Shows
Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness92 Practice post-retreat (2)Teaching: Alan shares the conclusion of phase 1 of the Dudjom Lingpa’s Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra. Phase 1 covers taking the impure mind as the path aka settling the mind. You identify the impure mind that is dissolved into substrate consciousness. How never to be separated from the experience of the practical instructions when distant from sublime spiritual friends. A sublime spiritual friend reveals the path. It is important to distinguish between path and not path. We need to practice diligently in this phase, as shamatha is indispensable when we venture into practice. We know the taste of lu...
2012-10-1857 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness90 Practice post-retreat (1)Teaching: Alan presents the conclusion from Karma Chagme’s Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen. Emanation of Padmasambhava’s speech, Atisha addressed how to combine all the teachings of the 3 yanas into one practice. The fivefold practices are: 1) bodhicitta as motivation, 2) meditation on one’s own body as the deity, 3) meditation on one’s spiritual mentor as the deity, 4) view of non-conceptuality (insight into emptiness and rigpa), 5) dedication. Alan also introduces the 4 reliances: Rely not on the person but on the dharma. Rely not on words but on the meaning. Rely not on the provisional meaning but on the definitive meaning...
2012-10-161h 30Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness89 Settling the mind (1)Meditation: Settling the mind preceded by settling body, speech, and mind.
1) settling body, speech, and mind. Let your awareness come to rest in its own place. There may be knowing of knowing. Let your unmoving awareness illuminate the space of the body and the objective/subjective experiences. Observe them like an out-of-body experience.
2) settling the mind. Let your eyes be open, gaze vacant. Direct mindfulness single-pointedly to the space of the mind and its contents. Begin with mental images and discursive thoughts. Awareness in stillness illuminates the movements of the mind without distraction, without grasping. Monitor with intr...
2012-10-161h 01Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness88 Mindfulness of phenomena (3)Teaching: Alan completes his commentary on the section on mindfulness of phenomena in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. Composite phenomena are impermanent and unstable, rising quickly and passing away. This points to impermanence and relative reality. Although this is just the way things are, people may react with depression to the hedonic present, anxiety to the hedonic future, and PTSD to the hedonic past. Composite phenomena are also unmoving and empty, like an optical illusion. This points to their absolute nature, empty of inherent existence. Composite phenomena arise in dependence of causes and conditions. They are neither al...
2012-10-151h 46Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness85 Great Equanimity (2)Teaching pt1. Alan completes the 2nd cycle on the 4 greats with great equanimity. Literally, it refers to freedom from attachment to the near and aversion to the far. There is nothing closer than our own awareness. Thogyal—direct crossing over or leaping over—means traversing the bhumis in leaps and bounds to complete enlightenment.
Meditation. Great equanimity preceded by mindfulness of the mind.
1) mindfulness of the mind. Let your mind release all thoughts about that which has already happened and not yet happened, and let your awareness dwell in the fleeting present moment. Awareness is still, naturally clear...
2012-10-1348 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness86 Mindfulness of phenomena (2)Teaching pt1: Alan gives his commentary on the section on mindfulness of phenomena in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. This section challenges our view that we’re leaving the Mind Center and returning to the mundane world. Contemplating phenomena as phenomena can be understood in terms of the 3 turnings of the wheel of dharma. In the 1st turning, we closely apply mindfulness to phenomena. Because phenomena deceive, the 2nd turning instructs viewing them as empty, illusion-like.
Meditation: Mindfulness of phenomena preceded by mindfulness of the mind. In the 3rd turning, buddha mind is omnipresent, there is n...
2012-10-131h 34Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness58 Mindfulness of the body (4)Teaching: Alan continues with verses 85-87 in Ch. 9 of the Bodhicaryavatara covering components of the body. Just as we examined the body, we now examine parts of the body, going all the way down to the atomic level. As long as something has attributes, it can be divided further. The Vaibashika view contends that while we view the world with our senses and that configurations depend on our way of perceiving, atoms are truly existent. The Madhyamika view understands dependent origination as follows: 1) conditioned phenomena arise in dependence on prior causes and conditions, 2) parts and attributes, and 3) conceptual designations...
2012-10-131h 32Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness73 Great Loving-kindness (1)Great compassion is the principal practice of the 4 greats. Alan continues with great loving-kindness.
Meditation. Great loving-kindness. Visualize the primordial buddha Samantabhadra, deep-blue in color. From now until perfect awakening, take refuge in Samantabhadra, the dharma revealed by all the buddhas, and the sangha of vidyadharas. At the crown of your head, Samantabhadra melts into light, streams down your central channel, and reforms at your heart chakra, merging with your body, speech, and mind. 1) Why couldn’t we all find perfect happiness and its causes? Each one of us has pristine awareness, the cause, and are awaiting the co...
2012-10-1336 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness84 Mindfulness of phenomena (1)Teaching pt1: Alan gives his and the Dalai Lama’s commentary on the section on mindfulness of phenomena in verses 105-112 of Ch. 9 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara. Just as the mind does not come into existence, in the same way, we come to certainty that no phenomenon comes into existence. That which we perceive cannot be more real than our perception of it. Two objections are discussed. 1) If conventional truth doesn’t exist, then does nothing exist at all? If phenomena are just apparitions to a confused mind, then wouldn’t whatever anyone says be true? According to the Madhyama...
2012-10-131h 37Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness83 Great Empathetic Joy (2)Teaching. Alan continues the series on the 4 greats with great empathetic joy. When you become lucid in a dream, happiness arises from knowing reality as it is. As long as you remain lucid, nothing in the dream can cause suffering. Therefore, the instruction is to stay lucid by not losing the recognition of the dream as a dream. Shamatha helps you sustain lucidity. Vipasyana counters our ingrained tendency to reify everything. When you break through the substrate consciousness to primordial consciousness, the instruction is similar: don’t lose the recognition by sustaining the view of rigpa. There is nothing el...
2012-10-1238 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness82 Mindfulness of the mind (4)Teaching pt1: Alan completes his commentary on the section on mindfulness of the mind in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. The mind is not really seen anywhere—e.g., inside, outside, in the skandhas, in the elements, etc... From what does the mind arise? Does the mind arise from an object? If so, are they the same or other? Mind cannot see itself just as a blade cannot cut itself. Ordinary mind is never still, being conscious of one thing after another. A stable mind is still, single-pointed, not agitated, not scattered, single-pointedly quiescent, and free of dist...
2012-10-111h 30Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness81 Great Loving-kindness (2)Teaching pt1. Alan continues the series on the 4 greats with great loving-kindness. Hedonic well-being is important, and the understanding of cause and effect in the natural world by modern science has made important contributions. In union with shamatha, knowing reality as it is through the wisdom of dependent origination and emptiness leads to durable eudaimonia.
Meditation. Great loving-kindness preceded by mindfulness of the body and the mind.
1) mindfulness of the body. Seated on its throne, awareness illuminates the space of the body and appearances therein. Closely apply mindfulness to the body, withholding all concepts and labels. The ap...
