This is number six in a ten-part series on Buddhadharma as a Path of Happiness. This series covers the ten principles discussed in James' Awakening Joy Course from a dharma perspective. www.AwakeningJoy.net

This is number ten in a ten-part series on Buddhadharma as a Path of Happiness. This series covers the ten principles discussed in James' Awakening Joy Course from a dharma perspective.

Her husband titles this talk "Dragoning at the Mouth of the Garden". A lovely set of reflections on gardening and Zen.

Why would you do a silent meditation retreat? This talk explores the value and experience of silent retreat practice. Along with James, Kate Janke, who returned from sitting a month at the Forest Refuge in Barre, Massachusetts, a few days before this was recorded, shares her thoughts and personal experience of retreat practice.

I just received teachings with the Dalai Lama last week on the topic, I'm going to start a series on Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. This is one of the Dalai Lama's central teachings. As he says, "If I have any understanding of compassion and the practice of the bodhisattva path, it is entirely on the basis of this text that I possess it."

This is the second chapter of Shantideva's "Bodhisattva's Way of Life" and discusses the importance of developing an attitude of reverence and devotion as well as purifying our past actions in order to plant the seed of awakening in fertile soil. We’ll be discussing not only the ideas but ways to incorporate them in your dharma practice.

Part 3 of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. Commitment. Just what are we committing to when we decide to become bodhisattvas. One stanza from this chapter is as follows: “For all those ailing in the world, Until every sickness has been healed, May I myself become for them The doctor nurse, the medicine itself.”

Wes talks about his new book, "The Best of Inquiring Mind: 25 Years of Dharma, Drama, & Uncommon Insights". He reads a really wonderful poem right at the end of the talk (reviewer's comment).

The chapter we'll be exploring is Awareness, what Pema Chodron calls Using Our Intelligence. It has also been translated as Carefulness. The theme is how we can use wise attention to prevent us from getting caught in afflictive emotions (kilesas or kleshas). Even when we know better we may still find ourselves going down a road of action we will later regret. This chapter is how as bodhisattvas we deepen our commitment to refrain from unskillful action.

The talk is about the next chapter 5 of Shantideva's Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life. This chapter is about the three disciplines: not causing harm, gathering virtue, and benefiting others. The title is translated has been translated as Vigilant Introspection or Guarding Alertness.

This talk is continuing our series with Chapter 6 of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life. The theme is “Working with Anger” specifically cultivating Patience.

This week I will complete the Shantideva series with his final chapter on the power of dedicating your actions as an act of generosity. We often end the sittings or a period of practice by sharing any merit for the benefit of all beings. This practice can be used in very simple but potent ways as a method for brining a heartfelt sincerity to your practice for the benefit of specific individuals. For instance if you’re trying to change a habit, offering the merit of that wholesome change to someone who is having a hard time in their life. This practice of dedicating merit both connects you with others and motivates you beyond mere self-improvement. We’ll be exploring just how this can work in our daily life to give energy and enthusiasm to our practice.

James Baraz talks about the stunning changes that have already taken place with the election of Barack Obama.

A discussion with community member Janet Keyes about a proposal to create a community support network with the intention of helping the IMCB sangha grow in caring and connection. The evening includes an invitation to attend an introductory meeting to help identify priorities and move forward in creating a more caring community. The talk also includes James reading a moving letter from Barack Obama to a 4-year old girl.

Mindfulness of breathing

Smaller footprints

Reflections on the 3 months Adam has just spent sitting at IMS.

Rev. Heng Sure offers reflections on how to purify our minds. He gives methods of making the world a better place through skillful use of the mind. He shares his Dharmaradio.org website and the “Acts of Kindness” project. The songs from his “Paramita” CD of American Buddhist Folk Songs (www.dharmaradio.org/paramita/index.htm) invite us to do more good deeds in exchange for free music downloads. Rev. Sure also shares the “Daily Good” website that aggregates good news stories every day. Listen to his musical Dharma-teachings. (www.dailygood.org).

Rev. Heng Sure uses his 12 string guitar and a beautiful singing voice reminiscent of Bill Monroe to interpret three songs from a variety of Buddhist traditions about the process of enlightenment. The first is called the "Ballad of Yashodhara;" and gives voice to Prince Siddhartha’s agonizing choices as he prepares to renounce the householder’s life. His resolve to defeat impermanence compels him to say goodbye to his beloved wife and venture into the unknown in search of awakening. The second song is the entire Mahamangala Sutta, "The Buddha’s Teachings on Blessings.” Rev. Heng Sure invites the assembly to sing along with the Buddha’s advice in response a deva who comes asking Buddha how to live correctly and wisely. The third is a selection of verses from Tang Dynasty Chan Master Master Yongjia's “Song of Enlightenment.” Rev. Heng Sure tells the interesting story of this monk's certification by the Sixth Chinese Patriarch. Heng Sure's tells the story in a down-to-earth fashion. The song itself expresses Yongjia's understanding of the Buddha Nature within. The first verse goes: "Don't seek for the true; don't cut off out the false. Know that false and true alike are gone without a trace. Now not a trace itself is gone; then empty emptiness: You've found the Thus Come One's true mark where nothing can't exist."

