Gil Fronsdal: "Nothing Is Worth Clinging To" 

I used to take my dog for long walks while I was going through a difficult time in my life and would download Dharma talks from Gil and put them on an MP3 player and listen to them on the walks. His relaxed and soothing voice was a big comfort for me then.

I’ve been listening to Gil on audio dharma for 8 years. I hope more of his talks are posted on RU-vid.

I love it when he makes people laugh ☺️

So grateful I got to join IMC for this sitting and dharma talk during my business trip to Cali! Thank you for being so welcoming.

First time ...nice

Our mission while sitting in meditation. Vipasanna meditation. When we become fluent in vipasanna meditation, we begin to realise the state of mind we are in. It is very important to know that state of conciousness so as to progress further. One must differnciate it clearly or how then one is going to progress without knowing. The path of vipasanna meditation is to calm the mind to the state buddhist call it samadhi which are vitaka (initial entry to first stage of calmness) that lead to vichara(sustaining of the first state of calmness) This initial state of calm is known as 1st samadhi. Upon one ability to hang on to this first samadhi, the mental progress will continue to develop further reaching the state of piti which is the second state of calmness. Usual meditator experience it say he feel like, floating, lightness, tear flowing and mind is calm without much problem to watch the breath. Then as one can maintain this state of mind with ongoing inbreath and out breath, one will reach the 3rd samadhi calmness of mind that spell bodily pleasure more stronger then before when in 2nd samadhi. Some meditator begin to feel very happy, some see bright light, some see mind sparking, some see shadow passing. These are strong concentration that bring about nimita from the mind that appear to be real but the meditator must not attached to it but continue to be mindful, free from attachment and to be calm. After this moment occur and if the meditator mind is strong are not disturb, distract, non attached, no delusion, non greed on this occurance, the meditator will be continue to progress to realize and aware that the breath become softer, subtle, disappear and nobody sensation feeling aslo disappear and here it is UPEKA. Very important state of mind to reach as one is like being in the moment of emptiness, nothingness, space Thinking still exist during this experience. Here very important not to get lost, gets excite, gets deluded and too many on going thinking will take you out of this upeka. So during this monent stay calm as you can see there is thinking on going but do not let thinking become master or you will be kick out of upeka. Stay calm stop thinking and be with the condition. During this moment while you are staying calm in upeka your mind or i shall say you 5 mental faculties are in behind making adjustment and trying to be balance to be upeka and if successful if it is auto able to gets balance(meaning greed, hatred, delusions are removed as that 5 faculties are capable to become balance or become neutral, when that happen, your mind will shuts down and you enter the streams of ariya. Sadhu sadhu sadhu This article is written out of compassion for one who seek the path so difficult indeed and this article is carefully written from the path that was reached as a gift to all vipasanna practioner from a sotopana. BUDDHAM SARANAM GACCHAMI

Heard it again and appreciated all over again!

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="1637">27:17</a> You would do well to cling to the Noble Eigthfold path. The Buddha compares the path to a raft that is made from sticks and twigs, stuff lying around right by you ie your current experience, the five aggregates. Cling to to what is skilful and abandon what is unskillful. If you don’t cling to that raft, Ie skilful kamma then there is no way you can reach the safety of nibanna. It is only once you reach the safety of nibanna that ALL clinging is abandoned.

This subject is so important and needs to be contemplated to be really understood as it is intended in the teachings and put into practice as work in progress. Love the questions and answers at the end. Very helpful. I really appreciate this teaching!!

Gil is the best teacher among civilians !

All excellent things are humble and perhaps not so interesting!

Thank you.

thank you

I love it when he makes people laugh ️. <a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="360">6:00</a>.

Cling to sobriety

i am so thankful that you are offering this. i would love to support the imc, have you ever considered joining patreon or similar?

Siddhartha leaving family and first born seem shocking without context...the story of Yashodhara's wish many lifetimes ago in Dipankara Buddha's time is very relevant. She offered one of her lotus offering to Siddhartha at that past lifetime so she could become the life-companion of a future Buddha... is not told. I read they were together five lifetimes - it was a great remembering, commitment, and devotion to love on part of Sakyamuni. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ya%C5%9Bodhar%C4%81

Is it you or google who are putting the ads here? 😳 😨

<a href="#" class="seekto" data-time="360">6:00</a>

What sutta is this from?

Joking about nude maidens isn’t funny.