2012-10-1135 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness80 Mindfulness of the mind (3)Teaching pt1: Alan begins his commentary on the section on mindfulness of the mind in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. Where is the mind that becomes attached, hateful, or deluded? It has no location, basis, or form. The mind is not seen by any of the buddhas. The mind is like an illusion because it apprehends events with unreal projections. Even though one looks for the mind everywhere, it is not to be found. This means it is unobservable which means it doesn’t arise in the 3 times which means it transcends the 3 times which means it is n...
2012-10-101h 33Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness79 Great Compassion (2)Teaching. Alan repeats the series on the 4 greats, starting with great compassion. Focusing on the cause of suffering, we have experienced during the retreat that the mind caught up in rumination is very vulnerable to suffering. Mind is beaten up by samsara. Without shamatha, the mind is dysfunctional. When the mind is able to rest in the substrate, there is no blatant suffering. The proper way to view shamatha is not as an end itself, but as an on-ramp to the path of awakening.
Meditation. Great compassion preceded by settling body, speech, and mind.
1) settling body, speech, an...
2012-10-1028 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness78 Mindfulness of the mind (2)Teaching pt1: Alan continues with verses 104-105 of Ch. 9 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara. Since awareness cannot precede, co-occur, nor follow the object of awareness, awareness is not inherently real. Similarly, no phenomenon comes into (inherent) existence. Inherently existent phenomena cannot causally interact with anything. Only conventionally does awareness arise in dependence on an object.
Alan talks about the entry point of the 5 paths and 10 bhumis as outlined in Asanga’s Abisamaya Alankara and summarized into the 4 yogas of Mahamudra in Karma Chagme’s Union of Mahamudra and Dzogchen.
Shamatha is the first step on the yoga of single-p...
2012-10-091h 31Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness77 Great Equanimity (1)Teaching pt1. Alan continues with the series on the 4 greats with great equanimity. There’s a similar liturgy beginning with 1) why couldn’t all sentient beings abide in great equanimity free from attachment to those who are close and aversion to those who are far? There are various levels of equanimity. In settling the mind, still awareness and a lack of preference for all arisings are crucial for the mind to settle in its natural state. If you respond with anything other than equanimity, you are not doing the practice. In vipasyana, subjective awareness itself is established as empty as a...
2012-10-0946 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness76 Mindfulness of the mind (1)Teaching pt1: Alan revisits the 3rd application of mindfulness to the mind. Mindfulness means recollection. Here, we are taking the impure mind as the object of investigation. Specifically, we are examining the reified sense of “my mind”. Alan continues with verses 102-103 of Ch. 9 of Shantideva’s Bodhicaryavatara. The mind is not located in the sense faculties, sense objects, nor in between. It is nowhere to be found. Therefore, it is non-existent. As this impure mind which keeps us in samsara is actually non-existent, we sentient beings are by nature liberated. Realizing the empty nature of your own mind is rea...
2012-10-081h 30Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness75 Great empathetic joy (1)Teaching pt1. Alan continues with the series on the 4 greats with great empathetic joy. Unlike empathetic joy in the Pali canon, great empathetic joy is an aspiration. There’s a similar liturgy. 1) Why couldn’t all sentient beings never be parted from happiness free of suffering? This doesn’t refer to hedonic pleasure but eudaimonia. It also refers to freedom from all three kinds of suffering. 2) May we all never be parted from happiness free of suffering. 3) I shall do it. 4) May I receive blessings from all the enlightened ones to do so.
Meditation. Great empathetic joy. Let your a...
2012-10-0834 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness74 Mindfulness of feelings (5)Teaching pt1: Alan continues with his commentary on the section on mindfulness of feelings in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. When experiencing a painful feeling, develop great compassion for beings who fixate on feelings, totally identify with them, hold them close, misapprehend them, and ruminate about them. Let the feeling arouse compassion. One may also use a wisdom approach by inquiring who is the one who experiences the feeling? By gaining insight into the emptiness of the experiencer, one penetrates the entire system of simultaneous interdependence with the object and the feeling as mode of experience. Finally, on...
2012-10-061h 31Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness72 Mindfulness of feelings (5)Teaching pt1: Alan continues with his commentary on the section on mindfulness of feelings in Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices. Regard feelings as feelings which stills cognitive fusion with them. Have great compassion for those who grasp onto joy. Those who do not grasp onto feelings experience true well-being. Whenever you experience pleasant feelings, generate great compassion for all sentient beings who suffer from attachment, and abandon attachment. Whenever you experience painful feelings, generate great compassion for all sentient beings who suffer from hatred, and abandon hatred. Whenever you experience neutral feelings, generate great compassion for all se...
2012-10-051h 32Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness71 Great Compassion (1)Teaching pt1. Alan begins a new cycle on the 4 greats. While the 4 immeasurables don’t require a particular world view, the 4 greats are firmly rooted in the buddhist world view. “With meditative equipoise, one sees reality as it is. When on sees reality as it is, the bodhisattva develops great compassion.” The liturgy contains four lines. 1) Why couldn’t we all be free from suffering and its causes? It is helpful to consider all sentient beings as referring to all those we encounter. 2) May we be free from suffering and its causes. There is no time limit on this aspirati...
2012-10-0557 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness70 Mindfulness of feelings (4)Teaching pt1: In buddhist epistemology, valid perception depends on an object, sense faculty, and continuum of consciousness. While the Shravakayana takes all three as real, Madhyamaka asserts their emptiness. Alan continues with verses 93-103 of Ch. 9 of the Bodhicaryavatara which addresses the origination of feelings. In buddhist epistemology, feelings arise from contact, so Shantideva deconstructs contact. If there’s an interval, there can be no actual contact between an object and sense faculty. If there’s no interval, the object and sense faculty would be one. Consciousness is immaterial, so how can it have any contact with a material obje...
2012-10-041h 31Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness68 Mindfulness of feelings (3)Teaching pt1: With respect to the Madhyamaka, 1) hearing means that you understand the View as presented, 2) reflection means that you relate the teachings to your own experience, and 3) meditation means investigation based on shamatha to penetrate to direct realization. Alan elaborates on verses 90-92 of Ch. 9 of the Bodhicaryavatara. Suffering arises in dependence on causes and conditions; however, neither suffering nor joy is inherently existent. They are conventionally there without investigation, without analysis. However, upon analysis, neither is there from its own side. Just as causes and conditions can shift to produce either suffering or joy, conceptual designation can...
2012-10-031h 32Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness67 Equanimity (1)Teaching pt1. Alan revisits the 4th immeasurable equanimity. The Pali canon emphasizes a sense of imperturbability or emotional balance. In this spirit, Alan reads a section from Dudjom Lingpa’s Sharp Vajra of Conscious Awareness Tantra. Hoping for and clinging to things regarded as good and fearing things regarded as bad will lead to misery and suffering. Whatever joys and sorrows arise, these are mere appearances which are not to be blocked. Just stop reifying—i.e., the feeling of joy or sorrow and its causes. The mind that reifies appearances is the root that needs to be blocked.
