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Unfettered Classes
Podcasts & Audio Files
Periodically, Ken conducts courses on specific topics, such as mahamudra or the four immeasurables. Or he may give a course on a particular text, such as The 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva. These courses are recorded and posted on the UM website for everyone, e.g., people who missed a class and want to catch up or people who are unable to attend the course in person and want to follow it.
These resources are free. Your support, through donations, will keep them available to everyone. To donate, please click here.
Below are links to .mp3 files of these podcasts grouped by class. Select a grouping from the list below to see the list of files for that class. When you click on a file title, a new window will open to play the sound file. You can put the window in the background and continue to browse while you listen.
To listen online now click on a title below.
To download the mp3, right-click the title (if you are a Windows user) or option-click the title (if you are a Mac user).
To subscribe to this series as podcasts go to iTunes Music Store.
- Ganges Mahamudra (Class, 5 files) Jan, Feb 2010, Los Angeles, CA
- Sutra Session (Q & A, 9 files) ongoing, varied
- Meditations (Class, 1 file) ongoing, various
- Eightfold Path (Class, 2 files) May, 2010, Los Angeles, CA
- Ideology and Wisdom (Workshop, 4 files) May 2009, Los Angeles, CA
- Surviving Stressful Times (Workshop, 4 files) January, 2009, Los Angeles, CA
- Heart Sutra workshop (Talk, 4 files) September 2008, Los Angeles
- Anything’s Possible (Talk, 2 files) 2008, Port Townsend, WA
- Then and Now (Class, 37 files) 2007 - 2008, Los Angeles
- Who Am I? (Class, 4 files) 2008, Los Angeles, CA
- Making Things Happen (workshop, 4 files) 02/03/08, Los Angeles
- Money and Value (workshop, 4 files) 12/02/07, Los Angeles, CA
- Four Immeasurables (Class, 6 files) February - May, 2007, Los Angeles
- Mahamudra (Class, 6 files) November - December, 2006, Los Angeles CA
- Relationship and Conflict (tele-teaching, 4 files) October, 2006, Los Angeles
- Practice Issues (Talk, 3 files)
- What Do I Do Now? (Class, 4 files) August 2006, Los Angeles CA
- 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva (Class, 20 files) April-June 2006, Los Angeles CA
- Other Talks
- Learning from the Lives of Lineage Holders (Talks, 3 files) November-December 2004, Los Angeles CA
37P 01a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Introduction
Background information on text (available on the website), author, and structure of opening verses
Duration 24:06
37P 01b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Opening verses, Practice 1
Comments on paying homage (verse 1), intention (verse 2), what it is meant by study, reflect, and meditate/cultivate (practice 1), what is meant by 'experience has no coming and going', suffering as the result of fighting experience, traditional and internal interpretations of the eight unrestful states, the five individual advantages and the five circumstantial advantages that make practice of Dharma possible.
Duration 01:05:34
37P 02: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 2 and 3
Questions on previous session's content including importance of sequence in lists, how to approach a mythic cosmology in a rational culture, translation points around "spiritual heir", comments on leaving your homeland (practice 2) including the three levels of meaning (inner, outer, and secret), the need to take action, two levels of ignorance, three poisons, and the six realms; comments relying on silence (practice 3) including what it means not to engage disturbances or distractions, relationship between clear vivid awareness and confidence.
Duration 01:10:22
37P 03: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 4, 5, 6, and 7
Translation Questions: ‘forget the conventional concerns’ (practice 4) and ‘ordinary gods’ (practice 7). Reflection Questions: What is a relationship, actually? (practices 4 and 5), How do we construct a world out of thoughts, feelings, and sensations? What is the relationship between teacher and student? (practice 6), What does ‘give up bad friends’ mean? How do you work with negativity? (practice 5), What does it mean to take refuge? (practice 7). Meditation Questions: How do you work with this material in your own practice? Buddhist ethics as a description of awakened behavior vs. a prescription for how you should behave.
Duration 01:00:32
37P 04a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 8, 9, 10
Translation Questions: 'awakening mind' (practice 10), Are spaciousness and wisdom synonymous with emptiness? Reflection Questions: Does 'even if your life is at risk, don't engage in destructive actions' mean exactly that? (practice 8), What determines the morality of an action? (practice 8), What is the resistance to dying to reactive behavior? (practice 8). Note: Due to technical difficulties there are two short gaps in this recording.
Duration 00:40:15
37P 04b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 8, 9, 10 (continued)
Reflection Questions, continued: What if you engage in a destructive action? (practice 8), How do you deal with a sense of rebellion about being told hold to behave? (practice 8), How do you avoid hardening to experience?, What is meant by 'this highest level of freedom is one that never changes'? (practice 9), What arises when you reflect on 'if they are still suffering, how can you be happy?' (practice 10). Note: Due to technical difficulties there is a short gap towards the end of this recording.
Duration 00:39:45
37P 05a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 11, 12, 13
Translation Questions: 'driven by desperate want' (practice 12), 'wanting your own happiness' (practice 11), 'exchange completely your happiness for the suffering of others' (practice 11). Reflection Questions: What is this 'I' that wants to be happy? (practice 11). Note: Due to technical difficulties this recording contains a few brief sections that have electronic static which couldn't be corrected.
Duration 00:35:18
37P 05b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 11, 12, 13 (continued)
Reflection Questions, continued: Are desire and want okay so long as one doesn't cling to the results? (practice 11), What, if any, are appropriate boundaries in interactions with people? (practices 12 and 13), What is compassion when dealing with a thief? (practice 12), But don't you ultimately need to be happy or have a sense of well-being? (practice 11) What is the appropriate response when you are falsely accused? (practice 13) Note: Due to technical difficulties this recording contains a few brief sections that have electronic static which couldn't be corrected.
