Gregory Pai, Ph.D.

Click on the blue titles to listen to the dharma talks.

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTH SERIES

First Noble Truth

2019

1. Defining Suffering (Dukkha)
2. Understanding Dukkha
3. Dukkha and Compassion

Second Noble Truth

1. Origin of Dukkha
2. The Cause of Suffering
3. Suffering and Dependent Origination
4. Drawbacks of Pleasure
5. Understanding Pleasant Feelings
6. Wise Relationship to the World
7. Craving for Life
8. Who Is It That Dies?
9. Craving for Existence

Third Noble Truth

1. End of Craving
2. Seeing Impermanence
3. Sixteen Stages of Awakening
4. Nibbana
5. Cessation
6. Awakened Mind

Fourth Noble Truth

1. Right Understanding

 

DHARMA TALKS THAT ARE NOT PART OF SERIES

Self and Nonself–Agency, Love and Compassion  Jan. 2020

Our Greatest Fear–The Truth of Self and Non-self  Jan. 2020

Working with Overwhelming Emotions Jan. 2018

Karma, Samsara and Anatta: Distinguishing Between Conventional and Absolute Reality Nov. 2017

Understanding Donald Trump from a Dharma Perspective. Nov. 2016

Experiencing the Beauty of Joy and the Joy of Beauty in the Meditation Process.  April 2016

Understanding Afflictive Emotions and Suffering–A Dialogue  Feb. 2015

Mindfulness and Personal Transformation–The levels of personal behavioral transformation .  Feb. 2014

The Fundamentals of Vipassana Meditation—Making the practice your own.  Sept. 2013

The Buddha on PBS—Comments on the documentary about the Buddha’s life and teachings.  Aug. 2013

The Law of Karma—One of the fundamental laws of the universe. Aug. 2013

The Power of Mindfulness—A different kind of joy.  Sept. 2013

Some Comments on Breathing—A short talk on the importance of the breath during meditation. Aug. 2013

The Relationship Between Christian Prayer and Buddhist Meditation—A historical perspective on the evolution of mindfulness meditation. July 2013

Finding Freedom in our Afflictive Emotions— Accessing our subconsciousness, experiencing our emotions and attaining insight. June 2013

The Healing of the Ego—How we can see the world in a different way. Nov. 2013

Anatta and the Power of Bodhicitta—Enlightenment as a disappointment to the ego Nov. 2013

Understanding the Unfolding of Karma Through Mindfulness- the Wisdom Path— How mindfulness allows us to see the process of cause and effect   unfolding in our lives leading to deeper understanding, wisdom, and compassion Jan. 2013

The Concept of Anatta- Who Is Aware Of My Self If There Is No Self?— What is the nature of ego in the conventional sense and what is the meaning of   non-self in Buddhism? Jan. 2013

Meditation Is Not Mind Control—Is meditation about “mind control”?  What is the purpose of meditation? Jan. 2013

What You Can Expect When You Meditate—What are the benefits and pitfalls of the meditative path? Jan. 2013

What Remains When We Die?  Feb. 2013

Mindfulness Practice- Working with Negative Emotions and Thoughts—Encountering negative emotions in meditation is actually a good thing Feb. 2013

FOUR FOUNDATIONS OF MINDFULNESS SERIES

2015-2017

Foundation Concepts

1. Introduction
2. Definition of Important Terms
3. Importance of Spiritual Urgency
4. Understanding Impermanence and Change
5. Clear Comprehension and Reflections on Mindfulness
6. Mindfulness and Bare Attention
7. Review of the Concept of Mindfulness
8. Finding Joy in Meditation
9. Developing Samadhi
10. Tools for Developing Samadhi
11. Understanding Nibbana (Nirvana)
12. Understanding the Difference Between Conceptual and Experiential Knowledge
13. Understanding Self and Other
14. Impermanence and Nonself
15. Impermanence and Spiritual Liberation
16. Impermanence and the Sixteen Stages of Awakening
17. Content and Process in Meditation and the Law of Impermanence
18. Four Levels of Awakening and the Ten Fetters
19. Lay Perspective on the Enlightenment Process
20. Understanding Stream Entry from a Lay Perspective
21. Bare Knowing
22. Bare Knowing and Continuous Mindfulness
23. The Separation of the Knowing from the Known
24. Perception, Language and Cognition
25. The Process of Noting in Meditation
26. Perception and Noting, Concept and Reality in Meditation
27. Importance of Sustained Focused Awareness in Meditation
28. Understanding Gratitude in Terms of the Truth, Beauty, and Joy of our Everyday Lives
29. Finding the Balance of Mind and Heart in the Spiritual Journey
30. Understanding Craving and Clinging
31. Craving and Clinging in a World of Conditioned and Unconditioned Reality
32. Craving and Clinging in Our Daily Lives
33. Reflections on Buddha Nature and the Craving for Sensual Pleasures
34. The Craving for Continued Existence
35. The Craving for Existence–Dependent Origination and Absolute Reality
36. The Craving for Non-Existence–Self and Non-self
37. The Dream of Self
38. The Cosmic Dance of Shiva–Illusion and Reality, Self and Non-Self