2012-10-0343 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness66 Mindfulness of feelings (2)Teaching pt1: Alan outlines the situation in the modern health system regarding mental disorders. There has been an explosion in brain research since the 1990s, and while knowledge of neuronal correlations has increased, drugs targeting psychiatric disorders haven’t become more effective. Although a multitude of anti-depressants have been produced for decades, a recent meta-analysis has shown that except for severe depression, most drugs work no better than placebo, albeit with worrisome side-effects, many of which are psychological. Neuroscientists work strictly within a materialistic paradigm of mind equals brain, yet have no actual proof that this is so, but ar...
2012-10-021h 35Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness65 Empathetic joy (2)Teaching pt1. Alan recounts 2 parables from Karma Chagme’s Naked Awareness. 1) foolish prince who likes horses but develops renunciation and 2) foolish prince who becomes a beggar due to amnesia but rediscovers his true identity. Remain in the castle of your own awareness while beholding the kingdom of your own body. Take satisfaction in awareness resting in its own place. After rumination, take satisfaction in recovering awareness and coming home.
Meditation: empathetic joy preceded by shamatha method of choice.
1) shamatha method of choice. Let awareness come to rest, releasing all grasping and effort.
2) empathetic joy. Take satisfaction in awa...
2012-10-0259 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness64 Mindfulness of feelings (1)Teaching: Alan begins by exploring why it is said that dzogchen is particularly effective in degenerate times. He suggests that when the teachings are degenerate, society is degenerate, the mind is shot, the body is shot, they become difficult vehicles to transmit the dharma. By going directly to awareness, dzogchen bypasses culture, body, and coarse mind.
Alan presents the misnomered placebo effect as a miracle for modern science and medicine because they do not understand consciousness. Both modern medicine and faith healing are disempowering the mind, by attributing its effects to another.
Alan revisits the 2nd close appl...
2012-10-011h 35Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness63 Empathetic joy (1)Teaching pt1. Alan revisits the 3rd of the 4 immeasurables, empathetic joy. One of the early lamrim meditations is recognizing precious human rebirth (or literally, body) imbued with leisure and opportunity. This body—especially the subtle body of prana, chakra, and bindu—is likened to a wish-fulfilling gem.
Meditation: empathetic joy preceded by settling body, speech, and mind.
1) settling body, speech, and mind. Let awareness descend into the space of the body and rest in the empty appearances of the 5 elements. Release grasping onto the body, sensations, and feelings. Release the breath, also empty appearances without owner or inhere...
2012-10-011h 02Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness62 Mindfulness of the body (6)Teaching: Alan continues with his commentary on Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices on the 4 applications of mindfulness. The body is filled with impurities, fragile by nature, and subject to destruction. One who sees this body as impermanent takes the essence of life, serving all sentient beings, avoiding faulty behavior, no craving or clinging to enjoyments, etc... One views the body as a the body, nothing that is mine. One designates the body of all sentient beings as my body, wishing to bring this body to buddhahood. The ultimate nature of this body is undefiled. In sum, Shantideva us...
2012-09-291h 40Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness60 Mindfulness of the body (5)Teaching pt1: Alan shares his translation of Ch. 13 of Shantideva’s Compendium of Practices on the 4 applications of mindfulness. The body is simply a configuration of various parts and compilation of various substances assembled by the agent which arises from karma. What is called the body? What is the referent for “my body”? Where is the body which has all these parts? The body didn’t come from the past, nor does it go into the future. In the present, the body is like space. The body is devoid of an agent or one who experiences it. It has no essen...
2012-09-281h 34Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness56 Mindfulness of the body (3)Teaching: As an appendix to last night’s talk, Alan introduces the placebo effect which is clearly a mental that happens and is well-known. However, there is no explanation in modern science for how it works. Applying John Wheeler’s assertion that information is primary and that the universe is an information processing system to the microcosm of one’s mind/body, we can consider mind/body as being derivative from information and as an information processing system. Information can catalyze the specific sequelae seen in the placebo effect. According to Wheeler, we are co-creating our universe by how we mea...
2012-09-261h 33Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness52 Mindfulness of the body (1)Teaching pt1: As we revisit this section, Alan will present teachings from the shravakayana and dzogchen.
According to the shravakayana, nama rupa should not be understood as two entities but as a single activity of experience. Nama (naming) is the subjective experience of identifying an object. Rupa (all appearances) is the objective experience of an object perceived or conceived through the process of identification. Mano/manas (mind/mentation) is the mental process of conceptualization which makes meaning out of the 6 sensory inputs.
According to dzogchen, dharmadhatu and primordial consciousness (yeshe) are of the same nature and extensive. Appe...
2012-09-241h 30Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness51 Loving-kindness (1)Alan notes that we’re starting the second half of the retreat. Afterwards, when we return to an active way of life, while our shamatha practice may be maintained at best, other practices may indeed flourish. In an active life, the practices of the 4 applications of mindfulness can shift how we view reality in accordance with the 3 marks of existence, gradually becoming unstuck. Similarly, as our best friends, bodyguards even, the 4 immeasurables can be practiced in everyday life as we engage with others. Together, both sets of practices represent wisdom and skillfull means. So that we may train in th...
2012-09-2430 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness50 Mindfulness of phenomena (5)Teaching: Continuing from Asanga’s Shravakabhumi, Alan gives the detailed explanation of the 4th thorough training by way of the 16 phases: 1) long breath, 2) short breath, 3) the whole body, 4) refining the bodily formation, 5) joy, 6) well-being, 7) formations of the mind, 8) wonderfully refining formations of the mind, 9) experiencing the mind, 10) bringing exception joy to the mind, 11) concentrating the mind, 12) liberating the mind, 13) impermanence, 14) eradication of obscurations, 15) freedom from attachment, 16) cessation of the aggregates. Each practice is appropriate at certain stages, and involves vipasyana knowing coupled with the in and out breaths.
Alan outlines the 3 shamatha practices in healing the body and mind...
2012-09-221h 36Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness49 EquanimityTeaching: Alan talks about the fifth of the five obscurations afflictive uncertainty. While it is appropriate to be uncertain about that which is uncertain, when we wonder about whether or not it is possible to make progress in our practice or attain enlightenment we need to apply its antidote close investigation. As the Dalai Lama says, something becomes hopeless, the moment we’ve given up hope.
Alan introduces the fourth of the 4 immeasurables equanimity. People appear to us differently, so how can we attend evenly to a reality that’s uneven? We need to look more deeply until we fin...
2012-09-221h 01Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness48 Mindfulness of phenomena (4)Teaching: Continuing from Asanga’s Shravakabhumi, Alan introduces the 4th thorough training by way of the 16 phases: 1) breathing in, 2) breathing out, 3) the whole body, 4) tranquilising the bodily activities, 5) joy, 6) happiness, 7) formations of the mind, 8) tranquilising formations of the mind, 9) experiencing the mind, 10) gladdening the mind, 11) concentrating the mind, 12) liberating the mind, 13) impermanence, 14) eradication of obscurations, 15) freedom from attachment, 16) cessation of the aggregates.
