Buddha-Sasana

We review the contemplation of body parts, which we talked about some weeks ago, then discuss the varying modes of context and conceptuality in practice. (Satipaṭṭhāna Exercise Instructions 4, 10/6/2023)

Contemplation of bodily actions takes us off the cushion potentially into everyday life. It can be used independently of satipatthana to cultivate mental development. (Satipaṭṭhāna Exercise Instructions 3, 9/29/2023)

Contemplation of posture tends to take us off the cushion and, like the breath, is relatively discussion. We end with some discussion of intergrating samādhi into these exercises. (Satipaṭṭhāna Exercise Instructions 2, 9/22/2023)

Breath provides weak internal evidence, fragmentary and transitory, for presuming an external body/self. (Satipaṭṭhāna Instructions 1, 9/15/2023)

Why do we need scholarship at all? Why not just teach how to meditate? (In the series Rethinking the Satipaṭṭhāna, 9/8/2023)

Extending the primary analysis of the satipaṭṭhāna refrain to the fourth satipaṭṭhāna raises some issues. (Body in body internally and externally 4, 9/1/2023)

We take up the contribution of the refrain of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta to the contemplation of the individual exercises, focusing on “internal analysis.” (Body in the body internally and externally 3, 8/25/2023)

 External analysis is to seek the external body in the observable evidence in which one is absorbed. (Body in body internally and externally 2, 8/18/2023)

We take up the contribution of the refrain of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta to the contemplation of the individual exercises, focusing on “internal analysis.” (Body in body internally and externally 1, 8/11/2023)

I describe how to practice the body parts exercise of the first satipaṭṭhāna, as a practical example of the systematic way I have been explaining satipaṭṭhāna in the last series of talks. (8/4/2023)

The practice of the first three satipaṭṭhānas aims at the deconstruction self in its facets of body, feelings and mind. (A back-roads tour of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta 4, 7/28/2023)

The correspondence of the fourth satipaṭṭhāna with both the five stages of liberation and the seven factors of awakening make the role of satipaṭṭhāna in developing right view clear, as well as the open-endedness of the Dhamma teachings examined in the fourth satipaṭṭhāna. (A back-roads tour of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta 3, 7/21/2023)

We continue by looking at two more representative exercises, reviewing the conclusion of the sutta and reviewing the corresponding texts in the Pali and Chinese traditions. (A back-roads tour of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta 2, 7/14/2023)

We begin a first pass of this important tutorial, identifying the satipaṭṭhāna method that supports the satipaṭṭhāna contemplative practice and see how the exercises are structured. (A back-roads tour of the Satipaṭṭhāna Sutta 1, 7/7/2023)

We look at the oft overlooked qualities of silent cognition (effortless attention) in explaining how samādhi leads to gnosis and vision. (The Miracle of Samādhi 4, 6/30/2023)

The absence of discursive thought in the second jhana is characteristic of effortless attention in cognitive science, which in turn is characteristic (perhaps counter-intuitively) of expert-level skill or virtuosity. This seem to be why samadhi produces the fruits attributed to it. (The Miracle of Samādhi 3, 6/23/2023)

Entering the jhānas involves a mind that lets go of hindrances, becomes one-centered and finally stills discursive thought. (The Miracle of Samādhi 2, 6/16/2023)

Samādhi brings joy and leads to knowledge and vision. It also arises spontaneously without effort. (The Miracle of Samādhi 1, 6/9/2023)

We will see that sammāsati (what others call “right mindfulness”) is the application of the satipatthana method for achieving and acquiring virtuosity in the other path practices. (The Satipatthana Method 4, 6/2/2023)

We look at how the application to everyday, non-Dhammic practices are utilized for training in the Buddhist art of skillfulness itself. (The Satipatthana Method 3, 5/26/2023)

Proficiency-comprehension (satisampajañña) is a ubiquitous human cognitive faculty that is developed and cultivated to become the satipaṭṭhāna method. (The Satipatthana Method 2, 5/19/2023)

The satipatthana method is the art of skillfulness enumerated in the Satipatthana Sutta, but applicable in many diverse practice contexts. (The Satipatthana Method 1, 5/12/2023)

 If not sati, what is it we think we experience when we practice “mindfulness”? (How “Mindfulness” got Mislabeled 3, 5/5/2023)

The development of vipassanā as a mass meditation movement beginning in Burma resulted in some serious Dhammic shortcuts that marginalized the original meaning of sati. (Mislabeled 2, 4/28/2023)

There is a huge disconnect between our modern understanding of "minfulness" and the Pali word sati that 'mindfulness' was supposed to translate. (How "Mindulness got Mislabeled 1, 4/21/2023)