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4.B.2.C.3.a.1. Six Far-Reaching Attitudes
[Click here
for the Lamrim outline for this topic.]
*
*The Six Far-Reaching
Attitudes in General and How They Complement One Another. Dharma
Friendship Foundation, Seattle. 27 Oct 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Why 'far-reaching?' ~ The basis
for practising these six ~ Awakening the Mahayana disposition
~ The nature of these six ~ Necessity and function of each of
the six ~ How the six attitudes fulfill our own and others' purpose
~ Creating the cause for precious human rebirth with the six attitudes.
Part 1. [23
min]: Download
Part 2. [23
min]: Download
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The Far-Reaching Attitude of Generosity
*The Far-reaching
Attitude of Generosity-Part 1 of 2. DFF,
Seattle. 1 Nov 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
What is it? How is it different from
ordinary generosity?
[6 min]: Download
3 kinds of giving:
1) Giving material aid [19
min]: Download
Cont'd. [25
min]: Download
2) Giving protection from fear
3) Giving theDharma
Questions and answers
[24 min]: Download
*The Far-reaching
Attitude of Generosity-Part 2 of 2; How to Enhance the Practice
of the Six Far-reaching Attitudes. DFF,
Seattle. 10 Nov 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
The giving of body, possessions or
root of virtue (positive potential) according to the four points:
giving, protecting, keeping pure, enhancing. [30
min]: Download
How to enhance the practice of the
six far-reaching attitudes; Questions
and answers
[20 min]: Download
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The Far-Reaching Attitude of Ethics
*Part 1 of 2. DFF,
Seattle. 15 Nov 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Introduction
The 3 Types of Ethics ~ Importance
of Ethics: all of Lam Rim, including the other far-reaching attitudes,
come under it ~ Practice of tantra and understanding of emptiness
do not negate ethics, they enhance one's practice of ethics
[7 min]: Download
1) Ethics of restraining from acting
destructively
Practice of ethics is something
we choose to do, not something imposed from outside ~ Not underestimating
our contribution to society and world peace through ethical behavior.
[9 min]: Download
2) Ethics of acting positively (gathering
virtues)
[16 min]: Download
3) Ethics of working for the benefit
of others;
How to meditate on these points;
Question-and-Answer;
Ethics in the Dharma Center
[20 min]: Download
*Part 2 of 2. DFF,
Seattle. 17 Nov 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Explanation of the quote above
Practising the far-reaching attitude of ethics with the other
five far-reaching attitudes
Deciding whether to engage in an action by examining the short-term
and long-term benefits/harm it brings
[16 min]: Download
Questions and answers
[27 min]: Download
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The Far-Reaching Attitude of Patience
*Part
1 of 4. DFF,
Seattle. 22 Nov 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
The meaning of patience according
to Buddhism. Being compassionate
and patient doesn't mean being wimpy.
Anger is more directly harmful than attachment. Does
anger bring any benefit?
[31 min]: Download
The three kinds of patience. 1.
Patience of not retaliating to harm. ~ 2. Patience of Enduring
Difficulties ~ 3. Patience of Definitely Practicing the Dharma
1) The patience of not retaliating to harm. Difference
between Buddhism and psychology in their view on anger.
[20 min]: Download
*Part
2 of 4. DFF,
Seattle. 20 Dec 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Disadvantages of anger. Is
anger required to signal that something is wrong? Is anger required
to correct societal injustice? [26
min]: Download
Antidotes to anger
[29 min]: Download
*Part
3 of 4. DFF,
Seattle. 22 Dec 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Antidotes to anger - Part I
Dependent Arising ~ Reaping
the Fruits of Karma ~ Kindness of "Enemies"
[13
min]: Download
Part II
Giving the Pain to the Self-Cherishing
Attitude ~ Basic Nature: Evil or just Clouded Over?