Alan elaborates more on sukkha and joy which may arise from engaging in the practice.
Alan addresses the sudden enlightenment of the Buddha’s disciples.
Meditation: mindfulness of breathing per Asanga followed by mindfulness of pheno...
2012-09-211h 35Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness46 Mindfulness of phenomena (3)Teaching: Continuing from Asanga’s Shravakabhumi, Alan introduces the 3rd thorough training by way of dependent origination. Asanga begins by attending to the breath which is dependent upon the body and mind which are in turn conditioned by the life faculty (subtle continuum of mental consciousness and prana) which is in turn dependent on previous compositional factors (samskara) which are in turn dependent on ignorance. The antidote to ignorance is wisdom which leads to the cessation of ignorance and so forth. Alan briefly sketches the 3rd thorough training by way of the 4 Noble Truths which involves contemplating them repeatedly.
2012-09-201h 29Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness20 Mindfulness of Feelings (3)*Note: This recording is of minor quality since we had to recover it from another device. Thank you for understanding.
Teaching: This practice shines a bright light on feelings by attending to feelings internally (our own), externally (someone else’s), and both internally and externally (in ourself and others in interaction). Alan introduces an alternative translation for a key line in the Sattipathana sutta. Instead of the common translation “One views the body in the body,” Alan proposes the following based on the Tibetan “One views the body as the body. One views feelings as feelings. One views th...
2012-09-181h 33Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness20 Mindfulness of feelings (3)Teaching: This practice shines a bright light on feelings by attending to feelings internally (our own), externally (someone else’s), and both internally and externally (in ourself and others in interaction). Alan introduces an alternative translation for a key line in the Sattipathana sutta. Instead of the common translation “One views the body in the body,” Alan proposes the following based on the Tibetan “One views the body as the body. One views feelings as feelings. One views the mind as the mind.”
Mental consciousness is unique because in addition to its own domain, it can also piggyback on each of t...
2012-09-071h 31Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness15 Mindfulness of breathing (7)Teaching: A new cycle begins this week on mindfulness of feelings. When feelings arise, there is a strong tendency for us to grasp onto them as I or mine. Therefore, we need to learn how to release grasping and identification with feelings and remain simply present with them.
As for release, Alan emphasizes the importance of learning how to breathe properly. Without proper breathing, it’s difficult for our meditation to progress, since the prana system is central to body/mind. Proper breathing is a skill we need to learn and master. Alan suggests that we first master br...
2012-09-0331 minAlan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness14 Mindfulness of the body (6)Teaching pt1: Alan reviews the view of reality according to the 3 turnings of the wheel of the dharma. In the 1st turning, in response to the question as posed by the Sautantrika of “What is real?”, we see things as simply or mere phenomena. Seeing means knowing what we’re seeing is mere or simply phenomena which means in accordance with the 3 marks of existence, free from our conceptual projections con-fused with reality. In the 2nd turning, we use our intelligence to uncover the ultimate nature of phenomena which still appear deceptively. In the 3rd turning, rigpa recognizes rigpa. For ea...
2012-09-021h 30Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness10 Mindfulness of the body (4)Teaching pt1: Alan begins the session by introducing the buddhist theory of causality. Here, one distinguishes between substantial causes and cooperative conditions in how effects are created. We can contemplate the factors of origination and dissolution in reference to the 18 dhatus—i.e., 6 sensory fields, 6 modes of consciousnesses, and 6 faculties.
Meditation: mindfulness of the body focusing on the 2nd mark of existence dukkha. Closely apply mindfulness to see if sensations of pleasure/pain or comfort/discomfort are coming from the object. Have awareness illuminate all 5 sense domains and ask: 1) is there anything unchanging/static?, 2) is anything a true so...
2012-08-301h 34Alan Wallace Fall 2012 Retreat Podcast: Vipashyana, Four Applications of Mindfulness00 Introduction to the retreatAlan welcomes the participants and explains some of the groundrules for the 8-week retreat.
Teaching: Alan begins by presenting the framework for his cycle of teachings on shamatha, vipasyana, mind-training, dream yoga, and dzogchen.
During this retreat, the instructions in the morning will focus shamatha and those in the afternoon on the 4 applications of mindfulness. Even if one has not yet realized shamatha, vipasyana practice will support shamatha and vice versa.
Practice by being sweet and gentle to yourself. Most problems in meditation come from pushing too hard or too much ego.
Note: Several sections...
2012-08-2655 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Ending Where We Began: Equanimity Permeated With Loving KindnessThis afternoon may be the last podcast episode of Alan's lectures for this retreat. He started by returning to the hypothesis of saying that if we align ourselves with reality, reality will rise up to meet us. That is, if we devote ourselves with our heart and might to the path of Dharma (the word Dharma means reality, by the way), with a clear and strong motivation, all that we truly need rises up to meet us in a friendly way. He also talks about really understanding Dharma, and about transmuting everything that comes up in life into part of...
2010-06-1100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!The Last Shamatha PracticeI know, I am quite the dramatic with my titles :)With a bittersweet feeling we have come to the last group practice of Shamatha for this retreat. To end majestically, we practiced the fourth method of Shamatha without a sign as taught by Padmasambhava. Preceding the practice, Alan shared some tips of what we can do to practice and ground ourselves in the midst of a flurry of activity around us. He first returned to his analogy of Schooner (Boat)/ Submarine/Jet Plane in relationship with the Shamatha practices, and then he shared one more drop of wisdom in...
2010-06-1100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Equanimity: Looking AheadThis afternoon Alan started by sharing a story about his first meditation counsel with Geshe Rabten, and the two topics that he suggested for meditation: Precious Human Rebirth and Equanimity. He emphasizes the importance of Equanimity and seeing through the "I-It" relationship with others (for more on this topic refer to previous episodes), and also highlights the importance of balancing the urgency that can arise from meditating on the precious human rebirth. He suggests not being shortsighted, and taking the time to develop the Four Immeasurables correctly, however long that may take, knowing it is the path. Alan...
2010-06-1000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Of Trust, Devotion, or Lack Thereof (+ Awareness of Awareness Practice)This morning Alan starts by giving instructions on how to watch the opening game of the World Cup (Mexico-South Africa) on Friday, after being asked for permission to do so. He has a very interesting football-watching technique!On a slightly more profound tone, Alan is asked what to do with the whole topic of devotion when teaching Shamatha in a scientific context. He gives a very good explanation of how Shamatha can be practiced with no religious devition at all, with some devotion, and with immense devotion, and talks about each of these alternatives. He also talks about...
