Gil Fronsdal of Insight Mediation Center, Talk given September 9, 2009

Gil Fronsdal talks about how “non conflict” is one of the central themes in Buddhism. Recorded at the Insight Meditation Center in Redwood City, California on Sept. 2, 2009.

Vince Horn founder and host of Buddhist Geeks, a wonderful podcast, is seeking support in the form of “micropatrons” to help expand Buddhist Geeks even further.

Buddhist Geeks would like to offer more premium content for free, produce a digital magazine, and plan a conference next year called BuddhaDharma 2.0. The information on the Buddhist Geeks website will explain all of the details.

It’s such a generous act to offer the personal sacrifice required to do this kind of work for the online Buddhist community. Let’s help enable this by extending our generosity to Vince and Buddhist Geeks. Please help with your support by becoming a patron of Buddhist Geeks.

Links:
BuddhistGeeks.com
Buddhist Geeks Podcast
BuddhaDharma2.0

by Gil Fronsdal

The Kalama Sutta is a much-quoted discourse in which the Buddha radically challenged most sources of religious authority. The discourse is often read as a warning not to seek truth outside of oneself. It is quoted and misquoted as teaching that we should not believe anything unless we know it from our own experience. While the Buddha does advise reliance on what can be known through direct experience he does so in a particular and limited way.

When the Buddha visited the town of Kalama, the townspeople told him they were perplexed about who was speaking the truth and who was speaking falsehoods among the many spiritual teachers who came through town. Just as we, in our modern times, must contend with religious pluralism, so did people in ancient India.

The Buddha responded by telling the Kalamas that it is appropriate for them to be perplexed. Then, instead of telling them who is or is not speaking the truth, the Buddha offered guidelines for how the Kalamas can overcome their doubt on their own. This began with his famous statement not to rely on the common sources of religious authority. He said, “Do not go by oral tradition, a teaching lineage, common talk, scripture, logic, intuition or reasoning, or by reason of the competence of the speaker, or because he or she is one’s own teacher.” This does not necessarily mean that these sources have to be avoided entirely. Rather it means that standards other than these are needed to ascertain what is true.

If these sources are not authoritative, what’s left? For the Buddha it is those things that one can know and directly experience for oneself. This suggests that each person can and perhaps should be his or her own spiritual teacher. Some find this idea inviting, others find it daunting. But, either way, we must understand the particular way in which the Buddha is saying that one can rely on oneself. Naive self-reliance can lead to as many problems as naive reliance on scriptures or teachers. The Buddha is very particular about which direct experiences to focus on and how to act in relationship to what we know.

The Buddha suggested using our experience of suffering and happiness as our guide. The assumption is that people don’t require scripture, teachers, or reason to know whether they are happy or not. The path to freedom from suffering begins and ends with our basic ability to recognize when we are suffering and when we are not. However, this does not mean we should discard scripture, teachers, or reason; they can have an important role in pointing us to areas of suffering and happiness that we may be blind to.

With the human experience of suffering and happiness as the basis, practitioners then consider both by themselves and with the help of wise people (so as not to fool or under-challenge themselves), which mental qualities, states, and teachings lead to suffering or happiness, to harm or benefit. Those that lead to harm should be abandoned and those that are beneficial should be engaged in. This doesn’t require exhaustive analysis; it necessitates paying attention to the consequences of our mental, verbal, and physical activities so we can know for ourselves what brings suffering and what brings happiness. It also involves using our reasoning and imagination to understand what is likely to bring us harm or benefit. Then based on this, if it brings suffering, avoid it; if it brings happiness, engage in it.

In his response to the Kalamas, the Buddha focused on what is pragmatically true instead of what is abstractly true. He emphasized what can be known for oneself instead of what can be known only as belief. But what can be known for oneself depends on what one does—pragmatic truths are discovered through experience, not by wishful thinking.

Since the Kalamas had said they were perplexed, the Buddha concluded by describing practices that would provide some degree of assurance. He did this by talking about some of the results that can come from the practices of loving-kindness, compassion, appreciative joy, and equanimity. Perhaps it was because the people of Kalama were not his students that he discussed these four “divine abodes”—they were practices widely known at the time. If the Kalamas had asked about liberation, the Buddha would have responded differently—most likely by describing the practices that lead to liberation.

One assurance is that with proficiency in loving-kindness and the other three abodes one will experience happiness in this lifetime; one can know for oneself that these practices are beneficial. A second assurance is that, if there is rebirth, one can be assured of having a good rebirth. Still another is that if malicious intentions bring suffering, one can be assured that one is not causing oneself further suffering. While the first assurance is experientially testable, the second and third are a form of Pascal’s Wager: without having to decide on the truth of rebirth and the negative karma of malice, one can be at ease knowing that proficiency in loving-kindness is in one’s best interest if these are true. For people who aren’t going to try out the path of liberation, perhaps this is as good an assurance as one can get.

