A new series from Gil Fronsdal
After enjoying Gil's teachings on anukampa, we have decided to explore another series of video talks that he completed just last month. This series is on kusala. This word is translated as skillful or wholesome and is the sixth step on the eight-fold path, Right Effort. We are asked to act to cultivate and maintain wholesome (kusala) states and to avoid and abandon the unwholesome (akusala) states. Gil begins the series with a discussion of the kesamutti sutta (AN 3:7) which is the teaching to the Kalamas. Here is the wikipedia sumary of this teaching.
"Do not blindly believe religious teachings, he tells the Kalamas, just because they are claimed to be true, or even through the application of various methods or techniques. Direct knowledge grounded in one's own experience can be called upon. He advises that the words of the wise should be heeded and taken into account. He proposes not a passive acceptance but, rather, constant questioning and personal testing to identify those truths which verifiably reduce one's own stress or misery."
Each of Gil's talks is 20 minutes or so and if you are new to the concept, it is a great introduction and if you are familiar with the teaching, you may further familiarize yourself through discussion with our community. Here is the YouTube link to the first of the 10 talks which is a 30 minute meditation followed by a 15 minute talk. We will continue the series for the 10 weeks.
Join us in person if you are vaccinated and we will continue the Zoom access if you would prefer not to attend in person. The link is posted on the Bhavana Community Calendar.
Our Community Center is located at
106 Marshall Court, Unit 120
6:30 Meditation
7:00 Program
7:30 Discussion