Ep. 225 – Understanding Formation and Consciousness, Satipatthana Sutta Series Pt. 22

Concluding a segment on the five aggregates, Joseph Goldstein explains how mindfulness of mental formations refines our consciousness. The Satipatthana Sutta is one of the most celebrated and widely studied discourses in the Pāli Canon of Theravada Buddhism. This episode is the twenty-second 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! This episode is brought to you by BetterHelp. Give online therapy a try at betterhelp.com/insighthour and get on your way to being your best self. In this episode, Joseph thoughtfully outlines:The mental factor of intention / volition as the chief of the mindHow the seeds we plant have tremendous potentialConsidering the motivations of our intentionsSorting out what is wholesome versus unwholesomeThe three roots of all unwholesome actions: greed, hatred, and delusionThe three wholesome roots: generosity, loving-kindness, and wisdomPausing before we act so we can make wiser choices in our livesHow mindfulness attracts all of the fruits of wholesome actionThe unchanging nature of bare knowingThe four causes of seeing consciousnessConsciousness as a conditioned phenomenaFocusing on what is arising through a passive voice and non-subjectCultivating the open sky of the mindThis talk was originally published on Dharmaseed Grab a copy of the book Joseph references throughout this series, Satipaṭṭhāna: The Direct Path to Realization, HERE “The Buddha is saying that consciousness itself is a conditioned phenomena. It’s impersonal, arising out of causes, arising out of conditions moment to moment. Here we see that consciousness is not something that’s permanent. It’s not something that’s always present waiting for an object to appear, to be known. But rather consciousness itself is a process continually arising and passing away moment after moment.” – Joseph Goldstein See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.