394. Culadasa (John Yates)

There is some controversy surrounding Culadasa. Here's a message from the organization he headed: Important Message from the Dharma Treasure Board of Directors His 33-page response and much discussion can be found on this Reddit board. Culadasa (John Yates, Ph.D.) was the director of Dharma Treasure Buddhist Sangha in Tucson, Arizona and author of The Mind Illuminated: A Complete Meditation Guide Integrating Buddhist Wisdom and Brain Science for Greater Mindfulness. A meditation master with over four decades of experience in the Tibetan and Theravadin Buddhist traditions, Culadasa also taught physiology and neuroscience for many years. He combines the original teachings of the Buddha with an emerging, scientific understanding of the mind to give students a rich and rare opportunity for rapid progress and profound insight. Website YouTube Channel Transcript of this interview. Interview recorded 4/1/2017 YouTube Video Chapters: 00:00:00 - Interview with Culadasa (John Yates) 00:03:36 - The Path of a Truth-Seeker 00:08:21 - From Catholicism to Eastern Religions 00:13:32 - Ananda Bodhi and the Recognition of Tulku 00:18:23 - Traditional vs Modern Meditation Techniques 00:22:44 - The Mechanics of Meditation 00:27:44 - The Two Ways of Knowing 00:32:29 - Focusing during Meditation and Alluring Objects of Attention 00:36:46 - Training the Mind's Attention 00:40:18 - Unifying the Mind through Meditation 00:44:02 - The Blissful State of Samatha 00:48:34 - The Neurophysiology of Meditation 00:52:51 - The Radical View of Consciousness 00:57:17 - The Unique Information Exchange in the Mind 01:01:31 - Accessing the Field of Consciousness 01:05:27 - The Continuation of Spiritual Evolution 01:10:10 - Tapping into Collective Wisdom and Past Lives 01:13:46 - The Mistake of Choosing the Wrong Child 01:18:04 - Subtle Extensions of Consciousness 01:21:50 - The Rigpa and the Clear Light of the Mind 01:26:15 - Fallen Awakened Teachers and the Mind System Theory 01:30:02 - Awakening and Changes in Behavior 01:33:48 - The Relationship Between Compassion and Wisdom 01:37:36 - Neurological Transformation and Compassion 01:41:11 - Buddhism's View on God and Atheism 01:46:24 - The Mystery of Existence 01:49:44 - Vertical Dimensionality of Creation 01:53:52 - The Importance of Openly Communicating Attainments and Enlightenment 01:58:04 - Theoretical Possibility of EEG Test Development 02:01:55 - Exploring the Mind and Teaching Offerings 02:05:37 - Thanking Culadasa Save Save