FIRST FOUNDATION OF MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness of the Body

1. Mindfulness of the Body
2. Mindfulness of the Body–Posture
3. Mindfulness of the Body–Breath
4. Mindfulness of Breathing Part 2
5. Mindfulness of Breathing Part 3
6. Mindfulness of Posture
7. Mindfulness of Posture–The Process Nature of Reality
8. Mindfulness of Posture–Experiencing Pure Awareness
9. Mindfulness of Posture–Understanding Flow and Nonself
10. Mindfulness of Posture–The Three Characteristics of Existence
11. Mindfulness of Posture–Bringing Enlightenment into Our Everyday Lives
12. Mindfulness of Posture–Four Forms of Clear Comprehension
13. Mindfulness of Posture–Contemplation of Body Parts
14. Mindfulness of Posture–The Four Elements
15. Mindfulness of Posture–Parts of the Body
16. Conventional and Ultimate Reality
17. Distinguishing Conventional and Ultimate Reality

SECOND FOUNDATION OF MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness of Feelings

1. Mindfulness as a Feeling-Based Practice
2. The Classical Teachings
3. Recognizing Likes and Dislikes
4. Sources of Our Likes and Dislikes
5. Identification of Feelings and the Illusion of Self
6. Finding Our Feelings
7. Unworldly Feelings
8. The 25 Beautiful Mindstates
9. Cultivating Unworldly Feelings
10. From Health and Wellness to Freedom From Suffering

THIRD FOUNDATION OF MINDFULNESS

Mindfulness of Thought

1. Mindfulness of Consciousness
2. Consciousness of Thought
3. Consciousness of Meditative States
4. Consciousness of Awakening
5. Consciousness of Self and Other
6. Consciousness of Reactivity
7. Consciousness of Impermanence
8. Impermanence and the Path of Awakening
9. Impermanence and Bare Awareness

FOURTH FOUNDATION OF MINDFULNESS

The Five Hindrances

2017

1. Introduction to the Five Hindrances
2. Five Hindrances and Neuroplasticity
3. Overcoming the Hindrances
4. The Five Hindrances and Personal Transformation
5. Aversion
6. Physical Pain
7. Emotional Pain
8. Understanding Aversion
9. Working with Emotional Pain
10. Wise Reflection
11. Loving Kindness
12. Sloth and Torpor
13. Arising of Sloth and Torpor
14. Working with Sloth and Torpor
15. Wise Reflections
16. Restlessness and Worry
17. Causes of Restlessness and Worry
18. Understanding Thoughts
19. Causes of Agitated Thoughts
20. Working with Restlessness
21. Understanding Dhammas
22. Skepticism and Doubt
23. Working with Doubt
24. Antidote to Doubt–the Benefits of Meditation
25. Overcoming Doubt

The Five Aggregates

2017

1. Introduction to the Five Aggregates
2. Physical Form
3. Feelings
4. Perception
5. Perception–Gateway to Nibbana
6. Perception and Illusion
7. Perception and Identity
8. Mental Formations
9. Unwholesome Mental Factors
10. Introduction to the Beautiful Mindstates
11. Understanding the Beautiful Mindstates
12. Mental Formations and Non-Self
13. Volition as Karma
14. Knowing Volition
15. Consciousness
16. Knowing Consciousness
17. Understanding Anatta
18. The Illusion of Self
19. The Illusion of Form
20. Identifying with Thoughts and Emotions
21. If Not Self, Who Are We

The Six Sense Spheres

2018

1. Introduction to Six Sense Spheres
2. The Fire Sermon
3. Dependent Origination Part 1
4. Dependent Origination Part 2
5. Practice
6. Desire
7. Perception
8. Hallucination
9. Hallucination Part 2
10. Hallucination Part 3
11. Hallucination Part 4
12. Seeing Hallucinations
13. The Power of Mindfulness to Overcome Hallucinations
14. Compassion and Impermatence

