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Audio recordings of Dharma talks given by the Florida Community of Mindfulness
Episodes
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Non-residential Retreat | October 2019
In this series, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses The Four Seals of Buddhism. The Four Seals are what the Buddha taught to help people clearly understand the fundamental characteristics that ‘stamp’ all human experience. They are the Buddha’s understanding of reality and thus can be confirmed through our own experience. Through analytical introspection and direct observation, the essential truths of reality can be clearly seen by anyone who contemplates these Four Seals. This facilitates the birth of true wisdom so that we can live with greater discernment, intelligence and an enhanced ability to make wise decisions and choices in our life.
The Four Seals are impermanence, unsatisfactoriness, non-self, and nirvana or true peace.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
October 19, 2019
In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on the Ten Major Mahayana Precepts also found as the "Ten Precepts of a Zen Peacemaker" and how we can reflect & practice with them to be a guide leading us along the path in our everyday life.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
October 6, 2019
In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on two quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh's "Understanding Our Mind."
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
August 18, 2019
In this Dharma talk, Fred Eppsteiner discusses the unconditioned mind with slogans from "The Great Path of Awakening". The first slogan discussed was "Regard all phenomena as dreams." Although our experiences seem real, they are actually as impermanent as a dream. The second slogan discussed was "Examine the nature of unborn awareness." If everything is arising from the mind, what is the nature of the mind? Fundamental awareness is not all the things that you think about, it is the one that sees. That awareness is quiet, at ease, open, and unconstricted. These qualities are always available if we turn to that which is aware.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
August 4, 2019
In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner begins by discussing recent mass shootings from the point of view of understanding how external actions arise from people's minds. He further explains that if we truly want to change the external unfolding in our society, that the Buddha teaches us we must transform the minds of the people in that society. Then Fred goes on to discuss the importance of challenging our experience of reality. Although our 5 senses are always based in the reality of the present moment, our thinking mind constantly skews this direct experience, coloring it with our own conditioning and reference to our self. Because of this, Fred encourages us to challenge our experience by asking ourselves if our story about it is true. He further guides participants to look deeper into not only whether the story is true, but to see who is aware of the story in the first place.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
July 28, 2019
In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner discusses the Yogacara model of the mind. He explains that although there is an objective, consensual reality that can be experienced through our five senses, most of the time we live in an unreality manufactured by our mind. He explains the 6th sense of the thinking mind, and how our thoughts, memories, stories, and emotions that color the reality of the present moment are arising from what is termed the storehouse consciousness. When we understand this process occurring unconsciously and cultivate mindfulness, then we can begin to challenge these thoughts about reality that often bring us suffering. The basic question to ask is "Is it true?". It is very important that we have the fundamental willingness to be aware that reality and our thoughts are not the same. Our meditation practice allows us to see the difference.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
June 15, 2019
In this talk, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on Khenpo Gangshar's text, Naturally Liberating Whatever you Meet: Instructions to Guide You on the Profound Path.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
November 3, 2019
In this Dharma talk to students of the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner continues the series on the Lojong (Mind Trainings) teachings explaining slogan 44: "Learn the three difficult points" and slogan 52: "Don't misinterpret" and how we can live our life in an Awakened way by changing our afflictive mindstates.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
September 22, 2019
In this Dharma talk to students of the Florida Community of Mindfulness, Dharma Teacher Fred Eppsteiner explains the Lojong teachings within the point "The Extent of Proficiency in Mind Training": 1) All Dharma has a Single Purpose and 2) Of the Two Judges, Rely on the Principle One so that we may be able to assess our own mind's development along the path.
Monday Dec 09, 2019
Monday Dec 09, 2019
June 30, 2019
In this series of talks, Dharma teacher Fred Eppsteiner comments on a number of the slogans offered in “The Seven Points of Mind Training,” a venerated text well known for its' pithy sayings that help us apply the full breadth of the Buddha’s Mahayana teachings to daily life. These slogans, or mind trainings, focus on how the Unconditioned Awakened Mind can beneficially manifest in the life of ordinary beings in order to give rise to lovingkindness, compassion, and understanding in all the activities of our lives. The transformation of seemingly adverse situations into the path of awakening is a unique focus of these mind trainings. Fred helps us understand how the teachings and practices presented in this text can be applied in our lives and how we can use whatever is occurring in our lives to fuel our transformation. In this particular talk, Fred discusses the practice of Tonglen as it is presented in this text, and the slogan, "All Dharmas have a single purpose."