Here are links to the talks and guided metta meditation from 9/15 and 9/22:

The Power of Goodness – Ajahn Brahm

Guided Metta Meditation – Sharon Salzberg

Parami – A Life of Dhamma – Steve Armstrong

Here are links to the talk and handout from 9/29/09:

Quality of Mind – audio talk by Gil Fronsdal

Hindrances to Clear Seeing – article by Gil Fronsdal

Here are links to the talk and handout from tonight:

Dependent Origination – talk by Gil Fronsdal

Dependent Origination Handout

Additional resources:

Dependent Origination – talk by Ajahn Brahm

Here are the links to the talk and readings from 8/25/09, along with some additional material:

Reflections on the Eight Precepts – the talk we listened to by Ajahn Jayasaro

Handouts:
The Five Precepts (pañca-sila) from Access to Insight
The Five Precepts by Kusala Bhikshu

Additional reading and listening suggestions:

Five Precepts – a talk by Gil Fronsdal

The Five Precepts from the Theravada Buddhism Portal

Here are some links and readings to complement the talk we listened to this evening.

Here’s the link to the talk we listened to by Joseph Goldstein on Lovingkindness.

Here is the handout that was passed out on the Perfection of Loving-Kindness.

Here is a page from IMC with audio talks and articles on metta (lovingkindness).

And some additional readings:

Metta Phrases from Leigh Brasington

10 Ways to Increase Acts of Kindness by Sharon Salzberg

Opening the Heart by Sharon Salzberg

Kindness (poem) by Naomi Shihab Nye

And a couple of book suggestions:

A Short Course in Kindness by Margot Silk Forrest – inspirational short stories of kindness – the link is to her website which has excerpts of the book.

Lovingkindness: The Revolutionary Art of Happiness by Sharon Salzberg

Here are some links and readings on forgiveness and forgiveness practice:

We listened to this talk on Forgiveness by Fred Luskin.  Here is the link to Fred’s website Forgive for Good.

Another excellent website is The Campaign for Love & Forgiveness

Here is a Forgiveness Meditation by Jack Kornfield

Here are links to the materials presented in the 8/4/09 meeting:

Eight-fold Path summary

Audio talk by Gil Fronsdal: The Eightfold Path – The Way of Harmlessness

Two recommended books on the Eight-fold path:

Eight Mindful Steps to Happiness: Walking the Buddha’s Path
by Bhante Gunaratana

The Buddha’s Eightfold Path to freedom from suffering is skillfully delineated in accessible language with key points highlighted at the end of each chapter.

The Noble Eightfold Path: The Way to the End of Suffering, by Bhikkhu Bodhi (1994; first published in 1984 as WH 308/311; 238k/79pp)

Using simple and clear language, the author presents a concise yet thorough explanation of the Eightfold Path, the practical method the Buddha prescribed to uproot and eliminate the underlying causes of suffering. Basing himself solidly upon the Buddha’s own words, the author examines each factor of the path to determine exactly what it implies in the way of practical training. Finally, in the concluding chapter, he shows how all eight factors of the path function together to bring about the realization of the Buddhist goal: enlightenment and liberation.

Tonight, we listened to a talk by Steve Armstrong on the Four Noble Truths.  For those of you who would like to listen again, here is the link to that talk:

Understanding the Four Noble Truths

Here is another reading that might be of interest that was not in the handouts tonight:

The Buddha and his Dhamma

The handouts tonight included this article:

The Nobility of the Truths

and this outline on the Four Noble Truths by Kim Allen from Insight Meditation South Bay.

Next week’s topic will be the Eightfold Noble Path.

Metta,
Lori

Dear all:

Please try to post only comments that are relevant to the group or this website, rather than posting content that perhaps would be better put in a personal e-mail.  We haven’t talked about “right speech” yet, but it’s helpful to review what you’re about to post and see if it’s useful or relevant for the group.  If so, please feel free to post comments here.

If you need to reach me directly, please send e-mail to insightmeditationmodesto@gmail.com.

with kind regards and thanks,

Lori