The ‘Just Sitting’ practice has been part of the FWBO’s system of meditation since the very beginning yet is not often discussed and not always understood. Here Subhuti gives his own inspiring and brilliantly refreshing take on the practice as a central element in his own meditative life. A must-listen piece for all those enthused by ideas of formal and ‘formless’ meditation – ‘Just Hear’ it and you”ll see what we mean!

This is the first in a series of talks from the Western Buddhist Order Convention in 2001 offering different perspectives on the Abhidharma and exploring from a personal perspective what the study of the 51 Mental Events can tell us about our minds and how they work. Based on the classic Tibetan text ‘Necklace of Clear Understanding’, this is a terrific, clear introduction by Dhammadinna to the whole area of how to ‘Know Your Mind’.

Tracked version includes the following detail:

1. Lineage of material on Mind; Yeshe Gyaltsen’s ‘Necklace of Clear Understanding’; Sangharakshita’s ‘Know Your Mind’; Subhuti’s talks on ‘Mind and Mental Events’

2. The Abhidharma – classification of mental events; transforming mental states and actions; sharing and confessing

3. What is ‘Mind’? Introspection – Dharma-Vichaya (dhammaviccaya); the seven ‘Limbs of Enlightenment’ (Bodhyangas); reflecting on the lakshanas and Pratitya Samutpada

4. Practical aids in working with mental events; different Abhidharma traditions; lists as tools

5. Defining and experiencing Mind; manas (state of consciousness); impossible to pin down; Milarepa and the Shepherd’s Search for Mind; mind and the subjective

6. Subjective versus objective; the Yogachara perspective; the skandhas and vijnana; the Enlightened person and non-identification with the subjective)

7. The eight vijnanas and the five Wisdoms or Jinas; Yeshe Gyaltsen’s focus on the senses

8. Characteristics of mind – i. clarity ii. cognition iii. momentary iv. conditioned v. karma

9. Primary Mind (chitta, citta); mental events as how the mind takes hold of objects; experiencing ‘Pure Mind’ through prajna; Milarepa’s list of requirements

10. A Look at the 51 mental events; six categories and two perspectives

11. Summary – transforming mental states; Padmasambhava on Mind

Talk given at Wymondham, 2001

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Time to bring the picture on the FWBO’s relations with other Buddhists bang up-to-date with this splendid excursion over the common ground Buddhists share in the 21st century, and also through the diverse practice landscapes they continue to explore in their own approaches to the Dharma.

As a basis Dhammarati looks at the FWBO’s own grounding in tradition, and encourages us all at root to look continually to our own practice as we make the great journey from suffering to an expansive sense of living free.

Talk given at the Birmingham Buddhist Centre, January 2009