Ep. 212 – Clear Knowing, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 9
Aug 28, 2024
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Join Joseph Goldstein, a renowned mindfulness teacher and author, as he delves into the essence of clear knowing from the Satipatthana Sutta. He discusses how recognizing our motivations can lead to awakening and the pitfalls of being ensnared by Mara's delusions. Goldstein emphasizes the importance of discernment, clear comprehension, and the impact of our actions on ourselves and others. He also explores the body’s impermanence, urging listeners to embrace non-attachment for deeper transformations. Experience the profound insights into mindful living!
Clear knowing involves discerning the quality and appropriateness of our actions, fostering a deeper alignment with our values and intentions.
The contemplation of bodily impermanence helps practitioners reduce attachment and desire, providing liberation from the fear of aging and illness.
Deep dives
Overcoming Imposter Syndrome and Mindfulness Training
The discussion emphasizes that overcoming imposter syndrome involves recognizing and understanding one’s inherent value and capabilities. By engaging in meditation and mindfulness practices, individuals can cultivate self-awareness, which facilitates the process of moving past self-doubt. The renowned mindfulness meditation teacher training offered by Dharma Moon provides participants with essential tools to deepen their practice and mitigate feelings of inadequacy. Through this training, individuals learn to foster a supportive inner dialogue, which can significantly improve their overall well-being.
The Role of Clear Comprehension in Practice
Clear comprehension, or sampajano, is a foundational aspect of mindfulness practice which includes understanding the purpose and suitability of one’s actions. This concept encourages practitioners to reflect on their motivations and assess whether their actions are beneficial to themselves and others. By discerning between skillful and unskillful actions, individuals can make choices that align with their inner values, fostering a greater sense of peace and purpose. Cultivating clear comprehension also aids in recognizing subtle mixed motives that may influence decisions, helping practitioners cultivate greater honesty and mindfulness.
Understanding Sensory Restraint and its Benefits
The practice of sense restraint is essential for maintaining mindfulness and preventing distractions during meditation and daily life. By learning to guard the senses, individuals can prevent themselves from being overwhelmed by desire and attachment, leading to a sense of inner freedom. The discussion illustrates that renunciation, often perceived as a burden, can instead be viewed as a form of liberation from addiction to sensory pleasure. This shift in perspective allows practitioners to experience a more profound joy and fulfillment in their mindfulness endeavors.
Contemplation of the Body and Impermanence
Contemplation of the body's impermanence serves as a powerful practice to reduce attachment and desire. By examining the physical aspects of the body, practitioners gain a clearer understanding of its nature as a collection of temporary parts, fostering a sense of detachment. This perspective helps diminish fear related to aging and illness by reinforcing the understanding that the body is inherently impermanent. The importance of approaching this contemplation with the right attitude is highlighted, as a balanced viewpoint can lead to greater freedom and awakening rather than disgust or aversion.
Contemplating the principal of clear knowing, Joseph Goldstein explains that seeing things exactly as they are propels us towards awakening.
The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the ninth part of an in-depth 48-part weekly lecture series from Joseph Goldstein that delves into every aspect of the Satipatthana Sutta. If you are just now jumping into the Satipatthana Sutta series, listen to Insight Hour Ep. 203 to follow along and get the full experience!
Don’t forget to grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE
This time on Insight Hour, Joseph Goldstein dives into:
Clearly knowing the purpose of an action
Discerning the benefit or detriment of our actions
How Mara ensnares us in samsaric attachments
How unskillful mind-states masquerade as skillful
Being tricked by the doubt in our minds
Purifying ourselves for the benefit of all
Knowing the suitability of an action and examining timing
Considering how our actions will affect others and ourselves
“There’s great power, inspiration, and patience when we realize this transformation of consciousness that we’re undertaking. The purification of these deep-rooted tendencies. That this process of transformation is not a quick process…we’re on a long path if we really are holding awakening as our aspiration.” – Joseph Goldstein