[19 min]: Download
Part III
Disadvantages of Anger and
Holding a Grudge ~ Walking in the Other Person's Samsara ~ Buttons,
Buttons. What are Our Buttons? ~ Stopping the Cause for Future
Unhappiness ~ Buddha Atoms ~ Remembering the Past Kindness of
the People who Harmed us ~ Recalling the Essence of Taking Refuge
[24 min]: Download
*Part
4 of 4. DFF,
Seattle. 27 Dec 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
2) Patience of Enduring Difficulties
[29 min]: Download
3) Patience of Definitely
Practicing the Dharma
[32 min]: Download
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The Far-Reaching Attitude of Joyous Effort
*Part
1 of 5. DFF,
Seattle. 29 Dec 93. [Transcript
in PDF format]
What is joyous effort? With
joyous effort, practising Dharma and doing virtuous actions become
a delight.
The 3 types of joyous effort.
Armor-like joyous effort
~ Joyous effort of acting positively (gathering virtues) ~ Joyous
effort of working for the benefit of others.
The 3 types of laziness which
interrupt joyous effort.
Procrastination ~ Attraction to trivial matters & negative
behavior ~ Discouragement,
feelings of incapability.
[17 min]: Download
Elaboration of the first 2 types of
laziness and their antidotes. [32
min]: Download
Laziness and the attachment to the
happiness of this life. Removing
it through reflecting on death and impermanence ~ Giving up attachment
is not giving up happiness.
[13 min]: Download
*Part
2 of 5. DFF,
Seattle. 12 Jan 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
The 3 kinds of joyous effort and the
first 2 kinds of laziness which
interrupt joyous effort [9
min]: Download
The 3rd kind of laziness that interrupt
joyous effort.
Discouragement, feelings
of incapability
[11 min]: Download
Question-and-Answer
[17 min]: Download
*Part
3 of 5. DFF,
Seattle. 19 Jan 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
The 3 types of discouragement:
1. Discouragement about the Result
How to counteract the thinking:
"I can't possibly do that, this goal is too high, this result
is too high!" [6 min]:
Download
2. Discouragement about the Path -
Part 1
The mind that wants "fastfood"
enlightenment ~ Being content to plant the seeds ~ Having a good
relationship with our teachers ~ Developing the courage to face
difficulties ~ the middle way between asceticism and indulgence.
[20 min]: Download
Discouragement about the Path - Part
2
[23 min]: Download
3. Discouragement about the Basis
Feeling "Everybody else
has Buddha nature but I don't! I'm hopeless, I'm helpless, everything
I do is wrong." ~ Value of reading practitioner biographies
Question-and-Answer
Learning to evaluate ourselves
~ Be realistic and go step by step ~ Positive impact of Refuge
and Bodhicitta prayer ~ Rejoicing and encouraging ourselves ~
Setting Motivation ~ Benefiting "others" does not mean
self-sacrifice ~ Opportunity to contribute in every situation
[14 min]: Download
*Part
4 of 5. DFF, Seattle. 24 Jan
94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Compassion. An
antidote to low self-esteem and the source of inner strength.
Four important qualities to generate as aspects of Joyous Effort:
1. Aspiration. Generating
aspiration by thinking about the benefits of practice and the
law of cause and effect.
[14 min]: Download
2. Steadfastness - part 1.
Self-confidence is the cause
for steadfastness in practice. [19
min]: Download
Steadfastness - part 2. [14
min]: Download
*Part
5 of 5. DFF, Seattle. 26 Jan
94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Four aspects of Joyous Effort - Cont'd:
1. Aspiration.
2. Steadfastness.
3. Joy.
Having joy in the practice is not pushing ourselves.
4. Rest.
Taking a break when we need to; Learning to pace ourselves; balancing
our practice; Giving up the things that we have already attained.
[26 min]: Download
The 3 types of
laziness. Deer Park, Wisconsin.
10 June 2004.
Joyful Effort: The Three Types of
Laziness
The three types of laziness,
how they can hinder successful practice and how to overcome then
.
[Part 1: 15 min]: Download
[Part 2: Q&A: 32 min]: Download
Joyous Effort. Kirkland, Washington. 14 April 2007.
Joyful Effort
Venerable Chodron discusses how joyous effort is important to Buddhist practice. She explains the three types of joyous effort and the three types of laziness.
