it skilfully.