2010-06-1000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Awareness of Awareness: Emerging through the Clouds of the Dense, Deluded, Compulsive Mind into Clear and Luminous SpaceAs we approach the end of the retreat, the lectures are getting more and more information packed and so are these summaries. I will say as I always do; if you are new to the podcast go back to the first episodes!This morning we started by covering the importance and the difficulty, even for Tibetans now and in the past, of calming the mind through Shamatha practice. Alan speaks about the sad state of the modern view that reduces human beings into biological machines, where the brain does everything and we do nothing. From here, he mentions...
2010-06-0900 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Empathetic Joy: Using our Mind as a Best Friend (+ great Q&A incl. a deep question about love and attachment).The story Alan narrates at the very start of this episode comes because there was a dog outside the teaching hall, and as we were coming in for the lecture he would try to get in between our legs, or at least just stick his head in. He clearly looked very determined and excited to learn about Mudita, and it was hard to get Alan inside the teaching hall sans-dog. Moving to the actual lecture, Alan explains today's practice, in which we cultivate empathetic joy towards others both in terms of hedonic pleasure and then of genuine happiness. Alan gives...
2010-06-0800 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Awareness of Awareness: A Smooth Transition from the Space of the MindThis morning, Alan said he would squeeze out every drop of knowledge he had left about this first method of Awareness of Awareness, so if you listen to the previous episodes on this stage of practice you will be extremely well rounded! Alan starts by detailing an all to common problem: thinking that we are doing the practice incorrectly when we are actually doing it correctly, and reacting by tightening up our attention and trying harder, resulting in fatigue. This is followed by explaining how to gain satisfaction from stability, relating it to visualization practice, and setting our expectations correctly.
2010-06-0800 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Investigating a Hypothesis about the Very Root of Suffering (and the importance of not taking Dharma out of context)This afternoon Alan started by pointing out the modern tendency of being very harsh and strict with ourselves, and the need for Compassion. He then proceeds by diving down to the very root of suffering, considering the hypothesis that all mental afflictions stem from the grasping and reification of "self" as separate, autonomous, and self-existant. He aludes to the Vajra essence, showing how the symmetry of the substrate is broken and the sense of "self" coagulates and differentiates itself from the space, followed by the arising of appearances also as "other" and finally as...
2010-06-0700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Settling the Mind in its Natural State: Sustaining a ContinuityThis practice got separated from the previous episode for continuity purposes. As you might expect, we return for the final time to the practice of Settling the Mind in its Natural State. Spefically, we start by attending to the spaces in between mental events, and after a while we go deeper and without breaking the continuity we observe the space from which mental events arise, in which they are present, and into which they dissolve. Alan briefly reflects on achieving Shamatha by observing the substrate, by observing space, and explains his reasons behind breaking this Shamatha practice into parts (attending...
2010-06-0700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Extra Bonus] Culminating in the Great Perfection: The Dzogchen View (Addendum)In this morning session, Alan really woke us up (interpret that as you will) by making an addendum to this Sunday's bonus episode where we had a "speed drive" through different ways of viewing reality from the Buddhist point of view. Alan only had two minutes left for Dzogchen, so this morning he went deeper into an explanation of this culminating Great Perfection. This episode is crucial to understanding the Dzogchen view.Alan first briefly recapitulates on the path to Arhathood from the point of view of the coarse and subtle mind, and then using a...
2010-06-0700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] The Philosophical Evolution of an Individual through all the Four Schools of Indian Buddhism, Culminating in the Great Perfection. In 45 minutes.Yes, this is an ambitious title but as always the podcast episode does not fail to deliver the goods. However, I really won't even try to summarize all of Buddhist Philosophy in two paragraphs. I know I always say that but really, this time there is just no point and not enough space for me to do that. However, I will give you a few things :) The lecture started with what to do when we encounter strong negative emotions, attitudes, and mental states after the retreat, and this was weaved with a question about the relationship of Chitamattra...
2010-06-0600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Short Bonus]: How did ignorance and delusion arise in the first place? Will samsara end?For this short bonus episode, I extracted a question that Elizabeth said was maybe unanswerable, about the very beginning of ignorance and delusion (and samsara for that matter). But we all know by now that Alan always has something up his sleeve.He starts by talking about the problems that can arise when we misniterpret the Buddhist view that "samsara is beginningless". Infinite past lifes would mean infinite chances to achieve Bodhicitta, to go into meditation retreat for 60 years, to achieve enlightenment, etc, which would mean that we probably failed an infinite number of times. Not...
2010-06-0600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Freeing Ourselves from the Underlying Causes of Suffering (Attachment/Craving)In this afternoon practice, we focused not so much on the blatant form of suffering as we did yesterday, but on the underlying causes. In the introduction, Alan reflects on how little we really know about suffering in modernity, and how we build our hapiness on very weak foundations of delusion, attachment, and craving. Even if we have good luck and we are hedonically happy, the foundation of that happiness is just a time bomb, and sooner or later it will go off and we will suffer.In this meditation, we experiment with cultivating compassion first for ourselves...
2010-06-0500 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Focusing on the Blatant SufferingThis afternoon we went into a very practical and powerful practice on Compassion, focusing on the blatant, glaring, obvious pain that can arise in both the physical and mental domains of experience. Alan starts by giving a brief overview of this blatant suffering, and what can be done to cure it mentally, including praise for the pharmaceutical industry in relieving the symptoms. He then highlights how this blatant suffering is something we have all experienced, and how it really can take posession of our entire (untrained) minds and not let us focus on anything else.After this very...
2010-06-0400 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Settling the Mind In its Natural State: Exploring Conceptually Unmediated ExperienceIf you have been subscribing to the podcast, you are probably very familiar with today's meditation. We practiced Settling the Mind in its Natural State by first coming in through different domains of experience, following to the instructions that the Buddha gave to the wandering ascetic Bahiya. I have linked to them directly in the past so I won't do so here, however Alan paraphrases them very clearly in the introduction. Alan also gives a brief recap on a point about non-conceptual experience from a few days ago, and details a "smooth gradient" from being fully-fledged psychotic to...
2010-06-0400 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Loving Kindness: Weaving the Present into the Future (+ Bodhicitta Discussion)The introduction to today's practice was tailored to us here in Phuket in the sense that we are coming out of retreat soon, but it can be applied by everyone. Alan talks about including the people we are going to see soon into our Loving Kindness meditation, and talks about the quite palpable effects that this can have on our relationships with such people in the (near) future. He includes his experience of this when dealing with Indian customs officers in Delhi, and if you feel skeptic about the effects of doing this meditation the best thing you can do...
2010-06-0300 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Mindfulness of Breathing: Practicing with the "glass half full" attitudeIn today's mindfulness of breathing practice, Alan started by talking about the causes and solutions for the all too popular phenomenon of the "energy going up to the head," and proceeded by applying the glass half empty / glass half full example in our practice. He emphasizes taking delight in the periods (as brief as they may be) when we recognize we are no longer distracted and have a little glimpse of being clear in the present. Before jumping into the practice, Alan shares a story from his early days in Dharamsala (60s, early 70s) in which he...
