Eastbay Dhamma 2022-2023
The Five Faculties and Five Powers
“Mendicants, there are these five powers. What five? The powers of faith, energy, mindfulness, immersion, and wisdom. These are the five powers. The Ganges river slants, slopes, and inclines to the east. In the same way, a mendicant who develops and cultivates the five powers slants, slopes, and inclines to Nibbana." - SN 50.1
suttacentral.net/sn47.10/en/bodhi
Absorptions
In this 8-part series, we will explore the five faculties (indriya) and five powers (bala) as found in the 37 bodhipakkhiyā dhammas or wings to awakening.
The sessions will be 2-hours in length and will include meditation, investigation of our topic relying on the suttas, and discussion. We will orient our exploration towards practice and development of the path.
Currently, we will be meeting on Zoom. As the group feels comfortable to do so and we find a space, we will start to meet in person in the Oakland/Berkeley area. At that time, we will also continue with Zoom, using a hybrid model, so everyone can be included.
There will be 8 sessions in this series from 2pm-4pm on 2nd Saturdays. Here are the dates:
September 10
October 15
November 12
(No meeting in December)
January 14
February 11
March 11
April 8
May 20 (changed due to scheduling conflict)
To Join Zoom Meeting you can simply click the link on our homepage or use this link, ID and password:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89713120971?pwd=dXJVZnpCSVNNZXZOOHhUMW5Gc2IzZz09
Meeting ID: 897 1312 0971
Passcode: 902160
April 8 and May 20 - Integration of the Faculties and Powers using Mindfulness
Consider this question for our meeting on April 8: How are the 5 Powers, as described in AN 5.14 "In Detail", developed through the practice of Mindfulness of the Body and Mindfulness of Feeling?
The homework for these two months is the practice with the "applications of mindfulness" as found in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta MN 10 with the reflection in mind of how faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi and wisdom can be integrated and solidified through mindfulness practice. We will focus on the first two applications, observing the body and observing feelings, in preparation for our meeting on April 8. And we will focus on observing the mind and observing principles in preparation for our final meeting of the course on May 20.
March 11 - Readings on Wisdom (Paññā)
The homework for this session will focus on how to develop wisdom.
Please read the transcript of a talk by Ajahn Plien entitled "From Samādhi to the Highest Goal" and also the "With Caṅkī" sutta, MN 95.
Here are a few questions for contemplation as you prepare for our meeting:
How do you see wisdom developing in your practice?
If you have practiced to some extent in the ways described in the above readings, what results have you experienced?
Are there other readings from the Pali suttas on wisdom that you would like to discuss?
February 11 - Readings on Immersion (Samādhi)
"And where should the faculty of immersion be seen? In the four absorptions." - SN 48.8
The homework for this session is to find one, two or more passages on samādhi that intrigue and inspire you, that clarify what samādhi is and how to develop it.
Here are two readings to get you started:
SN 53.1 "Absorptions"
AN 8.63 "A Teaching in Brief"
January 14 - Readings on Mindfulness (Sati)
During this session, we will look into some of the subtle aspects of mindfulness practice that bring it to the level of a Faculty (satindriyaṁ) and a Power (satibalaṁ).
We will draw from the suttas found in the Samyutta Nikaya on mindfulness.
Please read the following five suttas and bring any others you find inspiring from the Satipatthana Samyutta or the Indriya or Bala Samyuttas.
SN 47: 2 "Mindful",
SN 47:3 "A Bhikkhu"
SN 47:4 "At Sala"
SN 47:8 "The Cook"
SN 47:9 "Sick"
November 12 - Readings on Energy
The home work for this meeting is to read passages from the suttas on energy as a faculty (vīriyindriyaṁ), as a power (vīriyabalaṁ), as an enlightenment factor (vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ), or as the Four Right Efforts (cattārome sammappadhāne) and bring one or two suttas or excerpts that you find helpful or inspiring to our zoom meeting on Saturday, November 12.
October 15 - Readings on Faith
This month our focus is on saddhindriya, the faculty of faith, which can also be translated as conviction or confidence. The Buddha said this faculty can be seen in stream entry. So, the homework for this meeting is to read suttas on stream entry found in the Nikayas and bring one or two that you find inspiring or interesting or confusing to our meeting on October 15.
Hints on finding suttas on a topic
In order to find suttas, I recommend going to the Reading Faithfully website where you can find the links to purchase translations by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and others from Wisdom Publishing or you can download Bhante Sujato's translations which are free.
Bhante Sujato's translations can be downloaded in a variety of formats. I personally use the pdf versions because I find it easy to search them in Adobe Acrobat, but you might find other formats easier for you.
If you have problems downloading the sutta books, please contact me at santussika@karunabv.org.
September 10 - Readings
AN 5.15 Should be Seen https://suttacentral.net/sn48.8/en/sujato
SN 55:2 Culmination of the Holy Life https://suttacentral.net/sn55.2/en/sujato
SN 49.1 Right Efforts Ganges https://suttacentral.net/sn49.1/en/sujato
SN 47.1 In Ambapālī’s Wood https://suttacentral.net/sn47.1/en/sujato
SN 53.1 Absorptions https://suttacentral.net/sn53.1/en/sujato
SN 56.1 Immersion https://suttacentral.net/sn56.1/en/sujato
Absorptions
In this 8-part series, we will explore the five faculties (indriya) and five powers (bala) as found in the 37 bodhipakkhiyā dhammas or wings to awakening.
