About The Class
"Shariputra," said the Buddha, "form does not differ from emptiness, emptiness does not differ from form....
Therefore, given emptiness, there is no form, no sensation, no perception, no formation, no consciousness;
no eyes, no ears, no nose, no tongue, no body, no mind;
no sight, no sound, no smell, no taste, no touch, no object of mind...."
-- from the Heart of Great Wisdom Sutra
Throughout his teachings, the Buddha emphasized a teaching commonly called "No Self" or "Not-Self" and frequently asked his listeners to reflect on the saying "This is not me; this is not mine, I am not this." That is because the Buddha saw that holding to "me, mine, and I" causes suffering.
Yet this teaching can seem, at first, hard to reconcile with our daily lives -- who is the entity who goes to work, cares for our children and pets, who showers each day, makes meals, drives a car and goes for walks or hikes?
This study session will examine 6-7 suttas in depth and in so doing will explore the Buddha's teachings on the five aggregates (form, feeling, perception, mental formations and consciousness) that make up a human being, and on the problems with identity views. We'll also read some teacher commentaries on this topic.
Study guides will be provided and there will be ample opportunities for discussion and Q&A along with time for reflection during short meditation periods.
When: Saturday, February 15th, 2020, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
How: The session is free and a free simple vegetarian lunch and snacks are also provided.
Where: The Red Clay Sangha at 3420 W. Hospital Ave. Ste 102 Chamblee, GA 30341
About the Study Session Leader
Elizabeth A. Gibson has been a Buddhist practitioner for eleven years, primarily in the Insight/Vipassana tradition. She is a technical writer and poet and has lived in Atlanta for ten years.
Questions? Please email Elizabeth Gibson.