2010-06-0300 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Opening the floodgates of our inner virtues ( + Loving Kindness practice)This afternoon we started with a reflection on how many times we see people as just "flat images" or appearances arising to our minds. In the supermarket, subway, etc, we see them as obstacles or merely objects in our way. Today’s intro deals with seeing through those images and realizing that a real person is there, looking back, with their own hopes and fears, joys and sorrows. Alan also emphasizes the importance of starting with ourselves, and describes these Four Immeasurable practices as digging in search of water. At first, the practices can be very conceptual and we...
2010-06-0200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Finding the balance between relaxation and effort (+ Breath Awareness practice)This morning, Alan started by reading two short verses from the Dhammapada, (freshly translated by him last night) which are a very strong metaphor with the mind training we are doing here. He then talks about the importance of having a base in relaxation and training the mind from the ground up rather than tensing up and forcing it to quiet down. However, pure relaxaton will not simply cause stability to arise on its own, so Alan explains how a delicate balance is needed between effort and relaxation, and gives one of the core, indispensable teachings for Shamatha practice....
2010-06-0200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Psychology, attention, and the urgent need for contemplative science.A number of the past bonus podcasts had been geared towards the physicists, but this weekend we have some juice for psychologists! In this bonus podcast, we have some extremely interesting points about attention training and the cognitive sciences from a more professional psychology standpoint. However, this is also very relevant for all meditators wishing to gain a better understanding of attention.Adeline asked several questions, mostly pertaining to the "pulse-like" quality of our attention, and to the 600 or so pulses of attention that we have per second (according to both Buddhist psychology and modern psychology).
2010-05-3000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Phuket Mind Observatory Plans / Neurofeedback AugmentationIn this bonus episode we cover some very interesting cognitive science/brain science questions from Noah.The first question asks if meditation researchers have been able to isolate the EEG correlates of meditative experiences such as staying on the object, excitation, laxity, etc.The second question asks whether it is possible to "augment" Shamatha practice, perhaps speed up the earlier stages, for example, with the use of neurofeedback training.Alan starts by talking about the short/medium term plans for the scientific investigations here in Phuket. If everything goes well, the plan to have...
2010-05-3000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Entering the Great Path of the BodhisattvasIn this afternoon's marvelous introduction, Alan talks about The Great Path of the Bodhisattvas, comparing it to a Freeway (using the American term). Using this very accurate analogy he talks about getting on the fast lane, and never getting off (until we reach the common destination). A very inspiring introduction!After a thirty minute silent session, we go into some very interesting Q&A. Among the topics covered we have a quick question about the breath as the body settles during the practice, and then a very interesting question about Merit. If you have any doubts...
2010-05-2900 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Vesak] Special Meditation and the Story of The Buddha’s EnlightenmentThis afternoon we started with a special guided meditation to commemorate the Buddha's Enlightenment, not specifically centered on Shamatha or the Four Immeasurables.After the meditation, Alan gave us a short recap on the night/morning of the Buddha Gautama's enlightemnent, up to the moment when he went back to his five companions and they also achieved Enlightenment. He ends the story on a heartwarming reflection about the day we are commemorating, which set this whole sequence of events flowing (up to our retreat here and this podcast), which have given rise to so much goodness in the...
2010-05-2800 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] A Sublime Explanation of Awareness of Awareness [Short]I extracted this practical gem from this afternoon's lecture. It is a clear example of how the instructions to a practice can be profoundly meaningful, stunning, transformative, and just utterly inspiring when given correctly by a sharply prepared, more than qualified, and immensely skilled teacher.In this short episode, Alan sublimely describes the practice of Awareness of Awareness in response to a question from Malcolm, specifically focusing on resting in the pure luminosity and cognizance of experience. I really won't contaminate this with my words, so I'll just say it's an absolutely must-listen for those who really enjoy...
2010-05-2700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Cultivating Self-Worth, Eliminating Pride, The Story of Alan’s First Meeting with HH. Dalai Lama back in 1971, and flowers.Today we went directly into practice, which I removed from the recording to make it easier to listen to. As you know by now, just do your own practice and then press play! Alan suggests that if we are just feeling "ordinary" or with no specific need to balance emotions, then Loving Kindness or Tonglen are always magnificent go-to practices.After the meditation (and where this recording starts), we had an extremely juicy lecture. I usually say "juicy" when Alan gives marvelous scientific explanations but this time it was pure heart-food, with no physics...
2010-05-2700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Starting a Two Week RetreatThis morning Alan suggested to adopt the attitute of starting a 2-week retreat. He humorously gave some very important points and tips about the practice in order to make the most out of the time we have left. Very recommended!After the practice, Alan throws in 3 minutes about William James' pure experience theory, John Wheeler 's (theoretical physicist) theories, and how they are extremely similar to the core Buddhist teachings of experience. He also relates them to the practice of Shamatha, showing how it is really an outstandingly potent tool to probe into the nature of the universe...
2010-05-2600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Four Immeasurables / Four Best FriendsIn today's lecture, Alan gave a very brief reflection for when we finish this retreat. As we know, the still, sustained focus / samadhi of our attention will naturally diminish within a socially engaged lifestyle. However, the Four Immeasurables have no reason to do so and in fact can even be amplified and practiced all day within the context of our life. We then go into a free Four Immeasurable meditation, and I have a question for you valued listeners:Do you prefer for me to trim the silent meditations out of the podcast? Please comment on the site for...
2010-05-2500 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!"A Sacred Tension" that we might experienceIn this episode, Alan talks about something that probably bothers many of us, and he calls it "A Sacred Tension." It is about our decision to either dedicate our time fully to contemplation, to mundane life, or somewhere in between both. This is very valuable for those of us having these types of doubts.I stripped out the silent meditation (so you know the drill: pause, set your own 24 [or more!] minute timer, and then press play again), and left in a brief outro. I would like to say that the stats that Alan mentions are...
2010-05-2500 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Flying Solo [Silent Practice]This morning Alan started by saying that he would like to let us choose our own Shamatha method, for these next few days and perhaps for the rest of the retreat. If so, then I will only be podcasting the long afternoon sessions.But for now I left this one in anyway.Alan also talks about the "gears" of our practice, upshifting and downshifting, and gives a brief outro on the importance of remaining engaged with reality.Enjoy this silent practice with us!This great photo is by Sara.
2010-05-2400 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Equanimity: Making the task cosmical; Awakening the deepest dimension of our existence.As you can probably tell by the title, today's practice was not you regular 4I practice. Sure, it did start out with a regular equanimity/Tonglen practice but this time we had the option of going deeper, down to pristine awareness. Rather than "Boundless" Compassion or Loving Kindness, today we had the option to cultivate "Great" (Maha) Compassion/Loving Kindness. Although "boundless" sounds quite more grandiloquent, cultivating Mahakarunā or Mahamettā is something that has to be yearned at our deepest level of existance for it not to be just utterly hilarous or megalomaniacal. Alan gi...