An introduction to next week's (1-15-08) guest Paul Ekman, psychologist, leading expert on human emotions and facial expressions and co-author with the Dalai Lama on the recent book Emotional Awareness

A talk about forgiveness and compassion that includes recorded excerpts of discussions with the Dalai Lama. In the talk, a theory about the origins and nature of compassion is presented.

On transmitting and receiving love.

A talk about various meditation techniques and their efficacy.

Some thoughts upon returning from the February retreat at Spirit Rock.

This is a three part series of talks on James’ basic meditation instructions: “Receive the moment with a relaxed, interested and kind awareness.” Note: The first talk of this series was not recorded. Therefore this is a talk on the same topic that James gave during the month-long retreat at Spirit Rock on 2/10/2009.

This is a three part series of talks on James’ basic meditation instructions: “Receive the moment with a relaxed, interested and kind awareness.”

This is a three part series of talks on James’ basic meditation instructions: “Receive the moment with a relaxed, interested and kind awareness. What does a kind awareness mean? How can we meet each moment—including moments of fear or physical discomfort—with this attitude? This is a key issue for deepening our practice.

Suzuki Roshi (Roshi SF Zen Center): "Do not say 'too late'." William Shawn (Editor New Yorker Magazine): "It takes as long as it takes."

Addressing that voice inside the mind that has a hard time measuring up to our ideals

Confidence

Tonight James begins a series on his favorite piece of dharma wisdom: Verses on the Faith Mind by Sengstan, otherwise known as the 3rd Zen Patriarch of China. This is one of the best treatises on the non-dual approach to practice. A few choice lines: “The Great Way is not difficult for those who have no preferences.” “To live in the realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.” During this series, James reads through the text and discusses how we can apply it in our lives. If you are interested in reading the actual text of this sutra Click Here.

Tonight James continues his discussion of Verses on the Faith Mind by Sengstan (3rd Zen Patriarch of China), his favorite piece of dharma wisdom. This week one of the lines from the passage is the source of Joseph Goldstein’s book One Dharma. "There is one Dharma not many; distinctions arise from the clinging needs of the ignorant."

Affectionately known as “the Storytelling Monk,” Swami Sarveshwarananda Giri is a French-born Kriya Yoga teacher and founder of the Hariharananda Mission in the USA and in India, and the Ark of Love in South America. For the last sixteen years, he has traveled around the globe teaching Yoga, composing and chanting sacred chants, and providing education and shelter to poor children, widows, and senior citizens in India and South America.

Tonight James finishes his series on the Faith Mind by the 3rd Zen Patriarch of China. One of the most meaningful lines in this section is: ”To live in this (highest) realization is to be without anxiety about non-perfection.” Cultivating that attitude is a key to freedom. To let ourselves be perfectly imperfect.

James reflects on his connection to Ram Dass and his teacher, Karoli Baba.

Contentment

You Never Know...

This talk is a version of the talk James will be giving at the upcoming Metta retreat at Spirit Rock.

Ananda, the Buddha's disciple, while on a mission for the Buddha, requested water to drink from a woman of low cast. The woman protested out of fear that her low caste would contaminate Ananda's holiness; to which Ananada replied, "I ask not for caste but for water." A version of the Buddhist text of this story is available here: http://www.mountainman.com.au/buddha/carus_76.htm

We are each the star of our own movie. Practice invites us to honor every member of the cast of characters in our life, remembering that they have their own reality. And through it all we can wake up from the dream.

Ven. Phagyab Rinpoche is known for his healing abilities. As a striking example, he healed his leg, which two doctors said needed to be amputated after undergoing torture in Tibet. The Compassion Project that he started was founded to bring the wisdom of Tibet’s Buddhist mind-sciences to the West to teach techniques for developing mindfulness, stress-reduction, non-violent conflict resolution, compassion and mind-body well-being. See his website www.healingthroughcompassion.org.

While the mind has many thoughts and confusing tendencies that cause suffering, there is a pure awareness that is our true nature holding it all. We’ll explore staying in touch with this reality while we are navigating through the confusions of mind.

Eve Decker: Talk and Song of the Importance of Self Love

Forgiveness and reflections on Yom Kippur

The desire for Heaven or for Hell: The Choice is yours.