The Seven Factors of Awakening

2013-2014

1. Introduction to Seven Factors of Awakening
2. The Factor of Mindfulness
3. Moral Shame and Moral Dread
4. Not Seeing Reality
5. Bare Awareness
6. Clear Comprehension
7. Investigation
8. Forms of Investigation
9. Investigating Skillful and Unskillful Means
10. Investigating Emotions
11. Nama Rupa
12. The Power of Karma
13. Energy
14. Skillful Use of Energy
15. Spiritual Urgency
16. Our Spiritual Journey
17. Reflections
18. Rapture
19. Jhanas
20. Understanding Jhanas
21. Limits of Jhanas
22. Reflections
23. Reflections Part 2
24. Peace Reflection
25. Summary of Emotional Regulation
26. The Joy of Living a Moral Ethical Life
27. Tranquillity
28. How to Cultivate Tranquillity
29. Understanding Tranquillity
30. Concentration–the Jhanic States
31. Two Forms of Concentration
32. Jhanic States
33. Developing Concentration
34. Teachings on Concentration
35. Foundations of Concentration
36. Elements of Concentration
37. Coming to Know the “Knower” of Our Experience
38. What Are Thoughts
39. Working with Thoughts
40. Understanding Equanimity
41. Eight Worldly Dharmas
42. Four Brahmaviharas
43. Role of Equanimity in the Sixteen Stages of Awakening
44. Equanimity and the Paramis

 

THE FOUR NOBLE TRUTHS SERIES

2014

1. First Noble Truth:  The truth of suffering
2. First Noble Truth, Part 2: The truth of suffering 
3. Second Noble Truth: The cause of suffering
4. Second Noble Truth, Part 2: The cause of suffering
5. Second Noble Truth, Part 3: The cause of suffering
6. Second Noble Truth, Part 4: The cause of suffering
7. Third Noble Truth: The cessation of suffering
8. Third Noble Truth, Part 2: The cessation of suffering
9. Fourth Noble Truth: The Eightfold Noble Path
10. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right View 1
11. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right View 2
12. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right View 3
13. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right View 4
14. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right View 5
15. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Renunciation 1
16. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Renunciation 2
17. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Renunciation 3
18. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 1
19. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 2
20. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 3
21. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 4
22. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 5
23. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Lovingkindness 6
24. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Compassion 1
25. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Compassion 2
26. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Thought–Compassion 3
27. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Speech Part 1
28. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Speech Part 2
29. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Speech Part 3
30. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Action Part 1
31. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Action Part 2
32. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Action Part 3
33. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Action–Sexual Misconduct
34. Fourth Noble Truth:  Eightfold Noble Path: Right Livelihood
35. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 1
36. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 2
37. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 3
38. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 4
39. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 5
40. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 6
41. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Effort Part 7
42. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Mindfulness Part 1
43. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Mindfulness Part 2
44. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path:  Right Concentration Part 1
45. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Concentration Part 2
46. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Concentration Part 3
47. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Concentration Part 4
48. Fourth Noble Truth: Eightfold Noble Path: Right Concentration Part 5

THE SEVEN FACTORS OF AWAKENING SERIES

2013

1. Mindfulness—The first factor to cultivate on the journey to spiritual awakening
2. Mindfulness Part 2—In-depth explanation of mindfulness
3. Investigation—How wisdom develops when we investigate our minds
4. Investigation Part 2—Understanding the motivations and intentions behind our actions
5. Investigation Part 3—The nature of the enlightened mind
6. Energy—What animates the practice and powers the mind for wise use
7. Energy Part 2–Reflections to cultivate energy
8. Rapture—What it is and how to feel it in meditation
9. Rapture Part 2—The transformative effects of rapture and bliss
10. Rapture Part 3—Reflections to evoke rapture
11. Tranquility—Understanding and managing calmness
12. Tranquility Part 2—Its role in seeing the changing nature of ultimate reality
13. Concentration—Its evolution from the time of the Buddha up to the development of the Mahasi lineage in the 20th Century
14. Concentration Part 2–Leading to steadiness, ease, and steadfastness
15. Concentration Part 3—Finding the beautiful breath
16. Concentration Part 4—Understanding awareness of awareness itself
17. Equanimity—An ecstatic embrace of reality as it is
18. Equanimity Part 2—The difference between Buddhist and western definition of equanimity
19. Equanimity Part 3—Sixteen stages of insight wisdom as taught by Mahasi Sawadaw
20. Equanimity Part 4—Bringing equanimity into our daily life

THE FIVE AGGREGATES SERIES

2013

1. The Five Aggregates of Clinging—Nonself and Nibbana
2. The Five Aggregates of Clinging—Nonself Part 2
3. The Five Aggregates of Clinging—Nonself Part 1
4. The Five Aggregates of Clinging Part 2—Impermanence and Suffering
5. The Five Aggregates of Clinging—Understanding Physical and Mental Phenomena