2010-05-2100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Awareness of Awareness: Probing into why we exist (the other side of the equation)Alan "kickstarted" this morning [because he likes that word so much ;) ] with a healthy dose of Physics. He started talking about the following article from NYT: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/18/science/space/18cosmos.html , which claims to uncover a new clue as to why we exist. Appreciating the enormous scientific value of this article, we realize the truth of the statement "ask a physical question and you'll receive a physical answer." We go back into the analysis of the relationship between the observer and matter, going into a "strange loop" of which came before...
2010-05-2100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Equanimity: Striking a balance between fluidity and structureThis afternoon Alan starts by quite briefly explaining this balance between fluidity and structure in the equanimity practice, and after the instructions we set off in a pretty much rich but silent session.After the session Alan had two juicy pieces of paper with multi-questions written on them. They cover a lot of practical content, such as the characteristics of the Shamatha stages and how to use them correctly, the characteristics of the different types of exitation and laxity. how to maintain motivation in the practice (dealing with the issue of "progress"), how to be really 100...
2010-05-2000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Awareness of Awareness: Warming up for the long runThis morning we return to the third phase in the classic Awareness of Awareness teachings of Padmasambhava. In the introduction, Alan explains how this phase helps create a very 3D and spacious quality to our awareness, which is a very good warmup before settling in in tomorrow's practice. Alan clearly explains the practice with his characteristic eloquence and then we dive right in.Following the practice, Alan spices it up with a little bit of cosmology for good measure, relating the practice to a microcosm of how the universe may be operating, and giving a great analogy of...
2010-05-2000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Empathetic Joy (Silent Meditation), Q&AThis afternoon the meditation was 100% silent. Even the introduction lasts around 20 seconds!I cut out the 24 minutes of silence in order to make this a smaller download. You can click pause and do your own Empathetic Joy meditation! For reference, go to the previous podcasts. After the meditation we had a power outage which cut out a chunk of a very interesting question. The power came on and off a few times, and I cut the long parts when the power was out (and thus we had no recording). Among the questions covered in this podcast are...
2010-05-1900 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Awareness of Awareness: Deconstructing the artificial problem of mind and matter by going down to the root from which both emergeToday's practice, the second out of the four Awareness of Awareness methods that we cover in our cycle, is a very deep penetrating practice, encroaching upon VIpassyana territory. Alan starts with an introduction on the practice and its implications, relating it to the short discourse by the Buddha to the wandering ascetic Bahiya.After this sublime practice, the outro deals with the Buddhist middle way (warning about drawing false conclusions from this practice) and then with "I think, therefore I am" and its shortcomings, which include the reification of ourselves and of all objects (which gets...
2010-05-1900 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Empathetic Joy: Balancing some of the possible side effects of so much Shamatha practice!Alan starts this afternoon by detailing some of the possible "side effects" that could happen during intense practice of Shamatha, in the sense that when we are trying to make our mind so focused an unified, it can sometimes become quite small. He also talks about how sometimes we keep hurting ourselves with our own memories of unpleasant events (making them real again) even dozens or hundreds of times after the original event. The Empathetic Joy practice we do afterwards is a remedy to both of the above condition.After the bright and uplifting practice, Alan...
2010-05-1800 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Combining Compassion and Loving Kindness: An Enriched TonglenToday as the title suggests we combined Compassion and Loving kindness into a practice of Tonglen. Furthermore, we incorporated the four modes of enlightened acvitity, using each one where needed, and in the visualization we let the light or energy sent out with the breath take the form of whatever is actually needed in the situation (not just necessary a generic light of compassion/loving kindness) and tinted it with the respective enlightened acvitity color. Whew!After the mostly silent practice, we went into a diverse Q&A session which got very interesting and set the stage...
2010-05-1700 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] *Follow-up*
Clearing up a few points and a profoundly encouraging endingThis is a short followup (I promise! It’s actually less than 15 minutes) clearing up some points from the previous episode. I took two fragments from the next day and mashed them together for this podcast. It is absolutely necessary to listen to Part 1 before listening to this. In this first fragment B. Alan Wallace briefly returns to the topic of information flow, meaning-to-meaning communication (instead of achieving means through chemicals and brain correlates), and relates this to the placebo effect, specifically to how it is a blatant example of the mind’s capacity to heal itse...
2010-05-1600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] The nature of information, mind and matter, human existence as a flow of experience/information, quantum cosmology, etc.Ok, this is what a lot of you have been waiting for, and with very good reason! Get your thinking hats on, turn off your phones, get a nice cup of tea, clear your schedule, and bring forth your scientific aspect. In this podcast episode, B. Alan Wallace, Ph.D., will be delving into topics such as the nature of information, mind and matter as a derivative of information, the placebo effect, its connection to the flow of experience/information in relation to human existence, and oh, why not: quantum cosmology (just to name a few).This is...
2010-05-1600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] The Four ImmeasurablesIn this request by Nick W, Alan breaks down the Four Immeasurables in an extremely clear synopsis of how they interrelate, their faux facsimiles (which may look very similar but they work in the opposite direction), and how to clearly distinguish them. Alan ends with a beautiful and remarkably accurate metaphor of a charriot pulled by four great steeds, in which he illustrates how the Four Immeasurables work together and help balance each other.Alan's talent in compiling so much knowledge and explaining it so clearly makes this a great short episode for anyone, new or experienced...
2010-05-1600 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Freedom from the three levels of sufferingToday we came back to the meditative cultivation of Compassion (to use the correct phrase) and had an introduction directly related to the practice in order to have less words interjected afterwards. The introduction also talks about the three levels of suffering: blatant suffering, suffering of change, and suffering of conditioned existence. After the succinct practice Alan gave yet another add-on to the bonus that will go out on Sunday. I will add it to the Sunday podcast but I left it here anyway. There is also an assorted Q&A session including posture, information, mundane questions...
2010-05-1500 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Separating the Mental Affliction from the PersonAlan gives an introduction on what we actually meditate on when "meditating on the 4I." That is to say, the object of the meditations is always sentient beings. In today's powerful practice, we work on separating the person from the mental affliction, which goes hand in hand with eliminating our sense of contempt towards the person (even if the acts themselves are truly deplorable). Alan mentioned it was one of the more turbulent practices, because the above can be challenging! This practice is designed to overcome that delusion.Afterwards we had a great question from Noah...
2010-05-1400 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Blowing the Dust of our EyesToday we had a very deep practice on Compassion. The introduction contains great examples as always in order to turn our minds towards the cultivation of compassion, to make real the suffering of others and to unveil our innate compassion, with the boldness, courage, and vision to realize what is happening, attend to the world of possibility, and aspire "may there be freedom." This will leave us poised for action and ready to come out of meditation and do some good in the world.The outro talks about the peril of classifying ourselves as "...
2010-05-1300 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Loving Kindness: Breaking down the BarriersIn this episode, we keep working more deeply with the Four Immeasurables. As always we have our introduction which includes an answer by HH. Dalai Lama from a Mind and Life conference saying that what moves us or motivates us to do anything at all is caring. Alan then breaks this down and shows how all of the 4I stem from this basic caring, and also shows how they are deeply entangled together. For example, empathetic joy is "built-into" compassion, as it arises when the suffering is alleviated. After the meditation, we go into an open...
