Right View – Now???
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Member Laura Rosenthal
Buddhist teachings tell us that suffering arises from craving. We deludedly believe that things need to be a particular way in order for us to be happy. We resist unpleasant experience and grasp at pleasant experience, not understanding that craving is the source of our unhappiness. This central understanding is articulated in many different ways in Buddhist thought, including the teachings on the Four Noble Truths, the Eight Worldly Winds, the Three Characteristics, the cycle of Dependent Origination, and the Second Arrow. Deeply understanding the origin and cessation of suffering is known as Right View.
We nod in agreement when we hear these teachings in dharma talks. But how do we apply them when we’re faced with external circumstances that seem overwhelming, such as the tragedies that have manifested recently in our world? Are these teachings a source of deep solace and empowerment, or are they slogans? Join long-term SIM participant Laura Rosenthal for a group discussion about these questions.
This will primarily be a facilitated group conversation and will not be recorded.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Diane Wilde – The Atthakavagga, Part 2
Weekly MeditationThe Atthakavagga: the original seeds that gave rise to Buddhist teachings (Part2)
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde
“For someone sunk in confusion, even if well concealed in a hiding place, seclusion is far away.” This is another paradoxical reflection from one of the earliest collections in the Pali Cannon, the Atthakavagga. In this verse from a verse entitled “The Hiding Place”, the protagonist appears to be redefining solitude or seclusion, and perhaps loneliness. Just as we discovered during our first discussion two weeks ago, this verse asks us to draw our own conclusions. Gil Fronsdal states in his introduction to his translation of the Atthakavagga: “Here we find the Buddhist teachings pared down to their most essential elements, free of the more complex doctrines often associated with Buddhism.” The poems and verses from this small collection reveal a pattern of teachings that are much different — in their directness and simplicity — from the later sutta collections. Verses in the Atthakavagga often have an almost a koan-like quality, which seem open to interpretation.
To listen to Part 1 of this talk, click here or visit the audio dharma post date of Nov 16, 2017.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
*Sit & Special Event: State of the Sangha & Thank You
News, Weekly MeditationA Special Event: State of the Sangha & Thank You
November 2 will be a special evening to review the considerable accomplishments we’ve made as an organization on our one-year anniversary in the Sacramento Dharma Center. Members of the SIM Board will share their perspectives on the State of the Sangha and plans for 2018 and beyond.
We’ll celebrate all that we’ve achieved in moving to a new physical home, building relationships with the other sanghas who are now our neighbors, and rising to meet the financial challenges that accompanied our move. We are pleased to be able to present a positive year-end report and to share our plans for 2018. We’ll look forward to hearing community members share their observations about the last year as well as new ideas for improvement and change.
An important part of the evening will be an expression of gratitude for the indispensable help from all our volunteers during this year of transition and for all our members for being part of this community and providing essential financial support.
We also want to announce some significant changes in the operation of our Board. This includes several new officers as well as a new President who is scheduled to serve a full two-year term beginning in March of 2018.
We’ll sit, have cake and tea, then have presentations, discussion and questions and answers. This will be a very special evening, and we look forward to seeing and hearing from each of you.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Rich Howard – Two Darts: How is that working for you?
Weekly MeditationTwo Darts: How is that working for you?
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Rich Howard
The last few months have presented us with a seemingly unending string of tragic events. Natural disasters, human cruelty, and events combining both have caused death and destruction around the world. As we take all this in, how is our practice serving us? The Sallatha Sutta, SN 36:6, provides some clues. Are we adding to the pain or using our mindfulness to “endure courageously, with patience and equanimity?” SIM Community Mentor Rich Howard will lead a discussion of how this well-known sutta may help us with our current challenges.
To prepare, read “In the Buddha’s Words” page 21 and section I,2(1) The Dart of Painful Feeling, pages 31-32.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Diane Wilde – The Atthakavagga: the original seeds that gave rise to Buddhist teachings
Weekly MeditationThe Atthakavagga: the original seeds that gave rise to Buddhist teachings
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde
This is one of the reflections from one of the earliest books in the Pali Cannon, the Atthakavagga. Gil Fronsdal states in his introduction to his translation of the Atthakavagga:
The poems and verses from this small collection reveal a pattern of teachings that are much different — in their directness and simplicity — from the later sutta collections. Verses in the Atthakavagga often have an almost koan-like quality, which often seem open to interpretation. We will discuss the exegesis of the Atthakavagga and our own interpretations of a few of its seemingly “simple” verses.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
Daylong Retreat with Ayya Santacitta and SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde
RetreatThe Brahmaviharas: Prescriptions for a Contented Life
A Daylong Retreat with Ayya Santacitta from Aloka Vihara Forest Monastery and SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde.
The Brahmaviharas — also known as the Divine Abodes and/or the Four Immeasurables — are elevated states of mind that are cultivated through prescribed practice on the cushion, and mindfulness practice in daily life. They are the antidotes for hatred, cruelty, jealousy and indifference. These difficult, discursive states are replaced with benevolence, compassion, joy and equanimity. We will practice and discuss traditional methods of instilling these elevated in the mind, as well as practical strategies for challenging situations in everyday life.
