Ep218: 21st Century Enlightenment - Leigh Brasington 3
Leigh Brasington is a Buddhist meditation teacher and author of ‘Right Concentration, A Practical Guide to the Jhanas’.
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Leigh reveals his upcoming solo retreat plans and personal meditation goals and considers why it is that he continues to meditate after so many decades of practice.
Leigh recalls his career as a computer programmer and draws analogies from the computer world to the workings of human beings on the Dharma path.
Leigh expresses his views on AI, in particular whether or not AI will replace meditation teachers, and goes on to explore what makes a great meditation teacher and what makes a bad one, as well as the importance of heart connection when leading retreats, and answers the question ‘how enlightened should someone be before they can teach meditation?.
Leigh also shares an exchange he had with an AI in which he asks questions about jhana meditation and evaluates the AI’s answers. Leigh goes on to offer his take on Shinzen Young’s ultrasound neuromodulation research and questions the possibility of its efficacy to bring about meaningful spiritual progress.
00:00 - Intro
01:20 - Why does Leigh still go on solo meditation retreats?
06:15 - How has meditation changed Leigh’s life?
06:42 - Leigh’s meditation goals
08:30 - Why do intermediate and advanced practitioners stop practicing?
11:42 - The early days of computer programming
14:40 - Working as a computer programmer
18:09 - Writing a Tibetan-Tibetan dictionary for Tsoknyi Rinpoche
21:33 - Building his own DOS box
23:41 - Overlaps between computer programming and meditation
26:47 - Pros of cons of computer metaphors for describing humans and the Dharma
28:53 - KISS and other computer metaphors for meditation
32:02 - Buddhist fundamentalism and the doctrine of rebirth
34:41 - Did the Buddha really believe in rebirth?
38:21 - The lies of the Buddha
42:32 - Is Buddhist fundamentalism compatible with enlightenment?
45:46 - Does belief in rebirth prevent enlightenment?
49:02 - The immortality project
49:26 - Did Buddhism degrade or evolve?
53:34 - Mahayana writers who Leigh enjoys
54:07 - Why Leigh loves Shantideva’s chapter on dedication
55:55 - Computers and Buddhism
58:33 - Will AI replace human programmers?
01:05:15 - Will AI teach meditation better than human teachers?
01:06:54 - What makes a really good meditation teacher
01:10:22 - Leigh asks AI dharma questions: what is the cause of dukkha?
01:13:41 - How do I know if I’m practicing jhana correctly?
01:15:05 - Why are the jhanas important?
01:16:23 - How can I tell whether I’m in 3rd of 4th jhana?
01:17:15 - How does one go from 4th to 5th jhana?
01:17:49 - Trouble entering the 1st jhana
01:19:12 - The human connection in meditation interviews
01:19:54 - How to establish a heart connection with your meditation students
01:23:11 - Is AI better than a mediocre meditation teacher?
01:26:30 - What makes a bad meditation teacher?
01:30:13 - How to spot a teacher with an agenda
01:32:56 - Why Leigh dislikes the Mahasi noting practice
01:34:53 - How enlightened should a meditation be?
01:40:12 - How Leigh tests Westerners who claim full enlightenment
01:42:17 - Buddhist faith claims vs other religions
01:48:28 - Buddhist vs Christian faiths
01:51:09 - Leigh challenges Shinzen’s attempts to use ultrasound to induce nirodha
01:52:05 - How stream entry really works
01:54:13 - Using ultrasound to induce jhana states
01:56:23 - Does Leigh see any use in Shinzen’s research?
01:57:42 - Could ultrasound jumpstart mediocre and fearful meditators?
02:01:20 - The spiritual path is about letting go
Previous episodes with Leigh Brasington:
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Music ‘Deva Dasi’ by Steve James