[50 min]: Download
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The Far-Reaching Attitudes of Meditative
Stabilization & Wisdom (in brief); Practicing each in relation
to the other five
*Part 1 of 2.
DFF, Seattle. 31 Jan 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Practicing each of the first four
far-reaching attitudes in relation to the other five
[21 min]: Download
Far-reaching attitude of Meditative
Stabilization (in brief)
Far-reaching attitude of Wisdom (in brief)
Practicing each of these with the other far-reaching attitudes
[17 min]: Download
Questions and answers. Includes
clarification of terms used differently in the West (from their
usage in Asia), eg "Vipassana".
[7 min]: Download
*Part 2 of 2.
DFF, Seattle. 2 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Three types of meditative stabilization
according to their strength
[6 min]: Download
Far-reaching attitude of Wisdom. The
4 kinds of wisdom in terms of how they're generated; The misunderstanding
that teachings are categorised into those meant for study and
those meant for meditation; Importance of developing the ability
to discriminate wisely.
Questions and answers [27
min]: Download
Afternote [2
min]: Download
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The Far-reaching attitude of Meditative Stabilization
[Click
here for the Lamrim outline for this topic.]
*Part 1 of 9: Training
in Calm Abiding to Perfect Meditative Stabilization.
DFF, Seattle. 7 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Source of the teachings on calm abiding.
Important to study before
actual meditation.
Etymology, definition and explanation of calm abiding.
The Tibetan approach to meditation.
[29 min]: Download
*Part 2 of 9: Arranging Proper Circumstances for Calm Abiding Meditation.
DFF, Seattle. 14 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
1. Live in a proper and conducive
place
2. Have few desires and attachments
3. Be content
4. Avoid distractions and extraneous activities
5. Maintain pure ethical conduct
6. Abandon preconceptions about sense objects
[24 min]: Download
More advice on doing retreat or meditation
practice
[31 min]: Download
*Part 3 of 9: Actual Way to Practice Calm Abiding: Objects of meditation.
DFF, Seattle. 16 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Review; Importance of having bodhicitta
motivation for doing practice; Preparatory practices to do before
actual calm abiding meditation
[7 min]: Download
Possible objects of meditation for
developing calm abiding:
a) Objects to purify desire. Meditating
on the ugliness of what we're attracted to. [18
min]: Download
Objects to purify desire - cont'd
[15 min]: Download
b) Objects to purify hatred
c) Objects to purify obscuration
d) Objects to purify pride
e) Objects to purfiy discursiveness
[20 min]: Download
*Part 4 of 9: Actual Way to Practice Calm Abiding: Objects of meditation
and Deterrents to calm abiding and the antidotes.
DFF, Seattle. 21 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Using the Buddha image as an object
of meditation
[22 min]: Download
Using the mind as an object of meditation
Questions and answers
[19 min]: Download
Deterrents to calm abiding and the
antidotes:
1. Laziness and its antidotes. Antidotes:
Confidence or faith in the benefits of calm abiding; Aspiration;
Joyous effort; Pliancy or serviceability of body and mind
[20 min]: Download
*Part 5 of 9: Deterrents to Calm Abiding and the Antidotes - Cont'd.
DFF, Seattle. 23 Feb 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
2. Forgetting the object of meditation
and Mindfulness as antidote.
Questions and answers. Includes
discussion on mindfulness vs obsession, being absorbed in something
vs calm abiding, how preliminary practices like making mandala
offerings and prostrations fit into the practice of calm abiding.
[25 min]: Download
*Part 6 of 9: Review Session - Excerpts.
DFF, Seattle. 11 May 94.
[Transcript
in PDF format]
Choosing the object of meditation.
[3 min]: Download
More advice on cultivating mindfulness.
[2 min]: Download
*Part 7 of 9: Deterrents to calm
abiding and the antidotes - Cont'd.
DFF, Seattle. 16 May 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
3. Laxity and excitement. Two
main qualities we want to cultivate in developing calm abiding:
stability and clarity ~ Mental factor of lethargy
[16 min]: Download
Coarse laxity, subtle laxity, antidotes
to laxity.