Each participant will receive a gift packet of 4 booklets written by Ajahn Amaro that explains each specific Brahmavihara, utilizing a light-hearted yet wise approach.
Ayya Santacitta will be available for practice interviews throughout the day.
Questions for the Registrar?
Use the form below only if you need to contact the retreat registrar with any questions. Expect a reply within 48 hours.
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Introduction to Meditation with SIM Community Member, Laura Rosenthal
Meditation CourseThis 45-minute course is suitable for beginners or anyone who would like a refresher. It is offered on the fourth Thursday of every month before the regular sitting and dharma talk. There is no fee.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
At the bottom of this page, you may enter the number of people planning to attend and select the button “Confirm RSVP“.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Laura Rosenthal – Right View – Now???
Weekly MeditationRight View – Now???
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Community Member Laura Rosenthal
Buddhist teachings tell us that suffering arises from craving. We deludedly believe that things need to be a particular way in order for us to be happy. We resist unpleasant experience and grasp at pleasant experience, not understanding that craving is the source of our unhappiness. This central understanding is articulated in many different ways in Buddhist thought, including the teachings on the Four Noble Truths, the Eight Worldly Winds, the Three Characteristics, the cycle of Dependent Origination, and the Second Arrow. Deeply understanding the origin and cessation of suffering is known as Right View.
We nod in agreement when we hear these teachings in dharma talks. But how do we apply them when we’re faced with external circumstances that seem overwhelming, such as the tragedies that have manifested recently in our world? Are these teachings a source of deep solace and empowerment, or are they slogans? Join long-term SIM participant Laura Rosenthal for a group discussion about these questions.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Diane Wilde – Death and Dying as a Teaching
Weekly MeditationDeath and Dying as a Teaching
Dharma talk and discussion with SIM Community Mentor, Diane Wilde.
Just like in the Buddha’s time, death is not an easy topic for people to consider. Fear, guilt, denial, and/or sadness all come to the surface when we speak of our own death, or the deaths of those close to us. This is exactly why the Buddha recommended that we don’t turn away, but rather make this fact of our existence, a subject of frequent reflection. Maranasati, or Mindfulness of Death is a reflection on our death and the deaths of others. Death of course, is inevitable, and when we can to begin to view it with the same acceptance as birth, we start the process of uprooting ignorance and delusion. We will discuss how we can begin incorporating a “friendly” attitude towards death in our daily lives.
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Dennis Warren – Non-Self – When What Is Not Present Helps Us Use What Is
Weekly MeditationNon-Self – When What Is Not Present Helps Us Use What Is
Sit & Dharma Talk with SIM Founding Teacher Dennis Warren.
The principle that the absence of something can be as significant as the presence of something is a fundamental element of Buddhist practice. One of the more popular definitions of mindfulness expresses this as “moment to moment non-judgmental awareness.” Non-doing and non-clinging, among other qualities of mind, are considered core elements of an ethical and maturing practice.
In this context, it’s important to remember that the historical Buddha considered everything to be non-self or not-self. In other words, whatever non-self or not-self is or means is not unique or exclusive in its application to our western psychological notion of “self.” As a result, it applies across the board to all of our experiences and everything else – you, me, animals, plants, rocks, the environment, our plant, the universe.
The broad based application of the principle of non-self is one of the things that make it practical, concrete and relevant to our sitting practice, daily life, relationships…and our death.
For those using In The Buddha’s Words – An Anthology of Discourses from the Pali Cannon, edited by Bhikkhu Bodhi as a reference, please read the four (4) pages of the following suttas starting on page 341 and end on 345.
For those using online reference materials, please read substantially the same materials under the following titles:
*Sit & Dharma Talk – Rich Howard – Uposatha: Deepening Practice
Weekly MeditationUposatha: Deepening Practice
Sit, Dharma Talk, Chanting and Further Practice with SIM Community Mentor Rich Howard
Since the time of the historical Buddha, the days of the full moon and new moon have been special days (and nights!) for Buddhist practice. Laypeople living near a monastery might visit, bring offerings, and stay to listen to a dharma talk and meditate with the monks or nuns. If they cannot participate at a monastery, laypeople can still deepen their practice by meditating for a longer time, chanting, reading texts, or giving in a special way. This October 5 is a full moon day. We will celebrate Uposatha by having our normal sitting and break. After the break, SIM Community Mentor Rich Howard will give a brief description of the observance of Uposatha and answer any questions. We will then have an optional period of chanting, sitting, and walking meditation. We may also have another break for tea or additional sessions of chanting. You may stay as long or as short as you like; Rich will stay until midnight or until the last person has left!
There are several suttas that are specifically recommended for study on Uposatha days. Several alternative translations from Access to Insight are listed below; they are not found in “In the Buddha’s Words.”
Sacramento Insight Meditation events are sustained by the generosity of instructors in offering teachings freely and on the generosity of students and members of the meditative community in the form of financial support, service and participation in events. With our practice of dana, we support our Sangha.