It might seem a little strange to end a teaching about relying on what one can know for oneself with a discussion of what is reassuring. Maybe this is because the English word ‘assurance’ doesn’t quite capture the meaning of assasa. The Indian word literally means ‘breathing’ and figuratively means to breathe easily or freely, as well as to be ‘assured’ or ‘comforted.’ One way or another loving-kindness practice helps people to breathe easily.

Ease in breathing might seem trivial. It is not. It is an important pre-condition to happiness and liberation. The more relaxed the breathing is the more sensitive we can become to subtleties of suffering and happiness. Because our inner life and psychology closely influence how we breathe, the quality of our breathing can reveal much about what is happening in the mind. The more easeful the breathing becomes, the more ease-filled is the mind. In contrast to spiritual teachings that are too abstract or distant to be experienced directly, a person can know whether he or she is breathing easily. And, as an alternative to complex analysis, a person can direct the mind toward attitudes and ways of being that bring greater ease and pleasure in breathing. Being guided by our breathing, we can learn a lot about what we should do and what we should let go of. In this way our own breath provides the direct experience that can help us be our own teachers.

This and other articles by Gil Fronsdal are available here.

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Last night we were informed Thich Nhat Hanh is in Massachusetts General hospital with Pneumonia. He is eighty three years old, and still teaching the Dharma to his beloved Sangha. I met Thay almost two years ago to the day on August 18th 2007, and I will never forget being in his presence. He is a beloved teacher, and we wish him a quick recovery. Here is a hand written letter from Thay to his Sangha:

UPDATE: Thay’s treatment has gone well, and he has now been discharged from the hospital and will be continuing treatment as an outpatient, which is very good news. He is 83 and was unable to go to the Colorado Retreat but will rejoin the tour in California after his treatment ends.

A talk by Jack Kornfield, on The Bodhisattva. More videos, meditations and articles available on Jacks site.

Buddhism, the Dharma, and ones practice is a personal and  individual relationship and experience. It is a relationship between you, your teacher, and the Dharma.

Buddhism has it’s roots strong in the west. It has been here  for a long time.  Some are concerned that Buddhism is being “secularized”. I believe this so called “secularization” is an indication that Buddhism and the Dharma is even further permeating our society.

When one learns the truth from a mindfulness or mediation only practice, from a Tolle book, or some “secularized” source, this is just as well, if it suits this individual to end their suffering. The truth comes in many different ways, but when one opens this door, it still leads to the truth. All of these doors can lead to a healthy western Buddhist practice.

We have wonderful innovations in publishing technologies to deliver the Dharma, such as podcasting, and varying flavors of teaching approaches emerging here in the west, but there is no new truth emerging. There is no truth 2.0. Ultimately, it is the Dharma, and teaching of the Buddha, ending delusion one person at a time, and that journey starts where I started this message, by the individual; between the teacher, the Dharma, and the practice, and this is very accessible here today in the west.

If you follow the teachings of the Buddha, it is not about attachment to a religion. “Find your own light”, and eventually you do not need the teachings. When the truth is in your heart, and seen by your own eyes, you do not need it described to you any longer, it is no longer your religion, it is your being, and that is freedom. That freedom is available to you here in the west.

Be diligent in your practice. Find your teacher, and find many. If you feel your not getting the whole truth seek more. You may need many teachers to experience the full Dharma. Even the Buddha himself used many techniques. You will find a rich soil here in the west to plant your practice.

I’m thinking very positive about Buddhism in our society. There has been a major change in our culture. Buddhism is changing western society, not the other way around. Let me repeat that, Buddhism is changing western society, not the other way around.

I’m happy to say that Buddhism is very alive and well, in the west. May it help you find your freedom, and experience the true wonder of life.

From  Todd,  a Listener of Zencast :

I really want to thank you for having Zencast.org and providing these podcast that you do. Wish I did live in the California area so that I could visit you guys and See it all in person. But these podcasts are about as good as being there.

I want to thank all that are involved with bringing these great podcasts to the world.. I don’t know all of your names but please accept my greatest thanks.. I do know the below teachers, and thank them by name, but everyone involved thank you. You have given so much.

Gil Fronsdal, I have to admit has help me and my middle son the most.. Jack and Tara are great too.. But Gil has really said alot of things I really needed to hear. And has really helped me to connect more with my Timmy so that I could reach him. My middle son Timmy is Autistic. While I love all three of my boys very much. Timmy has been my greatest challenge and my greatest teacher.

Alot of people are unfamiliar with Autism they hear a little bit about it on the news or they might of even seen rain man.. Both don’t give the full story or really show the challenges to overcome.. If I had to sum up what is Autism. “Its being trapped in your own mind, without knowing how to communicate to the outside world” Or maybe I should rephrase that.. They try to communicate but the outside world doesn’t know how to listen to them.I guess you could say that about any one person, but it is more extreme with a child with autism.

