Spring 2011 Shamatha Retreat

Alan Wallace begins this afternoon's session with the question, "When a desire arises, how does one know whether it is desire (wholesome) or craving (unwholesome)?" He explores practical answers to this question, then proceeds to a guided meditation on the immeasurable of uppekha, or equanimity, focusing on a Theravaden approach, cultivating an evenness of mental imperturbability, a mind unaffected by mental afflictions. The guided meditation begins at 14:37 in the recording. Afterwards, Alan gives an interesting and engaging answer to this question from the group: 1. Any time I've heard the question, "How or why did ignorance-marigpa begin?" the answer given is that, "It never began; time is beginningless, and the dharmakaya and ignorance have just always existed, neither came first." And then, from the teacher, "And why do you want a beginning or first moment anyway?!" I can accept the notion of beginningless time - ie: present moment arising from the previous ad infinitum, and that from the perspectiv