The sessions will be 2-hours in length and will include meditation, investigation of our topic relying on the suttas, and discussion. We will orient our exploration towards practice and development of the path.
Currently, we will be meeting on Zoom. As the group feels comfortable to do so and we find a space, we will start to meet in person in the Oakland/Berkeley area. At that time, we will also continue with Zoom, using a hybrid model, so everyone can be included.
There will be 8 sessions in this series from 2pm-4pm on 2nd Saturdays. Here are the dates:
September 10
October 15
November 12
(No meeting in December)
January 14
February 11
March 11
April 8
May 20 (changed due to scheduling conflict)
To Join Zoom Meeting you can simply click the link on our homepage or use this link, ID and password:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89713120971?pwd=dXJVZnpCSVNNZXZOOHhUMW5Gc2IzZz09
Meeting ID: 897 1312 0971
Passcode: 902160
April 8 and May 20 - Integration of the Faculties and Powers using Mindfulness
Consider this question for our meeting on April 8: How are the 5 Powers, as described in AN 5.14 "In Detail", developed through the practice of Mindfulness of the Body and Mindfulness of Feeling?
The homework for these two months is the practice with the "applications of mindfulness" as found in the Satipaṭṭhāna sutta MN 10 with the reflection in mind of how faith, energy, mindfulness, samādhi and wisdom can be integrated and solidified through mindfulness practice. We will focus on the first two applications, observing the body and observing feelings, in preparation for our meeting on April 8. And we will focus on observing the mind and observing principles in preparation for our final meeting of the course on May 20.
March 11 - Readings on Wisdom (Paññā)
The homework for this session will focus on how to develop wisdom.
Please read the transcript of a talk by Ajahn Plien entitled "From Samādhi to the Highest Goal" and also the "With Caṅkī" sutta, MN 95.
Here are a few questions for contemplation as you prepare for our meeting:
How do you see wisdom developing in your practice?
If you have practiced to some extent in the ways described in the above readings, what results have you experienced?
Are there other readings from the Pali suttas on wisdom that you would like to discuss?
February 11 - Readings on Immersion (Samādhi)
"And where should the faculty of immersion be seen? In the four absorptions." - SN 48.8
The homework for this session is to find one, two or more passages on samādhi that intrigue and inspire you, that clarify what samādhi is and how to develop it.
Here are two readings to get you started:
SN 53.1 "Absorptions"
AN 8.63 "A Teaching in Brief"
January 14 - Readings on Mindfulness (Sati)
During this session, we will look into some of the subtle aspects of mindfulness practice that bring it to the level of a Faculty (satindriyaṁ) and a Power (satibalaṁ).
We will draw from the suttas found in the Samyutta Nikaya on mindfulness.
Please read the following five suttas and bring any others you find inspiring from the Satipatthana Samyutta or the Indriya or Bala Samyuttas.
SN 47: 2 "Mindful",
SN 47:3 "A Bhikkhu"
SN 47:4 "At Sala"
SN 47:8 "The Cook"
SN 47:9 "Sick"
November 12 - Readings on Energy
The home work for this meeting is to read passages from the suttas on energy as a faculty (vīriyindriyaṁ), as a power (vīriyabalaṁ), as an enlightenment factor (vīriyasambojjhaṅgaṁ), or as the Four Right Efforts (cattārome sammappadhāne) and bring one or two suttas or excerpts that you find helpful or inspiring to our zoom meeting on Saturday, November 12.
October 15 - Readings on Faith
This month our focus is on saddhindriya, the faculty of faith, which can also be translated as conviction or confidence. The Buddha said this faculty can be seen in stream entry. So, the homework for this meeting is to read suttas on stream entry found in the Nikayas and bring one or two that you find inspiring or interesting or confusing to our meeting on October 15.
Hints on finding suttas on a topic
In order to find suttas, I recommend going to the Reading Faithfully website where you can find the links to purchase translations by Ven. Bhikkhu Bodhi and others from Wisdom Publishing or you can download Bhante Sujato's translations which are free.
Bhante Sujato's translations can be downloaded in a variety of formats. I personally use the pdf versions because I find it easy to search them in Adobe Acrobat, but you might find other formats easier for you.
If you have problems downloading the sutta books, please contact me at santussika@karunabv.org.
September 10 - Readings
AN 5.15 Should be Seen https://suttacentral.net/sn48.8/en/sujato
SN 55:2 Culmination of the Holy Life https://suttacentral.net/sn55.2/en/sujato
SN 49.1 Right Efforts Ganges https://suttacentral.net/sn49.1/en/sujato
SN 47.1 In Ambapālī’s Wood https://suttacentral.net/sn47.1/en/sujato
SN 53.1 Absorptions https://suttacentral.net/sn53.1/en/sujato
SN 56.1 Immersion https://suttacentral.net/sn56.1/en/sujato