Article: “A Life of Mutual Benefit” by Gil Fronsdal
“A wise person is motivated to benefit oneself, others, and both self and others.” —The Buddha Some people live focused on benefiting themselves and those to whom they feel close. Some people are devoted to benefiting others, sometimes at the expense of themselves. To the Buddha, a wise person is someone who wishes for the […]
Article: “The Buddha’s Eightfold Path” by Gil Fronsdal
The Buddha’s teachings describe an accessible path to liberation. The ancient Buddhist metaphor of a path draws on the idea of a cleared passageway that allows one to move through an otherwise impassable forest. Just as a person brings his or her entire body along when walking on a path in the forest, so a […]
Article: From Mad to M.A.D.L.E.S.S. by Gil Fronsdal
Anger is one of the most common human emotions and perhaps the most dangerous. Regardless of whether the anger is directed toward ourselves or others, it can be painful and cause a great deal of suffering. While the danger of mild anger may only be discomfort for the person who is angry, rage and simmering […]
Article: The Action of Non-Action by Gil Fronsdal
Buddhist practice involves engaging in actions on a path to freedom and awakening. Action, in other words, is key. Reading about Buddhism is not the same as taking up the practice. If we learn about Buddhist practice but don’t change any of our behaviors, we won’t experience the benefits of the practice. Unless we actually […]
Article: The Dana of Dana Retreats
by: Gil Fronsdal At the Insight Meditation Center, and soon, at the new Insight Retreat Center, we offer our residential retreats freely at no cost to anyone who participates. We do so because we believe Buddhist practice unfolds best in a field of generosity, gratitude, and goodwill. We also believe the freely given aspect of […]
Article: Concentration & Relaxation
by Andrea Fella When we go on a residential retreat, we often hope that our meditation will result in a deepening of concentration: a quality of composure, collectedness, of settled attention. But unfortunately, we can’t force concentration to happen! We can, however, support the conditions that allow it to arise. This simple fact has been […]
Article: Cultivating Compassion by Gil Fronsdal
Compassion is inextricably linked to the Buddhist practice of liberation. It can be the motivation for this practice as well as the result. As one’s inner freedom grows, one’s capacity for compassion increases; as one’s compassion increases, so does the importance of freedom. Liberation supports compassion and compassion supports liberation. They both benefit when they […]
Article: “Actions” by Gil Fronsdal
Many of the Buddha’s teachings focus, in one way or another, on the importance of action in a wise life. When he gave instructions on how to live, he emphasized the importance of choosing actions that benefit ourselves and others. To understand his instruction on action it helps to be familiar with the teachings that […]
Article: “Going for Refuge” by Gil Fronsdal
All of Buddhism flows from the Buddha’s awakening. This is so important that the title “Buddha”, meaning “One Who is Awake”, comes from bodhi, the Buddhist word for awakening. Often, because Buddhism is a path by which others may experience this awakening, this goal is what is emphasized in Buddhist teachings. In practice, however, for […]
Article: The Sitting Buddha by Gil Fronsdal
Seated on the ground with legs crossed, hands resting in the lap, torso upright, shoulders balanced, eyes half open in a relaxed gaze, and with a soft, gentle smile, the image of the Buddha in meditation is the most universal and easily recognized Buddhist symbol. For many Buddhists the image represents their deepest aspirations, values […]