Reliable cognizers and meditation
10 Foundation of Buddhist Practice
Venerable Thubten Chodron 
Volume 2 The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 
Nov 7, 2018 Part of a series of teachings given during a retreat based on the book The Foundation of Buddhist Practice given at Sravasti Abbey.
- Examining our thinking patterns and types of cognizers
- Inferential reliable cognizers and meditation
The Foundation of Buddhist Practice 10: Reliable cognizers and meditation (download)
Contemplation points
- How do we use an understanding of the different kinds of cognizers, and the ability to generate and investigate syllogisms, to facilitate both serenity and insight meditation?
- Do you find that resistance arises when you meditate on the Four Mindfulnesses? Examine the resistance. What process is going on in your mind that makes you resistant to hear certain things? What is the process in the mind when someone is warning you about a behavior you are doing and you don’t want to hear it? What lies behind your resistance? What are you concerned about? Use this as a way to explore how your mind works so that you can begin to transform it.
- Choose a few Lam Rim topics. What aspects are evident phenomena, which are slightly obscure phenomena, and which require authoritative testimony? Some examples might be:
- What kind of reliable cognizers know the dukkha of cyclic existence?
- When you reflect on the kindness of others, what kind of reliable cognizers are at play?
Venerable Thubten Chodron
Venerable Chodron emphasizes the practical application of Buddha’s teachings in our daily lives and is especially skilled at explaining them in ways easily understood and practiced by Westerners. She is well known for her warm, humorous, and lucid teachings. She was ordained as a Buddhist nun in 1977 by Kyabje Ling Rinpoche in Dharamsala, India, and in 1986 she received bhikshuni (full) ordination in Taiwan. Read her full bio.