The body is where we store emotions and register deep insights. This talk explores the implication of those facts: how we keep getting caught in thoughts that we know don’t serve us and why it takes time and patience to embody the wisdom our mind knows is true

"Undoing Mental Knots" or "Getting Rid of Concepts"

This is a talk about establishing healing and reconciliation on both a personal and a community level. The Buddha taught was "As long as followers of the Way hold regular and frequent assemblies, they may be expected to prosper and not decline. As long as they meet in harmony, carry on their business in harmony, and break up in harmony, they may be expected to prosper and not decline."

"Refuge in the Sangha"

James and co-author Shoshana Alexander share teachings and excerpts from their book.

In Tibetan teachings the Lion's Roar is the "fearless proclamation that every situation is workable." Being humbled can lead to a profound, wise humility, doubt can lead to strong confidence and vulnerability and can be the path to fearlessness.

James presented another version of this talk at the February 2010 month-long retreat at Spirit Rock.

U Pyinya Zawta presents a dharma talk followed by Q&A, which focuses on conditions in Burma. He is introduced by Hozan Alan Senauke, Vice Abbot of Berkeley Zen Center; Kenneth Wong translates.

U Pyinya Zawta is Executive Director in Exile of the All Burma Monks’ Alliance, a leader of Burma’s Saffron Revolution in the autumn of 2007. In 2008, he and three other exiled monks created a monastery in Utica, New York, where continues to live and organize. He has been imprisoned in Burma as a result of his protests against Burma’s repressive military rule. Along with his dedication to daily Buddhist practice and meditation, works tirelessly to support refugee monks inside and outside of Burma, and to build a free nation for all Burma’s people. Website

A Life Well Lived

James interviews his mom, Selma Baraz (or maybe it's the other way around).

For more from Selma, see also the YouTube video of Selma entitled: Confessions of a Jewish Mother: How My Son Ruined My Life!

Liberation Buddhism

Earth Day: 40th Anniversary

Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 1

Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 2

Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 3

Breaking the Chains of Craving: Part 4, with guest Kevin Griffin. Beginning introductions of Inquiring Mind publisher Alan Novidor and editor Barbara Gates.

Talk on the 2010 Gulf Oil Spill.

How to get what you want...and not get what you don't want.

What does it mean to be truly independent? Independent from what? And if we are genuinely independent how does that affect the way we live our lives?

Suffering is Grace

This Business of Wanting.

Mindfulness as Liberation

Insight Prison Project is a non-profit community organization working in collaboration with San Quentin State Prison to provide unique rehabilitation programs for self selected and motivated prisoners so that they can break the cycle of incarceration.

Jacques, founding director of IPP, now manages Insight Out, a project that employs former life-sentenced prisoners that were trained by IPP during their incarceration and now work with at risk youth in Bay Area communities, especially Richmond and Oakland.

Jacques is joined by Antonio and Phillip, two Insight Out Change Makers. Includes Q & A.

IPP Website

About Renunciation and the Monastic.

Spiritual Activation

One of our big blocks is our addiction to comfort.

Personal and Global Responsibility

The ability to let go of the past and to forgive depends on how we hold ourselves with others. This talk explores how we affect others and how we can move to a greater connection.

Caring for the earth 10/10/10

On Religion and Politics and/or (Politics and Spirituality)

Note: This talk begins and ends with his chanting. Phagyab Rinpoche is a lama, scholar, and highly renowned practitioner in the Gelugpa order of Tibetan Buddhism. Born in Kham, Tibet, in 1966 and ordained at the age of thirteen, Rinpoche received a rigorous traditional education in Buddhist philosophy and ritual in Tibet and then at Sera Monastery in South India. While studying for his Geshe degree, the highest rank in Tibetan Buddhist scholarship, he was recognized by the Dalai Lama as the eighth reincarnation of Phagyab Rinpoche—a venerated Buddhist teacher—and was requested to return to Tibet in order to assume leadership of the Ashi and Lithang monasteries, the traditional seats of Phagyab Rinpoche. While teaching in Tibet, Rinpoche was apprehended for his religious beliefs and subsequently fled back to India before immigrating to the USA in 2003.

Bhikkhu Bodhi discusses the Five Spiritual Faculties, the ascending factors that lead toward enlightment and the Four Brahma Viharas, the descending factors that lead toward engagement in the world.

Following the dharma talk, Kim Behan, Executive Director of Buddhist Global Relief, gives a presentation on the founding, goals, and projects of the organization. Buddhist Global Relief is a Buddhist organization dedicated to providing relief from poverty and hunger among impoverished communities worldwide. Read Bhikkhu Bodhi's provocative essay that led to the founding of BGR: “A Challenge to Buddhists”

Mirka discusses her book Living This Life Fully: Stories and Teachings of Munindra about the meditation master who first taught Dipa Ma, Joseph Goldstein, and many of our western dharma leaders. Munindra was a pivotal figure in the transmission of Dharma to the West and the resulting mindfulness movement.