The Three Characteristics and Emptiness
We pivot away from immediate politics and back toward investigating the teachings at the heart of questions of engagement and social action. Over the next weeks I will look at some of the origins of the bodhisattva ideal, weave in some of the Perfection of Wisdom material, and make our way toward contemporary expressions of the Mahāyāna as Engaged Buddhism. Tonight we'll start with the foundational orientation toward emptiness, which is the hinge on which the entire Mahāyāna swings. We do a meditation on momentary arising, and explore the three characteristics, early ideas of emptiness, and just touch the beginning of Nāgārjuna's Root Verses on the Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā).
Text referenced: Siderits & Katsura, Nāgārjuna's Middle Way (Mūlamadhyamakakārikā) (Boston, Wisdom), 2013.
Sutta: The Shorter Discourse on Emptiness (MN 121)
Recorded at Insight Meditation Satsang
Online, June 18, 2024
Opening to the Perfection of Wisdom
For several months in 2024, we explored at Satsang the extraordinary Prajñāpāramitā approach to meditation, inquiry, and insight through the early Mahāyāna text The Perfection of Wisdom in 8,000 Lines. This collection of talks and meditations are compiled into an on-demand course, where you can track your progress through the full collection.
We have also included the recordings from our Fall 2024 retreat where we focused on the beloved short summary text of the Prajñāpāramitā literature known as the Heart of the Teachings on the Perfection of Wisdom, or Heart Sūtra.
All courses are offered in Gift Economy, with no one turned away. This course, along with our other Satsang archive courses, is included with Saṅgha membership.