Your podcast with subject such as meditation, mindfulness, and calming the mind, and most important compassion. Have really helped me to speak Autism with my son.. And for that which you have taught me , I am so thankful to all of you that provide these podcasts.

I use to want to cure my son, now I know I was the one in need of cure. And these podcast where the medicine I needed. Thank you so much.

If I was ever to request a podcast. It would be how to do we help people with special needs. I am not sure if Buddha had any experience with this but would love to hear how he dealt with it.

I know Compassion is the key, because that is what has worked with Timmy and, all of my sons. Timmy is still non-verbal, but he speaks alot to me. He has gone from being a distant child to one that sits in my lap, or gives me a kiss before he sleeps. He will sit in my lap as I meditate , while my youngest sits on my head.. :> No my meditations are not quiet but they are beautiful thanks to my children. To me that is a miracle. And your teachings have been a part of that..

Thank you so much and keep this up, you are bringing good things to this world..

Todd

This Letter was made public with permission from Todd.

Hivelogic, a website about discovering quality, living more efficiently, and leading a simpler, more mindful life, has a wonderful post on how to Start a Meditation Practice, with some good sound advice, and resources.

Over the years, a daily meditation practice has completely transformed my life, helping me to be happier, more effective and productive, and less reactive to daily difficulties.

…

No matter how old or young you are, no matter what’s going on in your life, or how little time you may have to devote to it, it’s likely that a meditation practice will be of great benefit to you.

link

A Tribute to Alan Watts
From the Les Project

He died in 1972, I believe. For the time, I would imagine that he was well-known in some circles, though not ‘famous famous’ – I doubt he ever made the Johnny Carson Show, if you catch my drift.

He wrote 27 books in his lifetime, and He loved to talk, and he talked mostly of philosophy, of different religions, and of his own observations on life and it’s significance. It sounds a bit boring, and perhaps some of them were if lectures aren’t your cup of tea, but he spoke with a warm and certain English accent that almost always had a hint of a smile in the voice, and he had an entertaining way of presenting his topic, veering off into small eddies of interest here and there, yet never losing his main point.

He spoke in the heyday of the drug culture, and as he was heavily into Zen, would often appear in robes and other traditional Japanese garb, which made it easy to confuse him with just another hippy philosopher running some sort of scam on the flower children of the time.

Careful listening of his lectures shows this to be a shallow take on the man and his work. One of his lectures was to a group of IBM engineers commissioned by IBM in the 1960s, and his understanding of technology, as well as it’s implications on man and culture, was top-notch and still resonates to this day.

Almost 40 years after his death, some of his word usage seems anachronistic – it was the 60s, and he was well aware of his different audiences, and would change his delivery to suit his audience. While you might hear the word ‘groovy’ in one lecture, at another, given in a church, you won’t.

He called himself a ‘metaphysical entertainer’, and in most of his talks, you can’t help but to imagine a mischievous gleam in his eye as he spoke.

I first heard of him when a northern New Jersey college radio station, WFMU, used to play half hour experts of his lectures each week. I was a stupid kid then, and as I grew up and the work-a-day world began to consume me, I forgot about Alan Watts.

20 years passed, and I began thinking again about the fellow. WFMU had stopped playing his lectures long ago, so I had to go on eBay to scrounge up creaky old cassettes of his lectures.

When I began to listen to these, I realized what an impact the fellow had on those previous 20 years. I had lifted so many of his observations, and his sense of humor regarding the seriousness of life, and his sense of absurdity.

It served me well in the real world, because if you listen beyond the anachronisms and somtimes even the content itself, there was just one message he delivered in all of his work:

Don’t take yourself too seriously.

This always allowed me to keep the drama down in sometimes stressful work situations, and even occasionally get the person who was about to blow a gasket to calm down a bit – or even chuckle.

As I described in my Ebay adventure, access to his work used to be difficult – his tapes were as scarce as hen’s teeth. But now his eldest son, Mark Watts, has put together a website where you can listen to Alan Watts, buy some lectures at very reasonable prices, donate, and even sign up for a weekly free excerpt that, after a few weeks, gives you a complete lecture.

The site is Alanwattspodcast.com and is well worth exploring.

If you don’t feel all that interested in the man after my description, I ask you only to watch this tiny movie – a short 3-4 minute excerpt from one of his lectures with an accompanying cartoon, which was put together by the creators of South Park, the snarky cartoon.

In 4 minutes you will get a taste of the kind of man Alan Watts was, and learn a lesson about life that I have kept with me over the years, and probably be delighted as well, as it is a wonderfully entertaining video.

http://freshminds.com/animation/alan_watts_life.html