THE FIVE HINDRANCES SERIES

Original 2013

The following five talks are about the mental factors that disturb our meditation and obscure insight

1. Sensual Desire—The first hindrance
2. Ill Will—The second hindrance
3. Sloth and Torpor–-The third hindrance
4. Restlessness and Remorse—The fourth hindrance
5. Doubt—The fifth hindrance

BUDDHIST VIRTUES, TEN PARAMIS SERIES

2013

The following series of talks concern ten qualities of mind that support and encourage us in our path to spiritual awakening.  They also represent qualities of mind that develop as we deepen in the practice and strengthen each other in a cumulative fashion.  They are commonly known as virtues or “paramis” and are:  Generosity, Morality, Renunciation, Wisdom, Energy, Patience, Truthfulness, Determination or Resolve, Lovingkindness and Compassion, and Equanimity.

1. Introduction to Buddhist Virtues- Ten Paramis
2. Buddhist Virtues-Generosity — The delusion of self and other
3. Buddhist Virtues-Morality — Historical evolution of the concept of self and other
4. Buddhist Virtues-Renunciation — Emancipation through awareness of suffering
5. Buddhist Virtues-Wisdom Part 1 — Wisdom as content and wisdom as process
6. Buddhist Virtues-Wisdom Part 2 —Wisdom at the conventional level and wisdom in terms of absolute reality
7. Buddhist Virtues-Wisdom Part 3 — Non-self and the neural mechanics of “selfing”
8. Buddhist Virtues-Wisdom Part 4 — The relationship between wisdom and meditation
9. Buddhist Virtues-Wisdom Part 5 — The relationship between meditation and wisdom- The classical teachings
10. Buddhist Virtues-Energy and Patience — Energy and patience and the attainment of enlightenment
11. Buddhist Virtues-Truthfulness — The relation between meditation and seeing the truth of our lives
12. Buddhist Virtues-Truthfulness Part 2 — Moving from conceptual wisdom to embodied knowledge
13. Buddhist Virtues-Truthfulness Part 3 — The Two Truth Doctrine: The relation between conventional and absolute reality
14. Buddhist Virtues-Truthfulness Part 4— Embodying sacred reality in our everyday lives
15. Buddhist Virtues-Resolve, Lovingkindness and Compassion—What does it take to change my life?
16. Buddhist Virtues-Lovingkindness and Compassion—Cultivation in everyday life
17. Buddhist Virtues-Equanimity—The culmination of the virtues
18. Buddhist Virtues-Equanimity: The classic Theravada presentation

Apathy, Cynicism, Hopelessness, and Despair—Face to face with the decline and end of our lives, do we meet it with a wisdom born of experience-based knowledge or with faith and beliefs?  Feb. 2013

PROMISE OF REDEMPTION SERIES

December 2012

This four-part series is focused on issues of faith and belief and their relationship to experience and knowledge.  These questions relate to our sense of personal agency and responsibility for our actions and are reflected in the historical evolution of Buddhist thought.  They are also reflected in our capacity to understand and accept recent developments in cognitive neuroscience.  

1. Promise of Redemption vs. Power of Mindfulness Part 1
2. Promise of Redemption vs. Power of Mindfulness Part 2
3. Promise of Redemption vs. Power of Mindfulness Part 3
4. Promise of Redemption vs. Power of Mindfulness Part 4

DEPENDENT ORIGINATION AND ANATTA SERIES

November 2012

The question is:  How can I realize my full potential as a human being if the Buddha teaches that there is no self?  The answer delves into the understanding of karma and the Buddhist concept of non-self.  

1. Dependent Origination and Anatta-Who’s Living My Life Part 1
2. Dependent Origination and Anatta-Who’s Living My Life Part 2
3. Dependent Origination and Anatta-Who’s Living My Life Part 3
4. Dependent Origination and Anatta-Who’s Living My Life Part 4

EMPOWERMENT SERIES

February 2012

How can meditation help us to realize our fullest potential as human beings?  This series examines concepts of self fulfillment and actualization from western psychological perspectives and  Buddhist teachings.  It emphasizes the importance of integrating our conscious and sub-conscious minds through the process of mindfulness and, in doing so, accessing the full range of our potential as human beings.

1. Empowerment: The Process of Self Actualization from Buddhist and Western Perspectives Part 1
2. Empowerment: The Process of Self Actualization from Buddhist and Western Perspectives Part 2
3. Empowerment: The Process of Self Actualization from Buddhist and Western Perspectives Part 3
4. Empowerment: The Process of Self Actualization from Buddhist and Western Perspectives Part 4

 

 

 

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