2010-05-1200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] The Preliminary Practices [Short Episode]Ah, the Ngöndro (preliminary) practices. If you ask how many you have to do (without the proper context and preparation), you will probably be sorry to hear the answer: 100,000. Of ALL OF THEM. With these good-humored words and other examples, Alan reproaches the "how much do I gotta do" approach to the preliminaries and sets off on a very enlightening explanation of the very valid reasons for the preliminaries and the context in which they are immensely beneficial and meaningful. He also points out when they are not yet of most benefit (especially to us m...
2010-05-1100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Clearing up misconceptions about the “Non-Self.”This podcast was spurred by a question from our philosopher Ilse asking about the difference of "Identitylessness" [or non self] and "Personhood" (as she put it).There are many misconceptions about Buddhism and the theme of the "Non-Self," and here B. Alan Wallace breaks it down skillfully and with his characteristic [irony alarm went off], funny and good-humored but extremely wise and accurate examples. This is really recommended if you have any doubts (as many of us do) on this topic! It is explained extremely clearly.As a bonus within...
2010-05-1100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Video] A Message From Alan: Join the Mailing List!No, it’s not a side effect of your intense daily meditation -- in this podcast the picture actually moves! That is to say, it’s a video!With the help of David Cherniack, we were able to record Alan’s quick message. As you can see, we have created a mailing list for information, news, and retreat information all regarding the Mind Centre here in Phuket. Please note that this is different from the podcast daily updates that you might have subscribed to. In other words, if you subscribe to the mailing list, you won’t be get...
2010-05-0200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Alan’s Ideal (and possible) Vision of Buddhism and Contemplative Science in the next 10-15 yearsIn this bonus podcast, B. Alan Wallace is asked about his ideal vision of Buddhism and Contemplative Science in "The West" (or modernity) for the next 10-15 years. Alan first describes his own term, "Contemplative Science," and then gets going on a very inspiring and precise view of how this can be absolutely groundbreaking for science and humanity in general. Can we penetrate and break through to knowing reality? Taking it out of the realm of metaphysics, religion, or theory, but actually putting it to the test and knowing?I wont say more in...
2010-05-0200 min
Spring 2010 Shamatha Retreat[Bonus] Alan’s Ideal (and possible) Vision of Buddhism and Contemplative Science in the next 10-15 yearsIn this bonus podcast, B. Alan Wallace is asked about his ideal vision of Buddhism and Contemplative Science in "The West" (or modernity) for the next 10-15 years. Alan first describes his own term, "Contemplative Science," and then gets going on a very inspiring and precise view of how this can be absolutely groundbreaking for science and humanity in general. Can we penetrate and break through to knowing reality? Taking it out of the realm of metaphysics, religion, or theory, but actually putting it to the test and knowing?I wont say more in...
2010-05-0200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Focusing on the Underlying Causes
(and one more superb example for the Mind/Brain talk from yesterday!)We start with a very precise introduction of how mental afflictions are afflictions because they are rooted in delusion. Some feelings can be either very positive or afflictive depending on the above. I won't give examples in order to not distort Alan's words but it's a great explanation!We also get an explanation about four displays of compassion or Bodhisattva actions that are not immediately apparent, contrasting the sugar-coated, peaceful saints of other traditions with the Buddhist deities, which can be very wrathful but stemming from Compassion. He gives four examples which really opened our eyes.
2010-05-0100 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Explaining Mind and Brain: The mind exists, and it is something different than the brain.In this podcast, B. Alan Wallace, Ph. D., answers a question involving having a friendly discussion about the relationship between mind and brain (don't we all have those with our friends all the time?) and explains his point of view as well as refutes several typical arguments about the mind being either part of, the same thing, or an emergent property of the brain.I won't say more, listen for yourselves! This will probably clear up any doubts you have about the topic, and his points are rock-solid.(And if you are like me you'll probably...
2010-04-3000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Compassion: Arousing the Heart
(And a strong reflection on modern Dharma practice)Tonight we had a 5 minute introduction to the practice of Compassion and how to do it properly, as well as a reflection on the effect of Tonglen. Afterwards we go straight to the practice.After the meditation there is a question that a group of people had. The question was about not losing touch with Dharma even though we might get swamped with mundane tasks. I think this applies to many of us.Alan first gives a striking "bad-cop" approach to a part of the question talking about priorities. It makes a lot...
2010-04-3000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Settling the Mind in its Natural State
(setting the stage for a great discussion of modern scientific materialism and the mind)Today got quite long for a morning practice, but it was very interesting! Alan immediately got going with a very sharp discussion of the current status of acceptance that cognitive sciences or even just attentional training such as Shamatha have in the scientific materialist view. He draws on several events from his experience with his subtle humor but also with striking clarity and in my opinion, sad truth.I will not try to describe or paraphrase what he said because it would not be very precise, but if you really are not interested then feel free to jump to 20:00!
2010-04-3000 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!Loving Kindness: Developing Motivation for the PracticeThis podcast is centered around a Loving Kindness practice designed to help develop joy and vision for our Shamatha practice, but it will work for many things. As almost always we start with a very good introduction followed by the 24 minute practice. Afterwards there is a short footnote about the difference between achieving Shamatha (access to the first Dhyāna) and actually achieving the first Dhyāna and what each entails.The podcast ends there because was a question asked, "Alan, how would you like to see the development of Buddhism and Contemplative Science in the West within th...
2010-04-2800 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] A Followup to Thursday’s Nirvana/Rigpa Answer. A Jewel of a Lecture.It’s Sunday (for us!) and here is the bonus I promised! After yesterday's practice on Equanimity, Alan said he had to add a couple of "footnotes" to the question about Nirvana and Rigpa from two days ago. You can expect what follows: 30 minutes that capture you and just keep escalating and escalating into a pure jewel of a lecture. And I say escalating because as we approach the end of the podcast, well... just listen for yourself! I will (humbly) say from my opinion that listening to this is probably one of the best ways you ca...
2010-04-2500 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket![Bonus] Awareness of Awareness Question Followed by a Very Enlightening ExplanationOne of the things we love about Alan is his ability to answer a single question with a 30 minute reply in which he not only answers the question completely but he explores all of the branches and leaves you deeply inspired. I felt the need to separate this into a separate episode for those who do not have time to listen to everything. I feel the start of the bonus episodes!Alan talks about awareness of awareness (specifically the ability to realize rigpa through this practice), the several buddhist paths, the solid foundations of his teachings, the reasons...
2010-04-2200 minAlan WallaceLive from Phuket!The Wisdom Aspect of CompassionIn this afternoon session, Alan Wallace gives a brief introduction to the wisdom aspect of compassion, followed by the practice, some reflexions, and a Q&A session mostly focused on attachment.This great photo was provided by Malcolm!Please enjoy as we did!
2010-04-2000 min