Monthly Archives: August 2016

Aug. 21-27

“Nagarjuna pointed out that there’s absolutely nothing that persists from moment to moment. In fact, there’s nothing that endures even the least bit—to actually be impermanent. He calls this Emptiness. This is the true meaning of impermanence. This observation—based solely on immediate, direct experience—is simply incompatible with any notion of reincarnation, since reincarnation assumes the persistence of some kind of embodied entity. There is no way to hold a view of reincarnation without holding a view of permanence. Thus, any view is reincarnation is antithetical to what the Buddha taught.”

-Steve Hagen

 
This Week’s Discussion Topic
If there is no such thing as a permanent, independent self, then how does rebirth work? What gets reborn?

Aug. 14-20

“All that rumination has gotten you nowhere, because there is nowhere else you can be. Perhaps you could just settle here and let things change by themselves—which they will, whether you like it or not.”

-Karen Maezen Miller

 

This Week’s Discussion Topic
How have you personally engaged in “spiritual materialism”?

 

 

Aug. 7-13

“You’ll get nowhere with practice unless you can really embrace your experience on the cushion with all of its angst, pain, and frustration right now. This is the practice you should be doing.”

-Stephen Batchelor

 

This Week’s Discussion Topic
What does “ego” mean to you, and how does it affect your life?

July 31-Aug. 6

“Equanimity takes interest in whatever is occurring simply because it is occurring. Equanimity does not include aversive states of indifference, boredom, coldness, or hesitation. It is an expression of calm, radiant balance that takes whatever comes in stride.”

-Shaila Catherine

 

This Week’s Discussion Topic
What does it mean to “awaken”?