The Inner Causes of Distress and Well-being: Insights from Buddhist Psychology
D2S1 - Substantial Causes, and the Telescope of Introspection
Lama Alan · 110 minutes · recorded January 1, 2019
Substantial causes and cooperative conditions, a distinction from Dharmakirti that Lama Alan sets beside relativity theory: matter and space-time influence each other without transforming into each other. No brain event transforms into pleasure, so the substantial cause has to be mental. Shamatha is the telescope, vipashyana the astronomical observations. In the long guided practice we work through the tactile field into the space of the mind, where Maitripa's pith instructions take thoughts as the path.
Buddhist psychology Shamatha (calm abiding) Vipashyana (insight)