Show Notes
"In Theravada Buddhist circles during the past few decades a debate has repeatedly erupted over the question whether or not jhāna is necessary to attain the “paths and fruits,” that is, the four graded stages of enlightenment. The debate has been sparked off by the rise to prominence of the various systems of insight meditation that have become popular both in Asia and the West, especially among lay Buddhists. Those who advocate such systems of meditation contend that the paths and fruits can be attained by developing insight (vipassanā) without a foundation of jhāna. If we use the Buddha’s teachings as a lens to examine the corporate economic system and its offshoot, the consumerist culture, we will see that it is ultimately detrimental to the well-being of both its masters and servants alike. Drawing upon the tools of Buddhist analysis, let us briefly sketch the inner dynamics of this system. We see in the first instance that such a social order is founded upon ignorance or delusion (avijjā, moha), namely, the supposition that material wealth and consumption are the criteria of the good life. According to the Buddhist texts, when ignorance infiltrates our cognitive systems it issues in a series of “distortions” (vipallāsa) which infect our perception (saññā), thinking (citta), and views (diṭṭhi). The Buddha mentions four such distortions: the notions that the impermanent is permanent, that the painful (or suffering) is pleasant, that the insubstantial is a self, and that the unbeautiful is beautiful. At the most basic level we perceive things by way of these distortions; when these distorted perceptions are taken up for reflection, we start thinking in terms of them; and finally, under the combined influence of distorted perception and thought, we adopt views—that is, beliefs, doctrines, and ideologies—that affirm the mistaken notions of permanence, pleasure, selfhood, and beauty."
Narrated by Shelina Hetherington · 2023 · 1 hours 03 minutes
Watch the video · View on the Pariyatti store
All Pariyatti podcasts: pariyatti.org/pages/podcasts
More from Pariyatti
Beyond Day Ten: Practical Advice on Establishing a Vipassana Practice by Corinne Bilyayev is a guide for old students who are committed to continuing their practice at home. In this interview the author shares her personal experience and practical application of Dhamma principles.
"Footprints in the Dust enables us get to know the Buddha as a human being a deeply compassionate and wise person who not only actualized the path to enlightenment but also shared the way to accomplish that path with countless others so that they too may gain supreme peace. We learn of the challenges Gotama faced many similar to our own and how he dealt with them. We see his responses when praised and blamed, when confronted with crises within the Order and disputes among kings and couples. We see how he guided monastic and lay disciples with their diverse personalities and dispositions. In getting an insider s glimpse into how his wisdom and compassion manifested when engaged in situations that we too may experience, we learn how to work in a constructive way with whatever life brings us. This is an inspiring and engaging book that you will read and reread many times. —Bhiksuni Thubten Chodron, Dharma teacher, author, and abbess of Sravasti Abbey
Pariyatti Presents... Realizing Change, An Interview with Ian Hetherington
Yuval Noah Harari is an historian, philosopher, and the author of Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind (among several other bestselling titles). His books have sold over 40 million copies in 65 languages, and he is considered one of the world s most influential public intellectuals today.
Daughters of the Buddha - Interview with Ven. Bhikkhu Anālayo