Duration 00:51:20
37P 06a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 14, 15, 16, 17
Reflection Questions: In what circumstances is violence appropriate or warranted? (practice 13, follow-up from previous session), You say "this approach works", but what does that mean? Does it resolve situations? (practices 14 - 17), How does "experiencing what arises" end suffering?
Duration 42:11
37P 06b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 14, 15, 16, 17 (continued)
Reflection Questions, continued: What do you have to do to actually do this? (practices 14 - 17), How can you prevent 'coming into awareness' from becoming just another concept?, How do these practices compare with the Christian teaching of turning the other cheek? Understanding the intention of these practices (practices 14 – 17), How are we supposed to lavish our worst enemy with love when that runs so counter to what society does? (practice 14)
Duration 39:40
37P 07a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 18, 19
Reflection Questions: Why is existence described as magnificent? (verse 19), How can I achieve balance between the two extremes described in these verses? (verses 18 & 19), How does taking and sending work? (verse 18)
Duration 46:22
37P 07b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 18, 19 (continued)
Reflection Questions, continued: Verse 19 doesn't seem directly related to taking and sending. What is the intention behind it? Why does giving things away through taking and sending feel better than regarding them as an empty experience? (verse 18), How can I maintain sufficient attention and awareness to do these practices so my patterns finally dissipate?
Duration 42:21
37P 08a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 20, 21, 22
Translation Questions: If the opponent inside is one's own anger, what is the opponent outside? (verse 20) Why is the word "subdue" used if we aren't suppose to fight our experience? (verse 20) What do you mean by "subject-object fixation"? (verse 22) What is meant by the word "experience" in 'whatever arises in experience is your own mind'? (verse 22) What is meant by the word "object" in 'any object that you attach to, right away, let it go'? (verse 21) When subduing anger, why are loving kindness and compassion recommended instead of patience? (verse 20) Does the word "fixation" in 'subject-object fixation' mean a hardening around the idea of self and other? (verse 22)
Duration 00:28:21
37P 08b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 20, 21, 22 (continued)
Reflection Questions: What are some ways of working with anger? (verse 20), Is anger always a reactive pattern? (verse 20), Isn't there such a thing as righteous anger? (verse 20), What is vajra anger and how does it apply here? (verse 20), How do you let go of something you desire? (verse 21), Doesn't letting go of desire seem joyless? (verse 21)
Duration 00:49:29
37P 09: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 22, 23, 24
Reflection Questions: If the perspective of subject-object isn't real and we aren't to take things we enjoy or things that cause suffering as real, then what is real? (verses 22 – 24) Why does it seem easier to do taking and sending with attraction instead of aversion? (verses 23, 24). This is followed by a discussion and hands-on example of how the mind is like a mirror, the fallacy of subject-object perspectives, and the nature of reality. Note: The discussion of the first question is joined in progress.
Duration 01:02:12
37P 10a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30
Reflection Questions: What makes the 'six perfections' perfections? In other words, what makes a generous act the perfection of generosity? (verses 25 – 30), How can you explain something without using an explanation? (verses 25 – 30), Is the order of the six perfections important? (verses 25 – 30), What quality permeates the perfections? (verses 25 – 30)
Duration 00:44:35
37P 10b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 (continued)
Reflection Questions: What does it mean to be 'completely free of irritation or resentment'? (verse 27), What does it mean to 'pour your energy into practice'? (verse 28), [Note: Due to technical difficulties, there is gap at this point in the recording.] What do insight, stillness, and stability refer to? (verse 29), What does it mean to be "free of the three domains"? (verse 30). Comments on the Bodhisattva Vow including the vow as intention, the vow as will, commitments at the level of intention and commitments at the level of will.
Duration 47:13
37P 11: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 31, 32, 33, 34
Translation Questions: In some prayers there is a request to 'give me the energy to let confusion subside on its own.' Doesn't this contradict the line to 'constantly go into your own confusion?' (verse 31). Reflection Questions: What does it mean "not to say anything about the imperfections of others on the path"? What should you do about the harmful actions of others? (verse 32), What does it mean to let go of any investment in our families and circles of support? (verse 33), Isn't it sometimes necessary to speak in a way that upsets others? (verse 34). Comments from students on what it was like to put these verses into practice. Reminder not to view these verses as dictums on how to behave but rather to weigh them against your own experience and see if they offer a beneficial approach.
Duration 01:19:50
37P 12a: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 35, 36, 37 and closing verses
Translation Questions: What are the three spheres? (verse 37). Reflection Questions: In previous classes, you have said not to fight experience. Why then are we being instructed to "crush reactive emotions"? (verse 35), How do you 'go into the experience' during daily activities and still function? How does practice 36 differ from being in a constant state of mahamudra? Exactly how do you direct the goodness you generate from the practices to awakening?
Duration 00:48:37
37P 12b: 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva
Practices 35, 36, 37 and closing verses (continued)
Reflection Questions (continued): Are the 37 practices a description or a set of instructions? How does knowing what is happening in your own mind or own experience help others? (verse 36). Comments from students on what it was like to meditate on these practices and put them into action in daily life. (Note: There is a gap in the recording at this point due to technical difficulties.) Comments on the closing four verses and preparation for taking the Bodhisattva Vow.
Duration 00:31:56