[23 min]: Download
Excitement and its antidotes [12
min]: Download
*Part 8 of 9: Deterrents to calm
abiding and the antidotes - Cont'd.
DFF, Seattle. 18 May 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Review
Gross excitement, subtle excitement, antidotes to excitement.
[26 min]: Download
4. Non-application and its antidote
5. Over-application and its antidote
Questions and answers
[22 min]: Download
*Part 9 of 9: The Nine Stages, Six
Mental Powers and Four Engagements; Developing Calm Abiding. DFF,
Seattle. 23 May 94.
[Transcript in PDF
format]
Nine stages in practicing calm abiding.
a.Setting (placing) the mind; b.Continuous setting; c.Resetting;
d.Close setting; e.Taming; f.Pacification; g.Thorough pacification;
h.Single-pointedness; i.Setting in equipoise
Six mental powers to attain these stages. a.Hearing;
b.Thinking; c.Mindfulness; d.Introspective alertness; e.Effort;
f.Familiarity
Four engagements to employ to do this. a.Painstaking
(forceful); b.Repeated (interrupted); c.Uninterrupted; d.Effortless
(spontaneous)
[27 min]: Download
Way to develop actual calm abiding
from this. Signs of having
attained calm abiding. [13
min]: Download
Questions and answers [16
min]: Download
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The Far-reaching attitude of Wisdom
[Click
here for the Lamrim outline for this topic.]
Who
Is Making this Decision Anyway? (article)
Audio Teachings:
*Far-Reaching
Attitude of Wisdom Part 2 of 3.
DFF, Seattle. 30 May 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Three levels of dependent arising
Why is it important to learn about dependent arising?
Ignorance: the root cause of our unsatisfactory experiences
Wisdom realizing emptiness: antidote to ignorance
[25 min]: Download
As above - Cont'd
Questions and answers
[25 min]: Download
*Far-Reaching
Attitude of Wisdom Part 3 of 3.
DFF, Seattle. 23 Jun 94. [Transcript
in PDF format]
Establishing the selflessness of persons
and phenomena
[20 min]: Download
Questions and answers
[21 min]: Download
What is emptiness?
How do we apply it to our lives? Singapore,
Nov 2001. [14
min] : Download
The
Wisdom Realizing Emptiness, 11
& 12 Feb 2003, US.
How
to Develop Wisdom (mp3), 10
Oct 03, Mahabodhi Society of USA
Basis,
Path, and Result, 6-7
October 04, Boise, Idaho, USA
Emptiness
in Everyday Life. Treasure
Valley Dharma Friends, Boise, Idaho. 18 April 05.
Part 1 [55
min] : Download
mp3 file
Venerable Chodron explains how to look at everyday phenomena in
terms of emptiness and dependent arising. Understanding emptiness
can be helpful in looking at everyday problems, and how we label
things influences our experience of them.
Questions and answers [35
min] : Download
mp3 file
- If we hurt someone and we see
the other person as empty do we cause them more suffering by
not apologizing or acknowledging our own negative behavior?
- How do I apply emptiness when
I see a person on the street who hasn’t eaten? How do
I put together the person who is empty of inherent existence
and the person who is conventionally existent?
- What advice would you give to
someone worries a lot?
- I have become so busy in my
life that I have less time to devote to Dharma practice. How
can I refocus and get priorities back to what is important?
- Do you think we are born with
a purpose to accomplish in life?
- Is there a difference in the
positive potential created in meditative practice and engaged
compassion?
Dependent Arising. The Sakya Monastery, Seattle, Washington, USA.
28 April 2005.
Part 1 [70 min] : Download mp3 file
Venerable Chodron explains dependent arising and how it acts as a reason to establish the emptiness of inherent existence.
Questions and answers [19 min] : Download mp3 file
- If the cause of the apple is the seed, where did the first seed come from?
- If the nature of our mind is pure how did ignorance come into being?
- Is the pure nature of the mind absolute?
- How do we practice identifying the true nature of things?
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